Thanks, great website! My domestic situation is chaos. I live (from a family perspective) in Devizes in Wiltshire, but have taken a job in Alderton just south of Towcester. When I'm not visiting my sales territory 2-3 weeks every two months (which is the Far East), I am living in Tiffield during the week.
As a keen railway enthusiast I have started to explore the local area which started with a drive round Blisworth last week. I've been to Tesco's many times to stock up on goodies without realising the true significance of the site. No "Station Road" signs which are normally the big giveaway! Now that I've found your site and started to look at the area from the Google satellite view, I have discovered (rather sadly) just what used to be there.
I'm off to Asia today for 3 weeks - not taking the full kit this time, just my pocket Nikon S700 in case I should chance upon any raiway lines! When I get back I plan to start mapping the Towcester area with my trusty camera. Seems there's a lot to phot, apart from the freight rumbling by on the WCML!
You can catch some of my former shots on the Railway Herald website here:
http://www.railwayherald.co.uk/imaging.centre/albums/showphotographer.php?order=tab&ref=1797
Hello Andy, thank you for the welcome. I have had a lifelong interest in the SMJ; Started by my Grandfather (John McLeash) in the mid 60's, taking me to Blakesley, where he had lived as a boy and walking along the track, when it was still down, and explored the station building, before it was demolished (Criminal!) we used to go there as well for family pic-nics, and on one ocaission I found the old greenhouses from Blakesley HallI, still standing then, but very delapidated, which backed on to the line. I have frequently visited your excellent website and joined to register my support.
Hi Andy,Pleased to hear you have Dunnit re Sidmouth Branch!,however Dunn has not Dunnit, I typed the details you gave but only got no matching documents,tried several times but no joy. Signal boxes come naturally to me but not computers which are all new to me and Iam on a learning curve and learning by my many mistakes!. Perhaps you could give me a few tips on how to view said video thank you.
On SMJ website Ikeep getting this snap shots thing but try as I might it will not go away and is spoiling my enjoyment(although the pic of Blisworth ironstone was brilliant and brought many happy memories) perhaps you could tell me how I can get rid of this snap shots itemas I had to try and work out a way of sending you this email and it took me some time to figure it out, so fingers crossed!
Unlike myself you seem to be quite a technocrat! and fair play to you,Iguess Signal boxes were the computers of their day and I confess to be stuck in that timewarp and find modern technology somewhat baffling! I hope the signal box diagrams were useful and I have plenty more of Exeter to Salisbury and Branches if you need any copies in the future.
You are indeed a man of many talents ie poetry! The poems I mentioned are from the memory of Lenny Haynes, they were written by a Blisworth Signalman who took the mickey out of blokes involved in amusing incidents locally on BR Lenny is the last surviving SMJ signalman as far as I am aware and he is nudging 80! I will be visiting him in August and suggest you might like to come along he like myself is a typical signalman,very laid back(ha ha)
Are you still coming in June? Itwould be good to meet you personally and have a chat and a few jars!!,maybe you can recite some poetry and if I have enough scrumpy under my belt it is not unknown for me to launch out singing west country folk songs that we all knew in my youth....oh how Devon has changed!!!
Hi Andy,
Thanks for your message!,look forward to seeing the osccar award winner delete popcorn insert scrumpy! where do you find the time to do all these things???
Congratulations on being a father of four (inc twins!) I have one son and two daughters they all live in Australia,my son has seven children he reckons 7 is a lucky number I told him he should have done the same as me and stuck to the scrumpy woodbines and ditty singing!,my daughters have no kids as yet they reckon Bro has Dunn enough to maintain the Dunn dynasty!!
Poetry,my eldest granddaughter is mad on poetry I will tell her about your website,she is a Samuel Taylor Coleridge fan and is planning to come to Ottery to see his birthplace,the tar barrels and Honiton hot pennies.
