One of the advantages of sharing an interest in old cars with my dad is that it’s easy to buy birthday and Christmas presents for him. All I have to do is think of things that I’d like, or like to do, and get those.
This year, however, it was my mum who had the inspired idea of sending us both off to the Morgan factory for a guided tour. I was then able to add a couple of ‘extras’, of which more anon.
The tours have proved to be a huge success for the company. For a modest fee, you can go around in a small group for an informal two-hour (or so) wander around.
It has to be remembered that Morgan is unlike most other car companies, and the famous Pickersleigh Road factory is unlike most other manufacturing sites. For a start, the firm moved here in 1913, shortly after it was founded and when all around was farmland.
Although the surrounding area is now somewhat more populous, the original buildings remain and, indeed, are still very much in use. The tour takes you down through them in turn, plus the more recent units and extensions, following the path of the cars as they move through the production process.
It’s fascinating. In some respects, Morgans are built much as they always were. The ‘classic’ models – Plus 4, 4/4, etc – still feature an ash frame and the sliding pillar front suspension first conceived for the original three-wheelers. In the bodywork area, tin-snips are being used to hand-trim bonnet panels so that they fit perfectly.