‘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
More building at Towcester 2 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 Nigel Nov 7.
Broom History Group Event 9th November 2024
Broom History Group will be holding an event at Broom Village Hall 2-4pm on 9th November 2024 including a film on the railway and Broom Junction.…Continue
Started by Simon Stevens Oct 25.
Misunderstanding Easton Neston 2 Replies
Hello, I'm a new member and I've searched through the articles and can't find anything specific to my answer/ question. Can anyone help?…Continue
Started by Matt Davis. Last reply by Matt Davis Oct 16.
Loco N° 5. 2-4-0T
Hi everybodyI’m building a OO gauge model of Fenny Compton and Clifford Sidings over here in Belgium.Quite a strange idea but so be it…In view of this I plan to transform a RTR Beatie Well Tank into SMJR N° 5 the 2-4-0T and use some etchings for the…Continue
Started by Jack Freuville Aug 29.
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