Radio ham,I once worked with a signalman who was a licenced radio ham and member of the BR staff amateur radio club,he introduced me to short wave listening,I bought a second hand Eddystone 840 c receiver(oh...RX) and used to collect the QSL cards from broadcast stations around the globe it was great fun.I taught myself to slowly send and receieve morse and listened to you boys on SSB.
The topic of railway morse is much neglected by Railway Historians and heritage lines alike,and only occasionaly dealt with by the Signalling Record Society.Many old time signalmen missed the rythm of the morse when phones were introduced. Queensland Railways were still using morse during the time I worked for QR,the operators being classed as sixth class operating clerks minimum qualifications 40 wpm!! Ispent many happy hours with them listening to them work(and drinking beer with them afterwards!)
I have 2 pen pals in USA who are both retired operators(signalmen). Norman from Ohio,a very genuine guy very much your mid west conservative type and quite strait laced ,and Bill from New Jersey who is just the opposite to Norman(ha ha). Bill is an anglophile and spent some time in UK working for Railway Magazine as a journalist/photographer.
Both men have taught me how to be a US operator up to the stage where Ican walk into any US tower(signal box)and work it. Bill said(censored) that if he knew me years ago he would have fixed me up with an operators daughter in Chicago who was looking for a limey husband and said he..you could have lived happily ever after working your armstrong machine(mechanical frame) sending and receiving american morse and chatting with all in sundry on the railroad radio she added Bill, finally found her limey signalman hubby who joined the ranks of limey and yank operators in the many towers in Chicago and their famous beer drinking and Irish rebel song sessions in the pub,for which they held the national railroad championship(ha ha) and you ,added Bill,with your renowned repetiore of Irish rebel songs(I made a tape for him) would have ensured the cup stayed in Chicago and not gone to poor paddy works on the railway(Irish song)boys on NJ transit New York (ha ha)
Sadly I think Bill may have died,he was 80 and in poor health,due to his overzealous consumption of woodbines and bloody marys,his wife died some years back and he was never the same. Ihave been unable to contact him by phone letter or email so conclude he has gone to the great tower above.However I have a great collection of photos he sent with his many 30 plus page letters he sent and I will donate the photos to the Signalling Record Society they are rare US signalling gems!!!!!.
History,I am a friendly society and co-op amateur historian and have assisted authors on these topics and am currently writing a series of short articles on the history of the co_op building society for the newsletter of the Building Societies Members Assocation. I will be pleased to assist the local railway history boys in any way I can,but one must point out that railfans and rail workers are two different breeds and I am a rail worker, I very much appreciate the work of the volunteers on the heritage lines etc however in most cases they are a very different bunch than us railway blokes who did it for a living and wherein brotherhood was the primary cause and not railways!!
Cheers for now and look forward to hearing from you,
Brian,
Hi Andy its Rory.Many thanks for your message which I recieved from you today.I know that the SMJ was LMS.I know that it lost its passenger services concerning Stratford Upon Avon between 1947 and 1952.I also know that a lot of Iron Ore was quarried in Northamptonshire and then transferred to various locations on the Midland and Western regions of Britains Railways.
Hi Andy
Thanks for your welcome. My fascination with the SMJ must have started when I saw the single lines around Towcester and Ravenstone Wood Jn on my early 1950s 1" OS Maps. I photographed the remains at Byfield, Blakesley, Moreton Pinkney, and Towcester in the early 1960s and once had a reconoitre around the site of Stratford station. In summer 1964 I visited Towcester station with an old school friend and I think it was in the October of that year, or it could have been 1963 when I photographed a special train at Aston le Walls. This special had been hauled by preserved T9 120 to Woodford Halse where there was a loco change and a reversal. I think it was then hauled by 2 ex GWR locos double headed. For more detailed memories I'd have to consult my notebooks stored in the loft.
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 a magazine shortly as that would only be fair to him)
Ah - I thought you meant the website!
I will see who the owner is - most is farmed, then there's the bungalow the bit of platform is in, but I think they won't know as much.
