As my recently acquired 96 Accord coupe takes ages to warm up I completely blanked off the radiator, with a view to removing the block in a few miles, when overheating threatened.
60 miles later the gauge is at its usual place well below mid point.
Methinks these cars are better suited to Dubai than Derbyshire ?

 

Could the t-stat be stuck partially open...this would cause it to not warm up. Has the t-stat been replaced? I'm assuming that when the gauge is low you are not getting hot air inside.
The gauge on my 95 reads at about 4 o'clock when warm. So not sure how that relates to "the gauge is at its usual place well below mid point".

 

It may be failed thermostat, someone removed the thermostat or replaced w/ poor quality. OEM thermostats are worth the slightly higher cost IMO.

good luck

 

Dont know about the t stat : will investigate. The car becomes very warm eventually - gauge at 4.00/4.30 .

 

X2 on the thermostat.
With a stuck-open thermostat, the temperature will eventually get up there but it'll take extra long.

 

It is supposed to be below halfway, or at least the 2 I have owned have been.