RE: Charles Morgan: plot thickens

[Ozzie Osmond]

SkepticSteve said:

I'd be interested to know if they are going to undertake an employee survey now?

.... together with an environmental assessment and sustainability review.

[Bazandmaz]

Employee surveys are tough, especially if the first one ever done is carried out now as there is nothing to benchmark against. The other problem is that individuals will often see something that is being done by the current management to safeguard the future, as negative towards them personaly, it's all about communication, I'd start a lot of that now and then take the pulse in 6-8 months.

[SkepticSteve]

Ozzie Osmond said:

SkepticSteve said:

I'd be interested to know if they are going to undertake an employee survey now?

.... together with an environmental assessment and sustainability review.

Environmental Impact??
Morgan cars seem to last far longer than "Modern" cars, so are probably many times more friendly in real terms.

Sustainable Business??
They still have a back log of orders, so as long as that remains they can carry on.


It had been made very clear on here, by owners who get to meet the skilled workers building their cars have positive feed-back.

It is now up to Management to support that and indeed live up to it!

I really would be interested to know, when was the last time CM or other Managers, rolled up their sleeves and went out to the shop-floor for any length of time to "give-a-hand" and try to get to know those skilled workers.

I kind of have this rose tinted image that HFS knew the names of all his workers?

ALL IMHO of course.

[DJRC]

Steve you seem obsessed with the workforce as romantic Jacks in brown coat types. They arent. They are bhing swearing rebellious ungrateful gits. Because thats what an engineering and manufacturing shopfloor is like. Big or small companies in any country around.

[Boshly]

DJRC said:

Steve you seem obsessed with the workforce as romantic Jacks in brown coat types. They arent. They are bhing swearing rebellious ungrateful gits. Because thats what an engineering and manufacturing shopfloor is like. Big or small companies in any country around.

Whilst I understand where you're coming from (obsession and generalisation) my impression from probably 20 factory visits in the last few years is very different at MMC. I'm not talking abut official tours either.

I'm sure there are the odd militant and using your term "bhing swearing rebellious" type however pretty well all the ones I have met enjoy working there and are proud of what they achieve.

Many often turn up to weekend functions unpaid and are full of enthusiasm. At the recent 'Festival on the Hill' held at Shelsley Walsh there must have been over 20 factory people there mingling and having fun (and driving the cars up the hill when asked ).

And in response to Steve's query regarding management on the shop floor, Steve Morris, current MD, is a former apprentice, and former production Director and I would reckon is on the shop floor floor every day he's at the factory, and most probably knows the first name of every single works Employee! The guy is a workaholic and when/if needed will undoubtedly roll his sleeves up.

[Jon39]

Boshly said:

And in response to Steve's query regarding management on the shop floor, Steve Morris, current MD, is a former apprentice, and former production Director and I would reckon is on the shop floor floor every day he's at the factory, and most probably knows the first name of every single works employee! The guy is a workaholic and when/if needed will undoubtedly roll his sleeves up.

Was it a young suited Mr. Steve Morris, who we saw showing Sir John Harvey-Jones around the factory, in that imfamous programme?

I have just watched those two films again. The second of the two, did reveal some factory process changes made under the Charles Morgan leadership, and also the new Aero model. Quite nostalgic.

[hairy]

Derek Smith said:

This from LMES 03 at Le Mans, but could be otherwise as not, for some reason, catalogued.

It's Smelly Ben! 2nd from left!

[hairy]

Derek Smith said:

This from LMES 03 at Le Mans, but could be otherwise as not, for some reason, catalogued.

2003 is correct, just spoke to the scruffy looking bloke with his hands in his pockets.

[Boshly]

Jon39 said:

Boshly said:

And in response to Steve's query regarding management on the shop floor, Steve Morris, current MD, is a former apprentice, and former production Director and I would reckon is on the shop floor floor every day he's at the factory, and most probably knows the first name of every single works employee! The guy is a workaholic and when/if needed will undoubtedly roll his sleeves up.

Was it a young suited Mr. Steve Morris, who we saw showing Sir John Harvey-Jones around the factory, in that imfamous programme?

I have just watched those two films again. The second of the two, did reveal some factory process changes made under the Charles Morgan leadership, and also the new Aero model. Quite nostalgic.

No i don't think so. I say that as i have just been sent a still from the programme showing a young Steve Morris fabricating a bonnet from a piece of aluminium whilst Sir John and others stand in the background.

As I wouldn't want a photo of mine from 25 years ago to be bandied around (it will only drive the female PHers wild) I won't post it to preserve Steve's dignity somewhat

[Boshly]

hairy said:

Derek Smith said:

This from LMES 03 at Le Mans, but could be otherwise as not, for some reason, catalogued.

It's Smelly Ben! 2nd from left!

Is that a young Mark Baldwin 1st on the Left??

(Mark Baldwin = current MMC service Manager).

[Boshly]

hairy said:

Derek Smith said:

This from LMES 03 at Le Mans, but could be otherwise as not, for some reason, catalogued.

It's Smelly Ben! 2nd from left!

