Black Country unionism. The 20th century saw a decline in coal mining in the Black Country, with the last colliery in the region – Baggeridge Colliery near Sedgley – closing on 2 March 1968, marking the end of an era after some 300 years of mass coal mining in the region, though a small number of open cast mines remained in use for a few years afterwards. As the heavy industry that had named the region faded away, in the 1970s a museum, called the Black Country Living Museum started to take shape on derelict land near to Dudley. Today this museum
Black Country Living Museum a 1912 Star and a 1931 AJS as well as examples of later vehicles such as the Kieft, Frisky and Westfield Topaz. There are approximately 40 motorcycles in the museum's collection, all of which were made in the Black Country. A large proportion were manufactured by Sunbeam and AJS, but there are also examples by firms such as Wearwell Cycle Company and Rockson. The museum is affiliated to the British Motorcycle Charitable Trust. The museum does not have an extensive collection of Black Country bicycles, but there are examples by manufacturers such as Harry Albino and Star. Unusual vehicles in