‘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
National Archives, Donation and Kineton Photograph
Not sure if others are aware of the significant amount of documents held by the National Archives on the SMJ. The collection consists mainly of Directors Minutes etc. There is also a collection of early 20th C timetables, handbills etc. which I have…Continue
Started by Dave Hayward Apr 26.
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.
SMJ photos
Fenny Compton Signalbox
Fenny Compton SMJ box seems like an LNWR production. Inside the frame appears to be Midland - but it could be a wartime REC product. A couple of LNWR Webb-Thompson staff instruments complete the very happy scene. I have no put onto your site all I have on the SMJ and related places.
Albums: The SMJ Remembered
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Comment by adrian vaughan on September 21, 2009 at 18:52
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Helo Andy,
I haven't seen Andy Jordan's book but those are Webb-Thompson (LNWR) Electric Train Staff dispencing machines and will be very old. AS old as the box, I suppose. They were patented around 1893. They might have replaced some other system - Tyers tablet, say - but they are old. Webb was Locomotive Engineer of LNWR and Thompson was the Telegraph Engineer.
I wish I had some more pix.
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Comment by Andy Thompson on September 21, 2009 at 18:23
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Save me a place! I noticed the token machines at the back of the box (as described in Arthur Jordons book) the same??
Andy
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Hello Gary,
I wonder if you read the 'Observer' newspaper. Y'day it had a photo - computer generated by NASA (or something like that) - showing Planet Earth from space surrounded by every bit of cast-off space scrap, thousands and thousands of bits of debris. It made a truly awful sight. More junk is being sent up by the EU - a satelite that will be a better Sat Nav device. I mention this to show how far the Western world at least has degenerated since 1946 - when I first started to ask to be allowed up on steam engines. People can't even read their own map and find their way about using their own brain - go and buy some silly little gizmo with a stupid voice telling them what to do. The coal fired BR was the most wonderful place this world will ever see. And the people who operated it. I think heritage railways do a good job of giving people a chance to live like we used to but it will never be like BR in 1955.
Hey ho! I'm so glad the pictures are pleasant for you. Now - as you said earlier - 'Oh for a Time Machine'. 1955 here I come.
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What an amazing shot! History - I heard said that the one they built to replace this one has been demolished (last year?)
Andy
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