‘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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Passenger Trains connected to the SMJ

Following on from the previous discussion about WD passenger trains on the SMJ during the 1940s; it must be said that passenger trains ran on metals connected to the SMJ until the mid 1960s. There was a passenger service from the nearest point to…Continue

Started by Dave Hayward Jun 16.

Wartime passenger trains from Burton Dassett 3 Replies

Arthur Jordan in his book, The Stratford Upon Avon and Midland Junction Railway - The Shakespeare Route at pp 82 mentions a WW2 late night special from Stratford on Avon to Burton Dassett for soldiers at the CAD. I would envisage that this did not…Continue

Started by Dave Hayward. Last reply by Dave Hayward Jun 16.

PPhoto Albums 1 Reply

AndyAbout two years ago I ended up with some railway matter from a Bill Kendall who had been a Signalman on SMJ ending his railway career at Northampton No 1. I worked with him when I was working in Rugby PSB, I also covered the signa?l boxes at…Continue

Started by Robin Leslie Patrick. Last reply by Dave Hayward Jun 8.

Broom Junction station site for sale 3 Replies

Great opportunity for an SMJ enthusiast perhaps. I'm not sure what you could actually do with this site though!…Continue

Started by Simon Stevens. Last reply by Simon Stevens May 17.

SMJ photos

Ravenstone Wood

Stoke Bruerne
Salcey Forest
Ravenstone Wood

Ravenstone Wood Signal Box Lever Plates

The SMJ line from Towcester joined the Midland Railway's Northampton-Bedford line near Olney at a place known as Ravenstone
Wood. Authorised by an act of Parliament in 1879 as the Easton
Neston Mineral & Towcester, Roade & Olney Junction Railway
(renamed in 1882 the Stratford-upon-Avon, Towcester & Midland
Junction Railway), and built partly on the route of an earlier
ironstone tramway, the line was not opened until 1891 and only
operated a timetabled passenger service for a few months. It
continued to carry goods traffic until 1958. The Olney line closed
in 1958 and much of its route was later absorbed into adjoining
fields.

Ravenstone Wood Junction and Signal box

Although its regular passenger traffic operations from Ravenstone Wood Junction were short lived, the railway did provide
a cross-country link for goods traffic. The only passenger train to
use this line in the 1930's and 40's was an excursion train that
ran on Easter Monday from Luton to Towcester Races. The fare from
Olney in the 1930's was 1/6d return (7½ p).

The site of the junction now (2009) has returned to nature and is indeed, a wood!

Ravenstone Wood Signal box

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photos like this on "The Unofficial SMJ Society" at www.smj.me