Very helpful comments.
It seems from all this that getting the JAA IR is the way to go but will (obviously) take me a while to do this. If I fly the N reg on a FAA ppl that I get on the basis of the JAA PPL or by a flight test can I fly the craft in the UK in IMC using the IMC rating or does this mean that I fly an N reg craft I cant fly it in IMC at all in UK until having an IR.
Is it possible to do the IR in the plane that I intend to continue flying if this is an N reg. I assume not as the examining will be done by the CAA.
I presume as the IMC rating is UK only that this cant be used in an N reg craft that I am flying on an FAA lisence.
Or is it possible to fly the plane in the UK on the JAA PPL and thus use the IMC rating part of this.