A method of press moulding a moulding material to form a moulded part of fibre-reinforced resin matrix composite material, the method comprising the steps of: i. providing a mould tool having a lower mould part (58) and an upper mould part (60), the upper mould part (60) having a first moulding surface (62) for moulding a first moulded surface of the moulded part and the lower mould part (58) having a second moulding surface (64) for moulding a second moulded surface of the moulded part; ii. providing a multilaminar panel of moulding material (66) comprising at least one layer of fibres and at least one layer of resin, the multilaminar panel having first and second opposite major surfaces (68, 70); iii. locating the moulding material (66) in the mould tool; iv. progressively closing the mould tool to define a substantially closed mould cavity (90) containing the moulding material (66), the closing step including: a. a preliminary closing phase to achieve mutual engagement between the lower and upper mould parts (58, 60), b. a secondary closing phase after engagement between the lower and upper mould parts with the mould tool partially closed to define a closed intermediate cavity containing the moulding material (66), the closed intermediate cavity (95) being larger than the moulded part (66) and the first moulding surface (62) of the upper mould part (60) being spaced from the first major surface by a spacing distance, in the secondary phase air being at least partially evacuated from the closed intermediate cavity (95) while the first moulding surface (62) of the upper mould part (60) is spaced from the first major surface (68) to provide a vacuum pressure, and c. a tertiary closing phase after the vacuum pressure has been provided in the closed intermediate cavity (95), the tertiary phase having: I. a first stage prior to both the first moulding surface (62) contacting the first major surface (68) and the second moulding surface (64) contacting the second major surface (70), and II. a second compression stage after both the first moulding surface (62) has contacted the first major surface (68) and the second moulding surface (64) has contacted the second major surface (70), the closure speed of relative movement between the lower and upper mould parts (58, 60) being higher in the first stage than in the second compression stage; v. applying pressure to the moulding material (66) in the mould cavity to configure the moulding material (66) in a fully moulded shape; and vi. substantially fully curing the resin to form a moulded part from the moulding material (66).