Given Jessops bought out most local independent town camera shops before going broke themselves, it isn't surprising there aren't many Pentax stockists left and a gaping hole of dealers There aren't that many independent photographic stores left, and of the ones which are around they seem to be mostly second hand dealers. I visited the Jessops store in Preston last year and their Pentax stock was barely worth looking at (and no doubt even less now). However directly opposite was an independent camera shop (Wilkinsons) displaying a K-1 in the front window. There has to be a reason Jessops have dropped Pentax, brown envelopes from Canikon perhaps? Who knows. Other dealers seem to manage to stock and promote them.

That's cool! (for those not logged in it means $8 )
Agreed about quick release tripod mounts. Seems each manufacturer to their own! I suppose if one has a broken tripod, but still have the QR mount it might be worth getting that tripod. Not much point otherwise. I wonder where all the old QR mounts go?!

If one takes images with RAW+JPEG, the RAW file will always be, just that, a RAW file! That then leaves the jpeg file created by the camera with whichever settings have been used. If like John's jpeg image it is already as you want it then the RAW file could be dispensed with. However if it isn't right then one would still has the raw file to process to get the required result. If John just had to have a colour version of his waterfall for a colour photo competition with a £1,000 prize, he'd either have to colour it in himself or go without if the raw file wasn't available!

Other manufacturers used to make film bodies with the K mount. There's a useful page on Wikipedia here that describes the K mount incarnations and cameras that used it showing 21camera makes and 65 lens manufacturers.
Since digital though, I can only think of Pentax themselves who make cameras with the K mount.
As others have said, if you have a reasonable lens collection, why change brands? There's quite a few newer ones to choose from. If you prefer something fairly lightweight, there's the K-30, K-50, K-70, K-S1, K-S2 and KP to choose from (those will work with AA batteries with an adapter if that is an issue.) If you want something more substantial there's the K-7, K-5, K-3 or even the full frame K-1. (Nothing wrong with a Kx either but I'm sure you'd find a newer model would be better!)
So plenty of choice! What are you wanting out of a new camera as someone here may be able to help if they have one to move on?
Have you investigated getting the Kr repaired? Guess it might not be cost effective.

A super photo, well done with that. Stop teasing us that you need help with Stellarium, seems you could write the manual for it!

From what I understand, the Canon and Pentax remotes have the same plug, others are different.

I bought mine on eBay, but it looks to be the same thing. Are you sure the one you have is Pentax compatible? See this video where he says to make sure you get the one for your camera as they have different plugs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CDI3Rj2dK8

That article you linked to quotes EUR 8.45 for the set of 15.

Have you seen the 'do it yourself' option?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VF3IjJ640Gw

As to the official ones, they supply five of each as they know they'll gfet scratched and have a short lifespan. Have you seen the Pentax method of incorporating rear filters? While some of the older lenses have them built in, others use a dedicated mount


Admittedly, that's for a very expensive 645 lens but even the budget mirror lenses such as the Tamron 500mm use standard screw in filters.

I have the Aputure branded version and have never experienced that.