‘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

Loco N° 5. 2-4-0T

Hi everybodyI’m building a OO gauge model of Fenny Compton and Clifford Sidings over here in Belgium.Quite a strange idea but so be it…In view of this I plan to transform a RTR Beatie Well Tank into SMJR N° 5 the 2-4-0T and use some etchings for the…Continue

Started by Jack Freuville Aug 29.

Olney BRM Sept 2023

Layouts based on actual SMJR locations are few and far between. Due to being given notice on clubroom, Olney as featured in BRM Sept 2023 is for sale!This is a rare opportunity to acquire a beautiful, 15 years in the making, ready to run model…Continue

Started by Nicholas Young Jul 26.

Smj exploring and making new youtube videos 1 Reply

Hi all members.I was wondering if you could help by subscribing to my YouTube channel ‘NWP EXPLORING’ Mainly railway history and some exploring the SMJ .im planning to explore and video more of the SMJ ,  and if you have a desired area you would…Continue

Started by Neil. Last reply by Henry Jul 10.

Funny Story about Kineton Military Railway 2 Replies

An improbable, funny, but absolutely true story relating to the Kineton military railway.Long after my Army days I still retained an affection and passing interest in Kineton ammunition depot where I served during the 1960s. Coupled to a 'love' of…Continue

Started by Dave Hayward. Last reply by Henry Jul 10.

SMJ photos

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Without wishing to start a debate on the pros and cons of HS2, it occurred to me that the proposed route must cross the SMJ somewhere. I looked at the map on the following link:

www.thehs2.com/phase1/maps/showmap.php?type=Google

and it appears that HS2 will cross the old SMJ routes in two places:

i) just to the west of Aston le Walls village on the section between Byfield and Fenny Compton and ii) about halfway between Helmdon and Cockley Brake Jcn.

I don’t know how much of the old trackbed and infrastructure is still visible in these locations but the construction of HS2 is likely to obliterate whatever is there. I have no idea when, or if, work will start but I thought that it might be a good idea if someone photographed these particular areas for posterity before they change. If I was closer I would do it myself but it’s a bit far from where I live in France!

Any thoughts?

John

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Maybe a link to Helmdon station could be proposed. After all, the damsel only sleepeth!

The line of trees in the photo is the SMJ on a slight embankment, Running left from Helmdon to right at Cockley. The HS2 will slice right through it at right angles roughly inbetween the four tress in a square. I will get down there and take some more.

Thanks Les - lovely sylvan scene. It will be great if you can take more pictures of this quality.

If HS2 does go ahead, an awful lot of the beautiful heart of England, such as this, will be blighted. BR should have retained the Great Central trackbed and maintained the bridges etc so that it could now be used as a viable north-south route without having to spend mega-billions on HS2......

This is where the proposed HS2 route will cut the SMJR near Greatworth.

One of the previously considered alternative routes that was eventually rejected was to pass between Blakesley and Woodend crossing the SMJ roughly near the site of the Hall.

I thought that they were going to use a majority of the GCR trackbed? If not, they ought to, as the infrastructure such as cuttings, embankments, bridges ect is still all in place along the entire route between London and Leicester, seems logical anyway.

I don't think that logic plays much of a part in government thinking.......

Richard Woods said:

I thought that they were going to use a majority of the GCR trackbed? If not, they ought to, as the infrastructure such as cuttings, embankments, bridges ect is still all in place along the entire route between London and Leicester, seems logical anyway.

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