well, I think I understand what was going wrong at last - having eliminated a hardware problem by using the 4tronix script.
I'll have a look at the AccelStepper library Robin, in the meantime this link http://arduino-info.wikispaces.com/SmallSteppers (oops - added 23/1 
) explains why I had problems with the steps-per-revolution using the example sketches provided with the IDE. Something to move forward with!
Addendum - in the meantime I've included the sketch I've produced using the information gleaned, enabling me to control motor movement using the Arduino stepper library and information from this source : http://arduino-info.wikispaces.com/SmallSteppers , from which the motor details section is especially enlightening
/*
Stepper Motor Control
B Version - change to "Firing Sequence 1-3-2-4" and change speed to 200
RESULT: Full turn in 8 seconds instead of 30 at speed of 30. Try speed 300? no faster
C Version - re-jig from Yourduino example "Yourduino1"
*/
#include <Stepper.h>
const int stepsPerMotorRevolution = 32; //No of steps per internal revolution of motor,
//4-step mode as used in Arduino Stepper library
const int stepsPerOutputRevolution = 32*64; //no of steps per revolution of the output shaft
const int motorpin1 = 8; //Assign motor (ie board) pins to Arduino pins
const int motorpin2 = 9; //
const int motorpin3 = 10; //
const int motorpin4 = 11; //
// initialize the stepper library on pins 8 through 11, Motor rev steps, "Firing" sequence 1-3-2-4,
Stepper myStepper(stepsPerMotorRevolution, motorpin1,motorpin3,motorpin2,motorpin4);
void setup() {
// Stepper library sets pins as output
myStepper.setSpeed(200); //Set the speed
Serial.begin(9600); // initialize the serial port:
}
// MAIN LOOP +++++++++++++++++++
void loop() {
// step one revolution in one direction:
Serial.println("clockwise");
myStepper.step(stepsPerOutputRevolution);
delay(1000);
// step one revolution in the other direction:
Serial.println("counterclockwise");
myStepper.step(-stepsPerOutputRevolution);
delay(1000);
// Quarter revolution clockwise
Serial.println("clockwise 1/4 rev");
myStepper.step(stepsPerOutputRevolution/4);
delay(1000);
// Half revolution counterclockwise
Serial.println("counterclockwise clockwise 1/2 rev");
myStepper.step(-stepsPerOutputRevolution/2);
delay(1000);
}
// END OF MAIN LOOP +++++++++++++++++++++