Peter S Lewis

Male

Bidford-on-Avon

United Kingdom

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  • Teresa Gates

    Many thanks.  These loook most interesting. 

    Teresa

  • Jean Cholerton

    Hello Peter, thank you for your welcome.

    Thought you may be interested to know my husband Dave and I own 1/2 mile of the old SMJ line off the B439 between Cranhill Corner and Bidford which we have owned for 20 years.

    This is our special world of wild flowers, trees, and wildlife. We have lived here for 47 years and you featured part of our wild flower area through Simon`s photos June 2014. There is a right of way over it and he rightly commented on the fact the walkway was in good condition. Glad he appreciated it. I will be giving a talk to the Temple Grafton W.I soon on the railway history and our contribution to it.

    My husband is a G.W.R train spotter of 1950`s era and loves books, film etc., and occasionally collects a model steam engine -to look at only of course!   His father was a Goods Guard on the G.W.R. based in Stratford-upon-Avon and travelled extensively. (Later years on a passenger trains locally to Birmingham.)

    Jean

    P.S. With regard to Teresa Gates letter below, the old Binton Station site is now the subject of a planning application for 24 houses!!  The original Station building and engine shed are still intact, but the whole site is now under threat.

  • Jean Cholerton

    Hello Peter,

    You would be most welcome any time at Little Haven.  

    If you would like our phone number please ask.  

    With regard to the SMJ we both remember watching the last train to pass through in 1965 as my mother-in-law to be had a property only 1/2 mile away.  We had a good view from the top window,  the train all lit up on the last journey west towards Bidford.   

    Regards, 

    Jean

  • Jean Cholerton

    Sorry Peter, no photos.  In the excitement of watching it, we did n`t even think of the camera!  This was 1965 and the small digital camera was not about.  Wish it had been.

    Jean

  • Alan Brant

    Peter

    Though i moved away from Northampton in 1966. i have always had an interest in the SMJ - wondered about all the little railway lines and the mysterious wagon stores when being driven around the county by my father. In around 1965 two friends and I decided to try and 'cycle along the trackbed - started from Blisworth and got as far as Wappenham (As far as i can recall). I am afraid I will not be able to add anything to the knowledge of the line - not even any photos from that day. Alan

  • Alan Brant

    Peter

    Look forward to some interesting browsing.

    Alan

  • Rob Chilcott

    Hello Peter,

    Thank you for your welcome.

    The reason for signing up is that I have been asked to produce an oil painting of a Bayer -Peacock 2-4-0T with coaches going through Morton Pinkney.  I could do with some good photos and drawings to get the fine details I need.

    All the best,

    Rob.

  • Rob Chilcott

    Thank you Peter,

    The view of the station is very useful.  I wish I could read the sign.

    Have noticed Moreton is spelt without the e.  Gather it was "Morton Pinkney for Sulgrave".  Though I would have thought Culworth would have been nearer.

    Rob

  • Dick Bodily

    Culworth station, which incidentally was only about half a mile from Moreton Pinkney, wouldn't have existed when the E&WJR station opened at Morton Pinkney, the GCR was built much later.

  • Nick Meredith

    Hello Peter,

    I'm a member of the Leamington and Warwick Model Railway Society, which is based at Knightcote, not far north of Nirth End and Burton Dassert. I'm part of the N gauge group there who are currently planning our new layout, which is almost certain to be based on Kineton station.
  • David Guest

    As a lad I used to stay with relatives in Blakesley

  • RogerHowes

    Hi Peter,
    I was born in Percy road WH. My father worked in the loco shed and was heavily involved in breakdown cranes. I am a Driver and fireman at the GCC and regularly travel out with Oliver Cromwell on the mainline with 5305La.
  • Paul Parsons

    My interest is merely that I have lived in the area for 20 years, first near Edgehill, then Banbury and now in Brackley. I have worked in Stratford and Banbury and all that time been aware of crossing the route of the SMJ repeatedly and in various places as I go about my life! I have done a bit of exploring of what's left of the line over the years and managed to acquire one or two relevant books. When I came across your SMJ site it filled in many gaps in my understanding. My particular interest is railway signalling and I have found signalling diagrams for many but not all of the key SMJ locations in books and on-line. I was born after the line closed and cannot claim any particular connection to it nor offer any new info but am happy to be part of keeping its memory alive! Best wishes,

    Paul

  • Paul Parsons

    Does the Society exist purely in virtual space or does it ever have meetings or events? Are there any museums of collections holding SMJ ephemera and artefacts? Seems a shame that it's history and local importance is so little appreciated. 

