‘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

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.

North End and Warwick Road stations? 57 Replies

Some time ago we ahd an interesting and lively discussion on the mystery station at Tiffield, which added quite a lot to our collective knowledge.I've recently been looking closely at two of the other mystery stations- at North End (sometimes…Continue

Started by Barry Taylor. Last reply by Richard Maund Jan 27.

1873 timetable 4 Replies

Page 12 of Arthur Jordan's book features a full page reproduction of the E&WJ public timetable handbill for August 1873. Does anyone know where the original of that handbill is preserved?Incidentally, the timetable itself formed the basis of…Continue

Started by Richard Maund. Last reply by Barry Taylor Jan 25.

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Peter S Lewis's Comments

Comment Wall (101 comments)

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At 15:09 on November 1, 2017, Chris Hillyard RVM said…
Peter. FYI I am a committee member of Roade Local History Society and next year over the weekend of 8/9 September we are holding an exhibition to celebrate the 180th anniversary of Roade Cutting. Planning is at an early stage but an awful amount of research has been done. Highlights of the exhibition will be a model made by students from Elizabeth Woodville schools at Roade & Deanshanger, more importantly the awarding of a Red Wheel from the Transport Trust if our application is successful. More details will be available in the new year. Society Members will be more than welcome.
At 13:57 on November 1, 2017, Chris Hillyard RVM said…
Hi Peter

Royal Victorian Medal. Awarded by the Royal Victorian Order on behalf of the monarch. For personal services to the Royal Household. In a previous life I worked on and eventually managed the Royal Train based at Wolverton.)

Kind regards

Chris
At 21:21 on October 16, 2017, Derek George Lawman said…

Thank you for accepting my application to join this interesting site. I have always been interested in the SMJ and GC London Extension.

I enjoyed a career on British Railways/Rail spanning some thirty four years, commencing in the footplate line of promotion in 63, eventually being passed for driving in 71. From 85 to 89 I undertook various Supervisory roles including Footplate Inspector. From 90 to 97 I occupied various Management positions, my last being Area Train Crew Manager at Cambridge, Cambridge, Kings Lynn, Bishop's Stortford and Chingford depots to look after along with associated carriage servicing. I also successfully consulted in D.O.O. on the Northern City Line into Moorgate operated by Kings Cross and Hitchin depots. By doing so. WAGN as it had become by then, became the first completely D.O.O. operated railway within NetworkSoutheast.

At 16:57 on October 8, 2017, Peter George said…

Peter I live adjacent to the SM&J in Kineton.

At 13:03 on August 22, 2017, John Douglas said…

Are there any photographs of live steam at Binton? I have only found the attached.

At 20:24 on December 12, 2016, Paul Kirkup said…

Hello Peter, thanks for letting me join. Ah, London Midland, well, that came about because a few years ago I wanted to respond to a query posted by someone asking for some railway related information, and I had to come up with an email address to do so. Having lived within sight and sound of part of the LMR for over half a century, I have deeply fond memories of its trains and in particular the lovely maroon signs, so it was an easy choice.

I don't have a working railway background, although I am apparently distantly related to Robert Stephenson, and my grandfather was a Station Master on the LNER, but I have been fascinated by railways all my life.

The main reason I asked to join the SMJR was because, having just completed a 4mm scale model of a freelance branch terminus set in the Dorset/Hampshire area, I was looking round for my next modelling project. After reviewing several hundred station plans I came across Byfield, and was immediately hooked. Here was a delightful wayside station with passing loop, goods yard, shed(s), signal cabin, bridges and water tower, and, as a bonus, it saw traffic and locos from various regions as well as BR standard types. So, that is my next build, as faithful a replica of Byfield as I can make, but I'll be using a bit of modellers licence and will be assuming that it kept its passenger service long enough to receive the unwelcome attention of Dr Beeching, as my favoured era is the transition from steam to diesel, say the early 1960's. I am delighted that there is so much information available on this site to help me realise that aim.

