"Dave
First an apology for so long in replying.
You asked if any wartime mention in those albums which are now with Towcester Museum, the answer is no, but hope the following of interest.
In 1962/63 I was signal box lad at Blisworth reporting trains…"
‘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"
.
SMJ Forum
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 on Tuesday.
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
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Dave Hayward
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- Nether Heyford, Northampton
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Dave Hayward's Discussions
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…Continue
Started 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…Continue
Started this discussion. Last reply by Dave Hayward Jun 16.
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…Continue
Started Apr 26
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!]…Continue
Started this discussion. Last reply by Barry Taylor Oct 23, 2025.
Dave Hayward's Page
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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 the camp area, on the CAD railway system, to 3 Sub-Depot, the area to the west of the Kineton Village to Edgehill road. This service was still running in Feb 64 when I left but had been replaced by a 'lorry' service when I returned in 66. From my…See More
"Barry and all,
Further to my previous post. Being of a Southern vintage myself [ Chichester 1942 - when Tangmere was an active RAF Station and the similarly named locomotive could latterly be ridden behind in day to day service!] I was…"
"Barry,
Thanks very much for this helpful reply. Some unusually 'deep' detail here. I will have to check the dates of the opening of the depot as I think some of the early activity mentioned in the article would centre on construction work.…"
"Dave
There is an article entitled 'Memories of Burton Dassett' in the 'Railway Observer' (RCTS) during 1948, which gives quite a lot of detail about the wartime working in the depot including the passenger traffic - I've…"
"Robin,
Thanks.
Always enjoy seeing your photographs on NIRG.
Dave"
"No they are just picture albums, not of own taking but photographs given.
Robin"
"Robin,
Just wondered if the documents etc that you have make any mention of traffic/ activity into CAD Kineton/ Burton Dassett sidings. Have you seen the discussion that I started regarding wartime passenger traffic at Burton Dassett?
Regards
Dave"
Wartime passenger trains from Burton Dassett
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 start until 1943 at the earliest with the build up of the Depot, nor does he mention if this was daily special or a weekends only. One wonders what attracted the soldiers to Stratford - was it a Shakespeare sonnet, a Stratford wench or Flower's…See More
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 requested a copy of. If anybody does a search on the Nat Archives database try reference RAIL 674.I have made a donation to Barry today on an annual basis.Have also uploaded an undated but old photograph of Kineton Station, with passengers and a…See More
Kineton Station
Found this photograph on Historic England Photographs. Not sure if it had been posted before
"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'…"
Further about Ravenstone Wood Junction
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 topic but I have had a problem posting a reply to Barry's comments on my original topic. What am I doing wrong? I have included below, thanks to the Midland Railway Society, a copy of the signalling plan for Ravenstone Wood junction in 1942. This…See More
"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…"
Profile Information
- Which station was not on the SMJ network?
- Dawlish
- Which rail company became a constituate part of the SMJ?
- The East and West Junction Railway
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 (3 comments)
- At 15:48 on August 24, 2026,
Robin Leslie Patrick said…
Dave
First an apology for so long in replying.
You asked if any wartime mention in those albums which are now with Towcester Museum, the answer is no, but hope the following of interest.
In 1962/63 I was signal box lad at Blisworth reporting trains and one of Signalmen Bill Skeene had been a Signalman atTowcester during WW2. His stories included fuel/ammunition trains at night coming across from Ravenstone Wood Jnc and became divided due to up/down gradients. They would whistle sounding loud in the night time air to alert the Signalman in Towcester Box. The front part of train would go as signalled towards Byfield then points changed for Banbury line in case rear part of train with guard still on move. Then after a safe time the engine released and would go in search of rear portion. But one night the rear portion was still on move passing through Towcester towards Banbury. Then front portion came back into Towcester, the rear portion retrieved from Banbury line and train put back together. He told me this I had to believe.
Robin Patrick, York.
- At 19:24 on June 9, 2026,
No they are just picture albums, not of own taking but photographs given.
Robin
- At 22:15 on October 28, 2009,
Peter S Lewis said…
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We hope you find your way around alright and we look forward to seeing some of your own work soon
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