That was quick! No I don't - I live in the "modern" development built in 1990/92. There is a bloke that lives in Old Town Mews that has a massive collection of railway tickets, timetables and Bradshaws guides - I don't think he has a layout.
I have to confess my interest in the railway is a bit of a passing one - I have some old magazines and stuff about the site and my interest relates to my house and where it is - the question about the railway underpass and the canning factory relates to trying to create safe and useful cycling routes around the town - IF the tunnel exists and was usable it would make an excellent link from Birmingham Road to the parts of the town near the racecourse.
Thank Andy I will remember that next time I visit my Mother who lives near Northamotn, can only afford to go to Northampton aera about three tmes a year
In caae you are wondering I live in Northampton upto 1965 and used SMJ many times during that time
Andy
Likewise I enjoyed meeting yourself and other members who attended today event. A very pleasant few hours spent reminiscenting the old days on the S.M.J thankyou.
Alwyn.
Hi Andy,
I am currently writing a website on Irthlingbough mine. The traffic from Irthlingborough went SMJ route to Ebbw Vale so you and the members might be interested in that. The URL is http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/apack1 or if you type into Google, Irthlingborough mines, that will take you to a Welsh mining site with a link. I am also currently involvd in a planning dispute which is taking me away from much needed gardening so it may be sometime before I can do anything, I have identified the buildings from Google street view for you
Don't know if it will come across this way
Regards
Alan
I'm not really very knowledgable about railways - I once had the job of overseeing the winching of a saddle tanker onto a low loader in the area just in front of the loco sheds in your picture, and that's about it. It was quite hairy because the loco was in danger of being derailed, I remember. The men knew a lot more than I did !!!
Andy,
Sorry, I can't add any more to the story of 672's chimney. I heard it from Jeff probably in the 70s and he was a senior hand at Watford then, and though I always find it a bit of a shock to realise most of those old boys will be dead and gone by now. What I should have asked is what they did with the chimney, did they heave it up onto the footplate and take it back to Watford with them ?
David
Andy, there are 20 pages on Gayton Quarries, and another 38 on the other Blisworth Quarries. Rather a lot to precis, but if you like, I'll do one of the Gayton Quarries section during the coming winter months. You may find a copy of the book in your local library - N'pton Library Service had at least one copy the last time I looked.
Thanks for the welcome, I have looked at this site any times and thought I really should join. I live in Towcester and have just started an N gauge model of the station in my loft. So will proberbly be pestering everyone for pictures and info. The only thing I have so far which I haven't seen on here are ratings plans of Towcester station that I obtained from Railtrack in Birmingham, if these are of interest to you or anyone else let me know.
Thanks Andy, and I notice a fresh article by you on the mining "connections" to the SMJ line near the first four bridges working up from Blisworth. I got a bit confused. It has been a while since I walked the track, avoiding fallen trees etc., but I recall that each bridge is justified in terms of either giving on-going access for a farmer to a cutoff part of his farm or simply a road or footpath in common use. Wheldon, as I recall, makes use of a footpath or farm trackway and in the side of the cutting there are substantial profiles cut out of the earth to accommodate some sort of timbered tipping gear to tranship direct to wagons on the SMJ (or a siding thereon). Anyway, I would like to look again at what you say with the help of a 1900 OS map, blown up to 1000 pixels square, with fields 1 and 2 marked and with bridge numbers marked etc. Sorry to seem a bit slow here. Tony
Hi Andy, thank you for all your efforts, you have done a great job. I look forward to seeing your e-mails and it has been a revelation expanding my knowledge of the SMJ, regards Richard
Don't know Will Caton but I've scrolled through the list of members and see Tony Marsh who I think runs the Blisworth village history web site's a member. I'll record a few memories shortly.
Thank you Andy. Been looking at this site for some time now and walking the track. I am very curious to see a photo of the old A5 bridge immediately west of Towcester Station. Can't seem to find one. Cheers, RG.
