‘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'

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Blisworth - Towcester ETS working

Electric train staff equipment had been brought into use between Blisworth and Towcester by 9 August 1910 (date of SMJR minute 451 (TNA file RAIL 674/3)) and presumably the new signal box at Blisworth appeared at the same time. In that this was so…Continue

Started by Richard Maund on Saturday.

Blisworth 1920

SMJ board minute 1474 of 13 April 1921 (TNA file RAIL 674/4) approved that “the following expenditure be charged to Capital” for year 1920: “Blisworth: Signalling and alterations to Permanent Way, Improvements and additional signalling: £800”. In…Continue

Started by Richard Maund on Saturday.

Evesham Redditch & Stratford-upon-Avon Junction Railway 8 Replies

Did this railway (as opposed to the East & West Junction Railway) go into receivership - if so, when. And when did it come out of receivership?Continue

Started by Richard Maund. Last reply by Richard Maund Feb 11.

Bidford-on-Avon 5 Replies

Shall we bring this discussion under the proper heading!So far as the OS plan surveyed 1885, published 1886, is concerned: the OS liked - wherever they could - to have text running parallel to the top and bottom borders. When they came to add the…Continue

Started by Richard Maund. Last reply by Richard Maund Feb 10.

SMJ photos

Stratford-upon-Avon and Midland Junction Railway Jody Iosias

I just found on Amazon Japan the book Stratford-upon-Avon and Midland Junction Railway by Jody Iosias. Apparently it’s worth around £ 30

I’ve never heard of this book nor of the writer before.

Is there anybody out there who could advise me on this book

Jack

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Barry Taylor on June 24, 2016 at 13:03

Hi Jack

I think that this is just an internet produced re-hash of previously published material on the SMJ.

If you have a look around (on Ebay in particular) there are others - I've seen "books" advertised on Ettington and Kineton stations for example, and the "authors" always have somewhat strange sounding names!

A friend of mine purchased a similar thing a year or so ago that purported to be on The Watermills of Northamptonshire - it was, but it was a mere cut & paste re-hash job of information which he already had in several other places.

Probably best avoided - my own history of the SMJ is at the publishers now, and Vol 1 should be out early next year - I hope that it will prove a better buy!!

REgards

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Permalink Reply by Dick Bodily on June 24, 2016 at 18:08

Jack

Usually these so called books that Barry mentioned are simply copied entries from Wikipedia or even lifted from articles on websites such as this one. Often they charge much more, even £100 plus hoping to catch out the unwary. My advice .. don't buy! If it was a genuine researched work then it would have been reviewed in the railway press.

Dick

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Permalink Reply by Peter S Lewis on June 24, 2016 at 23:53

The synopsis of this book..a new one to me(!) on Abe Books website is rather telling.."Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online"..and a look at an Amazon page . http://www.amazon.co.uk/Iosias-Jody/e/B00JCWM4SI shows the author to be quite prolific...looks like a "copy and paste" merchant..