NullPointer during indexing means server is unusable

A reindex was required and started manually

Exception in thread "ISSUE-indexQueue:thread-1" java.lang.NullPointerException
at java.util.concurrent.LinkedBlockingQueue.extract(LinkedBlockingQueue.java:139)
at java.util.concurrent.LinkedBlockingQueue.take(LinkedBlockingQueue.java:365)
at com.atlassian.jira.index.QueueingIndex$Task.index(QueueingIndex.java:133)
at com.atlassian.jira.index.QueueingIndex$Task.run(QueueingIndex.java:121)
at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:595)

followed by errors every few seconds of the form:
2010-03-29 10:33:02,162 http-8082-Processor24 WARN clive.cox 37982x135x1 1rmqy3e http://jira.rummble.com:8082/secure/admin/jira/IndexProgress.jspa [jiraform.jsp] i18n problem: id defined by localised value: Refresh
2010-03-29 10:33:08,708 http-8082-Processor24 WARN clive.cox 37988x137x1 1rmqy3e http://jira.rummble.com:8082/secure/admin/jira/IndexProgress.jspa [jiraform.jsp] i18n problem: id defined by localised value: Refresh
2010-03-29 10:33:15,772 http-8082-Processor25 WARN clive.cox 37995x139x1 1rmqy3e http://jira.rummble.com:8082/secure/admin/jira/IndexProgress.jspa [jiraform.jsp] i18n problem: id defined by localised value: Refresh
2010-03-29 10:33:22,442 http-8082-Processor21 WARN clive.cox 38002x141x1 1rmqy3e http://jira.rummble.com:8082/secure/admin/jira/IndexProgress.jspa [jiraform.jsp] i18n problem: id defined by localised value: Refresh
2010-03-29 10:33:29,852 http-8082-Processor24 WARN clive.cox 38009x143x1 1rmqy3e http://jira.rummble.com:8082/secure/admin/jira/IndexProgress.jspa [jiraform.jsp] i18n problem: id defined by localised value: Refresh
2010-03-29 10:33:36,675 http-8082-Processor25 WARN clive.cox 38016x145x1 1rmqy3e http://jira.rummble.com:8082/secure/admin/jira/IndexProgress.jspa [jiraform.jsp] i18n problem: id defined by localised value: Refresh
2010-03-29 10:33:43,760 http-8082-Processor24 WARN clive.cox 38023x147x1 1rmqy3e http://jira.rummble.com:8082/secure/admin/jira/IndexProgress.jspa [jiraform.jsp] i18n problem: id defined by localised value: Refresh
2010-03-29 10:33:51,051 http-8082-Processor23 WARN clive.cox 38031x149x1 1rmqy3e http://jira.rummble.com:8082/secure/admin/jira/IndexProgress.jspa [jiraform.jsp] i18n problem: id defined by localised value: Refresh
201