‘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 seats at York Museum ?

I took my grandson to the National Railway Museum on Dec. 30th and noticed two bench seats, of the type found on station platforms until traditional stations were replaced with bus-shelters. Both bear the title " STRATFORD " - I'll try and upload…Continue

Started by Paul Atherton Jan 5.

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, 2024.

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, 2024.

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, 2024.

SMJ photos

The last days of the SMJ Pickups

I've decided to put out the article as it is without getting the various people who have kindly helped me in putting it together to proof read it first. It's now on the website. So please feel free to tell me about any mistakes you notice or add any new info that you have.

Cheers

Dick Bodily

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Permalink Reply by Barry Taylor on August 2, 2011 at 9:53

Hi Dick

Great article, which pulls a lot of useful info together in one place. A few comments / additions - by the way, the destination of the iron ore is Etruria (Potteries area), not Eritrea, which is in East Africa !

I have an old Northampton shed loco arrangements book from 1949, which although it is faded and falling apart, does add a few interesting things - maybe others can comment on some of these points.

Taking a random week in Oct 1949, there are the following workings that might be SMJ-

1.00am Blisworth - always a Northampton 4F (4076 / 4072 for example) but is this an SMJ job - a bit early in the day?

4.58am Blisworth - but rarely seems to run - could be anything

6.35am (6.30 am on Saturdays) Woodford - always a 21D loco - 3767, 3698

7.35am Byfield / 7.35am Blisworth - we know about these two, but the interesting thing is that only one crew is shown booked to the two locos. the locos are always 21D - eg;3523, 3698, 3822, 3521, 3767.

On a separate page of the book each day, there is shown a 7.30 Byfield, with just crew names and no loco (plus others on this page -see later) I'm not sure just what this page represents - anyone have any ideas? It might show 'foreign' crews booking on times- which would fit if it was a Stratford crew going home after lodging.

5.40pm Woodford - again always a 21D loco (3568, 3698, 3767) Interestingly, the loco that works this turn is the same one that left the shed for the 7.35am Woodford earlier that day - so it made a double trip.

2.10pm Banbury (Thurs only) - a Northampton loco - eg 58281, 4491, 4076 - on Sats runs at 2.32pm, but with no loco number shown - strange.

7.00pm Byfield (Sats only) - 21D loco eg 3698

Apart from the odd 7.30am Byfield (?booking on time) shown above, there is also a daily 12.48pm Banbury shown on the same page, with again just a crew, and no loco mentioned. This could be a pick up freight, but might or might not be an SMJ route train - it could be a re-manning job down the main to Bletchley, then on to Banbury that way - anyone know?

There are a couple of other nice little gems in the book -

Sunday 6/11/49 - 58281 to Fenny Compton 5.30am ex Castle yard engine & brake

then 58218 10.30am same destination as relief for ballasting - so obviously p-way work going on there.

The job was repeated the next Sunday, with 4387 and 3523 used.

Weds 9/11/49 - 6.00am 2 x class 4F (no numbers given, so maybe just remanned locos) light engine for Blisworth, to go to Burton Dassett - one of the 'ammo' specials?

Hope this adds a bit of meat to the bones - but it would be interesting to get a bit more knowledge of the Banbury line workings. Like you, I have never seen a photo of the pick up freight on that section - its always passenger trains

Regards

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Permalink Reply by Gary on August 2, 2011 at 16:25

A most brilliant article there Dick. Thanks for taking the time to collate, compile and draft it.

ATVB
G

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Permalink Reply by Dick Bodily on August 4, 2011 at 8:12

Hi Barry,

Eritrea eh? That would be one hell of a lodging turn! I noticed the error, corrected in one place and didn't notice it was still there elswhere in the script. I've put it right now .... I hope!

Thanks for the interesting details from '49. In derek muttons biik he talks about how one turn at 2E involved finishing by taking a 4F to Blisworth in the early hours so that it could take on early duties on the SMJ.

I believe that most of the locos on the SMJ previous to the closure of 21D were Stratford engines, butthat much of the crewing and servicing was done by 2E. There were also crews that signed on at Blisworth. Northampton men were more likely to work through to Banbury than to Stratford or Broom on the passenger trains as some of them were not signed for the route beyond Byfield, so presumably Blisworth men took the Stratford passenger workings in the 40s along with Stratford men.

Thanks again for all your help and advice, I've copied and pasted your reply onto the articles page as well.