‘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

Passenger Trains connected to the SMJ

Following on from the previous discussion about WD passenger trains on the SMJ during the 1940s; it must be said that passenger trains ran on metals connected to the SMJ until the mid 1960s. There was a passenger service from the nearest point to…Continue

Started by Dave Hayward Jun 16.

Wartime passenger trains from Burton Dassett 3 Replies

Arthur Jordan in his book, The Stratford Upon Avon and Midland Junction Railway - The Shakespeare Route at pp 82 mentions a WW2 late night special from Stratford on Avon to Burton Dassett for soldiers at the CAD. I would envisage that this did not…Continue

Started by Dave Hayward. Last reply by Dave Hayward Jun 16.

PPhoto Albums 1 Reply

AndyAbout two years ago I ended up with some railway matter from a Bill Kendall who had been a Signalman on SMJ ending his railway career at Northampton No 1. I worked with him when I was working in Rugby PSB, I also covered the signa?l boxes at…Continue

Started by Robin Leslie Patrick. Last reply by Dave Hayward Jun 8.

Broom Junction station site for sale 3 Replies

Great opportunity for an SMJ enthusiast perhaps.  I'm not sure what you could actually do with this site though!…Continue

Started by Simon Stevens. Last reply by Simon Stevens May 17.

SMJ photos

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Another Special Train near Byfield

This special running on Sunday 9th August 1959, ran from Kings Cross to Kings Cross utilising part of the SMJ in the itinerary. The train arrived at Blisworth having come via Hitchin, Bedford and Northampton where Black Five No. 45091 took over after the train had been shunted across the LNW main line and into SMJ territory. Departure took the participants through Towcester, Woodford West to Byfield, then back to Woodford Halse to gain the GC main line for a southbound run to Calvert and reversal onto the wartime spur to the Oxford - Cambridge line. Another reversal at Verney Junction took the train to Banbury - via Cockley Brake of course, and then a shunt through the goods yard at Banbury to arrive on the GW. Further delights included reversal at Berkswell, a trip over the Leamington - Weedon branch, then after Leighton Buzzard, Dunstable, Luton (Bute Street), to the GN main line and Kings Cross. What a tour - and how many signal boxes had to be opened specially for this to take place?
Attached is a photograph from "The Railway Observer" by Michael Mensing (thanks) showing the train approaching Byfield - another one for the Byfield Album?
Robin Cullup

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Permalink Reply by Andy Thompson on December 8, 2009 at 13:28

Permalink Reply by Dick Bodily on December 8, 2009 at 13:47
Robin

Thanks for details of this tour, have a look at the railtours page (scroll down from middle 'other pages' box on menu at top of this page to find the link) to see a full list of railtours we know about. I've cut and pasted your discussion notes onto that page as well.

Dick

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