@ Gizzo,
the big-end design was simply copied from Japanese practice instead of the old British style which has the hardened steel outer race pressed into the rod. If Nipponese singles get high mileages from this, dear old RE (India) ought to be capable of it. Later Electra-Xs were supposed to be better, but my first one was a fairly early '05, the big-end lasted 17.5k miles/28k kilometres, some were failing a lot sooner. Fast forward a few years and your own CGT would seem to proof that RE did indeed up their game if it' has been happy with serious use. It's more the occasional one failing now rather than whole batches, AFAIK.
If I were looking at a CGT 535 for serious and sustained hooligan use the Alpha Bearings conversion would still be top of the list, along with the other upgrades listed. I shall probably never own one, at least not whole one, there is a sort of weirdo project I have in mind, but I will need to see what the current going rate for used kidneys is.
A.