‘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

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 on Thursday.

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

  • Add Photos
  • View All
Jack Freuville
Share on Facebook MySpace

Jack Freuville's Friends

  • Terry Dorrity
  • Si Donal
  • Andy Thompson

Jack Freuville's Discussions

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…Continue

Started Aug 29

SMJR Logo
4 Replies

Hi ThereI’m planning to print some water slide decals of the EWJR and the SMJR in 4 mm scale.Can anybody help me sort out the size and color scheme?For the size; following photos, this would be…Continue

Started this discussion. Last reply by Jim Goodman Aug 4, 2022.

DVD on the SMJ
3 Replies

HiI’m looking for a copy of the film “The Stratford Upon Avon & Midland Junction Railway” edited by Hillside Publishing some time ago.This company is now out of business and cannot be called upon…Continue

Started this discussion. Last reply by Jack Freuville Dec 18, 2021.

Way in

Hi thereI hope you are all in good health.A question about passenger access to stations such as Fenny Compton.Apparently, these station buildings had no entrance doors and access was only from the…Continue

Started Mar 29, 2020

 

Jack Freuville's Page

Latest Activity

Jack Freuville posted a discussion

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 body I got from Peter Dawson.The overall dimensions are similar enough to represent an acceptable loco.The question is:The Beatie Well Tank has outside cylinders which can be removedSMJR N°s 5 & 6 were made by Beyer Peacock and had inside…See More
Aug 29
Jim Goodman replied to Jack Freuville's discussion 'SMJR Logo'
"Thanks Jack, I'll look forward to seeing them. Your model looks really good. I'm building Fenny Compton too, not exactly as it was, I can't fit in all the trackwork and, like you, I'll use a bit of licence with the buildings!"
Aug 4, 2022
Jack Freuville replied to Jack Freuville's discussion 'SMJR Logo'
"Fenny Compton station circa autumn 1922"
Aug 4, 2022
Jack Freuville replied to Jack Freuville's discussion 'SMJR Logo'
"Thanks a lot Jim    I'm working on printable examples of the Garter; Logo as well as the letters and numbers used by the SMJ This will take a couple of weeks then I'll come back to you. Here's a sample of what I'm…"
Aug 4, 2022
Jim Goodman replied to Jack Freuville's discussion 'SMJR Logo'
"Hi Jack, These images may be of interest to you I would suggest the infill on the garter is light blue rather than grey. Also worth noting that in Stanley C Jenkins book on the Northampton and Banbury Junction Rly, the photo of the coach on page 46…"
Aug 4, 2022
Jack Freuville posted a discussion

SMJR Logo

Hi ThereI’m planning to print some water slide decals of the EWJR and the SMJR in 4 mm scale.Can anybody help me sort out the size and color scheme?For the size; following photos, this would be between 3 and 4 mm in 1/76For the EWJR Garter I have            Crimson background            Gold trim and letters            Grey infill of the garterFor the SMJR seal I have no definite idée; I think            Crimson background            Gold trim and letters            Following heraldic…See More
Jul 29, 2022
Jack Freuville replied to Jack Freuville's discussion 'DVD on the SMJ'
"Hi Mark I’ve been in contact with Ian of Wolverton Rail but he cannot help. Would you agree to sell me one of your copies of the DVD? I propose you give me your price, including postage to Belgium, I’ll transfer you the amount by…"
Dec 18, 2021
David Mead replied to Jack Freuville's discussion 'DVD on the SMJ'
"I would be keen on getting hold of the DVD too.David"
Nov 24, 2021
Mark Reader replied to Jack Freuville's discussion 'DVD on the SMJ'
"Hi Jack I have a spare unused copy of 'The Shakespeare Route - The SMJ' DVD, as I had to purchase three from the supplier 'Wolverton Rail' to make it worthwhile for them to record new set of copies. Apparently the original…"
Nov 24, 2021
Jack Freuville posted a discussion

DVD on the SMJ

HiI’m looking for a copy of the film “The Stratford Upon Avon & Midland Junction Railway” edited by Hillside Publishing some time ago.This company is now out of business and cannot be called upon to get a copy.If possible, I would wish to transfer the data of the DVD in mp4 format via internet?Thanks to the Brexit it has become extremely expensive to purchase anything from the UK and have it sent to Belgium.For info after paying the goods from a UK supplier, including the local VAT in…See More
Nov 24, 2021
Jack Freuville posted a discussion

Way in

Hi thereI hope you are all in good health.A question about passenger access to stations such as Fenny Compton.Apparently, these station buildings had no entrance doors and access was only from the platform side.I imagine passengers would come up from the level crossing side.My souvenirs of train travel long ago are that platform access was strictly limited and to accompany or greet a traveller you needed to purchase a platform ticket.How was this managed by the SMJ / LMS / BR?Best regardsJackSee More
Mar 29, 2020
Jack Freuville replied to Jack Freuville's discussion 'Aircraft crash'
"Hi Gary Since these photos of Brussels airport are not SMJ related, do you wish me to put them on this site or send them to you by mail; in which case could I have your E-mail; mine is jfreuville@gmail.com"
Feb 16, 2020
Gary replied to Jack Freuville's discussion 'Aircraft crash'
"I used to know someone who lived at Wood End and they had a bucket of bits that kept turning up in the fields from this tragedy. I have a couple of pieces at home which act as a reminder of such troubled times."
Feb 11, 2020
Gary replied to Jack Freuville's discussion 'Aircraft crash'
"I would indeed be interested thank you."
Feb 11, 2020
Dick Bodily replied to Jack Freuville's discussion 'Aircraft crash'
"Not as dramatic from a railway point of view but very tragic, three USAF Flying Fortresses on an in formation training flight from Snetterton collided above the SMJ between Blakesley and Moreton Pinkney on 11th October 1944. Two came down…"
Jan 27, 2020
Jack Freuville replied to Jack Freuville's discussion 'Aircraft crash'
"Hi Gary Thanks for this very interesting information. I read somewhere that following this accident a signal was installed on the SMJR line and that this signal was operated by the airfield control tower; a seemingly unique case in Air / Rail…"
Jan 26, 2020

Jack Freuville's photos

  • Add Photos
  • View All

Comment Wall (2 comments)

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

Join The SMJ Society

At 11:49 on March 12, 2015, Terry Dorrity said…

Hi Jack,

I've lived in Brussels since 1980 and am, also, retired. As I told you, I used to live in Stratford and took many photos on the SMJ as well as elsewhere. I've even had books published, one a bi-lingual one: "Goodbye Vapeur Francaise", published in France by LR Presse, and others published in England on industrial steam in the English Midlands and the Ulster Transport Authority. I even had an exhibition of photographs held at the Berlaymont in Brussels called " Europe at Full Steam" in October 2010. So, you can see, I'm still interested in railways and, in particular, steam locomotives.

I was interested to see you were making a model of Clifford Sidings, I remember that area well as it was an easy bike ride from home. Another system on the way to Banbury was the Oxfordshire Ironstone which, I am sure you know, was the source of much traffic after the "new" curve was installed between Old Town and Racecourse stations. The subject of another book.

It would be great to meet. Perhaps I could go to Rebecq on a working day if that would be ok with you. It will have to be a bit later because I am going to be in England for a little while for my mother's 99th birthday. She must have travelled on pre-grouping trains! She wasn't at Stratford at the time, though!

All best,

Terry

At 16:27 on January 18, 2010, Andy Thompson said…
Welcome aboard Jack I hope you enjoy the site and feel able to contribute to it!

Andy
 
 
 

© 2024   Created by Andy Thompson.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service