Hi there Peter.As a youngster I used to stay with relatives at Blakesley in the late 50s & early 60s, the railway was one field from their house. I would wait to see the daily train at about 10:20 in the morning, and sometimes its return in the afternoon.
Hi Peter,
Not really "expertise" as such, rather the fact that I was fortunate to have visited and photographed some of the SMJ line in the 1960s as well as subsequetly acquiring a quantity of railway paperwork from LMS days, most of which is now in Andy's posession! If you loook at Andy's other SMJ site, you will see some photos from me and also from my mate Ron Fisher as we travelled around together quite a lot in those days. I only wish now that I had taken more pictures but when so many lines were closing and steam was on its way out, there was a lot of ground to cover - too much in fact!
HI PETER
thank you for your kind welcome it was a pleasure to receive your message.am originally from honiton devon and was the last junior porter at combpyne on the lyme regis branch no doubt andy would be interested in my many stories of the exeter salisbury route as he lives in feniton the former sidmouth junction where my late father was once a porter.
after becoming a signalman i finished up at west drayton box(rip)but i really wanted to work at honiton incline box(rip)but left BR when offered a job with the MOD at yardley chase depot (otherwhise known as piddington on puddle)) so iwent to live in blisworth with my brother who was a shunter at blisworth so i got to know them all there including my good mate lennie haynes and his wife eileen who was a parcel porter at blisworth,my brother used to go out with eileens sister.
this was my introduction to the SMJ.the ironstone pit at blisworth was still open using steam locos my only photo of those happy daze(induced in the blisworth hotel)is of me at the ironstone pit with the locos a few days after its hurried closure.lenny had a van so much exploring of the SMJ was done by us and it soon became my favourite railway albiet trackless and it was interesting to listen to lennys many stories iused to walk our dog along the SMJ each evening as far as tiffield bridge i found an SMJ cast iron notice behined the ivy on the first farmers bridge along the wsy and took it home it was there until i went to australia for a few years i dont know where it is now mores the pity.
YARDLEY CHASE was a good place to play with trains but the pay was lousy!i could have gone to MOD BICESTER as a blockman(signalman) but the MOD pay and the cost of living in bicester are not exactly compatible!
rumours had it YARDLEY CHASE was to close(which it eventually did) i got offered a job BRITISH WATERWAYS at the blisworth(gayton arm) depot less pay than MOD so i went as a £10 tourist to australia instead it was ok but the lure of the SMJ won the day(ha ha)
i will speak to lenny about any info for the website i phoned him as soon as i had joined he was amazed! he does not have internet access or know anyone who has so next time i see him in a couple of months i will take a note book he also knows a lot of poems written by another relief signalman at blisworth dubbed the poet they are clean but comical and all about amusing incidents on the railway in the local area
cheers for now peter all best wishes and i look forward to hearing from you.
Evening Peter,
Thanks for the welcome,.
No I have no connection with the SMJ just a passing interest in railways.
Live in Bedfordshire and know a few ex-drivers from Bedford who occasionally worked the line.
Hi Peter
I have responded to very many enquiries over the years and always glad to help researchers on the ex SMJ line. I did post some archive material on the old site but I suppose you have read this??
Have updated the rail tours thanks to Barry T and Rex Partridge (by mail), have a look and see if you can spot any errors. Will later be updating the SMJR classes list as Rex has details of diesels that have been to Kineton, plus stock that was stored there ( some amazing stuff coming but will probably wait until his SMJR article appears in 'Steam Days' shortly as that would only be fair to him)
Thank you for the kind thought, Peter.
Reciprocated of course. And taling of reciprocation - when I've done the washing up from last night's dinner party (two friends over from the railway) I'm off to spruce-up the great reciprocating engine 'City of Truro'.
