Mark - thanks for your interest (none from anyone else, it seems!!) I understand your comments about the currents involved (it had sort of dawned on me as I formulated the question that the single transformer idea was a non-starter,anyway!)
I'd still like to get some informed opinions about the...
I'm based in the UK and intending to install display lighting to a long narrow exhibition space app 80ft. x 18 ft.
To minimise cost I want to use standard Quartz Halogen 12 V spot reflector bulbs suspended from pairs of catenary stretched-wire conductors by a simple system of my own devising...