Or there is the 70-200mm version which is £230.
Plus, I think they will both AF on the D40x because of the AF-S? Not quite sure though.
I also considered that, but I wanted to be able to handhold really (don't like tripods!!). There's a bigma going for £300 in the classifieds by the way, unless someone has bought it : http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=29680
70-300 VR would leave you with a gap in your zoom range (I'm assuming you got the 17-55 kit lens with the d40x?)
The 55-200 VR is available for £175 from onestop digital. Should be hand holdable down to about 1/100th of a second with the VR at full stretch. Maybe even lower if you can hold a lens steadier than me lol!
Sorry about that dude