‘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"


.

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

  • Add Photos
  • View All
towcester station

April 1950
and June 1953

  • photo
  • photo
  • photo
  • photo
  • photo

Add a Comment

You need to be a member of The SMJ Society to add comments!

Join The SMJ Society

Comment by adrian vaughan on September 3, 2009 at 18:48
Hello Gary,
Thanks for your very close dating - thanks to the famous'Cooke Book'.
Those views of Towcester are the only ones I have.

Adrian.
Comment by Barry Taylor on September 3, 2009 at 15:27
Adrian
From other photos that I have, it would appear that your final shot is dated somewhere between June 1956 and 27th June 1957 - the three doll bracket signal lost one of its arms during that period. Reference to R A Cooke's Track Layout Diagrams shows a'new layout' as from 30/12/1956 so that is probably the answer - it involved removing one of the through platform lines and a rearranged track and signalling layout
Incidentally, the small wooden hut shown to the left of the view was rumoured to be the signal cabin removed from Greens Norton Junction when the two lines to Blakesley and Cockley Brake were changed to operate as two parallel single lines from Towcester, instead of a physical junction at G Norton. I don't know whether this is fact or fiction, but it does look like a signal cabin - if so it had been there for a long time ! I photographed it in closer detail around 1964 so it probably lasted right through to the end.
Barry
Comment by Dick Bodily on September 2, 2009 at 16:06
Adrian

Great set of pictures, did you take them yourself? Can't help with the date of the last picture, but pretty certain that the train with the flag was taken on Coronation Day June 1953( not 52). The Banbury line had already been closed, so this train must be working the old EWJR route. Strange that the engine hasn't been turned. There was a weekday schools service to Byfield which was usually 2 coaches (the second coach usually being left at Blisworth the rest of the day) and may have been pulled tender first as it was a shorter journey, I'm too young to remember such details although I did travel on the SMJ as a small child. Perhaps it ran on Coronation Day with just one coach as there wouldn't ahve been any schoolchildren. Looks like a 3F, they were preferred to 4Fs by most Northampton and Blisworth (signing on point) crewsfor SMJR services. Note the LMS headed noticeboards and hawkeye totem.

Dick
Comment by adrian vaughan on September 2, 2009 at 14:55
The signal box, station ext. and stn.plat without train I know are 4/1950. The view with a train would seem to be Coronation time so say 6/52. I would like some expert person to put an approximate date to the final view.

© 2024   Created by Andy Thompson.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service