Church Hill joins West Heath Road

Crossing over the little humpback bridge over the river Rea in West Heath Road, Northfield the last of the five Leyland 'Olympic' HR40S. These underfloor-engined, integrally constructed buses had entered service between the end of July and the beginning of September 1950. Here the bus has just left the Station Road junction as it heads towards West Heath when working on the 27 route. (L. Mason)

Bill Hodgetts Barbers 1958

Bill Hodgetts' Barber Shop, Station Road by Jeavons' butchers and Fox's wool shop. 1958. Harry Coleville, aged 2 losing the baby curls. Ahhhhhhhh!!!! Mum in the doorway (reflection in mirror). The shop later became Leon's for a few decades. Something for the weekend, Sir? (H. Coleville)

All the buildings are still here, but different occupiers. Corner of Station Rd/Church Hill it was No.
01 Coopers (chip shop now),
03 Watson's Fruit and veg (don't know what now) 
05 Jeavons butcher
07 Fox Wools
09 Bill Hodgetts Barbers (still a barber today, AKJ's). 
I think it was houses after that til 
49 Turners Theatre Furnishers, the large building on your map opposite station entrance mid Station rd, now starter homes new houses. (on this map in 1903 it was a laundry) 
Going round the corner from station rd was: 
Ernie Dale, iron monger 
James fresh fish 
Perrin's and Jones across the River Rea bridge before The Old Mill pub. I think that was where the skating rink may have been earlier. I only go back half a century! 
Thanks to Harry Coleville, son of the owner of the Post Office, then on opposite corner of Middleton Hall Road.

photo: DJ Norton

Northfield Station & Station Road

Northfield Station C.1958. Viewed from it's Signal box. Five rails wide with a goods yard on far left. The direction of view is towards Birmingham. Trains from here in the other direction went to Longbridge, Rubery, Halesowen, Bromsgrove and The South (Worcester etc)

Another view shows the outer rails being removed or replaced, in the 1960's wooden sleepers were being replaced by concrete ones with new rails that was 1/2 mile in length, creating a more silent  and efficient running train, the days of the 'da-da-da dah' noises of the tracks was to be lost.