‘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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Blisworth - Towcester ETS working

Electric train staff equipment had been brought into use between Blisworth and Towcester by 9 August 1910 (date of SMJR minute 451 (TNA file RAIL 674/3)) and presumably the new signal box at Blisworth appeared at the same time. In that this was so…Continue

Started by Richard Maund on Saturday.

Blisworth 1920

SMJ board minute 1474 of 13 April 1921 (TNA file RAIL 674/4) approved that “the following expenditure be charged to Capital” for year 1920: “Blisworth: Signalling and alterations to Permanent Way, Improvements and additional signalling: £800”. In…Continue

Started by Richard Maund on Saturday.

Evesham Redditch & Stratford-upon-Avon Junction Railway 8 Replies

Did this railway (as opposed to the East & West Junction Railway) go into receivership - if so, when. And when did it come out of receivership?Continue

Started by Richard Maund. Last reply by Richard Maund Feb 11.

Bidford-on-Avon 5 Replies

Shall we bring this discussion under the proper heading!So far as the OS plan surveyed 1885, published 1886, is concerned: the OS liked - wherever they could - to have text running parallel to the top and bottom borders. When they came to add the…Continue

Started by Richard Maund. Last reply by Richard Maund Feb 10.

SMJ photos

RAILWAY BYLINES MAGAZINE

The March 2012 edition features the SMJ (Towcester to Ravenstone Wood Section) as it's lead article. They are also promising a feature on the Towcester to Cockley Brake section next month.

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Permalink Reply by Dick Bodily on March 16, 2012 at 13:54

This series is by SMJ Society member Barry Taylor who as well as contributing a lot of info for articles on this website has written several very interesting articles about the Northampton area for Railway Bylines. Also due out soon, in June 2012 Steam Days is an article about Byfield and Charwelton Ironstone Railways by Rex Partridge.

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Permalink Reply by Si Donal on March 16, 2012 at 16:39

Superb news Dick. Looks like another good year for the SMJ.

Dick said:

This series is by SMJ Society member Barry Taylor who as well as contributing a lot of info for articles on this website has written several very interesting articles about the Northampton area for Railway Bylines. Also due out soon, in June 2012 Steam Days is an article about Byfield and Charwelton Ironstone Railways by Rex Partridge.

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Permalink Reply by Barry Taylor on March 16, 2012 at 16:53

Thanks for the commercial Dick ! The next part will be on the old N&BJR lines from Blisworth to Towcester and on to Banbury. Then either one or two parts to cover the 'main line' of the EWJR from Towcester through to Stratford and Broom Junction - depends how the editor wants to present it. Presumably in consecutive months, although you never know!

Hope that you all enjoy it - it was intentionally written as a sort of 'personal reminiscence' as I am also working on a more detailed SMJ line history for 'Railway Archive' magazine, but this is still a 'work in progress'

For anyone with interests in really old locomotives, Railway Archive should have an article of mine in the next issue - due out early June, but again up to the editor - this is about early locos on the Northampton & Banbury Junction railway, and is a sort of follow up to my previous one on the French locos on the East & West Junction Ry in the 1870's.