Hello Peter,
It went on too long! 11.30 finish. The talk flowed - aong with everything ele - but I was getting a bit threadbare by 11. I've been to Weybourne this morning and spent 3 hours cleaning the bright work - it took that long to get the copper cap and safety valve cover truly clear and bright. The engine is badly in need of a paint job - the tender is OK. The nameplates black backing paint is also a mess. The brass can be polished (was polished) but the backing paint was in a terrible mess of rubbed out-ness and brasso marks which cannot be removed. I would have liked to do more - maybe I will Tuesday a.m early before I go into the signal box. I went on the a Norfolk COunty Council 'Green' event at Felbrigg hall near Cromer to collect 60 kilos of county council garden waste compost and 10 kilos of compressed sawdust blocks.
Clive contacted me when I joined the GC society. Seems he recognised my surname as he worked with my dad's cousin, who drove out of Woodford, and that's why he contacted me in the first place. He has sent me emails about Woodford in general, his experiences on the SMJ were limited. The bits about the SMJ I have cut and pasted on to the website with his permission.
It would be great if we could locate an ex- Northampton footplate man as they were in charge of the bulk of SMJ workings east of Woodford.
Many thanks for the welcome to the site.
I am interested in building a model set around Worcester Diglis (planned but never reached).
The period will be the early 1950's with a mix of LMS and early British Railways liveries.
Hello Peter,my wifes father has been telling her of his days as a young lad ,when he visited his nan and pap who lived in School Lane Blacksley.His paps name was Harold Drinkwater and he was a signelman at Blacksley.As a lad, my father-inlaws job was to take his paps lunch and drink to him,then to pick fresh vegetables from the allotment that was kept beside the signelbox.The old photos of the station and signelbox brought back fond memories.Thank you for a excelent site.Regards Robert
Thank you for your welcome message. I was thrilled to find the SMJ site and browse the
photo album to see locations that I remember from the 1940's when being transported to my grand parents at Moreton Pinkney. Incidents that come to mind are dropping my Teddy off the platform and causing delay to the train from Blisworth while the guard scrabbled about on the track to effect a rescue. The Yank serviceman giving me my first taste of chewing gum (spat out). The train on another occasion at night coming to a halt some way before M/P station and Aunt Ethel getting out and rolling down into the brambles by the brook, yes, it really happened! I can still hear the shout from the engine "shut that bloody door", there might have been Luftwaffe about! Uncle and stationmaster setting off back up the line with a lantern to find her. I was also fortunate to spend many days at the
M/P signal box as, I think Mr Hawtin, the signalman was my gparents neighbour and for some reason was given the task of looking after me and demonstrated by placing a penny on the rail, what would happen to me if I didn't watch out. I also remember all the staff (3)
moving wagons of beet around the yard with what I now know to be a pinch bar. All these
memories revived by your photo album, thank you so much. I live in Devon so do not have the oppotunities to visit in person. Merry Christmas. David Walker.
Hello Peter and thank you for your welcome,Unfortunately i am not old enough to have ever seen anything operating over this superb rural railway.However when i started on the railway at Northampton in the early 80s there were 3 ex Blisworth men still working at Northampton depot.( in fact most of the drivers at this time were 55 years old plus) Therefore there were plenty of stories regaled of times past which fascinated me.It brought it home to me how boring it must have been for them going main line to just Euston Birmingham or Crewe when they used to go to all points of the compass.This website shows in detail with all the old photos just how interesting the railways were then.I try to visit some of the locations in "real life" whenever i get the chance to see the changes over time.
My reply to your email may have gone to a no-reply box and you might not therefore have received it.
I now live in Caldicot Monmouthshire, 2 miles from Severn Tunnel Junction but as my modest SMJ memories which I've just uploaded will tell, I originate from the Towcester area.
One day someone, who knows Photoshop really well, will superimpose the outline of locos etc. onto some of your location shots. It will be quite tricky though won't it ?
We both enjoyed the WSR.. I hope to get some of my pics. onto S/T with Andy's assistance.
Joined up to find out about Salcey Forest station. Moved to Hartwell in 2012 and have come across the old railway line on many of our local walks, so i thought i'd see if i can find the old Salcey Forest station remains. Will start looking soon.
