Worsening electrics, drive me nuts.

Hi all,
Have had a little search around for a solution to my issue, but feel its quite specific so am starting new post.
My van (1.3 EFI, Panel, 2000, 46,000 miles) Has been pretty good on the electrics front since the whole time I've owned him;
I added a stereo (tapping into some loose cables that I presume the previous owner had rigged his up to) so there is a bit of a bulk of wires strapped up behind the ash tray, but nothing thats going to get trodden on. I also bypassed the fuel pump relay when that decided to pack in, but have since reconnected it as it's working again. Other than these, I have not tampered with any other electrics on board.
For a couple of weeks a few months ago, there was a power drain that would regularly drain the battery enough for the starter to just click, if left for a few days, but that too decided to sort itself out.
A few days ago I parked up and removed my keys. The rear windscreen wiper (which has been defunct the whole time I've owned it) decided to start, and I noticed the fuel pump was still running, the break lights were on and the right hand indicators were stuck on too. I disconnected the battery and left it. These problems went away when I started up, and proceeded to drive about 100 miles. When I removed my keys again, the same thing happened, so I disconnected the battery again. The next time I drove, about half way through the short drive, the indicator decided to stick on the right hand side, then the headlights cut out and would only illuminate when the break pedal was compressed, which made for an interesting drive home (was less than a mile with no cars around, but still probably should have pulled over).
The next time I go to start he won't spark, and I hear no activity in the fuel pump when I listen close. I check all the fuses and notice that the lights one has blown, but all others (inc. fuel pump fuse) are ok.
Forgive the length of this post, but I feel quite dyslexic with electric and have no idea about where to start.
I've booked in with a reputable auto electrician for next week, but would feel a lot better about fixing the problem myself (with you nice peoples help) so any ideas would be greatly welcomed.
Thanks all.

Sounds like something is shorting it all out somewhere, sorry thats as specific as I can be, electrics are not my best topic. There have been a few on here that have had similar strange issues and most have come down to a short somewhere, cables rubbing on bodywork etc.

Aye sounds about right huh? Thanks for the idea, guess I'll have to trace the loom.
There was one post in which H.J mentioned a really common fault of a breaking wire just out of the battery box, so will have a look and let it be known as to what I find

The wire at the battery box generally cuts all power , welcome to the fun of leccy.....

As Logi rightly says, it sounds like it is the usual villain of the peace, the Positive terminal giving you negative problems.
It is certainly the place to look at first.

The battery terminal has two wires going into a grey plastic connector plug which you can see from underneath the battery box where it comes out of the battery box, coming out with the main feed cable to the starter and alternator. The two wires then go to the engine bay where they split into two areas of the loom.
The most common problem is one of the wires breaks either just before the grey plug or just after the plug. If you have no Orange Engine Management Light on and no Fuel pump then 99% likely that one of the wires is broken at or around the grey plug.

Try turning the ignition on and then move the plug and wires either side of the plug and see if the fuel pump comes on momentarily or have someone looking at the Dashboard to see if the Orange Management Light comes on.

Thanks Woodie, ill have a try at this when I have a minute to jack him up; Spent too long on my back in the narrow crawlspace the sat few days hehe.