Hinckley factory visit.

[mat-tiger1]

Hi guys,  saw this & wondered if the TT group members might have enough product presence to rustle up a prospective factory visit sometime in 2017?

https://www.bennetts.co.uk/bikesocial/news-and-views/news/2016/november/triumph-factory-visits-return-in-2017

[Nick Calne]

yup lets go!

[Bixxer Bob]

Definitely!

[Chris Canning]

Do they still do them??

MCN organised one in 2000 for 885i owners and I went in fairness they were up to their necks in mud and alligators with what was the 955 Daytona with the confusingly model 509,but yea I'd give another one ago.

[threepot]

Never been,but wonder how much of the factory is used for actual production,seeing as most is done in Malaysia??

[Chris Canning]

I go by both Triumph factories a lot you have the original that burned down and was rebuilt  which is factory 1 and then just round the corner on a separate complex which you can see in Sins link and that is factory 2.

How it used to be they had a single production line in both all parts get shipped in on a 'Just in time basis' and then the following day they would be building a different model on the same track.

[Timbox2]

Im in

[HockleyBoy]

And me

[Sin_Tiger]

I went Jul 2014, which might have been the last one. Very worthwhile. Seeing the crank / cam machining process from blank to finished was really interesting, had to keep my hands out of my pockets I was getting excited 

wonder how much of the factory is used for actual production,seeing as most is done in Malaysia??

No factory in Malaysia TP (you might be thinking Kawa as the ER6 based models are made there) but there are three in Thailand 

[tonytiger]

I'm interested!

[Chris Canning]

When we went was along time ago but what intrigued me wasn't the process it was where they sourced the individual parts baring in mind it was JIT the unfinished cranks came from Spain the rods came from Japan when I asked what happens when parts don't turn up !!!

Doesn't happen mate

I loved the visit but hated watching the poor sods working on the track what a bloody awfull job,at one stage everyone had wandered off because we all had head sets on listening to the guide but I went and looked on the wall where it even listed individual sick days of each employee and it soured it a little for more me great bike shit job.

[Sin_Tiger]

"plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose"

They still get the blank castings from Spain.

Apart from the technological aspects, my enduring impression was the passion, enthusiasm and general good feeling from all the employees we talked to. Apparently they had all volunteered to be on duty as guides, unpaid  and there had been a long queue of people volunteering to do it.

[tonytiger]

I wonder if the 1902 cafe will have 1902 prices

[Timbox2]

I wonder if the 1902 cafe will have 1902 prices

There is a brilliant Fish & Chip shop on Lisson Grove in London that once a year put its prices back to 1964  prices( The year it opened). Think its still there, The Seashell, whether they still do that is another matter.

[trophydave]

I'm in,I last went around the factory in 1999,I must be due another visit.