‘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
magnet fishing
Hi everyone, yesterday I did some magnet fishing with the grandchildren from the SMJ bridge over the river Tove in Towester, to great excitement of the children (and myself) we pulled out three chair screws and a rivet which looked similar in style…Continue
Started by Steve Camm Sep 1.
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 Aug 30.
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.
SMJ photos
Towcester. Track layout to the east including Easton Neston Quarries
Add a Comment
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Comment by Richard Woods on March 10, 2013 at 12:23
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Thanks, i'll have a look!
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Comment by NIGEL on March 10, 2013 at 8:55
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I have recently posted some photos of this junction site and there is still an old concrete signal post laying on the old track bed very near to this junction. Look under "Lloyds siding" for the photos. The remains of the old iron works site and the brick field and kilns site are still there, close by.
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Interesting. I was wondering about this junction, as i'm creating the route for Railworks. Towcester - Ravenstone Wood - Olney. Including the Blisworth Branch and a bonus section between Ravenstone Wood and Piddington Stations. All intermediate stations, bridges ect are included.
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There certainly was a junction here, and the line crossed the Tiffield road on the level. Close by there was an iron works and brickyard with kilns. This siding went all the way to the brick works at Tiffield, and the clay pits and ironstone workings at Showsley and Easton Neston. This junction had it's own signal box and there were sidings off this to the iron works. When the Ravenstone Wood junction line from Towcester was built in 1891, a connection was put in at Easton Neston to the brick yards, and the junction at A to these was dismantled. See map below.
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Was there a junction with point A and the Blisworth line at any pointin time?
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