for well over 100 years, wednesbury was dominated by the huge patent shaft steel works, dating from the 19th century and active until closure in 1980, which escalated the rise in unemployment locally. the factory was demolished four years later, and by the mid-1990s it had been developed as a new light industrial estate. the iron gates of the factory are still in existence and have recently been mounted on the traffic island where the holyhead road passes the bus station, in tribute to the works.