‘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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BLAKESLEY and an SMJ stamp

This item has come up in an auction recently and is a glimpse of the practice of carrying mail by train. Apart from the SMJ…Continue

Started by Graham Ward Nov 14.

Further about Ravenstone Wood Junction 1 Reply

Firstly a belated thanks to Barry for his excellent research that has returned these signal lever plates to their rightful home! [Perhaps their place of residence on the website needs changing!] Apologies for starting s new Forum discussion on this…Continue

Started by Dave Hayward. Last reply by Barry Taylor Oct 23.

Ravenstone Wood Junction Signal Box-an anomaly 3 Replies

Closely examining the brass lever plates shown in the Olney Line entry in the Index Section of this website I noticed a significant anomaly. Some of the above plates, specifically 1, 10, 11, 12, 25, 32, 34. refer to platforms, loading dock, goods…Continue

Started by Dave Hayward. Last reply by Barry Taylor Oct 9.

SMJ keys from the Towcester area 1 Reply

I have been contacted by someone who wishes to dispose of two sets of SMJ-related keys from the Towcester area, but does not want to put personal email or other details on this website. They have been given to him by the estate manager at Easton…Continue

Started by Barry Taylor. Last reply by Barry Taylor Sep 4.

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).