For many people across the Black Country and Staffordshire, the 1980s meant factories, workshops and industrial estates were a familiar part of everyday life. The sound of machinery, the smell of oil and metal, workers arriving for shifts and lorries coming and going were all part of the local landscape.
These photographs take us back to a decade when traditional skills were being joined by new technology. Engineers, machinists, printers, foundry workers and factory teams were keeping production moving, while local firms invested in new machinery, developed new products and won orders from around the world.
From Wolverhampton and Willenhall to Walsall, Dudley, Stafford and beyond, these pictures capture the people, workplaces and businesses that helped shape the region.
Do you remember any of these factories or firms? Perhaps you worked in one of them, or had a family member who did? Take a look through and see how many bring back memories - the pictures are in no particular order - and share yours in the comments.
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17. A very large painting job
John Campbell and the team from H. Bagnall and Sons of Wombourne faced a rather larger-than-average painting job in July 1988 — covering the 20,000 sq ft surface of the James Bridge gas-holders beside the M6 at Walsall. Around 2,000 gallons of paint were expected to be used on the job. John, from Wednesbury, had already spent 27 years painting large structures, including the BL Mini factory at Longbridge, which took two years to complete. He is pictured at work on the gas-holders. Do you remember seeing the James Bridge gas-holders being painted? Did you or someone you know work for H Bagnall and Sons or in the painting trade? | Express & Star archive
18. A glimpse inside a Staffordshire factory
Pupils from Rugeley’s sixth-form college were given a behind-the-scenes look at industry during a visit to the Armitage Shanks factory near Lichfield in November 1986. The 38 students toured the technical and production departments and quizzed managers about how the Staffordshire firm operated. Pictured on the production line are production worker John Templeton, personnel officer Kevin Woolly, student Sean Jelliman and college director Alan Derbyshire. Do you remember school or college visits to local factories? Did a trip like this influence your choice of career? | Express & Star archive
19. An airship above the factory
The Europa airship drifts above the Goodyear factory in Wolverhampton in the 1980s, creating a striking contrast between modern advertising and the town’s industrial landscape. With the factory buildings and working yards below, the photograph captures a memorable moment above one of Wolverhampton’s major industrial sites. Do you remember seeing the Europa flying over Wolverhampton? Did it ever pass overhead and make you stop and look up? | Express & Star archive
20. Engineering behind a household favourite
Umec-Boydell (Belting) of Wolverhampton is pictured in August 1983 after supplying a conveyor system for Trebor’s new factory in Colchester, where it was used in the production of Extra Strong Mints. The photograph is a reminder that many Black Country engineering firms quietly supplied equipment to some of Britain's best-known manufacturers. Do you remember Umec-Boydell or working in Wolverhampton's engineering industry? What local companies do you remember making products or machinery that ended up being used across the country? | Express & Star archive