‘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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SMJ Bridge number for sale.

Stratford & Midland Junction Railway bridge number 42. This is a very rare bridge number, which hardly ever comes up for sale! 28cm x 20cm. It was from a cattle creep between Byfield & Morton Pinkney. £500. PayPal payment required and I can…Continue

Started by Russ Firth on Wednesday.

Bridge sign

An East and West Junction and Stratford-On-Avon, Towcester and Midland Junction Railways bridge weight notice, cast iron, 16½"x11¾", the front repainted. As is usual, the company title has been altered to Stratford-On-Avon and Midland Junction…Continue

Started by Graham Ward on Tuesday.

SMJ Postage stamps 1911 and 1924

A couple of items recently up for auction.GREAT CENTRAL RAILWAY COMPANY AND STRATFORD-UPON-AVON & MIDLAND JUNCTION: 6…Continue

Started by Graham Ward May 21.

More building at Towcester 3 Replies

I hear there has been more building at the station site in Towcester.Anyone know what they've dug up?…Continue

Tags: Towcester

Started by Andy Thompson. Last reply by John Evans Apr 19.

SMJ photos

RAILWAY BYLINES MAGAZINE

The March 2012 edition features the SMJ (Towcester to Ravenstone Wood Section) as it's lead article. They are also promising a feature on the Towcester to Cockley Brake section next month.

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Permalink Reply by Dick Bodily on March 16, 2012 at 13:54

This series is by SMJ Society member Barry Taylor who as well as contributing a lot of info for articles on this website has written several very interesting articles about the Northampton area for Railway Bylines. Also due out soon, in June 2012 Steam Days is an article about Byfield and Charwelton Ironstone Railways by Rex Partridge.

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Permalink Reply by Si Donal on March 16, 2012 at 16:39

Superb news Dick. Looks like another good year for the SMJ.

Dick said:

This series is by SMJ Society member Barry Taylor who as well as contributing a lot of info for articles on this website has written several very interesting articles about the Northampton area for Railway Bylines. Also due out soon, in June 2012 Steam Days is an article about Byfield and Charwelton Ironstone Railways by Rex Partridge.

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Permalink Reply by Barry Taylor on March 16, 2012 at 16:53

Thanks for the commercial Dick ! The next part will be on the old N&BJR lines from Blisworth to Towcester and on to Banbury. Then either one or two parts to cover the 'main line' of the EWJR from Towcester through to Stratford and Broom Junction - depends how the editor wants to present it. Presumably in consecutive months, although you never know!

Hope that you all enjoy it - it was intentionally written as a sort of 'personal reminiscence' as I am also working on a more detailed SMJ line history for 'Railway Archive' magazine, but this is still a 'work in progress'

For anyone with interests in really old locomotives, Railway Archive should have an article of mine in the next issue - due out early June, but again up to the editor - this is about early locos on the Northampton & Banbury Junction railway, and is a sort of follow up to my previous one on the French locos on the East & West Junction Ry in the 1870's.