‘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"
Electric train staff equipment had been brought into use between Blisworth and Towcester by 9 August 1910 (date of SMJR minute 451 (TNA file RAIL 674/3)) and presumably the new signal box at Blisworth appeared at the same time. In that this was so…Continue
SMJ board minute 1474 of 13 April 1921 (TNA file RAIL 674/4) approved that “the following expenditure be charged to Capital” for year 1920: “Blisworth: Signalling and alterations to Permanent Way, Improvements and additional signalling: £800”. In…Continue
Did this railway (as opposed to the East & West Junction Railway) go into receivership - if so, when. And when did it come out of receivership?Continue
Started by Richard Maund. Last reply by Richard Maund Feb 11.
Shall we bring this discussion under the proper heading!So far as the OS plan surveyed 1885, published 1886, is concerned: the OS liked - wherever they could - to have text running parallel to the top and bottom borders. When they came to add the…Continue
Started by Richard Maund. Last reply by Richard Maund Feb 10.
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
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.
You need to be a member of The SMJ Society to add comments!
Join The SMJ Society