‘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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SMJ Forum
Model Railways
HiI'm selling my collection of SMJR related 00 gauge modelsIf of interest for any of you please contact me by mail atjfreuville@gmail.comand I will send you the list and photosKind regardsJackContinue
Started by Jack Freuville Feb 23.
BLAKESLEY and an SMJ stamp
This item has come up in an auction recently and is a glimpse of the practice of carrying mail by train. Apart from the SMJ…Continue
Started by Graham Ward Nov 14, 2025.
Further about Ravenstone Wood Junction 1 Reply
Firstly a belated thanks to Barry for his excellent research that has returned these signal lever plates to their rightful home! [Perhaps their place of residence on the website needs changing!] Apologies for starting s new Forum discussion on this…Continue
Started by Dave Hayward. Last reply by Barry Taylor Oct 23, 2025.
Ravenstone Wood Junction Signal Box-an anomaly 3 Replies
Closely examining the brass lever plates shown in the Olney Line entry in the Index Section of this website I noticed a significant anomaly. Some of the above plates, specifically 1, 10, 11, 12, 25, 32, 34. refer to platforms, loading dock, goods…Continue
Started by Dave Hayward. Last reply by Barry Taylor Oct 9, 2025.
SMJ photos
Byfield Ironstone Wagon Label
Unused Wagon Label. Note the final destination is in Yorkshire but the route is not North via Woodford but via the Woodford to Banbury link and thus north from there! A more circitous route than necessary but perhaps the wagon loads were combined with those from the Oxfordshire Ironstone Company at their sidings just north of Banbury. There is much evidence of "block" trains of iron ore in tipplers heading north on the ex GWR line.
Albums: Memoribilia, Byfield, SMJ Documents
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Comment by Dick Bodily on November 15, 2009 at 21:02
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Rex Partridge found some like these in the ruins of Byfield station after it was bulldozed.
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Just occured to me, if Byfield had been supplying the same furnaces back in LNER days, then the wagons would have almost certainly then have travelled north from Woodford. Si's suggestion that perhaps the wagons were combined with others from Oxfordshire makes sense.
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This wagon would have been picked up by 'The Round the World' trip working from Woodford Yards ( provider of much exotic motive power) taken back to Woodford yards, probably remarshalled into a Banbury Yards bound train although Clive Boardman in has emails did suggest that the 'Round The World' may have also visited Banbury yards itself at some point in its history. At Banbury presumably the wagons would be remarshalled once more before heading north.
This wasn't the only freight that originated on the SMJ and was transferred to the GC at Woodford. Blakesley local historian Doug Blake in his book 'Beside the Crooked Brook' mentions a much earlier link with the Great Central. In pre-grouping days a GC van was attached to the first Blisworth bound train of the day from Stratford in order to pick up all the milk churns as far as Byfield. From there the van would be dispatched to Woodford where it would be attached to a London bound train on behalf of the Express Dairy Company.
Strangely the first train bound for Stratford would pick up churns as least as far as Blakesley and presumably Morton also and take them to Stratford where presumably the GWR took over conveyance. Blakesley, conveniently placed for local dairy farmers ( there were at least 8 dairy farms within 2 miles of the station), handled up to 10 tons of milk per day prior to WWI. After WWI, this traffic was gradually lost to road haulage.
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Comment by Andy Thompson on October 27, 2009 at 10:04
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Of course Si! We had a strong working relationship with the GC, even tho' they didn't step in save the Olney branch section around the turn of the 20th century!
Fab video clip by the way (Ro-Railer) I looked into buying a copy but too expensive. It's great to see it move!
Andy
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Comment by Si Donal on October 27, 2009 at 0:28
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Hawarden Bridge is near Wrexham so the Ironstone would definately be routed via Banbury and the ex GWR line North.
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