Visit to Malvern ........ VISIT
TO MORGAN MOTOR COMPANY On Tuesday 25th April twelve cars and twenty-eight people set out at the un-godly hour of eight in the morning, from the Clatford Arms near Andover, and headed for Worcestershire. Sarah Dowding of 'Classic Travelling', who is also a member of our group, had organised a day out for us in the Cotswolds. Despite some fairly stiff traffic at that hour of the day the party arrived more or less together at Pickersleigh Road, Malvern, in time for the ten-thirty appointment. Tony Stickler's 1929 Bentley was a source of delight and amazement where-ever it appeared. (Indeed, two of the Morgan executives were seen literally running out of a building to see it as we left!!!). It is hoped that he did not attract a ticket from the rather unfriendly police van parked by the dual carriage-way. At Morgan we were greeted by our guide, and with him we then spent a most interesting hour and a half touring the assembly shops. I believe that the whole contingent was impressed by fact that in this day and age a motor car is still produced by a totally hands-on operation. The comparison with the BMW Mini Plant Oxford that some of us had seen last Autumn was staggering, and one has to wonder at the ratio of resource employed to the number of vehicles built. Perhaps someone can tell us. The next port of call was t The tea shops of Bourton did a good trade when we came out, and we made our way homewards. Sadly, Sarah had a problem on the way back, and only just made it. The dirt in the carburettor turned out to be a fly in one of the jets. Finally it should be mentioned that there is some doubt that Phil Hatley has yet washed his face since the event, in case he washed away the smile that a day in the passenger seat of the Bentley produced ! Austin Septimus |
