Well went today, it was bloody cold so we all went in my car. It's not a massive exhibit, but there is enough there to keep you happy with all the different bikes on show, and the information that goes with it. It's well laid out and follows a familiar pattern, the lighting could be better as I found the spotlights were making taking good pictures, both video and stills a bit difficult. There's plenty of bikes there to keep a camera nut happy, from the Trusty Triumph to the latest models available.
So what's the factory tour like, well to be honest if your background is in engineering, you are going to get information overload, it's incredible the amount of quality control that is going into these bikes, at all stages of manufacture, you can't fail to be impressed, it's hard to believe that any Triumph bike could ever go wrong, they check, check and then to be safe they check again. We saw the new Tiger 1200 rolling off the line and being packed up and ready for shipment, and they are going all over the world. They have spent millions of pounds buying machinery to further improve production quality, and to ensure that the bikes that we all buy are as top notch as you can get. Certain rooms are maintained at certain temperatures to accommodate the type of quality control that they want to achieve. It makes you want to rush out and buy a Triumph. They test everything over and over again, and that includes all the components that come from outside the factory. They do seem to be paranoid about getting the bikes just right. The safe guards that are in place to ensure that no mistakes are made in the manufacturing process, are simple and advance. Simple by the use of a marker pens of different colours, in relation to the assembly of the engine, and then backed up by computers to ensure that the correct component is available to the guy or girl that is on the production line. The tour took about 1 hr 30 min's and the guy that took us around really new his stuff, he's worked for Triumph for 24 years, he also said that the turn over of staff is very small. It would seem that they join and then stay. They don't have any unions at the factory, they discus any problems without the need for them. So was it worth the £15 that they charge you for the tour, I have to say yes, but only just. Don't expect that it will be the best thing you'll see in your life. I would have liked a freebie or a memento of some description to mark the visit. You can buy some stuff in the well overpriced shop. Some of the stuff for sale is just ridiculously priced, and I would not pay the price that they're asking for some of the stuff. When I was in the shop nobody bought anything. The cafe too are asking silly money as well. £2.00 for a cup of tea, it's a tea bag and hot water for Christ sake. Overall then it was a really enjoyable day out and if you're in the area it's well worth a visit, I wouldn't book a flight up from say Canada or South Africa just to see the museum, and do the tour, but if your're in the UK as part of a holiday, then this, and maybe the Ace Cafe in London and then National Motorcycle Museum in Birmingham, well I think that you'd be well happy. I'm glad I went and the other 3 guys I went with were happy too.
Now all you have to do is look at the photo's in the album section to see what it was like. Hope you'll like the pictures.
It will however give you a better idea of what the museum is like. 
