Speedy wrote:As promised, I'm happy to report that the carbs are back on!!!
Used pretty much all the tips (thanks all) and some "gentle" tapping in the right places with a hammer & metal bar on the rear bank and they went in good and proper!
Got a new battery installed and tried to get it started; considering the bike hadn't been fired up for a very long time, 15-20 presses of the starter button got it going once more! HOORAY!
Adjusted the idle, closed the fully opened choke after a minute or two and left it to warm up for about 15 minutes! It'll now go back into hybernation; Spring is a long way away yet, but that'll bring some major changes...

JB wrote: FWIW if I'm refitting the carbs on my street bike (which still has the vacuum operated fuel cut off) and they're empty of fuel I dump a little down the inlets before refitting the filter, air box lid & tank. Generally fires immediately saving the battery & starter burning out.