‘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

What was left????

In the summer of 1988 I was with my parents in Straford-upon-Avon. We were walking south along the east bank of the Avon when we came across an old railway bridge across the river. My father wanted to go up the embankment to explore, but my mother's arthritis meant she wouldn't have been able to. So we didn't.

Now that I know what that bridge was, and what used to be at the other end of the bridge I am disappointed that we didn't explore. And that was enhanced the first time I drove along the bypass in subsequent years and noticed the platform edge that still exists.

So my question is, what would we have seen in 1988 if we had climbed up onto the bridge and headed over the river. Maps suggest not a lot, so I suspect the platforms edges and overgrown platform surfaces and overgrown track bed. Maps seem to show that there were no buildings left.

Was there a path we could have used, or was the route too overgrown?

Are there any photos of the station then?

I wonder if the council have any archives, in particular, pre-bypass photos, acquired during the bypass planning stages.

Can you help put my disappointment to bed?

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Permalink Reply by Barry Taylor on August 25, 2014 at 15:52

Hi Kevin

The attached pic will give you a feel for what you would have seen. I took it in July 1989, and the print has suffered a bit over the intervening years, but it shows a view west from track level with the platforms still in place - and from my notes, that was about all that was left.

House building had started, and was spreading over the site of the station buildings and approach road, but no sign of the bypass yet.