Thank-you very much for the welcome. I have had an interest in the lost railwaysa of Northmptonshire for many years as I grew up at Brixworth Station on the old Northampton to Mkt Harborough line. My friend John Norton and I are buildfing an exhibition model railway layout of Towcester where he lives. In our case we have taken a few liberties with history because although the station, and the line, closed in 1964 our version suppose that it did not close but carried on and indeed prospered. We have set our layout in 1977 and although we have rationalized the sidings most of the structures are still in place though the station is a private house and the goods shed is also in private hands. The signal box is still in use and there are still semaphore signals although not so many of them. The old line to Olney has been retained as far as Salcey forest for the movement of timber. The other main difference is that it is the line to Banbury that is still open and the Stratford line that has closed. The layout debuts at the Stafford Model Railway Exhibition in Feb 2014. I hope people will not be offended with the changes we have made but it is meant as a tribute to the line and the town of Towcester. I have past form for this as I have previosly built a layout based on Brixworth station , this time set in 1998 as if it had not closed. once again thanks for the welcome.
I found some things, but I could do with more on the Towcester station.
I see the comments from George Woodcock that he will be doing a model of it set mid 70s, someone else I know was looking at doing one set in the mid-50s.
I am puzzled though by one picture said to be Towcester station frontage in 1953, Coronation year.
Although very fuzzy, I am sure that all those station information boards outside are showing LMS - over 5 years after it became British Railways and by then everything would have had the new logos. Unless of course the date is wrong and it was actually that of a pre-war Coronation photo.
Yes Peter - my Great Grandfather was William James Costello - trainer pictured here standing beside Rubio at Danebury Manor with my Grand father aged 5 siting on the horse.
Hi Peter, I did a livery painting of the SMJ several years ago for British Railway Modelling, and talked about starting an SMJ Society with Simon Dunkley. I am very glad that I found this site when I saw the other Nigel's photo of the concrete signal post at Lloyd's siding. I am very interested in concrete signal posts, as it may well turn out that the post was made at Melton Constable (M&GN). Nigel
The only connection I have with the old line is that I stayed in Helmdon for a week in the 1980's and was intrigued by the line. Now retired I have time to find out a bit more about this fascinating line.
I have an interest in joint lines that link one railway system with another, such as between Halesowen and Longbridge. I am a member of the Stephenson Locomotive Society and have developed an archive of SLS Special Trains for the Society. I am therefore interested in the various tours that have passed over SMJ metals and nearby such as at Woodford Halse.
Thanks for the welcome Peter, the Broom history group have a large collection of photos related to the village and are in the process of cataloguing them but hadn't found many railway ones when they held their most recent display. I did say that there would be lots of interest in them!
Hi Peter. Thanks. Unfortunately my only link with the line was that I cam across the track bed not far from Fenny Crompton when I was on an outward bound cpout5rse back in the early 80's and got interested in finding out a bit about the line then. Then I happened to meet with Arthur Jordon in 86 when he visited my works and we chatted a bit about the line then. Rather sadly I can't find the photos I took of the site at Byfield station at the time but as I recall they weren't very informative anyway. Have always planned to build a model of Byfield but never got around to it so far. Maybe this will be the spur to action I need. Bill
Hi Peter, im actually on here looking for some information regarding the landowner on the lake (Russia pit I believe) along side the A43 just north of towcester. Im doing some research into a motorcycle program from the 80's called kickstart which was filmed at this location, Ive been once before but got chased away but the owner of the land so this time I wanted to do it properly as I want to take some pictures etc. There appear to be some pictures on here from the site so I just wondered how I would go about getting access to the site. It was filmed on the north bank of the lake and the land just above it. Any help anyone could give would be fantastic.
THANK YOU, PETER, GLAD TO BE ABOARD. SPENT MANY A HAPPY SATURDAY AT ROADE AND BLISWORTH, MY BROTHER IN LAW RAN A FARM, WHICH AJOINED THE SCRATTER AT ROADE.