I am the Planning, Parterships and External Resrouces Direcetor for the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway.
I thought that you and your members might like to know that 43924 made a highly satisfactory test run yesterday evening from Oakworth to Oxenhope and back, three times. A picture is available on the 'news' section of the KWVR website www. KWVR.co.uk
Pleased i found this site i moved to bicester in april and have researched disused railwatys in this area i have always been interested in railways past present and future im not an anorak but share a love of trains model and real with many others now have to young gransons that equally love trains i hope to carry on exploring this area
Many thanks for the welcome. I grew up in Blakesley and was lucky enough to spend most saturday mornings prior to closure in the signal box as my uncle, frank reynolds, was the signalman at the time. I even managed a few trips on the morning pick up to woodford west. Trying to find my old number books and photo,s
Thanks for the welcome. I live in Kingsthorpe, Northampton.
A multitude of factors have brought about a fascination in the SMJ which is why I found your excellent website and decided to join the society.
My father instilled a passion for railways in me from my earliest childhood years. My particular interest has changed from trains (and weekends spent on the end of platforms!) towards an almost obsessional thirst for knowledge of disused/dismantled railways and associated railway history - specifically of my locale, though my remit seems to be expanding further afield!
Since I began working in Towcester a few years ago my journey to work following the old Northampton-Blisworth line, the ironstone quarries near Gayton, the site of the former brickworks and past the embankments of the SMJ have held me intrigued. It always bewildered me that Towcester doesn't have a train station - then like you, I found out it did!
Country walks with my wife across southern parts of Northants soon unravelled plenty more to feed my inquisitiveness. Alas, my wife shares little of my passion for defunt railways but a shared love of our area and the great outdoors has meant I have a willing companion to conduct investigations. As I was born too late to see Britain's railways at their most fullsome it is perhaps understandable that the current state of the SMJ is what I most wish to see. I see many members have walked most of the trackbed as it stands today.
My father was only too happy to share his books, maps and memories of the SMJ as well as looking forward to joining me on my explorations. I intend to post findings on this website. I should be able to persuade my father to join our ranks as well!
Andy,Thanks for the welcome but you and I have communicated before. I'm the Reynolds who sent you pictures of the Birmingham museum layout and the loco in Gayton quarries. It just that when I signed in I used the full "credit card" name without thinking. I'm the Bill Reynolds of those communications!
Thanks for the welcome, Andy. I acquired the loco in the mid '80s. It was built by Jack Esdaile in the early 60s. He was one of Esdaile and sons who made scientific instruments from about 1919. They are best known for their various instruments used on the construction of Sydney Harbour Bridge including a cable tension measurer which enabled the two arches to be hung out over the harbour to meet in the middle.I'm predominantly into narrow gauge and own a little Baldwin loco built in 1889 which I operate up at Toronto, north of Sydney. I also make rail DVDs for a living.
Hi Andy,thanks for the welcome,just been trying to find any pictures at all of the SMJ between Cockley and Helmdon, not had much luck so thought would try here.
many thanks, i have spent ages looking at the images.
unfortunately i was born to late to see anything other than the carnage left after beeching.
i am at a loss to try and find images or track layout for chacombe / chalcombe halt. there are one or two images of the station in the george & dragon - but no real links have been found on the web... i wonder if any members have any clues....
Hello Andy, with all that's going on at the moment as regards North End & Warwick Road stations, I have to report that an error has been made.
Photographic and map evidence of Burton Dassett platform put it on the Eastern side of Bridge 66, on the old A41 road, opposite the old sidings.
I reference Warwickshire Railways photo smjbd7, which is of the old abandoned platform building. The caption should read ' Looking West towards Kineton ' . I must admit that I have read articles that state this platform was between the bridge and the EHLR junction, but clearly this was wrong. This means that the bridge numbers index is correct at this point.
