Ha ha! We've just replaced an old 1200 watt Henry and 1400 wattGoblin with an 800 watt Hoover and agree that things have moved on; it's pretty good though how a lower wattage can equal greater suction power is, I'm afraid, a bit beyond me.
The Henry WAS a p.i.t.a., always getting in the way, but (almost) bombproof, as you say. Surprised that the E.U. had such an effect of the technological progress of vacuum cleaners. The new Henrys are also low wattage now, and smaller with it, but hopefully still with the 5 litre bag. B.t.w., even a Henry gets to the state of being unfixable, at least here, it seems.