Peter, thank you for your welcome. My grandfather is the driver in the Photo on page 20 of Arthur Jordan's book. I have seen other photos of him around the Stratford Sheds and will try to locate them. Sadly I was too young to remember him. Any information about his connection to the line would be welcome. As a boy I used to play in the deserted station back in the early 1970s.
Best wishes
Linton Guise
My Great grandfather's name was Joseph Hirons. In the 1881 census at the age of 21yrs, while living in Fenny Compton, he is recorded as a railway station master. 1901 census he is again a railway stationmaster, however the actual station isn't mentioned. The first mention of a station is In Kelly's Directory of 1912 he is listed as railway station master at Binton. Please could you give me the O/S co ordinates of the station as we were unable to locate it on our recent visit? Has it now completely disappeared? Around the end of the First World War he left the railway to become the landlord of The Old Thatch Tavern, Stratford on Avon.
Peter thanks. Next time we are up there we will have another look. Can you tell me when the line closed and was there a level crossing at the Welford turn off?
Lloyd Penfold
Apr 13, 2009
John Cosford
Not really "expertise" as such, rather the fact that I was fortunate to have visited and photographed some of the SMJ line in the 1960s as well as subsequetly acquiring a quantity of railway paperwork from LMS days, most of which is now in Andy's posession! If you loook at Andy's other SMJ site, you will see some photos from me and also from my mate Ron Fisher as we travelled around together quite a lot in those days. I only wish now that I had taken more pictures but when so many lines were closing and steam was on its way out, there was a lot of ground to cover - too much in fact!
Cheers,
John
Apr 13, 2009
brian dunn
thank you for your kind welcome it was a pleasure to receive your message.am originally from honiton devon and was the last junior porter at combpyne on the lyme regis branch no doubt andy would be interested in my many stories of the exeter salisbury route as he lives in feniton the former sidmouth junction where my late father was once a porter.
after becoming a signalman i finished up at west drayton box(rip)but i really wanted to work at honiton incline box(rip)but left BR when offered a job with the MOD at yardley chase depot (otherwhise known as piddington on puddle)) so iwent to live in blisworth with my brother who was a shunter at blisworth so i got to know them all there including my good mate lennie haynes and his wife eileen who was a parcel porter at blisworth,my brother used to go out with eileens sister.
this was my introduction to the SMJ.the ironstone pit at blisworth was still open using steam locos my only photo of those happy daze(induced in the blisworth hotel)is of me at the ironstone pit with the locos a few days after its hurried closure.lenny had a van so much exploring of the SMJ was done by us and it soon became my favourite railway albiet trackless and it was interesting to listen to lennys many stories iused to walk our dog along the SMJ each evening as far as tiffield bridge i found an SMJ cast iron notice behined the ivy on the first farmers bridge along the wsy and took it home it was there until i went to australia for a few years i dont know where it is now mores the pity.
YARDLEY CHASE was a good place to play with trains but the pay was lousy!i could have gone to MOD BICESTER as a blockman(signalman) but the MOD pay and the cost of living in bicester are not exactly compatible!
rumours had it YARDLEY CHASE was to close(which it eventually did) i got offered a job BRITISH WATERWAYS at the blisworth(gayton arm) depot less pay than MOD so i went as a £10 tourist to australia instead it was ok but the lure of the SMJ won the day(ha ha)
i will speak to lenny about any info for the website i phoned him as soon as i had joined he was amazed! he does not have internet access or know anyone who has so next time i see him in a couple of months i will take a note book he also knows a lot of poems written by another relief signalman at blisworth dubbed the poet they are clean but comical and all about amusing incidents on the railway in the local area
cheers for now peter all best wishes and i look forward to hearing from you.
BRIAN DUNN. BIRMINGHAM.
Apr 14, 2009
Bryan George Cross
Thanks for the welcome,.
No I have no connection with the SMJ just a passing interest in railways.
Live in Bedfordshire and know a few ex-drivers from Bedford who occasionally worked the line.
Regards
Bryan
Apr 15, 2009
John Jennings
I have responded to very many enquiries over the years and always glad to help researchers on the ex SMJ line. I did post some archive material on the old site but I suppose you have read this??
