Motor Assembly Plant Officially Opened

The Annesbrook plant of Motor Body Assemblies, assemblers of Triumph and Leyland vehicles in New Zealand, was officially opened by the Minister of Finance (Mr Lake) last month. The plant produces Triumph Herald saloons and estate cars, Triumph 2000 saloons, 15 cwt and 20 cwt Leyland vans and 2 ton Leyland and ? ton Leyland and Albion trucks. Attending the opening, along with Sir Leonard Isitt, chairman of the New Zealand board of directors of Standard-Triumph, Messrs G. Turnbull (director and general manager of Standard Triumph, who came to Nelson from England for the opening), and T. Tatham, managing director of Motor Assemblies and a director of Standard-Triumph, were more than 150 special guests. We accompanied these around the plant during a short inspection tour and photographed many aspects of the assembling of the vehicles

Above, the vehicles arrive as crates of parts from England. They leave the factory for a final check (below),

Guests at a luncheon in the spacious plant cafeteria (a cocktail hour followed and a dinner in the evening)

Mr Lake unveils a plaque in the foyer of the office block watched by Mr A. R. Cutler (general manager), Sir Leonard Isitt, and Messrs Tatham and Turnbull.

Mr Turnbull, a young but brilliant Standard-Triumph executive and director.

Mr Lake devoted much of his address to defending the Government's decision to abandon the cotton mill project

Mr Grahame Godbaz, production controller, shows some of the guests vehicle parts still in the packing case.

Final touches are made to floor of a Triumph 2000 by gas welders after the floor has left the flooring jig.

One of the most fascinating sections of the plant is the Triumph 2000 body shop. The sections of the car are placed very precisely in the jig and spot welded by huge welding apparatus (one of which can be seen in the foreground).

The shells of Heralds leave the metal finish line of the body shop en route for the paint shop where they will acquire a glistening exterior.

The engine bay, where rows of engines and transmission units await fitting

In the paint shop, vehicles first receive an underbody dip

After leaving the paint shop the vehicles pass along the trim line where many of the smaller components of the cars are fitted

On the Herald trim line, Bill Hobbs reaches through the windscreen to fit a wiper while Jack White installs a heater.

Kevin Wells sprays a Herald in the paint shop

A tricky, sticky job, lining the roof of a Herald, is undertaken by Dave McNxcholl.

In the trim fabrication shop, patterns on several thicknesses of cloth are cut carefully by Keith Brough.

A Triumph 2000 receives its final clearance from inspector Alf Yates

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The Nelson Photo News

No 67 : May 28, 1966

Motor Assembly Plant Officially Opened