‘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
One of the best preserved SMJ bridges? 1 Reply
I was at Ettington the other day and apart from the good shed, which has had a lot of money spent on it including full glazing, the station building is still there. But my attention went to the station bridge (No. 73?) which is in very good…Continue
Started by John Evans. Last reply by Andy Thompson yesterday.
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.
SMJ photos
Line to Banbury looking towards Farthinghoe
Add a Comment
-
Comment by alwyn sparrow on November 26, 2011 at 5:23
-
Apparently there was a serious explosion on the site in 1917 in which several workers were seriously injured.There is a short section about this former munitions site in Bill Simpsons
book" The Banbury to Verney Junction Branch".
Alwyn.
-
Comment by Gary on November 25, 2011 at 13:54
-
I pass it every day going to work but this was first time I could get a photo.
As you know Si, the remains of the munition storage are still visible to the North of the formation
-
Comment by Si Donal on November 25, 2011 at 13:45
-
A very familiar view to me. There was a WW1 Ministry of Munitions shell filling factory on this /SMJ joint line. When the M40 was built a few old shell cases were found. In WW2 the area was used for military training and an old conventor tank was placed here as a target. The munitions factory had a rail connection to the LNWR Banbury - Cockley Brake Junction line. This had it's own loco with a spark arrester. I wonder how many trucks loaded with filled shells went to their destination via Towcester/Blisworth as an alternative to gaining the LNWR mainline at Bletchley via Buckingham/Verney Junction.
© 2026 Created by Andy Thompson.
Powered by
You need to be a member of The SMJ Society to add comments!
Join The SMJ Society