The Prince of Wales toured the factory of train builder Bombardier today as part of a visit to Derbyshire to support British manufacturing.
Charles met workers at the plant in Litchurch Lane, Derby, which employs some 1,600 people.
He was met at the factory by a civic line-up which included Derby South Labour MP Margaret Beckett.
The Prince visited staff in the industrial design studio before going on to meet workers and apprentices on the assembly line.
Charles was accompanied on his visit by non-executive chairman Sir Neville Simms and president of rolling stock UK Dr Francis Paonessa.
In the design studio the Prince met some of the designers who work on the interiors and exteriors of London Underground trains.
He then moved on to the assembly line, where he met Nick and Kane Jellyman, who are third and fourth generation workers employed by Bombardier.
Nick Jellyman, 46, who has worked at Bombardier for 30 years, said the mood at the plant was upbeat and very positive now the threat of closure had lifted.
He said he was honoured to have met Charles, who asked him about his role at the factory and his son 19-year-old son.
"He asked me about my work and said I must be very proud of my son, which I am."
Kane Jellyman, an apprentice at Bombardier, said today's visit was a massive boost for morale.
"It was difficult last year when we lost the contract but it's looking brighter now we've secured a few more."
Nick Jellyman's father and grandfather also worked at the plant.
The Prince was then shown inside an S Stock (sub surface) train.
The trains are part of a long-running contract to replace existing trains on the Metropolitan, District, Hammersmith and City and Circle lines.
Charles then got the chance to drive one of the completed trains down the test track with the help of driver Raf Gahonia.