‘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"
I took my grandson to the National Railway Museum on Dec. 30th and noticed two bench seats, of the type found on station platforms until traditional stations were replaced with bus-shelters. Both bear the title " STRATFORD " - I'll try and upload…Continue
Broom History Group will be holding an event at Broom Village Hall 2-4pm on 9th November 2024 including a film on the railway and Broom Junction.…Continue
With this month's Heritage Railway there's a DVD of the two preserved Great Central Railways made around 2000. Among the locos shown several times in action on both lines is 48305 which of course was a regular between Byfield and Blisworth on the SMJ route especially on iron ore tipper workings but also on Blisworth - Woodford West afternoon workings. Allocated to Northampton (2E) from May 1957 to November 1962, despite being a 'Star Consol' 8F with wheels and motion especially balanced for faster main line freight working it was probably the most regularly seen on the SMJ of the locos that have been preserved.