ok loading up the server list, and this happens, the game stops, but task manager says it is still responding. is this my computer playing up, or a bug in LFS (see attached image)

i cant click on any servers to join, meaning i cant play

ok typical of this, i put this post in and it works again lol. but still, could be an intermittant bug of some form, or as i said my computer deciding it doesnt want to play

Could be a server not replying, and therefor stopping the loading process... you could try to canel the server-pinging, if you are not able to join again.