‘The Stratford Upon Avon & Midland Junction Railway’ (or S.M.J.) was a small independent railway company which ran a line across the empty, untouched centre of England. It visited the counties of Northamptonshire, Warwickshire, Oxfordshire and a little of Buckinghamshire, only existing as the SMJ from 1909 to 1923. In 1923 the S.M.J.became a minor arm of the London Midland and Scottish (L.M.S.), then in 1948 'British Railways'

Gone but not forgotten: "the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth"

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Evesham Redditch & Stratford-upon-Avon Junction Railway 8 Replies

Did this railway (as opposed to the East & West Junction Railway) go into receivership - if so, when. And when did it come out of receivership?Continue

Started by Richard Maund. Last reply by Richard Maund Feb 11.

Bidford-on-Avon 5 Replies

Shall we bring this discussion under the proper heading!So far as the OS plan surveyed 1885, published 1886, is concerned: the OS liked - wherever they could - to have text running parallel to the top and bottom borders. When they came to add the…Continue

Started by Richard Maund. Last reply by Richard Maund Feb 10.

North End and Warwick Road stations? 57 Replies

Some time ago we ahd an interesting and lively discussion on the mystery station at Tiffield, which added quite a lot to our collective knowledge.I've recently been looking closely at two of the other mystery stations- at North End (sometimes…Continue

Started by Barry Taylor. Last reply by Richard Maund Jan 27.

1873 timetable 4 Replies

Page 12 of Arthur Jordan's book features a full page reproduction of the E&WJ public timetable handbill for August 1873. Does anyone know where the original of that handbill is preserved?Incidentally, the timetable itself formed the basis of…Continue

Started by Richard Maund. Last reply by Barry Taylor Jan 25.

SMJ photos

Location of SMJ Beware of Trains plate near Salcey Forest

Hi everybody,

My late Father had an SMJ Beware of Trains plate on the wall in his garden. A couple of weeks ago my family donated it as a gift to Towcester Museum, as we wanted it to be kept in the area as a reminder of the railway for future generations.

Some years ago my Father described its origin as being “near Salcey Forest, near where the Hackleton Road crossed the railway; it was reached via a farm access track.”

Having studied a 1:25k map from 1950 and a 1:1250 map from 1900, I have identified some possible locations.

From west to east on the pictures below:

South of Piddington is Bridge 171. Just north of the bridge is a track past some allotments that turns right and terminates at the edge of the railway. The larger scale map suggests that the railway is still in a cutting at this point. Neither map suggests a continuation of the track on the south side of the railway.

Further east a footpath crosses the railway line. Both maps indicate that there was a footbridge at this location, although I could not make it out in any of the published photographs looking west along the line from Salcey Forest station.

Next there is the site of Salcey Forest station, close to Bridge 172 on the road from Hackleton and accessed by a farm track. My Father visited the station in 1961 and took 2 photos (I will upload these onto this site later). I am puzzled why he did not say that he had found the plate at the old station site if that had been the case.

Finally there is the occupation crossing near Ravenstone Wood Junction. However, that is 1.6 miles away from where the Hackleton Road crossed the railway, and I am sure that my Father would have described the location as being near the junction if it had come from there (he took a photo of the water tower at Olney, so knew of the junction).