‘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
Bridge sign 3 Replies
An East and West Junction and Stratford-On-Avon, Towcester and Midland Junction Railways bridge weight notice, cast iron, 16½"x11¾", the front repainted. As is usual, the company title has been altered to Stratford-On-Avon and Midland Junction…Continue
Started by Graham Ward. Last reply by Russ Firth Jun 1.
SMJ Postage stamps 1911 and 1924
A couple of items recently up for auction.GREAT CENTRAL RAILWAY COMPANY AND STRATFORD-UPON-AVON & MIDLAND JUNCTION: 6…Continue
Started by Graham Ward May 21.
More building at Towcester 3 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 John Evans Apr 19.
Loco N° 5. 2-4-0T 1 Reply
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. Last reply by Simon Dunkley Mar 17.
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Alison,
Here is a picture of a guard called Tom Phillips taken on the down platform of Blakesley Station probably around 1920, so it's not your ancestor but could it be a relation of his, son or nephew perhaps? He's the one with the shunter's pole. He was nicknamed 'Old Woster' as he hailed from Worcestershire and that's how he pronounced the county city's name. The other man was Albert Broomfield, Blakesley's station master.
For more on Blakesley Station click on 'smj photos', select 'view albums' then look for 'Blakesley', for an article about Bob Salmons - Blakesley Signalman ( in the 40s/50s) click on 'index' then look down the list, there's other stuff headed 'Blakesley' in the 'E&WJR stations' section of the index and quite a bit about Blakesley station in the 1950s/ 60s in an article I did about The Last Days of the Pickup Goods.
Best of luck with your researches.
Dick Bodily
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Many thanks - my Great Great Grandfather (mother's family) was Tom Phillips who moved up the ranks at Blakesley Station to become Station Master by 1891 - he was in this position until his death in 1912. I have a quiet fascination with all our defunct railways, a yearning over those days of rail travel. My dad was a guard with British Rail.
I am researching as I can - we stand on the shoulders as it were of our ancestors, I like to keep their memories alive.
Hello Alison,
Welcome to the SMJ site!
Peter
Welcome Alison. Andy