I'd left the B-screw with about 4mm of exposed thread beneath the head (so potentially another c. 4mm of preload available on the derailleur's torsion spring)...
However, thanks to the need to get a screwdriver in there to adjust the typical, silly JIS cheese / cross head screw I couldn't really add any more preload while taking the load off the spring (to avoid destroying what little paint might remain on the hanger where it contacts the screw).
Thanks to Shimano's quality documentation a bit of digging revealed the B-screw is apparently M4x12mm; a size I conveniently, randomly have a whole box of in stainless with socket cap heads
As you add preload to the B-screw its carrier rotates about the main RD pivot; thus causing its angle to change relative to the face it engages on the hanger. Subsequently with a flat-ended screw you'll most likely end up with only the edge of the screw's end contacting the hanger with a correspondingly tiny bearing area.
Since this isn't great from the perspective of limiting damage to the dropout / its finish I popped my bolt into the council lathe and gave it a bit of a ball end:
Once fitted the better access with the Allen key allowed me to add more preload to the RD than I'd previously managed. The screw is noticeably less tight in the carrier's threads (perhaps the originals are made a shade oversize to keep them secure) however given the amount of load on it from the RD spring I doubt it's going anywhere; and if it does I can always add some threadlock.
I couldn't resist a quick test ride and a total of four miles gave no ghost shifting and seemingly improved shift quality; however I've had plenty of false dawns in the past so will wait until I've put more miles on it before a final verdict.
Going out with no pannier bags, rucksack or tunes in the cool evening air really reminded me of how good the bike is / how much I like it. The bike feels sold and silent - the unfamiliar absence of the pannier bags chattering on the rack confirming absolutely no squeaks, rattles, knocks or bloody-freehub noise from the bike itself.
The two loudest sounds to the rider are wind noise and the tyres on the road - making it feel ridiculously refined compared to everything else I own; despite its modest provenence
