Alan many thanks for the advice.  In the end I stopped being methodical and rechecked all the stuff that I had already checked, then replaced the spark plug and condenser (even though they both appeared quite new) and then cleaned the carb for the fourth time.  There's a pilot jet in the float bowl for the choke, it seemed ok but I bought a long narrow screwdriver, whipped it out, cleaned it and that did the job.  The Amal site was very useful for info, http://www.amalcarb.co.uk/default.aspx, and look for downloads.  It could have been 32 years of crud, but the previous owner made an air filter out of a kitchen sponge which had dessicated in the air box so I suspect it was a piece of foam in the jet.  Anyhow, I now have a runner, so see you all at a classic trial soon, except - got to fix the brakes first, and the rear shocks, and the front, and... 
Jeremy