  • Paul Parsons

    Whoops, sorry about the greengrocer's apostophe in 'its'!

  • Mark harriot

    no links that i know of yet. i believe my ancestors come from the area blakeley and i am a steam fan. i am having a G3 steam engine built and in my dreams would like to feature it on a station layout of interest/relevance to me...... so poss smj....... i am still researching .......

    ps - i am very clunky at these blog/ forums ... so dont expectinteraction  and convo!!  i struggle to log on!!!  

    i will try and visit the 'line' soon - my sister lives at stratford.

    all good wishes

    m

  • Mike Clarke

    Peter could you please send me another email address, mail@smj.me just bounces back

    Mike Clarke

    fqfmanagement@btinternet.com

  • Tanya Jackson

    Guilty as charged, Peter!

    I am also the owner of the LMS group on Yahoo!

    The reason I have joined this group - beyond simple interest in the SuA&MJct Railway - is to seek the answer to a mystery. We have had a roll film donated to the HMRS which contains photographs taken between Evesham and Turvey. On the film is a mystery element that our picture detectives cannot place. Someone has produced a picture of the same or similar ironwork at Shanklin on the Isle-of Wight, but I believe that the initials shown read T-R-O - Towcester, Roade and Olney Junction Railway. Please see the links below;

     https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/79298582/tro002.jpg

    https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/79298582/tro001.jpg

     

    Best wishes

     

    Tanya

  • Tanya Jackson

    Hiya Peter,

    I included  links to the pics in my Public Dropbox in my first post. Can you access them? If not I will email them to you.

    I will have a look at Steam Tube - sounds interesting.

    best wishes

    Tanya

  • david Irving

    Thank you Peter,

    I've had a general interest in local railways for quite sometime now (I live in Coventry) but have only recently been interested in the SMJ

     

    I am currently making an 00 1:76 railway model of Binton station during its LMS period

  • Terry Andrews

    Many thanks Peter for letting me join.
    I walked the line yesterday between Blisworth & Tiffield, cant believe how much really remains, in such a short section.  Took loads of photos and short video clips of what I found.
    I plan on walking the whole route over the winter period, so looking forward to that.
    I normally post on the FB page "Disused Railways" and have my own personal FB  blog of my ramblings "The Last Trains Gone"  you have an excellent site here that has already answered several questions on things I found yesterday.
    So many thanks, and look forward to posting shortly.
    All the best
    Terry.

  • Mike Smith

    Thank you Peter,  I live in Foxcovert Drive, Roade - right where the line use to pass by and have been interested in it for the last few years. Out and about recently on my bike I have come across more and more of what was the SMJ so decided to join.  I am originally from Loughborough so have been interested in the Great Central Railway for many years and this started my interest in old railways.

  • Karen Tonks

    Thanks Peter, glad to have found you. I'll see if I can work out how to add the photos of the model railway layout I was asked to share!
  • Jean Cholerton

    Hello Peter,

    I am about to speak to the W.I. at Bidford about our stretch at Cranhill and the nature reserve.  Have included pics of Broom and Binton stations with railway track etc., maps, and a bit of history.  10th. March

    regards, Jean

  • Jean Cholerton

    Hello Peter,

    I will mention a railway talk when I go on March 10th.  Will get back to you if they are interested.  Many thanks

    Jean

  • Stephen Moss

    Thanks Peter

    I grew up in Pattishall but live in Boston USA. Came across the site and it brought back very happy memories

    Thanks

    Steve

  • Paul Kirkup

    Hello Peter, thanks for letting me join. Ah, London Midland, well, that came about because a few years ago I wanted to respond to a query posted by someone asking for some railway related information, and I had to come up with an email address to do so. Having lived within sight and sound of part of the LMR for over half a century, I have deeply fond memories of its trains and in particular the lovely maroon signs, so it was an easy choice.

