‘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.
SMJ photos
Fenny Compton level crossing and bridge
At Fenny Compton there is the unusual situation of a level crossing and road underbridge apparently fulfilling the same purpose.
Does anyone know the precise sequence of events in terns of the opening of the level crossing and underbridge?
I am guessing that the level crossing existed first - just on the GWR line - and was then extended to cover the EWJR when that opened in 1871
Was the road underpass then added later on, if so at what date?
Presumably it could have been added to relieve pressure on the level crossings which might have by then become a problem with holding up of road traffic ?
The old level crossing was however presumably still used when required if the road underpass flooded - or was this locked out of use once the underpass opened?.
Or have I got it totally wrong - was the bridge there originally, with the level crossing being added later?
Any ideas please.
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Barry Taylor on
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I've actually partly answered my own question by referring back to some old notes from a visit to the national Archives at Kew a few years ago. I'd forgotten that I copied some old plans for the original layout at Fenny Compton, which clearly show that the road underbridges were there when the EWJR was opened.
So the level crossings were obviously added later - but has anyone any idea just when.
I've jsut loaded the plan up in the photos section
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Permalink Reply by NIGEL on
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Hello Barry, here is a section of information on the area in question from a book on the SMJ. Still leaves a lot to be answered and with no specific dates.
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Thanks Nigel - I'd missed the point about the inner set of gates being removed at some time.
But as you say, it still doesn't tell us when the gates were put in. A bit more research needed!
Interestingly, when the EWJR was first proposed back in the 1860's, there was a plan for an island platform here serving the GW down & EWJ up lines, with a through running connection from the GWR onto the EWJ from the Banbury direction. But by the time the line was built this had been modified into two separate stations with a siding connection. It then took until 1960 to put in the through connection, when it was too late !
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