Regards John J
May 6, 2009
Andy Thompson
Andy
May 6, 2009
Dick Bodily
Have updated the rail tours thanks to Barry T and Rex Partridge (by mail), have a look and see if you can spot any errors. Will later be updating the SMJR classes list as Rex has details of diesels that have been to Kineton, plus stock that was stored there ( some amazing stuff coming but will probably wait until his SMJR article appears in 'Steam Days' shortly as that would only be fair to him)
Dick
Aug 25, 2009
David Guest
Sep 5, 2009
adrian vaughan
Reciprocated of course. And taling of reciprocation - when I've done the washing up from last night's dinner party (two friends over from the railway) I'm off to spruce-up the great reciprocating engine 'City of Truro'.
Best wishes,
Adrian.
Sep 13, 2009
adrian vaughan
It went on too long! 11.30 finish. The talk flowed - aong with everything ele - but I was getting a bit threadbare by 11. I've been to Weybourne this morning and spent 3 hours cleaning the bright work - it took that long to get the copper cap and safety valve cover truly clear and bright. The engine is badly in need of a paint job - the tender is OK. The nameplates black backing paint is also a mess. The brass can be polished (was polished) but the backing paint was in a terrible mess of rubbed out-ness and brasso marks which cannot be removed. I would have liked to do more - maybe I will Tuesday a.m early before I go into the signal box. I went on the a Norfolk COunty Council 'Green' event at Felbrigg hall near Cromer to collect 60 kilos of county council garden waste compost and 10 kilos of compressed sawdust blocks.
Sep 13, 2009
Stuart Ison
Sep 14, 2009
Dick Bodily
Clive contacted me when I joined the GC society. Seems he recognised my surname as he worked with my dad's cousin, who drove out of Woodford, and that's why he contacted me in the first place. He has sent me emails about Woodford in general, his experiences on the SMJ were limited. The bits about the SMJ I have cut and pasted on to the website with his permission.
It would be great if we could locate an ex- Northampton footplate man as they were in charge of the bulk of SMJ workings east of Woodford.
Dick
Oct 8, 2009
Steve Johns
Many thanks for the welcome to the site.
I am interested in building a model set around Worcester Diglis (planned but never reached).
The period will be the early 1950's with a mix of LMS and early British Railways liveries.
Steve
Mar 2, 2010
Richard Woods
Mar 30, 2010
alwyn sparrow
Thanks for the welcome, I look forward to debate with you and putting some input
into the site.
May 11, 2010
jamie scott gardner
Sep 7, 2010
Robert Blair
Nov 3, 2010
David Walker
Thank you for your welcome message. I was thrilled to find the SMJ site and browse the
photo album to see locations that I remember from the 1940's when being transported to my grand parents at Moreton Pinkney. Incidents that come to mind are dropping my Teddy off the platform and causing delay to the train from Blisworth while the guard scrabbled about on the track to effect a rescue. The Yank serviceman giving me my first taste of chewing gum (spat out). The train on another occasion at night coming to a halt some way before M/P station and Aunt Ethel getting out and rolling down into the brambles by the brook, yes, it really happened! I can still hear the shout from the engine "shut that bloody door", there might have been Luftwaffe about! Uncle and stationmaster setting off back up the line with a lantern to find her. I was also fortunate to spend many days at the
M/P signal box as, I think Mr Hawtin, the signalman was my gparents neighbour and for some reason was given the task of looking after me and demonstrated by placing a penny on the rail, what would happen to me if I didn't watch out. I also remember all the staff (3)
moving wagons of beet around the yard with what I now know to be a pinch bar. All these
memories revived by your photo album, thank you so much. I live in Devon so do not have the oppotunities to visit in person. Merry Christmas. David Walker.
Dec 12, 2010
Kevin Moore
Jan 22, 2011
John Whitehead
Mar 12, 2011
Jack Thompson
Mar 15, 2011
Jack Thompson
Hi Peter,
Just looked at your SMJ pics. Good shots.
