[Arran]

Bob;
It looks like you were using some 450 vdc caps, yep you can't restuff the original can with those. I have a lot of photoflash capacitors, technically you are not supposed to use too high of a capacity for in input filter cap, but I used 150 and 160 uf 330 vdc photoflash caps in AC/DC sets all the time and never blew up a rectifier tube. The last rectifier tube that failed in a set I had was a 35W4, ironically in a late 60s Westinghouse clock radio, and the reason it failed was because the 50C5 power output tube was loose, so it would periodically loose contact, and regain it, with a bunch of static, and I think it blew out the cathode connection in the 35W4. I seated the 50C5 in it's socket firmly, replaced the 35W4, and it was working fine up until I quit using it as a daily driver radio.
As to why most of the tubes were bad in your set, my guess is that it spent it's time in a kitchen, or garage. running 24/7, and the higher line voltage and leaky caps probably did not help. The line voltage is something you may want to address, a bigger dropper in series would the tube heaters would likely help.
Regards
Arran