Has anyone any comments to make re drilling rape on the "subsoiler" (Tim Howard machine) which we intend to do but only really cultivating to a depth of about 8 inches

Should work if it is about to rain, otherwise I guess it would be down to coserving soil moisture / seed contact. Rolling would help, but at the same time causes compaction - caught between a rock and a hard place.

We have tried the Autocast route and it didn't work for us major problem with slugs and then tried a Terracast far better idea and fitted to a set of cambridge rollers and then depending on conditions either level lifted in front or disced and presses. Because even if you fit your seeder to a subsoiler in front of the roller you will need to heavy roll afterwards to get the seed to soil contact required so we found the most versatile approach was to fit the seeder to the rolling operation and then do what is required in front. PS remeber the slug pellets and application of N to get it going.

We have an Autocast which we will use as normal on combine then follow in close behind with our Shakaerator/power harrow combination with the tines just scuffling the surface.That way we will get moisture /seed contact[ i hope]and reduce slug risk a bit.The field will then get cambridge rolled.I would fit the Autocast to the combi but apparently they dont like too much vibration.

Yes We were purely rolling behind the Autocast and I think that was where we fell down and lucky it was on a SOR basis and so we changed it for the terracast and thought the rollers gave us the versatility to change the system to suit conditions etc Alistair