‘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
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.
PPhoto Albums 1 Reply
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. Last reply by Dave Hayward Jun 8.
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 May 17.
SMJ photos
Robert Blair's Page
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Thanks for your interesting message. I didn't know that Harold Drinkwater was a signalman at Blakesley. During the 20s my grandfather must have worked with him as he was a PW man and brickie based at Blakesley station. I can't really remember him and your relative Harold must have died before I was born. I'm afraid I can't really help you much with further info about your relatives as I was very young at the time and didn't know them very well. They used to live two doors away from my grandparents, and a dear old couple named Tew lived in between. That's about all I can remember. The name Fairey is familiar as there used to be a toy shop of that name at Towcester and also there was a locally well-known railway photographer named Ken Fairey (any relation?)
Dick
I see from a comment you sent Peter Lewis that you have family connections with a signalman at Blakesley. I was wondering roughly when your father in laws' grandad was signalman there. I have done quite a bit of research into the railway at Blakesley including an interview for the website with Bob Salmons who was a signalman there in the 40s and 50s. If you haven't seen it it's on this website (you need to click on the 'History Pages' link at the top of the page. There's also an album of Blakesley photos in the 'Photos + Videos' section which you have probably already seen. I remember a family called Drinkwater who lived in School Lane in the 50s, there was an old lady named Bertha and she had two grown up daughters still at home called Grace and Joy. Perhaps Bertha was the signalman's mother or his widow. Both the daughters married, Grace married a man named Del. A different family of Drinkwatres kept one of the village shops.
Dick Bodily
Welcome to the site..
Do you have any connection with this line?
Peter