‘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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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
Peter S Lewis's Comments
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Thanks for the welcome,.
No I have no connection with the SMJ just a passing interest in railways.
Live in Bedfordshire and know a few ex-drivers from Bedford who occasionally worked the line.
Regards
Bryan
thank you for your kind welcome it was a pleasure to receive your message.am originally from honiton devon and was the last junior porter at combpyne on the lyme regis branch no doubt andy would be interested in my many stories of the exeter salisbury route as he lives in feniton the former sidmouth junction where my late father was once a porter.
after becoming a signalman i finished up at west drayton box(rip)but i really wanted to work at honiton incline box(rip)but left BR when offered a job with the MOD at yardley chase depot (otherwhise known as piddington on puddle)) so iwent to live in blisworth with my brother who was a shunter at blisworth so i got to know them all there including my good mate lennie haynes and his wife eileen who was a parcel porter at blisworth,my brother used to go out with eileens sister.
this was my introduction to the SMJ.the ironstone pit at blisworth was still open using steam locos my only photo of those happy daze(induced in the blisworth hotel)is of me at the ironstone pit with the locos a few days after its hurried closure.lenny had a van so much exploring of the SMJ was done by us and it soon became my favourite railway albiet trackless and it was interesting to listen to lennys many stories iused to walk our dog along the SMJ each evening as far as tiffield bridge i found an SMJ cast iron notice behined the ivy on the first farmers bridge along the wsy and took it home it was there until i went to australia for a few years i dont know where it is now mores the pity.
YARDLEY CHASE was a good place to play with trains but the pay was lousy!i could have gone to MOD BICESTER as a blockman(signalman) but the MOD pay and the cost of living in bicester are not exactly compatible!
rumours had it YARDLEY CHASE was to close(which it eventually did) i got offered a job BRITISH WATERWAYS at the blisworth(gayton arm) depot less pay than MOD so i went as a £10 tourist to australia instead it was ok but the lure of the SMJ won the day(ha ha)
i will speak to lenny about any info for the website i phoned him as soon as i had joined he was amazed! he does not have internet access or know anyone who has so next time i see him in a couple of months i will take a note book he also knows a lot of poems written by another relief signalman at blisworth dubbed the poet they are clean but comical and all about amusing incidents on the railway in the local area
cheers for now peter all best wishes and i look forward to hearing from you.
BRIAN DUNN. BIRMINGHAM.
Not really "expertise" as such, rather the fact that I was fortunate to have visited and photographed some of the SMJ line in the 1960s as well as subsequetly acquiring a quantity of railway paperwork from LMS days, most of which is now in Andy's posession! If you loook at Andy's other SMJ site, you will see some photos from me and also from my mate Ron Fisher as we travelled around together quite a lot in those days. I only wish now that I had taken more pictures but when so many lines were closing and steam was on its way out, there was a lot of ground to cover - too much in fact!
Cheers,
John