Factory Tours

[GregI]

So I was watching Jimmy's Food Factory on BBC last night and whilst being mesmerised by the manufacture of Viennetta- it struck me how much I'd love to visit a factory.

I know there exists Cadbury World with momentary glimpses of real working factory and some breweries open their doors. Does annybody know of any other opportunities that exist (not necessarily food related) where you can go and see something being made on such a massive scale?

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Behind Wickes in Catford is the most amazing chandelier workshop (couldn't really call it a factory). Worth a call to see if you can have a tour. Wilkinson PLC.

[GregI]

Thanks Pgc, looks fantastic. Reminded me that the Whitechapel Bell Foundry does tours too.

[Ted Max]

One never asks a lady how she is acquainted with round the back of Wickes in Catford. But all the same...

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

For ?750 I will give you the answer Ted.

[DaveR]

I have been on a factory tour at Tunnocks, home of the tea cake and caramel wafer, but it's a bit far - Glasgow. And many years ago I had a summer job in a jam and jelly factory. I reckon if you call/write/e-mail a few you'd get a receptive response. Just make sure you don't come across like an animal rights nutter or similar.

[????]

Brewery tours....you know it makes sense

[Sue]

Bloody hell, last factory tours I went on were in Moscow in 1966 (honest!)

Perfume factory and I can't remember what the others were.

School exchange between Lambeth and Moskvoretski (spelling?) - Moscow suburb.

First ever with Russia (as it was) so far as I know.

Sorry, as you were .....

[GregI]

Tunnocks, home of the tea cake and caramel wafer,

Man I want one of these now...

P.S. Found out apparently JCB do factory tours- sausage fest of all of all sausage fests?

[RosieH]

I have toured the Mars, Kettle Chips and Veetee rice factories (the chips were the best - hot off the line) as well as the Santus sweet factory as a kid.

Santus was magical, a bit wonka-like with boiling vats of sugary goo and massive coloured swathes of molten toffee that would later become pear drops and mint balls. That said, it's in Wigan, so probably a bit far...

[PeckhamRose]

Yep I am taking MrPR to Fullers Brewery on 2nd December. Will report back!

The best factory tour I ever ever did was the Jack Daniels Factory in Tennessee.

But now I'm showing off...

[iaineasy]

I have to confess to loving that program one discovery called "how it's made" it's facinating to `see them making bolts and such like,the very thought of an extruder at work just does it for me and even gets me a little excited. milk bottles on a conveyor belt.....mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

[skidmarks]

I got shown around the Bernard Mathew?s abattoir / factory quite a few years back. The mechanically recovered meat process is an interesting procedure??..

You can try it yourself. Get your pressure washer you use to clean the patio from your garage. Get a load of bones and carcasses from the butcher and then liberally hose the bones down until they are bright white and clean. Scoop up the resulting grey-sodden-meaty-mush and place in a press to remove as much water as you can. Chuck in some food dye and form the meaty paste into any shape you wish and cover in breadcrumbs. Enjoy

[Mellors]

skidmarks Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I got shown around the Bernard Mathew?s abattoir /

> factory quite a few years back. The mechanically

> recovered meat process is an interesting

> procedure??..

>

> You can try it yourself. Get your pressure washer

> you use to clean the patio from your garage. Get a

> load of bones and carcasses from the butcher and

> then liberally hose the bones down until they are

> bright white and clean. Scoop up the resulting

> grey-sodden-meaty-mush and place in a press to

> remove as much water as you can. Chuck in some

> food dye and form the meaty paste into any shape

> you wish and cover in breadcrumbs. Enjoy

Yum! I really fancy chicken nuggets for my tea now.

[woofmarkthedog]

Bew-tiful

[Michael Palaeologus]

I toured the Hershey Factory in the States once, not as good as Cadburys.

[Administrator]

Without wanting to take it too far off topic, what do people think of East Dulwich Forum tours? I may show people around the workings of the place, the historic old water wheel and cogs that used to power this place and then onto the new NASA-like control centre where a crack team of moderators watch over everything. For those who are brave enough they can visit the wee-smelling dungeon where the bad and terrible go, it is a bit like Tron crossed with Prisoner Cell Block H.

[skidmarks]

I did a tour of the Worthing sewage farm once?oh the joys of training as a civil engineer!

The workers there become so blas? to what they?re surrounded by. Those guys must be immune to every disease going.

[karter]

Administrator Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Without wanting to take it too far off topic, what

> do people think of East Dulwich Forum tours? I may

> show people around the workings of the place, the

> historic old water wheel and cogs that used to

> power this place and then onto the new NASA-like

> control centre where a crack team of moderators

> watch over everything. For those who are brave

> enough they can visit the wee-smelling dungeon

> where the bad and terrible go, it is a bit like

> Tron crossed with Prisoner Cell Block H.

Yes do count me in. It would be good to see how the international crack team of geekoid operators work and see how that white van man is doing down in the dungeons. :)

[karter]

Administrator Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Without wanting to take it too far off topic, what

> do people think of East Dulwich Forum tours? I may

> show people around the workings of the place, the

> historic old water wheel and cogs that used to

> power this place and then onto the new NASA-like

> control centre where a crack team of moderators

> watch over everything. For those who are brave

> enough they can visit the wee-smelling dungeon

> where the bad and terrible go, it is a bit like

> Tron crossed with Prisoner Cell Block H.

Yes do count me in. It would be good to see how the international crack team of geekoid operators work and see how that white van man is doing down in the dungeons. :)

[maturemediastudent]

So BBW got put in the dungeons, but his alter-ego (well, one of them...) Woof remains..Hmmmm

[maturemediastudent]

So BBW got put in the dungeons, but his alter-ego (well, one of them...) Woof remains..Hmmmm