"Comparatively little is known about the workings to and from Kineton CAD back in the days when the SMJ was fully open, and I have yet to see anything in Working Timetables in the way of scheduled workings - they must have been 'ones-offs'…"
‘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
PPhoto Albums
AndyAbout two years ago I ended up with some railway matter from a Bill Kendall who had been a Signalman on SMJ ending his railway career at Northampton No 1. I worked with him when I was working in Rugby PSB, I also covered the signa?l boxes at…Continue
Started by Robin Leslie Patrick 12 hours ago.
Broom Junction station site for sale 3 Replies
Great opportunity for an SMJ enthusiast perhaps. I'm not sure what you could actually do with this site though!…Continue
Started by Simon Stevens. Last reply by Simon Stevens 16 hours ago.
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.
SMJ photos
Barry Taylor's Discussions
SMJ keys from the Towcester area
1 Reply
Started this discussion. Last reply by Barry Taylor Sep 4, 2025.
NEW BOOK ON THE SMJ - AVAILABLE SHORTLY
24 Replies
Started this discussion. Last reply by John Evans Dec 1, 2018.
New book with SMJ interest
3 Replies
Started this discussion. Last reply by Dick Bodily Apr 7, 2017.
Barry Taylor's Page
Latest Activity
"Having had a closer look at a better image of the lever plates there is no doubt that they were actually from Towcester - there were 50 levers in the frame there, and the number range, and more importantly the mention of 'Olney branch' and…"
"Further to my last post - I should have been a bit clearer and said that the numbers on the lever plates are too high to have been from Ravenstone, as there were only a max of 20 possible in that frame.
I've also discovered the plan that shows…"
"Hi Dave
The answer is that the lever plates shown in the Index section are not from Ravenstone Wood Junction signalbox - I strongly suspect that they are from Olney although I don't have a signalling plan to hand to confirm this. RWJ box was a…"
"As there have been no 'takers' for these keys they have now been donated to Towcester Museum to join the many other relics of the SMJ in the area"
SMJ keys from the Towcester area
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 Neston House and each bunch has a rather fragile label attached as follows: "Key No 18 Gates S&MJ Rly Level Crossing""Key No 31 Level Crossing Gate LM&S Railway"The numbers will relate to the estate rather than the railway.I think that these…See More
"Essentially you are correct about it being a relic of the tramway that connected to the Towcester - Blisworth line, but it is a bit more complex than that. A connection was put in from Lloyds Sidings on the Blisworth route about a mile north of…"
"I think that we can now agree that there was definitely a siding behind Bidford station platform?
The problem is dating the photograph. I have two prints in front of me as I write, both with info on the reverse.
One has, in two different hands, the…"
"I've responded to this under a new heading : Bidford-on-Avon."
"Further to the discussion on Bidford –
I think that the use of the word ‘siding’ on the early OS map might be a red-herring? I seem to remember seeing somewhere a discussion (maybe RCHS?) on the use of that word to describe some…"
"Yes - I had noticed this anomaly.. I haven't yet found my original source for the 27/5/1898 date but think that the1890 date is very unlikely - that period seems quite well documented and there seems to have been no mention.
I suspect that my…"
"Ah good - thought it must be there somewhere. I have recorded both RAIL 968 and 969 but somehow not 970 - although I did lose some Kew records on a corrupt CD years ago. Thought that I had recovered them on a later visit but this may be one…"
"The 1890 WTT is safely in private hands..
I do have copies of the Kew WTTs, but thus far I have not located any other similar examples.
That said there were a couple (I think) of EWJR WTTs for sale in one of Robert Humm's catalogues a year or…"
"There is an easily missed footnote at the very bottom of that page in Arthur's book that states 'by kind permission of Public Records Office Kew'
That said, I haven't found it so far in my notes / records from my own visits…"
"The date of 2/1/1886 is confirmed by the Act for the amalgamation of the STMJR ER&SJR and EWJR dated 1 August 1908 page 4 - the ER&SJR is named therein as the 'Evesham Company'
Also included on the same page is the date of…"
Barry Taylor's photos
Comment Wall (12 comments)
- At 12:40 on February 26, 2014,
John Evans said…
Hi Barry
Just let me know how I can help...
