‘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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magnet fishing

Hi everyone, yesterday I did some magnet fishing with the grandchildren from the SMJ bridge over the river Tove in Towester, to great excitement of the children (and myself) we pulled out three chair screws and a rivet which looked similar in style…Continue

Started by Steve Camm Sep 1.

One of the best preserved SMJ bridges? 1 Reply

I was at Ettington the other day and apart from the good shed, which has had a lot of money spent on it including full glazing, the station building is still there. But my attention went to the station bridge (No. 73?) which is in very good…Continue

Started by John Evans. Last reply by Andy Thompson Aug 30.

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.

SMJ photos

Coach Body at Byfield.

Hello everyone,

My first post as a new member. I found this wonderful group whilst looking for information to help with a model of Byfield station. This certainly is one of the best railway sites going.

I was wondering if anyone has any idea of the identity of the grounded coach body which was sited at Byfield station. Riley and Simpson describe it as an ex-Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway vehicle and it was clearly a brake carriage as it had a guard's lookout. From the length of it it looks to have been a four or six wheeler. Unfortunately I know very little about the L&Y and it's coaching stock. If anyone knows what it was or could maybe suggest a diagram number, or knows of any good photos of it, side on, I would really appreciate the help in identifying it.

Thanks.

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Permalink Reply by Barry Taylor on April 30, 2013 at 18:09

Hi Natalie

I have part of a page cut from an old copy of the Historical Model Railway Society Journal which discusses a photo of a grounded coach previously published in their Journal Vol 12 page 29 (unfortunately I don't have this). The writer identifies this as an example of an L&Y Diagram 1 four wheel luggage & guards van. He goes on to say that there were "'dozens of these all over the LMS system including one at Byfield SMJ of all places"

So this appears to confirm its origin - on the back of my cutting (ie: the previous page) there is also part of a drawing and part of the text which also appears to relate to the same photo in the earlier issue. Unfortunately my cutting doesn't have the issue number on it - just "page 59 / 60" - but you might be able to get a photocopy from the HMRS themselves

Hope that this helps

Barry

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Permalink Reply by Natalie Graham on April 30, 2013 at 19:48

Thanks very much for that. It is strange to think the L&Y had dozens of 4 wheel luggage & guards vans in the first place, never nind that so many would have become grounded bodies. I am pretty sure I used to have that volume of the HMRS Journal. The HMRS has their Journal Index online so I will have a look at Volume 12 and see what is on there.