‘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"
Hello everyone, I've just signed up. I'm a lifelong railway enthusiast originally from Dorset; my earliest memory is of being on the train from Wareham to Swanage. I see a few familiar names on here so some of you may know me from the Scalefour…Continue
Started by Simon Stevens. Last reply by Simon Stevens 1 hour ago.
Please find attached a copy of the OS 6" map 1888 - 1913 series that illustrates the subject cable-way (called a tramway on the map) and also the Burton Dassett sidings. This cable-way is mentioned by Arthur Jordan in hos book on the SMJ at pp45, he…Continue
By any chance does anybody have a reasonable photograph of Banbury Merton Road Loco Shed? If so I would like to include into some private research I am intending to share with a small informal group of enthusiasts, it would be greatly…Continue
Started by Dave Hayward. Last reply by Colin Franklin Dec 30, 2020.
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!
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