Paul Dyer
Thanks, great website! My domestic situation is chaos. I live (from a family perspective) in Devizes in Wiltshire, but have taken a job in Alderton just south of Towcester. When I'm not visiting my sales territory 2-3 weeks every two months (which is the Far East), I am living in Tiffield during the week.
As a keen railway enthusiast I have started to explore the local area which started with a drive round Blisworth last week. I've been to Tesco's many times to stock up on goodies without realising the true significance of the site. No "Station Road" signs which are normally the big giveaway! Now that I've found your site and started to look at the area from the Google satellite view, I have discovered (rather sadly) just what used to be there.
I'm off to Asia today for 3 weeks - not taking the full kit this time, just my pocket Nikon S700 in case I should chance upon any raiway lines! When I get back I plan to start mapping the Towcester area with my trusty camera. Seems there's a lot to phot, apart from the freight rumbling by on the WCML!
You can catch some of my former shots on the Railway Herald website here:
http://www.railwayherald.co.uk/imaging.centre/albums/showphotographer.php?order=tab&ref=1797
Regards, Paul
May 4, 2009
Michael Forsyth
May 9, 2009
brian dunn
On SMJ website Ikeep getting this snap shots thing but try as I might it will not go away and is spoiling my enjoyment(although the pic of Blisworth ironstone was brilliant and brought many happy memories) perhaps you could tell me how I can get rid of this snap shots itemas I had to try and work out a way of sending you this email and it took me some time to figure it out, so fingers crossed!
Unlike myself you seem to be quite a technocrat! and fair play to you,Iguess Signal boxes were the computers of their day and I confess to be stuck in that timewarp and find modern technology somewhat baffling! I hope the signal box diagrams were useful and I have plenty more of Exeter to Salisbury and Branches if you need any copies in the future.
You are indeed a man of many talents ie poetry! The poems I mentioned are from the memory of Lenny Haynes, they were written by a Blisworth Signalman who took the mickey out of blokes involved in amusing incidents locally on BR Lenny is the last surviving SMJ signalman as far as I am aware and he is nudging 80! I will be visiting him in August and suggest you might like to come along he like myself is a typical signalman,very laid back(ha ha)
Are you still coming in June? Itwould be good to meet you personally and have a chat and a few jars!!,maybe you can recite some poetry and if I have enough scrumpy under my belt it is not unknown for me to launch out singing west country folk songs that we all knew in my youth....oh how Devon has changed!!!
Cheers for now and all the best
Brian.
May 15, 2009
brian dunn
Thanks for your message!,look forward to seeing the osccar award winner delete popcorn insert scrumpy! where do you find the time to do all these things???
Congratulations on being a father of four (inc twins!) I have one son and two daughters they all live in Australia,my son has seven children he reckons 7 is a lucky number I told him he should have done the same as me and stuck to the scrumpy woodbines and ditty singing!,my daughters have no kids as yet they reckon Bro has Dunn enough to maintain the Dunn dynasty!!
Poetry,my eldest granddaughter is mad on poetry I will tell her about your website,she is a Samuel Taylor Coleridge fan and is planning to come to Ottery to see his birthplace,the tar barrels and Honiton hot pennies.
Radio ham,I once worked with a signalman who was a licenced radio ham and member of the BR staff amateur radio club,he introduced me to short wave listening,I bought a second hand Eddystone 840 c receiver(oh...RX) and used to collect the QSL cards from broadcast stations around the globe it was great fun.I taught myself to slowly send and receieve morse and listened to you boys on SSB.
The topic of railway morse is much neglected by Railway Historians and heritage lines alike,and only occasionaly dealt with by the Signalling Record Society.Many old time signalmen missed the rythm of the morse when phones were introduced. Queensland Railways were still using morse during the time I worked for QR,the operators being classed as sixth class operating clerks minimum qualifications 40 wpm!! Ispent many happy hours with them listening to them work(and drinking beer with them afterwards!)
