‘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
More building at Towcester 2 Replies
I hear there has been more building at the station site in Towcester.Anyone know what they've dug up?…Continue
Tags: Towcester
Started by Andy Thompson. Last reply by Nigel Nov 7, 2024.
Broom History Group Event 9th November 2024
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
Started by Simon Stevens Oct 25, 2024.
Misunderstanding Easton Neston 2 Replies
Hello, I'm a new member and I've searched through the articles and can't find anything specific to my answer/ question. Can anyone help?…Continue
Started by Matt Davis. Last reply by Matt Davis Oct 16, 2024.
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, 2024.
SMJ photos
nicknames
It has been a VERY long time since I had the chance to read something yu write. What a great surprise - but then I recalled that you run a great big chunk of history at Stoke Bruerne. It was a great pleasure to read you essay on nicknames. May-be M-ways do have nick-names - I've never heard of one but perhaps the emergency service discussion group could enlighten us? Is there a Police/Fire/Ambulance site - one for each county perhaps? Well - you never know.
Running 'C' headcode vacums from Bristol to London ove the SMJ always seemed a grand idea. But does anyone knw what happened at Broom Junction? Did the railway have another engine waiting there to take over because otherwise there would have been a lot of mils running tender first.
Another name for the DN&S, at Didcot at any rate was 'The Gold Coast'. That has reberverations with The Klondyke'. Gold - Maybe this refers to large amounts of overtime earned whilst working across it??
Mention of Didcot - The Up Goods Loop from Didcot East Jc to Moreton Cutting was always called 'The Gully' .
And of course there were dozens of goods trains with nicknames - and some passenger. I recall the 9.25 p.m Paddington was known as 'Paddy's Mail in our part and I suppose all along its route. 'The 'Down Owl' was another late night train - perhaps (can't recall properly) the 10.30 p.m Paddington - the Penzance sleeper. By contrast we had 'The Up Waker' which was an overnight Penzance - Paddington sleeper via Bristol that came through ours around 5.45 a.m. So that name was probably a fairly local one.
But this ain't SMJ. Sorry.
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