‘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
More building at Towcester 2 Replies
I hear there has been more building at the station site in Towcester.Anyone know what they've dug up?…Continue
Tags: Towcester
Started by Andy Thompson. Last reply by Nigel Nov 7.
Broom History Group Event 9th November 2024
Broom History Group will be holding an event at Broom Village Hall 2-4pm on 9th November 2024 including a film on the railway and Broom Junction.…Continue
Started by Simon Stevens Oct 25.
Misunderstanding Easton Neston 2 Replies
Hello, I'm a new member and I've searched through the articles and can't find anything specific to my answer/ question. Can anyone help?…Continue
Started by Matt Davis. Last reply by Matt Davis Oct 16.
Loco N° 5. 2-4-0T
Hi everybodyI’m building a OO gauge model of Fenny Compton and Clifford Sidings over here in Belgium.Quite a strange idea but so be it…In view of this I plan to transform a RTR Beatie Well Tank into SMJR N° 5 the 2-4-0T and use some etchings for the…Continue
Started by Jack Freuville Aug 29.
SMJ photos
The site of Banbury Merton Street
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Comment by Colin Franklin on June 9, 2010 at 17:27
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Would it be a good idea to superimpose a photo of the old station over this picture to show people where it stood?
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Comment by Barry Dunwoody on April 9, 2010 at 8:47
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I think this view would have been painted from the station. The link to the GWR is on the right.
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Yes I agree with Gary. Have a look at Google Maps - the station was between Alma Road and the road you see in this photo. Merton Street Railway Station has a marker on the map but it is too far to the south-east.
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A good site to check out locations and pictures of old pictures is www.disused-stations.org.uk although the detail on Merton Street is not as good as usual.
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I remember it well when it was still there for goods, cattle or suchlike. But I never bothered to visit it so can't comment on exactly where it was (I seem to recall a pub very near - the Elephant and Castle? - not that I went in that either). For the sake of the Bletchley service (too late for the SMJ) it's a pity that the LNWR couldn't have been brought into the rebuilt GWR station in some way (as at Oxford).
I did visit the yard in September 1963 when a special came in from Oxford then headed out to Bletchley. It didn't actually go into the station. I have a photo of 42105 waiting to leave but Merton Street station is in the far distance.
Incidentally I think that not only was Merton Street once in Northants, but so was Banbury General. They were both to the east of the Cherwell which was the boundary.
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Comment by Andy Thompson on April 8, 2010 at 16:29
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Gentlemen...
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I did check from above and most definitely, the N&B station was where the post office building is now, further down. Left and right is Merton street. The main line is far right.
Andy
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Comment by Dick Bodily on April 8, 2010 at 13:22
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Gary
I am confused by this picture. Is the road swinging to the left of the picture the old main road through Grimsbury? If so the road in the middle of the picture must run roughly along the old trackbed. As I recall the Merton Street station stood about 50yards down a slope from the Grimsbury road, immediately before the GWR bridge. Incidentally years ago the Grimsbury district of Banbury was in Northamptonshire which was a stupid state of affairs, eventually the border was moved to include all of Banbury in Oxfordshire. I'm not sure which county Merton Street was in but it may well have been in Northants when built.
Dick
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Comment by Gary on April 7, 2010 at 22:23
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The station was on the left - where the buildings are going up
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