‘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 Forum
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Started by Jack Freuville Aug 29.
SMJ photos
SMJ get-together 2013.
Tell me what you think!
SMJ get-together 2013. Alwyn mentioned something about a pub in Stratford. I heard the word pub, but can't remember the rest
Let's get together next year, what do you all think?
Andy
Views: 524
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Peter S Lewis on
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Andy,
Good idea....
How about meeting at the Salmon Tail, Evesham Rd, S-on-A, a 100yds down from the old crossing linking GWR line and SMJ...
Peter
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Permalink Reply by alwyn sparrow on
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Andy
To refresh your memory I suggested a pub run by one of our members quite near the Old Town site .but have been unable to contact him short of actually visiting the establishment. As with our previous get-together's
we needed a bit of space for various reasons.
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Permalink Reply by John Jennings on
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Andy, Peter, Alwyn
The pub I think you are looking for is the "West End" in Bull Street Stratford. The landlord is Roger Hatch who is a memenber of this site. I visited him recently and can comfirm that he has assembled some interesting ex SMJ line photos and maps that are framed on the pub walls together with other views of that area of the town including the Royal Label factory which was just round the corner from the pub. I am currently preparing some photos for him to add to the collection. I am sure that Roger would be pleased to hear from you.
John
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Permalink Reply by Paul Jeffries on
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Sounds like a great idea would be nice to meet you all
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Permalink Reply by Paul Stratford on
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Good idea.
Paul Jeffries said:Sounds like a great idea would be nice to meet you all
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Permalink Reply by Dick Bodily on
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Andy
John's suggestion of the West End pub sounds good to me providing that it's got a car park as parking in Stratford ain't easy. It would give a better chance for people from the Stratford area to attend than the previous ones at Stoke, although it would be nice to meet up there again if invited another year. I would definitely attend at a Stratford venue providing I am not working or away.
Dick
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Dick
I have advised Andy that car parking is the one big problem. The pub is in one of the narrow streets in the Old Town area adjacent to the SMJ station site. All street parking is for residenrs only with short stay exceptions of up to two hours on some bays. It is of course also near the parish church which draws lots of visitors in the summer. If it is a nice day the best option would be to park on the recreation ground and walk along the riverside to the footbridge alongside the ex SMJ railway bridge and into Old Town that way. It is about 15 mins walk mostly on footpaths but forget it if weather bad! There is some pay/display in Chestnut Walk about 5 mins away but it is always busy. Otherwise it's use one of the public car parks in town and enjoy the walk.
John
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Permalink Reply by Andy Thompson on
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2013 Get-Together Details
Dear SMJ Society member
I have a date for your diary, one I hope you can make! It’s the date for our 2013 SMJ Society get-together and I hope you will be able to attend. Having had a year off getting together it was suggested that we might try a different approach, and indeed a different location. This we have done and with great thanks to Alwyn for all his help, we have secured a mid-morning to mid-afternoon on May the 11th at The West End public house, Bull Street, Stratford Upon Avon. The first link below takes you to a Google map to show you its location and the second link takes you to their website.
The West End Pub – Google Map
http://www.thewestendstratford.co.ukAlwyn found Rodger Hatch (landlord) very amenable to our suggestion of the society get-together at his pub in May. He's agreed generously to set aside a sizeable corner of his pub for the proceedings. As well as refreshments & alcohol they serve meals. He's kindly offered to give directions for vehicle parking in the vicinity. In my opinion it would be a excellent venue. The phone number if you have any quiries is 01789 268832.
If you click the above link you will see that the pub is within walking distance of the Old Town Station site and so it is proposed we visit (on foot) the site en-mass. The parking isn’t fab but again, I think I shall park near the ‘South Curve’ and walk over to the pub.
The follow is the proposed schedule of the days events
10:30-11:00 arrival for you to unwrap and display your SMJ memorabilia
11:00 – get together start. It would be nice if those who can make it could stay and we can generally natter and swap stories.
12:30 – lunch/food is available on-site from the bar and it is suggested that those attending stay and buy lunch from Rogers menu
2:00 – Post lunch we can pack up and walk (en-mass) to Old Town Station site for a good look, group photos, discussions etc. If anyone has local press connections, maybe they’d like a story and a few piccys.
Time allowing, it isn’t far to the former Binton; SMJ station site. When I visited in 2010 whilst on a canal boat holiday along the Avon (recommended by the way) and providing it hasn’t all been knocked down and houses build on the site (which happens all to regularly here in Devon)the station site is(was) very much intact. The station building is a little treasure and large strips of former track bed are (were) walkable either side of the station.
4pm Finish
I intend coming up from Devon. I plan to go straight to Stratford and then head out to Towcester afterwards for the night, unless I feel up to driving back the same day.
I, Peter, Alwyn et al would love to see as many of you as we can. We have come along way in a short time and I think our previous get-togethers went down well. That said; I thought we might try to accommodate those of you who live at the Stratford Upon Avon end so to that end, I’d love to meet you. Please make space to get involved. If several of you are coming from the same area (say from Northampton/Towcester way), maybe you could share a lift.
I’d like the day to be a success for us, the society, the Pub and Roger generally so please say you’ll come as I’d love to me those regular’s, but more so, those of you who couldn’t make the two Stoke Bruerne events. Don’t forget your SMJ memorabilia, large or small, we are interested – that’s the purpose of our society.
Thanks
Andy
View Larger Map"The West End Public House"
9, Bull Street,
Stratford Upon Avon,
Warks
CV37 6DT
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I'd like to come along to this, other commitments permitting. Nicholas Watson.
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I'd also like to come,
Matthew Cadbury
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All
I have started a new thread for all to add their names to the "coming" list
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