One day someone, who knows Photoshop really well, will superimpose the outline of locos etc. onto some of your location shots. It will be quite tricky though won't it ?
We both enjoyed the WSR.. I hope to get some of my pics. onto S/T with Andy's assistance.
Cheers, Jack.
Mar 26, 2011
Adam Moore
Hello, many thanks for the warm welcome. I am delighted to find a group of like minded people who care about "my" railway!
Alas, I am to young to have any stories to tell, photos to show or
memories to recall. I live near coventry, so my bit is the stretch between Fenny Compton and Stratford. Some parts of the track
are barely visible, others are quite clear, but all of it is fast being
eroded by "progress".
Look forward to reading all your contributions.
Regards, Adam.
Apr 4, 2011
Ian Farey
Very. It`s a line that should`ve been a useful alternative route. An avoiding line for the Birimingham area.
I did know a couple of railwaymen from the Loco Shed at Stratford,sadly,now no longer with us.
Jan 19, 2012
Greg Scott
Thanks Peter!
Nov 10, 2012
Dr Francis Dalrymple-Hamilton
Thanks Peter. I gather that there is an article about the SMJ in the Railway magazine for 1956 can you say if it is a good one or not.
Nov 17, 2012
Rob Davidson
Thank you Peter, it looks quite interesting, Rob
Dec 1, 2012
daniel pettman
many thanks Peter, what a great site.
Dec 15, 2012
Nicholas Watson
Thanks for the welcome Peter. I don't have much knowledge about SMJR but I look forward to finding out about what seems to be a quirky railway.
Dec 28, 2012
Stephen Dawson
Thanks Peter.
Joined up to find out about Salcey Forest station. Moved to Hartwell in 2012 and have come across the old railway line on many of our local walks, so i thought i'd see if i can find the old Salcey Forest station remains. Will start looking soon.
Jan 1, 2013
Justin Tuttle
Thank you for the warm welcome.
May 20, 2013
George Woodcock
Hello Peter
Thank-you very much for the welcome. I have had an interest in the lost railwaysa of Northmptonshire for many years as I grew up at Brixworth Station on the old Northampton to Mkt Harborough line. My friend John Norton and I are buildfing an exhibition model railway layout of Towcester where he lives. In our case we have taken a few liberties with history because although the station, and the line, closed in 1964 our version suppose that it did not close but carried on and indeed prospered. We have set our layout in 1977 and although we have rationalized the sidings most of the structures are still in place though the station is a private house and the goods shed is also in private hands. The signal box is still in use and there are still semaphore signals although not so many of them. The old line to Olney has been retained as far as Salcey forest for the movement of timber. The other main difference is that it is the line to Banbury that is still open and the Stratford line that has closed. The layout debuts at the Stafford Model Railway Exhibition in Feb 2014. I hope people will not be offended with the changes we have made but it is meant as a tribute to the line and the town of Towcester. I have past form for this as I have previosly built a layout based on Brixworth station , this time set in 1998 as if it had not closed. once again thanks for the welcome.
Cheers
George
Jun 4, 2013
Roger Whiffin
Hello and thank you Peter
I found some things, but I could do with more on the Towcester station.
I see the comments from George Woodcock that he will be doing a model of it set mid 70s, someone else I know was looking at doing one set in the mid-50s.
I am puzzled though by one picture said to be Towcester station frontage in 1953, Coronation year.
Although very fuzzy, I am sure that all those station information boards outside are showing LMS - over 5 years after it became British Railways and by then everything would have had the new logos. Unless of course the date is wrong and it was actually that of a pre-war Coronation photo.
Roger Whiffin
Jun 12, 2013
Ian Costello
Yes Peter - my Great Grandfather was William James Costello - trainer pictured here standing beside Rubio at Danebury Manor with my Grand father aged 5 siting on the horse.
Jun 30, 2013
Ron Perry
Thank you, Peter, I'm sure I shall! I have no artefacts or photos from the SMJ to share, but I do have interest and enthusiasm.
