‘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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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 station looking east

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Albums: Towcester to Olney, summer 1961

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Comment by Tim Roy on August 30, 2016 at 10:31: Hi Dick,

The date on the back of this photograph is 1961. My Father's photographs of the SMJ at Roade were taken on August Bank Holiday, so it is possible that the ones of Towcester were taken on the same day.

Regards, Tim

Comment by Dick Bodily on August 29, 2016 at 17:47: This is late 50s, early 60s as the footbridge has gone as has the down line through the station and the station house has received its coating of black pitch like substance upstairs. Presumably as well as controlling the long siding that occupied the Banbury line's formation almost as far as the site of Green Norton junction it would have also allowed pick up goods to use it as a headshunt, heading forward over the Lucas Bridge before reversing wagons into the goods siding and shed. Certainly locos on such workings gingerly pulled forward over the bridge in order to do this as the long siding towards Norton was always full of condemned or stored coaches waiting to go to Wolverton or some scrapyard. I once saw an unidentified Jubilee on this siding reversing wagons into the good siding.

Comment by Paul Parsons on August 27, 2016 at 16:53: Fascinating shot. The former starting signal to Banbury on the bracket has been replaced by a subsidiary arm which implies that a portion of that line was retained as a siding after the route closed.

Comment by John Evans on August 27, 2016 at 8:05: Wonderful general view of Towcester in its last active days.

Comment by Andy Thompson on August 26, 2016 at 15:02: What a great station shot, including the Lucas bridge. Andy

Comment by Peter S Lewis on August 26, 2016 at 12:11: Great group of photos!

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