In a method of making a carbon fibre preform such as for use in the manufacture of a friction disc a compressible body of carbon fibre or carbon fibre precursor material is acted upon by compressing means to compress the body to a required thickness and then operated upon by means such as a barbed needle-punch needle for a stitching thread which penetrates substantially the whole thickness of the body whereby the compressed preform may be removed from action by the compressing means in a free-standing and compressed state. If the method uses carbon fibre precursor material, that is then subjected to carbonization.