Aug 4, 2013
Nigel Digby
Hi Peter, I did a livery painting of the SMJ several years ago for British Railway Modelling, and talked about starting an SMJ Society with Simon Dunkley. I am very glad that I found this site when I saw the other Nigel's photo of the concrete signal post at Lloyd's siding. I am very interested in concrete signal posts, as it may well turn out that the post was made at Melton Constable (M&GN). Nigel
Oct 31, 2013
Brian Porteous
Hello Peter,
The only connection I have with the old line is that I stayed in Helmdon for a week in the 1980's and was intrigued by the line. Now retired I have time to find out a bit more about this fascinating line.
Best wishes,
Brian
Feb 21, 2014
Ian Clark
I have an interest in joint lines that link one railway system with another, such as between Halesowen and Longbridge. I am a member of the Stephenson Locomotive Society and have developed an archive of SLS Special Trains for the Society. I am therefore interested in the various tours that have passed over SMJ metals and nearby such as at Woodford Halse.
Apr 5, 2014
Simon Stevens
Thanks for the welcome Peter, the Broom history group have a large collection of photos related to the village and are in the process of cataloguing them but hadn't found many railway ones when they held their most recent display. I did say that there would be lots of interest in them!
Regards,
Simon
Apr 20, 2014
Bill Glew
Hi Peter. Thanks. Unfortunately my only link with the line was that I cam across the track bed not far from Fenny Crompton when I was on an outward bound cpout5rse back in the early 80's and got interested in finding out a bit about the line then. Then I happened to meet with Arthur Jordon in 86 when he visited my works and we chatted a bit about the line then. Rather sadly I can't find the photos I took of the site at Byfield station at the time but as I recall they weren't very informative anyway. Have always planned to build a model of Byfield but never got around to it so far. Maybe this will be the spur to action I need. Bill
Jun 16, 2014
Adam
Hi Peter, im actually on here looking for some information regarding the landowner on the lake (Russia pit I believe) along side the A43 just north of towcester. Im doing some research into a motorcycle program from the 80's called kickstart which was filmed at this location, Ive been once before but got chased away but the owner of the land so this time I wanted to do it properly as I want to take some pictures etc. There appear to be some pictures on here from the site so I just wondered how I would go about getting access to the site. It was filmed on the north bank of the lake and the land just above it. Any help anyone could give would be fantastic.
Jul 5, 2014
Adam
Many thanks, I have tried contacting some people about the pictures so will see where that leads. Thanks again.
Jul 5, 2014
Adam
Thankyou so much Peter, given me some good points to look up. Will see what happens.
Jul 5, 2014
keith whitworth
THANK YOU, PETER, GLAD TO BE ABOARD. SPENT MANY A HAPPY SATURDAY AT ROADE AND BLISWORTH, MY BROTHER IN LAW RAN A FARM, WHICH AJOINED THE SCRATTER AT ROADE.
Sep 27, 2014
keith whitworth
A lot ofpeople who lived in Roade always knew it as the Scratter.
Sep 27, 2014
Linton John Guise
Best wishes
Linton Guise
Oct 11, 2014
gordon kettell
Thanks for the welcome Peter.
Nov 2, 2014
Teresa Gates
My Great grandfather's name was Joseph Hirons. In the 1881 census at the age of 21yrs, while living in Fenny Compton, he is recorded as a railway station master. 1901 census he is again a railway stationmaster, however the actual station isn't mentioned. The first mention of a station is In Kelly's Directory of 1912 he is listed as railway station master at Binton. Please could you give me the O/S co ordinates of the station as we were unable to locate it on our recent visit? Has it now completely disappeared? Around the end of the First World War he left the railway to become the landlord of The Old Thatch Tavern, Stratford on Avon.
Look forward to hearing from you
Teresa Gates
Nov 24, 2014
Teresa Gates
Peter thanks. Next time we are up there we will have another look. Can you tell me when the line closed and was there a level crossing at the Welford turn off?
Teresa
Nov 24, 2014