West Midlands in the 1950's - 1960's.

I found this site quite by accident but have found it fascinating, not only for it's photo's of the railway of the era, but the extraordinary pictorial history of the changing face of Birmingham at that time.
http://www.photobydjnorton.com/

 

What a great site, thanks saltydog

 

I also stumbled on that site about two years ago and have susequently purchased some of the books written by his son Mark Norton ( available at most online book sellers and WHS ). When I took an indepth look at the site one of the colour slides taken on 8-9-1962 there is a bus at the stops in Watford Rd,Cotteridge and the man looking out of a window I thought was my Dad.Mark Norton kindly emailed me a blow up of the slide to see if it was really my father and it was!. So different to see a familar face other than on a family picture.
The Books shown on the site are really well worth the money.

 

West Midlands in the 1950s - 1960s

I agree with the comments regarding this site. Mark first contacted Andy Doherty of http://www.railaroundbirmingham.co.uk/ for advice on his father's photos before creating his website. Following my contacting Mark for permission to use his photos on my website http://www.warwickshirerailways.com/index.htm I subsequently had the privilege of linking Mark with Bob Essery who produced three books using his father's railway photographs. I would have no hesitation in recommending them to any enthusiast from the West Midlands.

His father was a remarkable man in having the foresight to take photos of subjects - in particular infrastructure - which in the space of a very short time was to eradicated from our railways. Not only that but he often obtained photos from positions that would have the Health & Safety brigade in fits today but provide some truly evocative views of a time now long gone.

Mike Musson

 

Re: West Midlands in the 1950s - 1960s

Here's another site with a lot of West Midlands 1950's and 60's rail interest (mainly GWR) also loads of stuff from around the country.
It's a family web site with eight pages of railway related stuff.
http://www.robertdarlaston.co.uk/