"Hi Dave
Eric Tonks included an excellent chapter on this topic in his book, ‘Ironstone Quarries of the Midlands, Part 2, The Oxfordshire Field’.
Its interesting that while it appears on the 1888-1913 OS map, the aerial ropeway does not…"
‘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
Video: Stratford-upon-Avon to Towcester
I have added a video to the site's video page.https://youtu.be/DHCoijWc_t0Continue
Tags: video
Started by Graham Ward Jul 28.
Binton Station
As I was in the vicinity this week I visited my old stamping ground of over sixty years ago, the former SMJ station at Binton. The former goods shed has been demolished, 24 upmarket dwellings have been constructed in the old yard and the former…Continue
Started by Paul Stratford Apr 23.
Would the GCR have gone via Towcester? 14 Replies
Looking through Mac Hawkins book on the GCR then and now, he mentions that the GCR were thinking of running a line connecting Brackley to Northampton and had provisionally made a mound ready for a platform to be later constructed but they dropped…Continue
Started by Gary. Last reply by Andrew Emmerson Apr 18.
EWJR Portland Cement Wagon 13 Replies
Hello All,I found this item on ebay, although it's a model, what I'd like to know is, was it actually based on the real thing? As you can see it has the initials EWJR and return empty to Ettington, which all fits in with the real world.It was listed…Continue
Started by Jim Goodman. Last reply by Jim Goodman Apr 18.
SMJ photos
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Dave Hayward
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Dave Hayward's Discussions
Burton Dassett Cableway
1 Reply
Please find attached a copy of the OS 6" map 1888 - 1913 series that illustrates the subject cable-way (called a tramway on the map) and also the Burton Dassett sidings. This cable-way is mentioned…Continue
Started this discussion. Last reply by Mark Reader Feb 22.
Banbury Merton Road Shed and Britannia Works Tramway
8 Replies
By any chance does anybody have a reasonable photograph of Banbury Merton Road Loco Shed? If so I would like to include into some private research I am intending to share with a small informal group…Continue
Started this discussion. Last reply by Colin Franklin Dec 30, 2020.
Ravenstone Wood as three way junction?
1 Reply
A close analysis of the 1945 RAF aerial photographs available in the historical imagery resource on Google Earth has provided evidence that Ravenstone Wood was probably a three-way junction during…Continue
Started this discussion. Last reply by Robin Cullup Apr 15, 2018.
Dave Hayward's Page
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Burton Dassett Cableway
Please find attached a copy of the OS 6" map 1888 - 1913 series that illustrates the subject cable-way (called a tramway on the map) and also the Burton Dassett sidings. This cable-way is mentioned by Arthur Jordan in hos book on the SMJ at pp45, he does discuss the question of man-riding! I understand but have no details that there was a fatal accident at Northend involving the cable-way (man-riding?).Regards,Dave Hayward…See More
"Would the local authority Record Office have details of this system within its Archive Service?"
"I remember the narrow gage track running outside the station back in the 60's. We would pass it when walking too and from the loco depot and the station when disposing of or picking up a loco from the shed. I also remember the large factory…"
"Thanks to everybody for their interest and responses, unfortunately the photograph of Merton Street shed is one I have seen previously, albeit in this instance 'less grainy'. I have also seen the map of the Britannia tramway, in fact I…"
"Have you tried the Archive section on The Engine Shed Societies website as there's a photo of the shed."
"Picture No. 18, Branch Lines Around Towcester, Middleton Press, by Vic Mitchell and Keith Smith. There is also a diagram in the same authors' book Oxford to Bletchley plate XXV/XXVI."
"Good Evening Dave
Go to www.disused-stations.org.uk ; and search for Banbury Merton Street station. There are two maps showing the layout of the Britannia Works as well. There may be a photo of the engine shed as well."
"I’ve never seen any photos of this shed but would be very interested to see if anybody does find a photo as I worked with drivers from Bletchley that worked to Banbury"
"I do not think there are any unfortunately..."
