Workers love being in the driving seat

At 80, Ray Jones has had a lot of experience of tinkering with old cars and motorbikes.

The Black Country Living Museum's curator of vehicles says he grew up surrounded by motorbikes as his father and his uncle were both enthusiasts.

"I cannot remember a time when there wasn't one leaning up against the wall, and I have had one since I was 16," says Ray, who lives in Penn in Wolverhampton.

"I keep an AJS Big Port at home and Ken Norton, who I work with at the museum, has two Sunbeams from 1922 and 1931.

"When we all go out as a big group on our vintage motorbikes, we attract a lot of attention."

Ray says he is thrilled with the opening of a new vehicle showroom at the museum which houses a collection of Black Country-made cars, motorcycles and commercial vehicles including Bean, Clyno, Westfield, Sunbeam and AJS.

Ray says many of the vehicle volunteers at the museum also have cars and motorbikes at home which could rival some of the machines on display.

"People who volunteer at the museum have such a keen interest in classic cars and motorbikes that it is not surprising there are so many of them that have vehicles at home," says Ray.

"A lot of people don't realise how important the Midlands was for the production of cars and motorbikes – it is a big part of our local heritage."

Ray says the museum is so proud of its collection that on the first Saturday of every month between March and October the Marston collection, put together over the years by the motoring family connected to the Sunbeam, is brought out.

Also, volunteers are already gearing up for the annual Festival of Black Country Vehicles on July 26 which will see more than 100 cars and motorbikes on display.

"With its tradition of metalworking, the Black Country has been the centre for the manufacture of both components and complete motor vehicles.

"Companies such as AJS, Clyno, HRD, Rock, Bean, Star, Sunbeam, Guy, Thompson, and Zenith produced complete vehicles and many of the axles, chassis and forged metal parts used by the major manufacturers are still made in the Black Country.

"The Sunbeam 90 and the AJS Big Port are probably the most sought after motorcycles in the vintage enthusiast world."