‘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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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

Bletchley shed workings over the SMJ

I have just discovered a short reference in A E Grigg's "Bletchley - Town of Trains" to the fact that during LMS days there were Saturday Northampton Town football specials that ran from Banbury (Merton Street) to Northampton when the Cobblers had a home match. What's strange is that Bletchley provided train, engine and crew for these workings.

Does any one have any further details?

Previous to this I thought that only Northampton, Stratford upon Avon, Bedford and Woodford crews manned SMJ workings.

Dick

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Permalink Reply by alwyn sparrow on February 20, 2012 at 8:08

During the B.R. era of the S.M.J.R. Banbury men worked over the line with iron ore trains.Working through the Fenny Compton-Stratford section to be relieved at Gloucester.Once the line closed the workings continued via Hatton West thence to Stratford.This information was given to me by a friend who was a fireman at Banbury

Alwyn.

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Permalink Reply by Dick Bodily on February 20, 2012 at 10:03

Cheers Alwyn,

I'd forgot about those workings, does your friend know if any loco types that are not on the SMJ list (Hymeks for instance) were ever used on them?