"Thanks - that is a brilliant story. I came back from Kineton last night past my old school and my wife asked what the level crossings were for. I explained they were part of the old line that goes past our current home... in Tiffield :-)"
‘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
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…Continue
Started by Barry Taylor Aug 21.
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 Postage stamps 1911 and 1924
A couple of items recently up for auction.GREAT CENTRAL RAILWAY COMPANY AND STRATFORD-UPON-AVON & MIDLAND JUNCTION: 6…Continue
Started by Graham Ward May 21.
More building at Towcester 3 Replies
I hear there has been more building at the station site in Towcester.Anyone know what they've dug up?…Continue
Tags: Towcester
Started by Andy Thompson. Last reply by John Evans Apr 19.
SMJ photos
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Dave Hayward
- Male
- Nether Heyford, Northampton
- United Kingdom
- Blog Posts (1)
- Discussions (32)
- SMJ photos (2)
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Dave Hayward's Discussions
Funny Story about Kineton Military Railway
2 Replies
An improbable, funny, but absolutely true story relating to the Kineton military railway.Long after my Army days I still retained an affection and passing interest in Kineton ammunition depot where I…Continue
Started this discussion. Last reply by Henry Jul 10, 2024.
Burton Dassett Cableway
1 Reply
Please find attached a copy of the OS 6" map 1888 - 1913 series that illustrates the subject cable-way (called a tramway on the map) and also the Burton Dassett sidings. This cable-way is mentioned…Continue
Started this discussion. Last reply by Mark Reader Feb 22, 2021.
Banbury Merton Road Shed and Britannia Works Tramway
8 Replies
By any chance does anybody have a reasonable photograph of Banbury Merton Road Loco Shed? If so I would like to include into some private research I am intending to share with a small informal group…Continue
Started this discussion. Last reply by Colin Franklin Dec 30, 2020.
Dave Hayward's Page
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"Photographs of the train, perhaps one of the most 'refined' that ever passed along SMJ metals! Also a photograph of another Army loco and some stock in the yard including an Inter- City coach.
Dave"
Funny Story about Kineton Military Railway
An improbable, funny, but absolutely true story relating to the Kineton military railway.Long after my Army days I still retained an affection and passing interest in Kineton ammunition depot where I served during the 1960s. Coupled to a 'love' of railways, especially military systems, the opportunity to tour the depot in a full size passenger train, including silver service dining, was too good to miss. This was in the 1990's, before 9/11 brought a ban onto trains of this nature visiting…See More
"Hi Dave
Eric Tonks included an excellent chapter on this topic in his book, ‘Ironstone Quarries of the Midlands, Part 2, The Oxfordshire Field’.
Its interesting that while it appears on the 1888-1913 OS map, the aerial ropeway does not…"
Burton Dassett Cableway
Please find attached a copy of the OS 6" map 1888 - 1913 series that illustrates the subject cable-way (called a tramway on the map) and also the Burton Dassett sidings. This cable-way is mentioned by Arthur Jordan in hos book on the SMJ at pp45, he does discuss the question of man-riding! I understand but have no details that there was a fatal accident at Northend involving the cable-way (man-riding?).Regards,Dave Hayward…See More
"Would the local authority Record Office have details of this system within its Archive Service?"
"I remember the narrow gage track running outside the station back in the 60's. We would pass it when walking too and from the loco depot and the station when disposing of or picking up a loco from the shed. I also remember the large factory…"
"Thanks to everybody for their interest and responses, unfortunately the photograph of Merton Street shed is one I have seen previously, albeit in this instance 'less grainy'. I have also seen the map of the Britannia tramway, in fact I…"
"Have you tried the Archive section on The Engine Shed Societies website as there's a photo of the shed."
"Picture No. 18, Branch Lines Around Towcester, Middleton Press, by Vic Mitchell and Keith Smith. There is also a diagram in the same authors' book Oxford to Bletchley plate XXV/XXVI."
"Good Evening Dave
Go to www.disused-stations.org.uk ; and search for Banbury Merton Street station. There are two maps showing the layout of the Britannia Works as well. There may be a photo of the engine shed as well."
"I’ve never seen any photos of this shed but would be very interested to see if anybody does find a photo as I worked with drivers from Bletchley that worked to Banbury"
"I do not think there are any unfortunately..."
