Thanks guys, problem solved. I'd started a new project in 9b, it opens with the timeline at the bottom and all the docking windows at the top of the main window and muggins here wanted them positioned at the bottom. In trying to drag them around I scrambled things and lost the docking handles on each window.
To fix this, save > close project > exit 9b. Hold control shift and restart 9b. It resets things to factory default, open project.
Then go > Options > Preferences > Display > uncheck Display timeline at bottom of main window > Apply.
That puts the timeline at the top of the main window and each program window at the bottom with its docking handles so they can be repositioned and resized in relation to one another.
This is a new project with no vid clips yet. Thx again.