Kind Regards,

Paul

At 18:49 on March 5, 2016, Stephen Moss said…

Thanks Peter

I grew up in Pattishall but live in Boston USA. Came across the site and it brought back very happy memories

Thanks

Steve

At 15:29 on February 28, 2016, Jean Cholerton said…

Hello Peter,

I will mention a railway talk when I go on March 10th.  Will get back to you if they are interested.  Many thanks

Jean

At 15:35 on February 26, 2016, Jean Cholerton said…

Hello Peter,

I am about to speak to the W.I. at Bidford about our stretch at Cranhill and the nature reserve.  Have included pics of Broom and Binton stations with railway track etc., maps, and a bit of history.  10th. March

regards, Jean

At 7:47 on February 17, 2016, Karen Tonks said…
Thanks Peter, glad to have found you. I'll see if I can work out how to add the photos of the model railway layout I was asked to share!
At 22:37 on November 4, 2015, Mike Smith said…

Thank you Peter,  I live in Foxcovert Drive, Roade - right where the line use to pass by and have been interested in it for the last few years. Out and about recently on my bike I have come across more and more of what was the SMJ so decided to join.  I am originally from Loughborough so have been interested in the Great Central Railway for many years and this started my interest in old railways.

At 18:03 on September 8, 2015, Terry Andrews said…

Many thanks Peter for letting me join.
I walked the line yesterday between Blisworth & Tiffield, cant believe how much really remains, in such a short section.  Took loads of photos and short video clips of what I found.
I plan on walking the whole route over the winter period, so looking forward to that.
I normally post on the FB page "Disused Railways" and have my own personal FB  blog of my ramblings "The Last Trains Gone"  you have an excellent site here that has already answered several questions on things I found yesterday.
So many thanks, and look forward to posting shortly.
All the best
Terry.

At 16:25 on September 1, 2015, david Irving said…

Thank you Peter,

I've had a general interest in local railways for quite sometime now (I live in Coventry) but have only recently been interested in the SMJ

 

I am currently making an 00 1:76 railway model of Binton station during its LMS period

At 6:43 on August 15, 2015, Tanya Jackson said…

Hiya Peter,

I included  links to the pics in my Public Dropbox in my first post. Can you access them? If not I will email them to you.

I will have a look at Steam Tube - sounds interesting.

best wishes

Tanya

At 23:22 on August 14, 2015, Tanya Jackson said…

Guilty as charged, Peter!

I am also the owner of the LMS group on Yahoo!

The reason I have joined this group - beyond simple interest in the SuA&MJct Railway - is to seek the answer to a mystery. We have had a roll film donated to the HMRS which contains photographs taken between Evesham and Turvey. On the film is a mystery element that our picture detectives cannot place. Someone has produced a picture of the same or similar ironwork at Shanklin on the Isle-of Wight, but I believe that the initials shown read T-R-O - Towcester, Roade and Olney Junction Railway. Please see the links below;

 https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/79298582/tro002.jpg

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/79298582/tro001.jpg

 

Best wishes

 

Tanya

At 21:50 on July 10, 2015, Mike Clarke said…

Peter could you please send me another email address, mail@smj.me just bounces back

Mike Clarke

fqfmanagement@btinternet.com

At 21:34 on June 23, 2015, Mark harriot said…

no links that i know of yet. i believe my ancestors come from the area blakeley and i am a steam fan. i am having a G3 steam engine built and in my dreams would like to feature it on a station layout of interest/relevance to me...... so poss smj....... i am still researching .......

ps - i am very clunky at these blog/ forums ... so dont expectinteraction  and convo!!  i struggle to log on!!!  

i will try and visit the 'line' soon - my sister lives at stratford.

all good wishes

m

At 17:03 on April 5, 2015, Paul Parsons said…

Whoops, sorry about the greengrocer's apostophe in 'its'!

At 17:01 on April 5, 2015, Paul Parsons said…

Does the Society exist purely in virtual space or does it ever have meetings or events? Are there any museums of collections holding SMJ ephemera and artefacts? Seems a shame that it's history and local importance is so little appreciated. 

At 22:16 on March 31, 2015, Paul Parsons said…

My interest is merely that I have lived in the area for 20 years, first near Edgehill, then Banbury and now in Brackley. I have worked in Stratford and Banbury and all that time been aware of crossing the route of the SMJ repeatedly and in various places as I go about my life! I have done a bit of exploring of what's left of the line over the years and managed to acquire one or two relevant books. When I came across your SMJ site it filled in many gaps in my understanding. My particular interest is railway signalling and I have found signalling diagrams for many but not all of the key SMJ locations in books and on-line. I was born after the line closed and cannot claim any particular connection to it nor offer any new info but am happy to be part of keeping its memory alive! Best wishes,

Paul

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