What's a "ropey"?

Get the battery charged & TESTED.
Clean the connections, including grounds, such as engine mounting bolts.
IF that fails, jumper the 2 large terminals on the starter solenoid together to see if it cranks.

Try setting the parking break, sit on the seat and make sure the PTO is off.

if it's a 1200 quietline "74 -"80 try this link for manual and follow other previous advice for starting help.

Here is a link that might be useful: 1200 manual

If it's clicking when you turn the key, it's not a safety switch or parking BRAKE problem.

Good point. Must be the ropey

I've a feeling it is a British thing (or at least a U.K. thing).
From what I can dig up it means "unwell" or "not in as good shape as it could be".
Might we infer "getting rickety"?

Yup, probably a Brit thing, Ropey??

In the U.S. we just say "snot beat out of it". Better to cut to the chase. The images are cross-culture.

A close friend of mine uses the term "it looks like hammered dog sh**" to say what you said Tom.