After a 140-mile mixed+motorway commute this morning, I can say it's definitely better! Not silent but certainly acceptable - the downside is that I now have a horrible wobble on the steering. A call to dealer to ask if they'd moved dodgy rear tyres to the front was initially denied "just L to R". I said I thought they must have changed something at the front as it was very different and I was amazed they did not feel it but maybe only tested on local roads as you can get the axle noise at 30! Service-man said he'd ask workshop and call back.

Yes they swapped diagonally (I'll check after work now the tyres are cold, I run the fronts at 33 to get a slightly sharper turn in so they will be on the back if I'm right). He claimed they did not find anything amiss despite several testers going out in the car as part of "quality checking"
I really want to get the wheels balanced PDQ but might actually suffer on my journey home tomorrow so as not to destroy the evidence, take the car back to Ripon Sat a.m. to show them how bad it is. I can't believe they let it out like that. Further experiments prove I can demonstrate the out of balance at several speeds below 60.

This has proved that feathering tyres is a significant contribution to rear driveline noise... but what caused the feathering? As far as I know, it's caused by wheel alignment, wheel balance or worn suspension; I'll be pressing RLR to eliminate all of these.

Watch this space. Gone... 2013 XS TD4 Manual Firenze Red
Gone... 2008 (09MY) XS Td4 Manual Stornaway Grey
Prior... 2003 G4 Discovery 2, 1998 Disco 1 and 1997 Disco 1 Company car before that
Also gone in Nov'13, after 7.5 yrs, to new owners with time for more TLC - 1980 Series III 88
Current 2015 Discovery Sport HSE 2.0

They can do a 4-wheel alignment check. That may fix the cause of the problem, but you won't fix the feathering tyres until they are replaced.... I am speaking from experience having owned a Passat B6 with the same problem! 10MY (Sept 09) TD4 HSE Auto in Stornoway Grey (Now Gone)

08 FL2 TD4 SE Manual in Rimini Red (Now Gone)

Apologies if this turns out not to be relevant, but on the FL1 there was a problem with noise from uneven wear on rear tyres caused by slight over-inflation. Never found out why, but lowering the pressure by as little as 2psi stopped a recurrence. LR changed their pressure recommendations early on, probably because of this. I know the FL2 has a different set-up, but it might be worth a check.

First long run out today since I had he bearings changed last week and it feels and sounds like a new car, lovely and quite not that much tyre noise coming to the cab, pulls away smoothly. A nice place to be in again