‘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
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 on Thursday.
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.
SMJ keys from the Towcester area 1 Reply
I have been contacted by someone who wishes to dispose of two sets of SMJ-related keys from the Towcester area, but does not want to put personal email or other details on this website. They have been given to him by the estate manager at Easton…Continue
Started by Barry Taylor. Last reply by Barry Taylor Sep 4.
Bridge sign 3 Replies
An East and West Junction and Stratford-On-Avon, Towcester and Midland Junction Railways bridge weight notice, cast iron, 16½"x11¾", the front repainted. As is usual, the company title has been altered to Stratford-On-Avon and Midland Junction…Continue
Started by Graham Ward. Last reply by Russ Firth Jun 1.
SMJ photos
Auto Train at Towcester Station
Add a Comment
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Comment by Andy Thompson on June 12, 2009 at 15:53
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Comment by Dick Bodily on June 12, 2009 at 10:54
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Si
I have seen various pictures of such workings. They originated from Northampton and were usually run on race days to Warwick racecourse, so this one is almost certainly serving a Towcester race meeting. Whether it ran from Northampton Castle as did the Warwick specials or from Blisworth to Towcester I don't know. Normally the loco would have just one 2 coach auto unit and be regularly used on the Northampton Castle - Leamington (via Blisworth and Weedon) service. Similar trains were used on the Northampton Castle to Blisworth services. I think Andy has a picture of it or a similar working at Towcester station platform where you can clearly see that the loco is a Webb 2-4-2T. Northampton shed had a few right up to the early '50s. One of my earliest railway memories is of being taken to Castle station to meet my much older cousins who had travelled up from Cornwall. The engine that brought them from Blisworth was Webb tank 46666 and they having started their journey behind a relatively modern looking Collett Small Prairie tank thought that this engine was 'as old as the Rocket'. By the time I was spotting I think the Leamington service had disappeared but the auto trains from Northampton to Blisworth, Kettering, Wellingborough and Bedford were more modern units and propelled by Northampton (2E) Ivatt 2MT tanks or Bedford (14E) Standard 2MT tanks.
Dick
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Si. It seems you know more than I! It is, though - one of my favourite photos. I live in Devon and auto trains where a big thing, especially around Plymouth
Andy
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Comment by Si Donal on June 11, 2009 at 20:41
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I assume this view is taken in the early 1930s. The train is a push-pull or motor train. The driver can sit in the carriage, driving using control levers to the fireman in the locomotive. The locomotive is assumed to be a Johnson 1P 0-4-4T but may be a motor fitted ex-LNWR Coal Tank 0-6-2T.
Assuming the lamp in the view is a tail lamp (supported by the signal being cleared for the Blisworth direction) it does beg the question whether there is a motor train carriage at the leading end. If so is this train capable of going through to Northampton? This would involve two reversals at Blisworth zig-zagging across the West Coast Mainline! If not, I wonder why there is such a profusion of motor train carriages on this service.
I also would love to know whether this train terminated at Towcester or whether it carried on to Stratford.
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