I have 2 pen pals in USA who are both retired operators(signalmen). Norman from Ohio,a very genuine guy very much your mid west conservative type and quite strait laced ,and Bill from New Jersey who is just the opposite to Norman(ha ha). Bill is an anglophile and spent some time in UK working for Railway Magazine as a journalist/photographer.
Both men have taught me how to be a US operator up to the stage where Ican walk into any US tower(signal box)and work it. Bill said(censored) that if he knew me years ago he would have fixed me up with an operators daughter in Chicago who was looking for a limey husband and said he..you could have lived happily ever after working your armstrong machine(mechanical frame) sending and receiving american morse and chatting with all in sundry on the railroad radio she added Bill, finally found her limey signalman hubby who joined the ranks of limey and yank operators in the many towers in Chicago and their famous beer drinking and Irish rebel song sessions in the pub,for which they held the national railroad championship(ha ha) and you ,added Bill,with your renowned repetiore of Irish rebel songs(I made a tape for him) would have ensured the cup stayed in Chicago and not gone to poor paddy works on the railway(Irish song)boys on NJ transit New York (ha ha)
Sadly I think Bill may have died,he was 80 and in poor health,due to his overzealous consumption of woodbines and bloody marys,his wife died some years back and he was never the same. Ihave been unable to contact him by phone letter or email so conclude he has gone to the great tower above.However I have a great collection of photos he sent with his many 30 plus page letters he sent and I will donate the photos to the Signalling Record Society they are rare US signalling gems!!!!!.
History,I am a friendly society and co-op amateur historian and have assisted authors on these topics and am currently writing a series of short articles on the history of the co_op building society for the newsletter of the Building Societies Members Assocation. I will be pleased to assist the local railway history boys in any way I can,but one must point out that railfans and rail workers are two different breeds and I am a rail worker, I very much appreciate the work of the volunteers on the heritage lines etc however in most cases they are a very different bunch than us railway blokes who did it for a living and wherein brotherhood was the primary cause and not railways!!
Cheers for now and look forward to hearing from you,
Brian,
May 16, 2009
Rory Francis Mahon
Jun 11, 2009
Gary
Jul 13, 2009
John Spencer
Thanks for your welcome. My fascination with the SMJ must have started when I saw the single lines around Towcester and Ravenstone Wood Jn on my early 1950s 1" OS Maps. I photographed the remains at Byfield, Blakesley, Moreton Pinkney, and Towcester in the early 1960s and once had a reconoitre around the site of Stratford station. In summer 1964 I visited Towcester station with an old school friend and I think it was in the October of that year, or it could have been 1963 when I photographed a special train at Aston le Walls. This special had been hauled by preserved T9 120 to Woodford Halse where there was a loco change and a reversal. I think it was then hauled by 2 ex GWR locos double headed. For more detailed memories I'd have to consult my notebooks stored in the loft.
Aug 7, 2009
Peter Fleming
I thought that the majority were dated. A couple are only vague as to month or even season.
I have some scanned in colour slides that are over 10MB. Any idea if these san be used?
Aug 13, 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 a magazine shortly as that would only be fair to him)
Dick
Delete Comment
Aug 25, 2009
Jane Harries
Jane
Sep 21, 2009
Jane Harries
I will see who the owner is - most is farmed, then there's the bungalow the bit of platform is in, but I think they won't know as much.
Sep 21, 2009
Rob Gullen
I have to confess my interest in the railway is a bit of a passing one - I have some old magazines and stuff about the site and my interest relates to my house and where it is - the question about the railway underpass and the canning factory relates to trying to create safe and useful cycling routes around the town - IF the tunnel exists and was usable it would make an excellent link from Birmingham Road to the parts of the town near the racecourse.
