A method of manufacturing a moulded workpiece comprising the steps of: providing a mould tool having a temperature control system comprising a plurality of temperature control apparatuses configured to selectively control the temperature of a plurality of adjacent independent temperature controlled mould tool zones on a mould surface; providing a mould layer assembly comprising: a first mould layer and a second mould layer defining a mould cavity at least partially bounded by a mould surface; a series of fluid chambers opposite the mould surface, which fluid chambers define a plurality of independent temperature controlled mould tool zones; and, a clamping mechanism that is configured to maintain at least part of an applied clamping force between the first and second mould layers; which mould layer assembly is separable from the mould tool; introducing material to be moulded into the mould cavity of the mould layer assembly; applying a moulding pressure to the mould layer assembly; advancing the plurality of temperature control apparatuses towards the mould layer assembly before undertaking the moulding operation; using the temperature control system to undertake part of a moulding operation by selectively controlling the temperature of a plurality of adjacent mould tool zones on the mould surface of the mould layer assembly; retracting the plurality of temperature control apparatuses away from the mould layer assembly before removing the mould layer assembly from the mould tool whilst retaining at least part of the moulding pressure between the first and second mould layers with the clamping mechanism during transit of the mould layer assembly; and, removing the moulded workpiece from the mould layer assembly; wherein the method comprises at least one of a pre-heating stage and a post-cooling stage in which; the pre-heating stage comprises the steps of pre-heating the mould layer assembly outside the mould tool before inserting the first mould layer assembly into the mould tool; and, the post-cooling stage comprises the steps of removing the mould layer from the mould tool and cooling the mould layer assembly outside the mould tool. providing a mould tool having a temperature control system comprising a plurality of temperature control apparatuses configured to selectively control the temperature of a plurality of adjacent independent temperature controlled mould tool zones on a mould surface; providing a mould layer assembly comprising: a first mould layer and a second mould layer defining a mould cavity at least partially bounded by a mould surface; a series of fluid chambers opposite the mould surface, which fluid chambers define a plurality of independent temperature controlled mould tool zones; and, a clamping mechanism that is configured to maintain at least part of an applied clamping force between the first and second mould layers; which mould layer assembly is separable from the mould tool; a first mould layer and a second mould layer defining a mould cavity at least partially bounded by a mould surface; a series of fluid chambers opposite the mould surface, which fluid chambers define a plurality of independent temperature controlled mould tool zones; and, a clamping mechanism that is configured to maintain at least part of an applied clamping force between the first and second mould layers; which mould layer assembly is separable from the mould tool; introducing material to be moulded into the mould cavity of the mould layer assembly; applying a moulding pressure to the mould layer assembly; advancing the plurality of temperature control apparatuses towards the mould layer assembly before undertaking the moulding operation; using the temperature control system to undertake part of a moulding operation by selectively controlling the temperature of a plurality of adjacent mould tool zones on the mould surface of the mould layer assembly; retracting the plurality of temperature control apparatuses away from the mould layer assembly before removing the mould layer assembly from the mould tool whilst retaining at least part of the moulding pressure between the first and second mould layers with the clamping mechanism during transit of the mould layer assembly; and, removing the moulded workpiece from the mould layer assembly; wherein the method comprises at least one of a pre-heating stage and a post-cooling stage in which; the pre-heating stage comprises the steps of pre-heating the mould layer assembly outside the mould tool before inserting the first mould layer assembly into the mould tool; and, the post-cooling stage comprises the steps of removing the mould layer from the mould tool and cooling the mould layer assembly outside the mould tool. the pre-heating stage comprises the steps of pre-heating the mould layer assembly outside the mould tool before inserting the first mould layer assembly into the mould tool; and, the post-cooling stage comprises the steps of removing the mould layer from the mould tool and cooling the mould layer assembly outside the mould tool.