‘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"


.

SMJ Forum

Evesham Redditch & Stratford-upon-Avon Junction Railway 8 Replies

Did this railway (as opposed to the East & West Junction Railway) go into receivership - if so, when. And when did it come out of receivership?Continue

Started by Richard Maund. Last reply by Richard Maund Feb 11.

Bidford-on-Avon 5 Replies

Shall we bring this discussion under the proper heading!So far as the OS plan surveyed 1885, published 1886, is concerned: the OS liked - wherever they could  - to have text running parallel to the top and bottom borders. When they came to add the…Continue

Started by Richard Maund. Last reply by Richard Maund Feb 10.

North End and Warwick Road stations? 57 Replies

Some time ago we ahd an interesting and lively discussion on the mystery station at Tiffield, which added quite a lot to our collective knowledge.I've recently been looking closely at two of the other mystery stations- at North End (sometimes…Continue

Started by Barry Taylor. Last reply by Richard Maund Jan 27.

1873 timetable 4 Replies

Page 12 of Arthur Jordan's book features a full page reproduction of the E&WJ public timetable handbill for August 1873. Does anyone know where the original of that handbill is preserved?Incidentally, the timetable itself formed the basis of…Continue

Started by Richard Maund. Last reply by Barry Taylor Jan 25.

SMJ photos

  • Add Photos
  • View All

In June 'Railway Bylines' Barry Taylor continues his 'SMJ Revisited' series covering the Towcester to Ettington section.

In June 'Steam Days' Rex Partridge's 'Related Through Ironstone' describes rail operations at Byfield and Charwelton ironstone quarries.

Views: 118

Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Excellent article by Rex with lots of very interesting detail and anecdotes.
However, I wonder if anyone has noticed the other reference to the SMJ in the same magazine?
In his article 'Passing the time at Bradley Lane' Mike page mentions the LCGB 'King commemorative' railtour of 17th November 1962. This worked its way from Paddington to Wolverhampton, back to Stourbridge, and eventually along the SMJ from Fenny Compton, to Towcester and Blisworth behind WR 22xx No. 2210.
Until now we all seem to have supposed that this loco then took the train on from Blisworth, along the WCML to Bletchley, along the Oxford branch, and then down to Marylebone. However, Mike destroys that theory by mentioning that a 4F took the train on from Blisworth, in place of the planned 2P 4-4-0 - it eventually got to London 3 hours late!
I've often wondered why nobody around Northampton reported the WR 22xx on the main line at the time - the answer is that, if anyone was out that late on a November afternoon, they would only have seen a far less noteworthy 4F anyway. Also I wonder what happened to the 22xx at Blisworth? We did occasionally get the odd one at Northampton a few years earlier (strangely one was the same 2210) and I wonder whether it went on shed, or just ran back light to home? Any thoughts?

Reply to Discussion

RSS

© 2024   Created by Andy Thompson.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service