‘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
NEW BOOK ON THE SMJ - AVAILABLE SHORTLY 18 Replies
Hi allI'm pleased to announce that the first volume of my history of…Continue
Started by Barry Taylor. Last reply by Barry Taylor Nov 7.
Malcolm Ranieri
Sad to report the untimely death last week of SMJ Society member Malcolm Ranieri. Malcolm was well known for his excellent steam train photographs that have appeared for many years in the rail preservation press. He was also one of the main…Continue
Started by Dick Bodily Oct 19.
Salvaged track bolts 1 Reply
Does any know if the bridges were numbered? Similar to how the canals number thier's. Because a few weeks ago I was magnet fishing under the if I bridge behind the bellebaulk housing estate in Towcester and pulled out a number of chair bolts and I…Continue
Started by John Godwin. Last reply by Dick Bodily Sep 28.
Planning Application for Binton Station Site 8 Replies
I've just been told by friends from Welford that there's a planning application to redevelop the Binton Station site:Binton Station Planning…Continue
Started by Simon Stevens. Last reply by Simon Stevens Sep 20.
Proposed conversion of numbers 5 and 6.
According to Dunn, the problems with the two BP tanks ns 5 and 6 running backwards were twice addressed with the idea of converting them to 2-4-2Ts, and that drawings were prepared on at least one occasion.Has anyone ever seen anything of these…Continue
Started by Simon Dunkley Jun 27.
Broom Junction station site for sale 1 Reply
Great opportunity for an SMJ enthusiast perhaps. I'm not sure what you could actually do with this site though!…Continue
Started by Simon Stevens. Last reply by Simon Stevens May 17.
Need Site Help?
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.
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.
Blakesley (OO gauge)
Si Donald’s project.
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.
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)
Add a Comment
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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.
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Comment by Dick Bodily on July 18, 2015 at 20:50 -
Thanks Simon, page amended. 18/7/15 Dick
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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.
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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.
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Comment by Dick Bodily on March 2, 2015 at 11:33
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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.
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Comment by Dick Bodily on February 26, 2015 at 15:18
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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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