Is that a young Mark Baldwin 1st on the Left??

(Mark Baldwin = current MMC service Manager).

[Derek Smith]

hairy said:

Derek Smith said:

This from LMES 03 at Le Mans, but could be otherwise as not, for some reason, catalogued.

It's Smelly Ben! 2nd from left!

Thanks for that. I've quite a collection of photographs and I've been called anal because I keep them under date and location. But this one escaped somehow.

[hairy]

Derek Smith said:

Thanks for that. I've quite a collection of photographs and I've been called anal because I keep them under date and location. But this one escaped somehow.

No worries, he also said it was a 6 hour Bugatti race (I think) if that means anything to you?

Slightly o/t but he also once told me the reason for the Aero's switch from Beetle to MINI headlights was when they were building the race cars because of their much lower ride height there wasn't enough space between the wheels and the back of the unit, so changing them to the Mini ones gave them more space but as an added bonus cured the cross eyed look.

[Derek Smith]

hairy said:

No worries, he also said it was a 6 hour Bugatti race (I think) if that means anything to you?

It was the inaugural Le Mans Endurance Series race at Le Mans in November 2003. It was on the Bugatti circuit, i.e. a shortened version of the full circuit that takes in public roads.

I was introduced to the strange attitudes of French officialdom. I asked one of the pit police if I could video the start of the race, as the cars pulled away behind the pace car. I got a very friendly nod and was taken to an excellent slot. The cars went past (it was pouring with rain and it was more like a tidal bore) and I just wanted a few seconds of the empty grid with the spray settling. The official came up behind me and hit me in the back. I nearly dropped the camera. I started to walk back and was drying my camera but the bloke kept pushing me. I got to the first pits and went to walk through (I had a press pit pass) and turned to ask the bloke what was wrong and he smiled and waved at me.

__________________________

Edited to add:

If your friend wants a hires copy of the image, please let me know and I'll send it through as an attachment to an email. Or anyone come to that.

Edited by Derek Smith on Saturday 9th November 09:43

[hairy]

Derek Smith said:

I was introduced to the strange attitudes of French officialdom. I asked one of the pit police if I could video the start of the race, as the cars pulled away behind the pace car. I got a very friendly nod and was taken to an excellent slot. The cars went past (it was pouring with rain and it was more like a tidal bore) and I just wanted a few seconds of the empty grid with the spray settling. The official came up behind me and hit me in the back. I nearly dropped the camera. I started to walk back and was drying my camera but the bloke kept pushing me. I got to the first pits and went to walk through (I had a press pit pass) and turned to ask the bloke what was wrong and he smiled and waved at me.

__________________________

Edited to add:

If your friend wants a hires copy of the image, please let me know and I'll send it through as an attachment to an email. Or anyone come to that.

Edited by Derek Smith on Saturday 9th November 09:43

How very odd! You were politely assaulted! He did actually ask me if I could get him a copy so that would be fantastic, Pm ing you now.

[Derek Smith]

hairy said:

How very odd! You were politely assaulted! He did actually ask me if I could get him a copy so that would be fantastic, Pm ing you now.

Video of the race, including the start, here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AogtLykfDWw

I went there in TVR Tuscan.

[hairy]

Derek Smith said:

Video of the race, including the start, here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AogtLykfDWw

I went there in TVR Tuscan.

Nice video, I love those Dewalt Tvr's.

[Derek Smith]

Perhpas a little off-topic . . .

hairy said:

Nice video, I love those Dewalt Tvr's.

Thanks for that.

What got me was the excitement amongst the crew. They were all really up for it. The drivers all put on airs of casual confidence but the crew didn't mind showing that they were uptight. During the race you'd get them pushing to get a view of the lap chart. One of the all female crew, Fanny DuChateau, was lapping entirely to orders, hitting the lap times every time, and the guys pointed this out to one-another. Then, when she got the increase speed signal to attack the Mog, they were applauding and pushing one-another to get a good view of the timings. It was impossible not to get carried along with them.

At one stop a mechanic had to lift the cover of the exhaust box, inside the car under the 'passenger' area, and hit something with a hammer. The bloke who did it had all the hairs burnt off his arm. You could smell it.

Mind you, when the drivers got out of the cars after a stint at the wheel and walked past you it was as if they were a 3kw fire. I was near a car, waiting to take a photo, when it pulled into the pits. There was going to be no driver change so they allowed me to get close. As the door opened the heat sort of forced me back. I took a picture of the front of the car.



The women were athletes. Amanda Stretton and Liz Halliday, she who commentates so well on Le Mans for Eurosport, were the other drivers and they drove identical cars to the blokes, but didn't make as much fuss.

Fanny came into the pit area just before her stint eating a plate of lasagne. Cool or what. She then disappeared out the back and reappeared with second helpings, finishing it no more than a lap before it was her go. Impressive.

Here is Amanda being overcome at being so near to a famous editor:



Liz Halliday succeeding in hiding her feelings about a bloke who kept sticking a camera in her face:



And the very impressive Fanny:



And here she is after her impressive stint. She was exhausted.