‘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 Forum
Walking the SMJ 4 Replies
Careful scrutiny of the 1:25000 maps on Streetmap suggests that very little of the SMJ trackbed is a public right-of-way. There are short sections near Roade and Kineton and one or two places where there is an adjacent footpath. Can anyone advise of…Continue
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SMJ photos
Walking the SMJ
Careful scrutiny of the 1:25000 maps on Streetmap suggests that very little of the SMJ trackbed is a public right-of-way. There are short sections near Roade and Kineton and one or two places where there is an adjacent footpath. Can anyone advise of any other sections where it is acceptable to walk without risk of being confronted by an angry farmer?
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Mike Burrows on -
There is about a mile of the track bed that is a community park North of Tiffield. Going North from Tiffield there is a left turn over the railway bridge. Just over the bridge is a staircase leading down to the track way.
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Permalink Reply by Jean Cholerton on
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Hello Michael,
Our 1/2 mile stretch of the SMJ trackbed is now a nature reserve, supported by the Butterfly Conservation Warwickshire volunteers. They, and my husband`s hard toil has transformed it from a dark tunnel of mainly Hawthorn on the embankments with nothing growing under them to a wonderful wildlife haven.
Even Grass Snakes on the embankments now spotted for 1st time in our 52 years here.
Should anyone want to walk it, yes it is private for now with a public footpath over, but just give us a ring
on 01789 773653 We would be delighted to see you. Jean.
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Permalink Reply by Michael Roake on
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Hi Jean, many thanks for the info and invitation - the photos look great - will definitely visit when we have an opportunity, Regards Mike
Jean Cholerton said:Hello Michael,
Our 1/2 mile stretch of the SMJ trackbed is now a nature reserve, supported by the Butterfly Conservation Warwickshire volunteers. They, and my husband`s hard toil has transformed it from a dark tunnel of mainly Hawthorn on the embankments with nothing growing under them to a wonderful wildlife haven.
Even Grass Snakes on the embankments now spotted for 1st time in our 52 years here.
Should anyone want to walk it, yes it is private for now with a public footpath over, but just give us a ring
on 01789 773653 We would be delighted to see you. Jean.
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Permalink Reply by Simon Stevens on
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Good question!
Broom Junction station site is easily accessible for the moment; from there you can walk north to Alcester or south to Salford Priors along the remains of the Gloucester Loop Line. The southern curve of the Broom junction triangle is not a right-of-way but can be walked.
The line from the Arrow river bridge at Broom up to Bidford Road bridge is a nature reserve with a path.
In Stratford, you can walk the old line from near the racecourse entrance to the Greenway roundabout and Seven Meadows Road is built on the trackbed.
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