Been to B&Q

They are selling a 4 metre hand rail for £27 in PINE, but it's
finished

Which is not bad I thought, however I would like to see the handrail in
a darker wood like the ones at

http://www.handraildesign.co.uk/

Trouble is your talking hundreads of pounds !

Any ideas other than sanding the cheap one down and using a special
vanish effect