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Re: trip to Malvern

To: Morgans@Autox.Team.Net
Subject: Re: trip to Malvern
From: S Manwell <smanwell@sprintmail.com>
Date: Thu, 20 Nov 1997 13:53:55 -0500
Jack and all,

The Malverns Hills area is well worth a visit even for those who don't 
want to spend the day at the factory.  Stop in the Tourist Info office 
in Great Malvern and pick up a map and various brochures.  They have 
some nice Morgan post cards and a few other Mog items.  There is plenty 
to do in the area: Shopping in Great Malvern, walking (aka hiking) the 
trails on the hills, tea shops -- ask for directions to the Singing 
Kettle (Kettle Sings?)for nice views from the hillside, pubs, plays at 
the Winter Garden (if they've finished the renovation), visit the 
Priory, various events at the Three-counties Showground.

Malvern and Worcester are within an hour's drive of all sorts of 
interesting sights:  The Cotswolds (Broadway, Stow-on-the-Wold, the 
Slaughters...), Stratford (Only ten bucks for nose-bleed seats to see 
world-class Shakespeare theatre), Gloucester, Birmingham, Hay-on-Wye 
(town full of used book stores), the Rover-group Heritage Center at 
Gaydon, Severn Valley railway, etc.  Check the UK car events web page 
via Team.Net's British Car pages.

As others have said, almost anyone will enjoy seeing at least some of 
the factory.  Perhaps you can spend another four hours there while your 
other half is shopping in Great Malvern or Worcester.  I'd say the main 
reason to call ahead is to be sure that they don't have a factory 
holiday the day you are there.  Otherwise, just check in at the front 
office and give yourself the tour.  Say hi to Mick Hand in the dispatch 
bay for me. Also, ask the test driver when he is going out for the next 
test and see if you can catch a ride.  (Tony Monk was test driver until 
recently, but I think he got promoted.)  

If you want to buy some parts at the Spares dept., be sure to go to 
their counter when you first get there so they have some time to 
assemble the order.  Better yet, call or fax before you go so they have 
the order ahead of time.  If you order well ahead of time, then you'll 
be able to pick up items that they have to fabricate.  I think you have 
to buy 50 or 100 GBP worth to get a VAT reclaim form from them.  

Jack, if you pick up a suitcase full of parts for your restoration at 
the factory, you may well save enough money in shipping and dealer 
markup to pay for a good chunk of your plane ticket.  

And finally, if you'll be needing a new top and tonneau for your '56 
4-seater, please take the old ones with you (assuming its not good 
enough to reuse) and give it to Charlie Stiles, the foreman of the 
trimming department, so he has a pattern to make you a new one.  This is 
not just a helpful suggestion:  I need a new top and tonneau too, but 
the factory's pattern for the early +4 developed legs.

--Steve Manwell
Melrose, MA, USA
1954 +4 4-str, #3192

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