Rob
Nov 25, 2009
Rob Gullen
Rob
Nov 25, 2009
ray wake
Ray Wake
Feb 18, 2010
alwyn sparrow
May 10, 2010
Bernard Hefford
In caae you are wondering I live in Northampton upto 1965 and used SMJ many times during that time
Bernard
May 20, 2010
alwyn sparrow
Jun 9, 2010
alwyn sparrow
Likewise I enjoyed meeting yourself and other members who attended today event. A very pleasant few hours spent reminiscenting the old days on the S.M.J thankyou.
Alwyn.
Jun 12, 2010
Alan J Pack
I am currently writing a website on Irthlingbough mine. The traffic from Irthlingborough went SMJ route to Ebbw Vale so you and the members might be interested in that. The URL is http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/apack1 or if you type into Google, Irthlingborough mines, that will take you to a Welsh mining site with a link. I am also currently involvd in a planning dispute which is taking me away from much needed gardening so it may be sometime before I can do anything, I have identified the buildings from Google street view for you
Don't know if it will come across this way
Regards
Alan
Jun 23, 2010
Alan J Pack
Jun 24, 2010
David Ford
Sorry, I can't add any more to the story of 672's chimney. I heard it from Jeff probably in the 70s and he was a senior hand at Watford then, and though I always find it a bit of a shock to realise most of those old boys will be dead and gone by now. What I should have asked is what they did with the chimney, did they heave it up onto the footplate and take it back to Watford with them ?
David
Jul 3, 2010
George Coles
Jul 4, 2010
Jack Freuville
I thought I was already in your lists a long time ago as I regularly recieve your mails
Best regards
Jack Freuville
Jul 22, 2010
Andrew Smith
Aug 31, 2010
jamie scott gardner
Sep 7, 2010
John Evans
Oct 5, 2010
Brian Elphick
Nov 6, 2010
Tony Marsh
Nov 20, 2010
John Evans
Hi Andy
I am sending an SMJ Christmas card this year and would love to send you one. Could you send your address to john.evans777@yahoo.com
and I'll do the rest. Best wishes
John
Dec 15, 2010
Kevin Moore
Jan 21, 2011
Richard Keyte
Feb 14, 2011
John Whitehead
Blimey Andy, that was quick!
Don't know Will Caton but I've scrolled through the list of members and see Tony Marsh who I think runs the Blisworth village history web site's a member. I'll record a few memories shortly.
Mar 10, 2011
Jack Thompson
Mar 15, 2011
Richard Gill
Thank you Andy. Been looking at this site for some time now and walking the track. I am very curious to see a photo of the old A5 bridge immediately west of Towcester Station. Can't seem to find one. Cheers, RG.
May 25, 2011
David Pearson
I am the Planning, Parterships and External Resrouces Direcetor for the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway.
I thought that you and your members might like to know that 43924 made a highly satisfactory test run yesterday evening from Oakworth to Oxenhope and back, three times. A picture is available on the 'news' section of the KWVR website www. KWVR.co.uk
Jun 3, 2011
Roger Giles
Sep 9, 2011
Matthew Jonathan Cadbury
Dear Andy,
Many thanks for the welcome,
Matthew
Oct 23, 2011
steve lush
Hi andy
Pleased i found this site i moved to bicester in april and have researched disused railwatys in this area i have always been interested in railways past present and future im not an anorak but share a love of trains model and real with many others now have to young gransons that equally love trains i hope to carry on exploring this area
Thanks for the welcome
Steve
Oct 26, 2011
stuart reynolds
Andy,
Many thanks for the welcome. I grew up in Blakesley and was lucky enough to spend most saturday mornings prior to closure in the signal box as my uncle, frank reynolds, was the signalman at the time. I even managed a few trips on the morning pick up to woodford west. Trying to find my old number books and photo,s
Stuart
Jan 22, 2012
Ross Howard
Hi Andy,
Thanks for the welcome. I live in Kingsthorpe, Northampton.
A multitude of factors have brought about a fascination in the SMJ which is why I found your excellent website and decided to join the society.