    I don't have a working railway background, although I am apparently distantly related to Robert Stephenson, and my grandfather was a Station Master on the LNER, but I have been fascinated by railways all my life.

    The main reason I asked to join the SMJR was because, having just completed a 4mm scale model of a freelance branch terminus set in the Dorset/Hampshire area, I was looking round for my next modelling project. After reviewing several hundred station plans I came across Byfield, and was immediately hooked. Here was a delightful wayside station with passing loop, goods yard, shed(s), signal cabin, bridges and water tower, and, as a bonus, it saw traffic and locos from various regions as well as BR standard types. So, that is my next build, as faithful a replica of Byfield as I can make, but I'll be using a bit of modellers licence and will be assuming that it kept its passenger service long enough to receive the unwelcome attention of Dr Beeching, as my favoured era is the transition from steam to diesel, say the early 1960's. I am delighted that there is so much information available on this site to help me realise that aim.

    Kind Regards,

    Paul

  • John Douglas

    Are there any photographs of live steam at Binton? I have only found the attached.

  • Peter George

    Peter I live adjacent to the SM&J in Kineton.

  • Derek George Lawman

    Thank you for accepting my application to join this interesting site. I have always been interested in the SMJ and GC London Extension.

    I enjoyed a career on British Railways/Rail spanning some thirty four years, commencing in the footplate line of promotion in 63, eventually being passed for driving in 71. From 85 to 89 I undertook various Supervisory roles including Footplate Inspector. From 90 to 97 I occupied various Management positions, my last being Area Train Crew Manager at Cambridge, Cambridge, Kings Lynn, Bishop's Stortford and Chingford depots to look after along with associated carriage servicing. I also successfully consulted in D.O.O. on the Northern City Line into Moorgate operated by Kings Cross and Hitchin depots. By doing so. WAGN as it had become by then, became the first completely D.O.O. operated railway within NetworkSoutheast.

  • Chris Hillyard RVM

    Hi Peter

    Royal Victorian Medal. Awarded by the Royal Victorian Order on behalf of the monarch. For personal services to the Royal Household. In a previous life I worked on and eventually managed the Royal Train based at Wolverton.)

    Kind regards

    Chris
  • Chris Hillyard RVM

    Peter. FYI I am a committee member of Roade Local History Society and next year over the weekend of 8/9 September we are holding an exhibition to celebrate the 180th anniversary of Roade Cutting. Planning is at an early stage but an awful amount of research has been done. Highlights of the exhibition will be a model made by students from Elizabeth Woodville schools at Roade & Deanshanger, more importantly the awarding of a Red Wheel from the Transport Trust if our application is successful. More details will be available in the new year. Society Members will be more than welcome.
  • Paul williams

    Hello peter thanks for accepting into the smj society . I don’t have any connection to the smj . I’m just very interested . I started on the railway at Bletchley and I’m currently employed as a driver for virgin trains at euston now coming up to 41 years on the footplate . 

  • Stuart John Dodd

    Hello Peter,

    Thank you for acceptance into the SMJ Society. I have a great interest in the line as I was born on the 21 July 1964 at the Lindens Clifford Chambers, within ear shot of the railway, then moved to Pillerton Priors in 1965, attending school at Ettington and later KES at Stratford. The line trackbed featured very heavily in my early years for walks and exploration, especially Goldicote Cutting. In 1993 I became aquainted with the weighbridge and goods shed at the very intact Ettington Station whilst working a season for the present owner, Hutsby's. I now live in the South of France but still retain a strong connection with the Startford area. I am an avid o gauge model loco builder, so Fowler locos are of particular interest.

  • Stuart John Dodd

    Hello Peter,

     I remember my Grandfather mentioning your surname,he was the village wheelwright then carpenter/builder, he lived at The lindens until 1985 when he passed away, would have played football in the 20s/30s and was in the village cricket team, for which I still have his cap.

     Also I recall watching the 1972 Leeds v Arsenal FA cup match in the front room at Clifford with my Grandfather.

     My late father was the choir master and organist at St Helen's in the village until 1986 following on from his aunt who passed away in 1963/4.

