‘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
Blisworth - Towcester ETS working
Electric train staff equipment had been brought into use between Blisworth and Towcester by 9 August 1910 (date of SMJR minute 451 (TNA file RAIL 674/3)) and presumably the new signal box at Blisworth appeared at the same time. In that this was so…Continue
Started by Richard Maund on Saturday.
Blisworth 1920
SMJ board minute 1474 of 13 April 1921 (TNA file RAIL 674/4) approved that “the following expenditure be charged to Capital” for year 1920: “Blisworth: Signalling and alterations to Permanent Way, Improvements and additional signalling: £800”. In…Continue
Started by Richard Maund on Saturday.
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.
SMJ photos
Helmdon
Blisworth
Towcester
Wappenham
Helmdon
Banbury
Helmdon station site 2008
A modest beginning was made with the Northampton and Banbury Junction Railway, authorised in 1863, as a first step. Hopes were raised two years later with an Act authorising an extension westwards to Chipping Norton and Blockley, and in the next year, 1866, a further extension was authorised which would have taken the line to Ross-on-Wye. Like so many proposed schemes of that time, the financial crisis of that year put an end to such speculative schemes, leaving the N & BJR on which work had started, high and dry.
The goods shed and trackbed - 2008
The railway reached neither Northampton nor Banbury over its own metals but obtained running powers over the L & NWR’s line from Blisworth to Northampton and from Cockley Brake Junction to Banbury over the L & NWR’s line from Verney Junction. The first section opened to Towcester on 1st May 1863. The contractors were Aird & Son; there was one intermediate station at Tiffield, which seems to have been a very simple one-platform affair. The extension to Cockley Brake took another six years to complete because of financial problems. There were two stations on this section, Wappenham and Helmdon, both of which were opened to goods traffic in August 1871. These too had single platforms, but were equipped with passing loops.
Helmdon even boasted a brick built goods shed . The line was opened throughout on 1st July 1872. To start with trains were worked by locomotives bought second hand from the L &NWR, but a hiring arrangement was made with the latter Company in 1875, thereby saving the N & BJR the cost of maintaining their own servicing facilities at Blisworth or Banbury. The track was well laid with bullhead rail, similar to that of the L & NWR. The following 3 links come with thanks from Helmdon.com
Cockley Brake
The N&B didn't run to Banbury over it's own 'metals' joining the L&NWR at a junction known as 'Cocley Brake'. There was one intermediate station at Farthinghoe.
Cockley Brake signal box from passing train. Casserlly
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Comment by Si Donal on November 4, 2009 at 22:06
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