‘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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I recently acquired a bundle of railway related papers, amongst which is a1955-6 BTC application to Parliament for various powers to construct works etc. Most are related to docks and waterways, but buried in the middle are a couple of references to the SMJ line.

One is obvious - the new curve at Stratford - although it is interesting to note that the process started as early as 1955-6, and also that the Honeybourne line is still referred to as the "Oxford, Worcester & Wolverhampton Railway" !

The other is a little more obscure.

It refers to a "widening on the north east side of the bridge in the parish of Fenny Compton in the rural district of Southam carrying the railway between Broom and Byfield over the road leading from Fenny Compton to Byfield"

It's obvious which bridge this is, but does anyone know the nature of the work and why it was carried out?

Possibly it is something to do with the WR loop line, although the north east side of the bridge seems the wrong side for this.

Interestingly, there is no mention of the other works at Fenny to provide the through junction onto the SMJ which opened in 1960, along with the Stratford curve.

Possibly this did not need approval as it was wholly on railway owned land, and only involved track realignment.

Any thoughts?

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The bridge widening was because the crossing loop was to be considerably extended (towards Kineton) and a third track - Up Reception Loop - added.

The new running junction - for the iron ore trains from Banbury OIC to south Wales - merely replaced the previous back-shunt siding connection between the two railways, within their existing limits of deviation thus needing no parliamentary powers.

You can see this from Tony Cooke's "Track Layout Diagrams of the GWR", Section 29, which covers the whole SMJ (third edition, 1994) - out of print but you might pick it up through second hand dealers (try Googling it...).

Richard

Many thanks for this - I should have realised the answer myself, but for some reason in my haste I overlooked the fact that there were in essence two bridges, and not one, under the line !!

I was therefore concentrating on the description "north east side" and expecting the widening to be over on the GW line.

A quick look at various photos showed the changes in the bridge over the SMJ line - quite obvious really.

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