Best regards
John (john.evans777@yahoo.com)
- At 18:19 on August 25, 2009,
Dick Bodily said…
- I'll let you know as soon as I know exactly where and when.
Dick
- At 10:09 on August 25, 2009,
- Barry
Have updated the Rail Tours list correcting some errors I made plus adding your new ones. I've contacted Rex Partridge who doesn't use computers. Turns out he went on TGS Rail Society coach tour shed bashes in the early 60s with me and a mutual friend to Doncaster, Nottingham and Leeds and I didn't even remember him! He's writing an SMJ article for one of the magazines and is going to pass on info for my classes list. Some amazing stuff, but I shall wait until his article appears before putting it on the website because I think that's only fair.
Dick
- At 13:52 on August 7, 2009,
- Barry
Have now seen the letter, it was written by Rex Partridge who lives at Byfield. I don't know him but he is an expert on Woodford's latter day railway history and as a youngster was personal friends to many of the old Woodford railwaymen including Dick Hutt who drove the last GC line train. He actually wrote the chapter on Woodford in R Robothams 'The Last Years of the GC Main Line' for him. I used this as one of my references in putting together the SMJR locos list and also the Woodford page on this website. I've not seen his name on this website nor the GC yahoo groups website. Perhaps he is not into computing. He must have a wealth of info.
Dick
- At 14:21 on August 6, 2009,
- Barry
Thanks for that. I've got your interesting article about Northampton shed special workings. I don't buy railway magazines often but always have a quick look each month to see if there's anything about the Northampton area so I've got all the recent SMJ articles, including Andy's. Looks like I'll have to have a look at the August editions to check up on these letters. Regarding the RAF specials in the 50s, I find it hard to believe that I would not have seen or heard about any passenger trains, as although not very interested in railways in the early to mid 50s, I was friendly with the Blakesley signalboxman's son and we always got to hear about and usually see the 'tank trains' as we called them which took armoured vehicles, field guns, etc. to and from Kineton Camp.
Dick
- At 15:37 on August 3, 2009,
- Barry
I've cut and pasted your reply about race day specials onto the railtours page via a comment.
Dick
- At 9:53 on July 10, 2009,
- Barry
look at John Jennings reply to Unusual Engines on SMJ discussion. Explains everything about 22xx workings .
Dick
- At 11:52 on July 8, 2009,
- Hi Barry
Thanks for that I'm able to finish my Excel as a result. I shall also be able to update the loco list within the next few days with your additions. I shall have to send a revised version to Andy.
Have got a new one for you from Six Bells Junction.
On 17/11/62 GWR 2210 took over the King (Class) Commemorative Tour at Leamington, then ran down the main Paddington line to Fenny Compton, onto the SMJR to Blisworth, then down the West Coast mainline!!! to Bletchley, over the 'White Elephant' flyover on to the Buckinghamshire line, off at Calvert onto the GCR mainline to Marylebone!
Thanks once more
Dick
- At 10:22 on July 8, 2009,
- Barry
Thanks for the useful and interesting info. I've had the time to do the engines list (which is on this website now - accessed through the Other locos link - have a look and see if you can add to it) and I'm putting together a SMJ specials list as I'm unable to do any parttime work for a few days as I've gone temporarily deaf until I can get my ears syringed! I'm having trouble finding the date of the (in the 60s- 3 car?) DMU railtour. Do you have any idea when it was, even a rough idea would be useful.
Cheers
Dick
- At 14:09 on July 7, 2009,
- Hi Barry
At present I'm trying to put together a Excel type file of SMJ specials/ railtours for Andy to tidy up the Railtours section of this website and wondered if you could help with following
4/5/57 Do you know the B16's number?
24/7/54 Do you know where the railcar joined the SMJ?
On another subject. Had another thought about your details about 22xxs arriving at 2E. Although I agree they probably arrived via the SMJ, another more likely than my original suggestion of the Leamington - Weedon route possibility would have been from Oxford via Bletchley. I know there were regular freights from Northampton to Oxford usually worked by 2E engines.
Did you used to spot yourself in the Northampton area in the 60s? I used to regularly do Castle station, Banbury Lane crossing, Wellingborough and Peterborough (car park near East where you could watch both lines), Woodford and Banbury.
Dick
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