     Unfortunately I only have a picture of Goldicote cutting road bridge taken in 1975 from the trackbed, after the road had been repositioned, so not very interesting I am afraid.

     My Father could recall seeing a 9f crossing Walton Bridge on his way to work from Pillerton Priors to Wellesbourne in 1965 and hearing locos working at night.

  • Stuart John Dodd

    There aren't any TGV lines near us,its much more like Stratford Old Town station with goods sheds disused but still intact, railways unfenced, there is a large railway yard at Buisson du Cadouin which is also intact, interesting google earth view! France didnt suffer a Beeching although there have been purges. Belves is our nearest station, again goods shed intact, couple of viaducts, it sadly lost the manned ticket counter last July

  • Paul Tilly

    Hi peter no i dont have any history with the railway but i moved to towcester a year or so ago and knew there use to be a old railway line so was just researching its history. Today i walked along where the old track would have been at belle baulk and its amazing to think that years ago this was once a thriving railway line

  • Dick Bodily

    Peter,

    Thriving it never was, just keeping its head above water most of the time would be about right!

  • Martin Yallop

    Hello Peter,

    Sadly no connections but I did become aware of it through many years of travelling up and down the Fosse Way. I work in the rail industry so have a professional interest as well.

    Regards

    Martin

  • Martin Yallop

    I work in community rail, l seek out new users for redundant station buildings.
  • Kirsty Darcy

    Hello Peter, thank you for adding me to this site.  Yes, that's correct - I work for Duchy Homes and we have an upcoming development at the old Binton railway station. We're hoping to find anyone who used to work there, or their relatives, to involve them in the redevelopment process and share their story with us. Fingers crossed someone here can help! Thanks. Kirsty

  • Kirsty Darcy

    Hi Peter, I'm very well thanks although still not managed to make contact with any Binton railway workers - still trying! Hope you're well too.  If you can let me know the purpose of your visit and when you'd like to go, I can contact our site team and ask the question. The original station house is being retained. Kind regards, Kirsty

  • Kirsty Darcy

    Hi Peter, the site is accessible for you to visit whenever you choose at the moment - please feel welcome to visit and take photographs.  If you would like to be met at the site by a member of our team to talk through our plans and timescales, we'd be more than happy to arrange this.  Please email me directly at kirsty.darcy@duchyhomes.co.uk if you would like to accept this invitation. Thanks. Kirsty

  • COLIN ARTHUR SKEARS

    Peter, I have received a suspicious mail from a David Hurley who may be using the site to promote his interests outside of SMJ use.
  • Richard Denny

    None apart from an almost lifelong interest in railways and that I was born and live less than 5 miles from the line. Its a line that I have become more interested in in recent years.

  • Julian Porter

    Peter,
    Yes my name is appropriate. I worked for the railways for 32 years. I used to say I was the only Porter to actually do some work!!
    Yes there is a connection, one of my Great Great Uncles, William White, was a "Labourer Railway" on the 1871 census, and was, along with 4 others doing the same job, lodgers with a family in Wappenham and were presumably building the line, which I believe, at the time, was called the Northampton and Banbury Junction Railway. I attach the census record that shows him and Samuel Cox, William Cox and George Reeves.
    I have recently purchased a couple of books on the line, but I'd be interested to know who they may have been working for and how long these jobs would have lasted.
    Cheers,
    Julian
  • Jon Bradshaw

    Peter, my interest started with the Newport Pagnell Branch line and extended to the Varsity Line, but of late I find it fascinating there was a Railway cutting across the local landscape which was blessed with a Station at Salcey Forest. So my interest really is local Railways but I find this one particularly interesting. I will be adding pics in due course!!

  • Jim Brown

    Hi Peter, I believe my grandfather (TF Brown) worked on the SmJ. He is on the WW1 poster now displayed on Stratford station. I was wondering if there any staff records available. I also live near Edge Hill and am interested in the branch line that took iron ore down the Hill to the Burton Dasset junction in the 1920s.

    regards

    Jim Brown

  • Ian Merivale

    Hello Peter

    I'm Moreton Pinkney born and bred.

    Dad was a Driver at Wooford.

    I was a Secondman at Cambridge and Banbury.

    A long time ago.

    Ian

  • Graham Ward

    Thank you.