I used to go to the cycle shop down the road and buy a length of outer cable, a cable with one nipple and a screw on nipple. Unfortunately the shop is now closed but if you go to any cycle shop they wil sell outer cable to any length from a roll and bicycle gear cables which are quite long enough. They will have a cable cutter to make the ends nice and tidy. They should also have the ends to tidy the cable. Screw on nipples are easy enough to come by. Do it right and it is as good as something that costs 10 times as much. Use solder as well as the screw on device if you want to, but I have never had one fail.
Not yet.fitted another standard genuine and will probably have to send the old one to venhill as a pattern.i will post some pics and a length when i get chance