Banbury Merton Road Shed and Britannia Works Tramway
By any chance does anybody have a reasonable photograph of Banbury Merton Road Loco Shed? If so I would like to include into some private research I am intending to share with a small informal group of enthusiasts, it would be greatly appreciated.Additionally I am endeavouring to find out any information about the tramway that served the Britannia Works at Banbury. I have identified a a track plan on an early OS map and one early posed group photograph of a some workers, the group is straddling…See More
Kineton Military Railway
This information is perhaps not new to everybody as I did post it on the previous SMJ site. For those of interested in the Kineton Militray Railway it still possible to see the location of the third level crossing that crossed the Kineton to Edgehill road, the B4086, until the mid 1960's. About 1000 yds north of the junction of the B4086 with the road from that road to the A4100 there are square wooden gate posts painted in fading black and white, they are on both sides of the road. These are the posts that held the gates across the track here. These lines were primarily desigend to serve a now demolished area of the depot that lay near Radway village and along the course of the B4086/ A4100 road. In those days there were seventy miles of railway line in the depot - very enjoyable riding around it on a little Wickham railcar!! One of these days I will repost a map of the early 1970s track layout when I locate it again.
On another subject I recently read the Industrial Railway Society's publication
Industrial Locomotives of Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire & Northamptonshire'
by Robin Waywell
ISBN 978 1 901556 23 0 (hardbound)
ISBN 978 1 901556 24 7 (softbound)
412 pages of text, including 40 4-colour maps + 96 photos.
£19.95 (soft cover) £24.95 (hard cover)
This excellent publication provides a lot of information about every tramway and quarry line etc that joined or at least served the SMJ - there are a lot more than what you think in the Towcester/ Blisworth area. I saw a copy through the Library Inter Library Loan Scheme.
Lastly a visit to Google Maps - Satellite images provides a detailed view of the remaining parts of the course of the Edgehill Tramway down the hill to the Army Depot.
On another subject I recently read the Industrial Railway Society's publication
Industrial Locomotives of Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire & Northamptonshire'
by Robin Waywell
ISBN 978 1 901556 23 0 (hardbound)
ISBN 978 1 901556 24 7 (softbound)
412 pages of text, including 40 4-colour maps + 96 photos.
£19.95 (soft cover) £24.95 (hard cover)
This excellent publication provides a lot of information about every tramway and quarry line etc that joined or at least served the SMJ - there are a lot more than what you think in the Towcester/ Blisworth area. I saw a copy through the Library Inter Library Loan Scheme.
Lastly a visit to Google Maps - Satellite images provides a detailed view of the remaining parts of the course of the Edgehill Tramway down the hill to the Army Depot.
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Dave Hayward's Blog
Fellow Members The Branch Line Society in conjunction with CHiltern Railways are running a rail trip this Saturday from Birmingham Moor Street. The trip in a 168 will be covering numerous loops and…
Posted on July 30, 2014 at 17:46 0 Comments 1 Like
Fellow Members
The Branch Line Society in conjunction with CHiltern Railways are running a rail trip this Saturday from Birmingham Moor Street. The trip in a 168 will be covering numerous loops and sidings between Aynho Junction and Stourbridge including many around Banbury Station that are due to be removed with the soon to be started resignalling scheme there.
For particular interest to SMJ fans will be the two loops at Fenny Compton and a trip up the SMJ as far as…
ContinueComment Wall (1 comment)
- At 22:15 on October 28, 2009,
Peter S Lewis said…
- Welcome aboard The Rail Tube Network! Don’t forget we have a section for Steam, Diesel, Electric and Disused. You can sign up for the section of your choice or all 4 (a separate sign up is required for each section but if you choose the same user name and password each time and ask your browser to remember your details, login will be easy!)). As a member you can comment and rate other members uploads, personalise your own page and the blog, upload your own railway photos and videos! If you belong to a railway related group you can set up your own group page on our ‘Groups Page’ too, it will give your group it’s very own presence on the net!. We also have a monthly newsletter ‘On-Shed’ which we hope you will add to.
We hope you find your way around alright and we look forward to seeing some of your own work soon
Andy (The Fat Controller ‘TFC’) & Pete (‘Shedmaster’ & ‘Editor’ of ‘On-Shed’)
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