I bought my last Brooks from these guys:

http://www.lickbike.com/productpage.aspx?PART_NUM_SUB='0906-05'

They were cheaper and seemed easy to deal with.

I am suprised that Walingford treated you that way. They have had a good customer service rep up until now. They could have kept a customer and gained a few more instead of losing them. It is deductible after all.

I had a Brooks that was on a bike that was left outside in the elements for over a year before I aquired it. It went through a number of rainstorms after that while unprotected. It was great right up until someone stole the bike. That was abuse. . You did not abuse the saddle.