‘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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© 2026 Created by Andy Thompson.
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BLAKESLEY and an SMJ stamp
This item has come up in an auction recently and is a glimpse of the practice of carrying mail by train. Apart from the SMJ…Continue
Started by Graham Ward Nov 14, 2025.
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!] Apologies for starting s new Forum discussion on this…Continue
Started by Dave Hayward. Last reply by Barry Taylor Oct 23, 2025.
Ravenstone Wood Junction Signal Box-an anomaly 3 Replies
Closely examining the brass lever plates shown in the Olney Line entry in the Index Section of this website I noticed a significant anomaly. Some of the above plates, specifically 1, 10, 11, 12, 25, 32, 34. refer to platforms, loading dock, goods…Continue
Started by Dave Hayward. Last reply by Barry Taylor Oct 9, 2025.
SMJ keys from the Towcester area 1 Reply
I have been contacted by someone who wishes to dispose of two sets of SMJ-related keys from the Towcester area, but does not want to put personal email or other details on this website. They have been given to him by the estate manager at Easton…Continue
Started by Barry Taylor. Last reply by Barry Taylor Sep 4, 2025.
SMJ photos
Peter S Lewis's Comments
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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