My father instilled a passion for railways in me from my earliest childhood years. My particular interest has changed from trains (and weekends spent on the end of platforms!) towards an almost obsessional thirst for knowledge of disused/dismantled railways and associated railway history - specifically of my locale, though my remit seems to be expanding further afield!
Since I began working in Towcester a few years ago my journey to work following the old Northampton-Blisworth line, the ironstone quarries near Gayton, the site of the former brickworks and past the embankments of the SMJ have held me intrigued. It always bewildered me that Towcester doesn't have a train station - then like you, I found out it did!
Country walks with my wife across southern parts of Northants soon unravelled plenty more to feed my inquisitiveness. Alas, my wife shares little of my passion for defunt railways but a shared love of our area and the great outdoors has meant I have a willing companion to conduct investigations. As I was born too late to see Britain's railways at their most fullsome it is perhaps understandable that the current state of the SMJ is what I most wish to see. I see many members have walked most of the trackbed as it stands today.
My father was only too happy to share his books, maps and memories of the SMJ as well as looking forward to joining me on my explorations. I intend to post findings on this website. I should be able to persuade my father to join our ranks as well!
Ross
Apr 29, 2012
Peter William Reynolds
Andy,Thanks for the welcome but you and I have communicated before. I'm the Reynolds who sent you pictures of the Birmingham museum layout and the loco in Gayton quarries. It just that when I signed in I used the full "credit card" name without thinking. I'm the Bill Reynolds of those communications!
Jun 17, 2012
Graeme Belbin
Thanks for the welcome, Andy. I acquired the loco in the mid '80s. It was built by Jack Esdaile in the early 60s. He was one of Esdaile and sons who made scientific instruments from about 1919. They are best known for their various instruments used on the construction of Sydney Harbour Bridge including a cable tension measurer which enabled the two arches to be hung out over the harbour to meet in the middle.I'm predominantly into narrow gauge and own a little Baldwin loco built in 1889 which I operate up at Toronto, north of Sydney. I also make rail DVDs for a living.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rktvK9E2eys&list=UUjFlhmV5OlH-qj...
If this link doesn't work, do a search on Youtube for belbinvideo channel.
Sorry to prattle on so much about myself. My family has strong connections with the English railways also which I'll save for another time.
Aug 12, 2012
les gee
Hi Andy,thanks for the welcome,just been trying to find any pictures at all of the SMJ between Cockley and Helmdon, not had much luck so thought would try here.
Les
Aug 30, 2012
Dr Francis Dalrymple-Hamilton
thanks for this Andy. has anybody researched the opening and closing dates of signal boxes on the SMJ?
Nov 18, 2012
NIGEL
Different view of photo you posted a few days ago, have you seen this?
Dec 9, 2012
daniel pettman
many thanks, i have spent ages looking at the images.
unfortunately i was born to late to see anything other than the carnage left after beeching.
i am at a loss to try and find images or track layout for chacombe / chalcombe halt. there are one or two images of the station in the george & dragon - but no real links have been found on the web... i wonder if any members have any clues....
kind regards daniel
Dec 14, 2012
ray hughes
Hello Andy thank you for welcoming me to smjr railway society I look forward to enjoying beeing a member
Best wishes Ray
May 20, 2013
Ron Johnson
Cheers, Andy.
Jun 19, 2013
Rachael Cox
Aug 1, 2014
NIGEL
Hello Andy, with all that's going on at the moment as regards North End & Warwick Road stations, I have to report that an error has been made.
Photographic and map evidence of Burton Dassett platform put it on the Eastern side of Bridge 66, on the old A41 road, opposite the old sidings.
I reference Warwickshire Railways photo smjbd7, which is of the old abandoned platform building. The caption should read ' Looking West towards Kineton ' . I must admit that I have read articles that state this platform was between the bridge and the EHLR junction, but clearly this was wrong. This means that the bridge numbers index is correct at this point.
Dec 4, 2014