‘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 18 hours ago.

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 on Sunday.

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

Does this show the Scratter at Roade?

A very short clip of a cricket match at Roade. A goods train passes. Could it be on the SMJR?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnPSvt-NEeI

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Permalink Reply by David Littlewood-Tysoe on January 12, 2022 at 15:28

Doesn’t look like the WCML so reckon it must be the SMJ. Feel I ought to know where Roade used to play cricket, but memory is too hazy to recall right now. Anyway that delivery from left of shot was definitely a ‘no ball’ by either the front or rear foot rule - delivery didn’t really start until half-way down the wicket ! I must have watched far too many village games in those days ...

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Permalink Reply by Richard Maund on January 12, 2022 at 17:59

Definitely not the WCML!!

Looks like the 'bridge' under the line is where brook and footpath cross the line, between the two road overbridges in the top left hand corner of the OS plan at https://maps.nls.uk/view/114480620

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Permalink Reply by Dick Bodily on January 12, 2022 at 20:02

I wonder if Pianoforte Supplies had a cricket pitch near their works and if that was so was that the location of the match. If so it could have been either line as the LNWR main line would not have been in the deep cutting that far south. The factory was just east of the main line south of the bridge carrying the main road through the village.