Hello, many thanks for the warm welcome. I am delighted to find a group of like minded people who care about "my" railway!

Alas, I am to young to have any stories to tell, photos to show or

memories to recall. I live near coventry, so my bit is the stretch between Fenny Compton and Stratford. Some parts of the track

are barely visible, others are quite clear, but all of it is fast being

eroded by "progress".

Look forward to reading all your contributions.

Regards, Adam.

Hi Peter,

Just looked at your SMJ pics.   Good shots.

One day someone, who knows Photoshop really well, will superimpose the outline of locos etc. onto some of your location shots.   It will be quite tricky though won't it ?

We both enjoyed the WSR..  I hope to get some of my pics. onto S/T with Andy's assistance.

Cheers,   Jack.

Nice words Peter, thanks. Will we see you at the WSR at the weekend ? Jack.

Hello Peter and thank you for your welcome,Unfortunately i am not old enough to have ever seen anything operating over this superb rural railway.However when i started on the railway at Northampton in the early 80s there were 3 ex Blisworth men still working at Northampton depot.( in fact most of the drivers at this time were 55 years old plus) Therefore there were plenty of stories regaled of times past which fascinated me.It brought it home to me how boring it must have been for them going main line to just Euston Birmingham or Crewe when they used to go to all  points of the compass.This website shows in detail with all the old photos just how interesting the railways were then.I try to visit some of the locations in "real life" whenever i get the chance to see the changes over time.

Thank you for your welcome message. I was thrilled to find the SMJ site and browse the

photo album to see locations that I remember from the 1940's when being transported to my grand parents at Moreton Pinkney. Incidents that come to mind are dropping my Teddy off the platform and causing delay to the train from Blisworth while the guard scrabbled about on the track to effect a rescue. The Yank serviceman giving me my first taste of chewing gum (spat out). The train on another occasion at night coming to a halt some way before M/P station and Aunt Ethel getting out and rolling down into the brambles by the brook, yes, it really happened! I can still hear the shout from the engine "shut that bloody door", there might have been Luftwaffe about! Uncle and stationmaster setting off back up the line with a lantern to find her. I was also fortunate to spend many days at the

M/P signal box as, I think Mr Hawtin, the signalman was my gparents neighbour and for some reason was given the task of looking after me and demonstrated by placing a penny on the rail, what would happen to me if I didn't watch out. I also remember all the staff (3)

moving wagons of beet around the yard with what I now know to be a pinch bar. All these

memories revived by your photo album, thank you so much. I live in Devon so do not have the oppotunities to visit in person. Merry Christmas. David Walker.

 

Hello Peter,my wifes father has been telling her of his days as a young lad ,when he visited his nan and pap who lived in School Lane Blacksley.His paps name was Harold Drinkwater and he was a signelman at Blacksley.As a lad, my father-inlaws job was to take his paps lunch and drink to him,then to pick fresh vegetables from the allotment that was kept beside the signelbox.The old photos of the station and signelbox brought back fond memories.Thank you for a excelent site.Regards Robert

Many thanks Peter, I shall enjoy exploring the site!

Peter
Thanks for the welcome, I look forward to debate with you and putting some input
into the site.

Thank you very much!

Hello Peter,

Many thanks for the welcome to the site.
I am interested in building a model set around Worcester Diglis (planned but never reached).
The period will be the early 1950's with a mix of LMS and early British Railways liveries.

Steve

Peter

Clive contacted me when I joined the GC society. Seems he recognised my surname as he worked with my dad's cousin, who drove out of Woodford, and that's why he contacted me in the first place. He has sent me emails about Woodford in general, his experiences on the SMJ were limited. The bits about the SMJ I have cut and pasted on to the website with his permission.
It would be great if we could locate an ex- Northampton footplate man as they were in charge of the bulk of SMJ workings east of Woodford.

Dick

Sorry Peter I do not have any photos of Evesham Road Crossing Box.

Hello Peter,
It went on too long! 11.30 finish. The talk flowed - aong with everything ele - but I was getting a bit threadbare by 11. I've been to Weybourne this morning and spent 3 hours cleaning the bright work - it took that long to get the copper cap and safety valve cover truly clear and bright. The engine is badly in need of a paint job - the tender is OK. The nameplates black backing paint is also a mess. The brass can be polished (was polished) but the backing paint was in a terrible mess of rubbed out-ness and brasso marks which cannot be removed. I would have liked to do more - maybe I will Tuesday a.m early before I go into the signal box. I went on the a Norfolk COunty Council 'Green' event at Felbrigg hall near Cromer to collect 60 kilos of county council garden waste compost and 10 kilos of compressed sawdust blocks.

Thank you for the kind thought, Peter.
Reciprocated of course. And taling of reciprocation - when I've done the washing up from last night's dinner party (two friends over from the railway) I'm off to spruce-up the great reciprocating engine 'City of Truro'.

Best wishes,

Adrian.

Family ties in Blakesley - childhood holidays.

Peter

Have updated the rail tours thanks to Barry T and Rex Partridge (by mail), have a look and see if you can spot any errors. Will later be updating the SMJR classes list as Rex has details of diesels that have been to Kineton, plus stock that was stored there ( some amazing stuff coming but will probably wait until his SMJR article appears in 'Steam Days' shortly as that would only be fair to him)

Dick

Thanks for your input Pete. I'm hoping to meet Brian Dunn next month on my talk. We still on for some SMJ hunting?

Andy

Hi Peter
I have responded to very many enquiries over the years and always glad to help researchers on the ex SMJ line. I did post some archive material on the old site but I suppose you have read this??

Regards John J