‘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

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.

North End and Warwick Road stations? 57 Replies

Some time ago we ahd an interesting and lively discussion on the mystery station at Tiffield, which added quite a lot to our collective knowledge.I've recently been looking closely at two of the other mystery stations- at North End (sometimes…Continue

Started by Barry Taylor. Last reply by Richard Maund Jan 27.

1873 timetable 4 Replies

Page 12 of Arthur Jordan's book features a full page reproduction of the E&WJ public timetable handbill for August 1873. Does anyone know where the original of that handbill is preserved?Incidentally, the timetable itself formed the basis of…Continue

Started by Richard Maund. Last reply by Barry Taylor Jan 25.

SMJ photos

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S&MJR Model Railway Layouts

As model railway clubs and enthusiasts often dismantle layouts in order to produce new projects there is no guarantee that all of these layouts are still in existance

Broom Junction (O gauge)

Warley MRS layout sometimes appears at the Warley Exhibition.

Leaving for the SMJ

Clifford Sidings (OO gauge)

Jack Freuville's project ( in Belgium)

Kineton SMJ (N gauge)

Leamington & Warwick MRS early BR days layout in the process of construction.

Fenny Compton (OO gauge)

Jack Freuville's project ( in Belgium)

Byfield (OO gauge)

Northampton Byfield Group's 1930s layout.

Woodford (OO gauge)

Woodford MRC layout at Woodford Halse Social Club, sometimes viewable at special open days at this members only club. Byfield being added to this huge layout.

Woodford 'North' Junction

Blakesley (OO gauge)

Si Donald’s project.

IMG_2073

Blakesley  (? gauge)

A model of Blakesley station was made around 1968 by lady modeller Vivien Thompson from a drawing by draughtsman Bill Ibbott. Info required.

Towcester (OO gauge)

Seen in the 1970s at the old Birmingham Science Museum, does it still exist in store somewhere?

Towcester (OO gauge)

Mike Hemmings‘ project. LMS period layout.

Towcester (N gauge)

Brian Elphick’s project.

Towcester in the 1970s (OO gauge)

John Norton & George Woodcock’s ‘what if’ layout which has featured in magazines and appeared at some model railway exhibitions.

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Blisworth SMJR (O gauge)

Kettering & District MRS layout. 

 

A historic model railway link with the East & West JR

One of the first model railway layouts to feature scenery, if not the very first, was that built by CW Bartholomew at Blakesley Hall around 1900. He was a big shareholder in the E&WJR at a time when the GCR was thinking of taking over the E&WJR route.  His father Charles had strong links with the MS&LR ( later to become the GCR) having been a director of one of its constituents, the South Yorkshire Railway as well as owning Wombwell Colliery.   It was clockwork, probably O gauge and supplied by Bassett – Lowke of Northampton.  George Bailey (a labourer at the hall) had the job of building the scenery for the squire and thus was truly an unsung pioneer of model railways.

Dick Bodily (26th February 2014)

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Comment by Nick Meredith on October 13, 2015 at 9:53

Progress report on Kineton, N Gauge, as at October 13 2015

Research has continued, including a summer Saturday with a stall at Kineton Farmers' Market.

The baseboards have been ordered, and are due to arrive in the next couple of weeks. 

A test track has been built to experiment with fine scale trackwork, 

Our latest outing was to the Great Electric Train Show at the Heritage Motor Centre at Gaydon, this weekend just gone. Particularly on the Sunday we spoke with a lot of local visitors, and gained more general information. 

A slight clarification to the details in the first email. We shall be setting the layout principally inthe 1948-52 period under British Railways, although some earlier stock may also be built. 

Comment by Dick Bodily on July 18, 2015 at 20:50

Thanks Simon, page amended. 18/7/15 Dick

Comment by Simon Dunkley on July 18, 2015 at 10:42
Richard Chown did not build a layout: it was a suggested layout plan in issue 101 of the Model Railway Journal.
Comment by Gary on March 3, 2015 at 15:25

I saw the beginnings of an "N" layout of Stratford a few years back in Stratford. Not sure if it progressed much further than when I saw it as it was an older gentleman building it in the "museum" in the town.

Comment by Dick Bodily on March 2, 2015 at 11:33

Updated already as a result of new info supplied by Robin Cullup and a look through all of my old SMJ related magazine cuttings. Please add further info about any SMJR layout.

Comment by Dick Bodily on February 26, 2015 at 15:18

Follow the link to the new S&MJR Model Railway Layouts page

http://thesmjr.ning.com/page/s-mjr-model-railway-layouts?commentId=...

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