Banbury Merton Road Shed and Britannia Works Tramway
By any chance does anybody have a reasonable photograph of Banbury Merton Road Loco Shed? If so I would like to include into some private research I am intending to share with a small informal group of enthusiasts, it would be greatly appreciated.Additionally I am endeavouring to find out any information about the tramway that served the Britannia Works at Banbury. I have identified a a track plan on an early OS map and one early posed group photograph of a some workers, the group is straddling…See More
Kineton Military Railway
This information is perhaps not new to everybody as I did post it on the previous SMJ site. For those of interested in the Kineton Militray Railway it still possible to see the location of the third level crossing that crossed the Kineton to Edgehill road, the B4086, until the mid 1960's. About 1000 yds north of the junction of the B4086 with the road from that road to the A4100 there are square wooden gate posts painted in fading black and white, they are on both sides of the road. These are the posts that held the gates across the track here. These lines were primarily desigend to serve a now demolished area of the depot that lay near Radway village and along the course of the B4086/ A4100 road. In those days there were seventy miles of railway line in the depot - very enjoyable riding around it on a little Wickham railcar!! One of these days I will repost a map of the early 1970s track layout when I locate it again.
On another subject I recently read the Industrial Railway Society's publication
Industrial Locomotives of Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire & Northamptonshire'
by Robin Waywell
ISBN 978 1 901556 23 0 (hardbound)
ISBN 978 1 901556 24 7 (softbound)
412 pages of text, including 40 4-colour maps + 96 photos.
£19.95 (soft cover) £24.95 (hard cover)
This excellent publication provides a lot of information about every tramway and quarry line etc that joined or at least served the SMJ - there are a lot more than what you think in the Towcester/ Blisworth area. I saw a copy through the Library Inter Library Loan Scheme.
Lastly a visit to Google Maps - Satellite images provides a detailed view of the remaining parts of the course of the Edgehill Tramway down the hill to the Army Depot.
On another subject I recently read the Industrial Railway Society's publication
Industrial Locomotives of Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire & Northamptonshire'
by Robin Waywell
ISBN 978 1 901556 23 0 (hardbound)
ISBN 978 1 901556 24 7 (softbound)
412 pages of text, including 40 4-colour maps + 96 photos.
£19.95 (soft cover) £24.95 (hard cover)
This excellent publication provides a lot of information about every tramway and quarry line etc that joined or at least served the SMJ - there are a lot more than what you think in the Towcester/ Blisworth area. I saw a copy through the Library Inter Library Loan Scheme.
Lastly a visit to Google Maps - Satellite images provides a detailed view of the remaining parts of the course of the Edgehill Tramway down the hill to the Army Depot.
Dave Hayward's photos
Dave Hayward's Blog
Fellow Members The Branch Line Society in conjunction with CHiltern Railways are running a rail trip this Saturday from Birmingham Moor Street. The trip in a 168 will be covering numerous loops and…
Posted on July 30, 2014 at 17:46 0 Comments 1 Like
Fellow Members
The Branch Line Society in conjunction with CHiltern Railways are running a rail trip this Saturday from Birmingham Moor Street. The trip in a 168 will be covering numerous loops and sidings between Aynho Junction and Stourbridge including many around Banbury Station that are due to be removed with the soon to be started resignalling scheme there.
For particular interest to SMJ fans will be the two loops at Fenny Compton and a trip up the SMJ as far as…
ContinueComment Wall (1 comment)
- At 22:15 on October 28, 2009,
Peter S Lewis said…
- Welcome aboard The Rail Tube Network! Don’t forget we have a section for Steam, Diesel, Electric and Disused. You can sign up for the section of your choice or all 4 (a separate sign up is required for each section but if you choose the same user name and password each time and ask your browser to remember your details, login will be easy!)). As a member you can comment and rate other members uploads, personalise your own page and the blog, upload your own railway photos and videos! If you belong to a railway related group you can set up your own group page on our ‘Groups Page’ too, it will give your group it’s very own presence on the net!. We also have a monthly newsletter ‘On-Shed’ which we hope you will add to.
We hope you find your way around alright and we look forward to seeing some of your own work soon
Andy (The Fat Controller ‘TFC’) & Pete (‘Shedmaster’ & ‘Editor’ of ‘On-Shed’)
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