The bearings were well past their use by date.
Having sat still for so long they had started to pit very badly.
One side was worse than the other. A good lesson here. Do not rely on bearings being any good just because a vehicle has not done too many miles.
New bearings were available over the counter but the felt seals were not. I was able to resurrect the old ones by placing them in hot oil for a few hours. This rejuvenated the fibres and they thickened up nicely.
Rick.