‘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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Would the GCR have gone via Towcester? 14 Replies

Looking through Mac Hawkins book on the GCR then and now, he mentions that the GCR were thinking of running a line connecting Brackley to Northampton and had provisionally made a mound ready for a platform to be later constructed but they dropped…Continue

Started by Gary. Last reply by Andrew Emmerson 5 hours ago.

EWJR Portland Cement Wagon 13 Replies

Hello All,I found this item on ebay, although it's a model, what I'd like to know is, was it actually based on the real thing? As you can see it has the initials EWJR and return empty to Ettington, which all fits in with the real world.It was listed…Continue

Started by Jim Goodman. Last reply by Jim Goodman 9 hours ago.

MORTON PINKNEY LEVEL CROSSING 14 Replies

There was a public level crossing between Blakesley and Morton Pinkney, complete with a gatehouse.Does anyone know how this was operated?Presumably the gates must have been manual and kept closed against road traffic.Early Working Timetables mention…Continue

Started by Barry Taylor. Last reply by Andrew Emmerson 22 hours ago.

Byfield station woodwork colour 1 Reply

Hi, as anyone any idea what colour the doors would have been on the station building. I have a vague recollection that they were a maroonish/brownish colour, similar to the signal box.Thanks in advanceCliveContinue

Started by Clive. Last reply by Andrew Emmerson yesterday.

SMJ photos

Ravenstone Wood

Stoke Bruerne
Salcey Forest
Ravenstone Wood

Ravenstone Wood Signal Box Lever Plates

The SMJ line from Towcester joined the Midland Railway's Northampton-Bedford line near Olney at a place known as Ravenstone
Wood. Authorised by an act of Parliament in 1879 as the Easton
Neston Mineral & Towcester, Roade & Olney Junction Railway
(renamed in 1882 the Stratford-upon-Avon, Towcester & Midland
Junction Railway), and built partly on the route of an earlier
ironstone tramway, the line was not opened until 1891 and only
operated a timetabled passenger service for a few months. It
continued to carry goods traffic until 1958. The Olney line closed
in 1958 and much of its route was later absorbed into adjoining
fields.

Ravenstone Wood Junction and Signal box

Although its regular passenger traffic operations from Ravenstone Wood Junction were short lived, the railway did provide
a cross-country link for goods traffic. The only passenger train to
use this line in the 1930's and 40's was an excursion train that
ran on Easter Monday from Luton to Towcester Races. The fare from
Olney in the 1930's was 1/6d return (7½ p).

The site of the junction now (2009) has returned to nature and is indeed, a wood!

Ravenstone Wood Signal box

Find more
photos like this on "The Unofficial SMJ Society" at www.smj.me