‘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

M40 motorway

A far more up to date question than my last one re: North End and Warwick Road - but the same area of the SMJ line.

Does anyone have precise dates and details for the bridging of the M40 motorway, when the SMJ was realigned slightly from its old course?

Was the line actually closed for a period of time while this was carried out, or was the new section constructed and then the line switched over without a break?

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Permalink Reply by NIGEL on April 5, 2015 at 20:44

Correction to last statement......only part of the line in this area is welded continuously. Some of the track is on concrete sleepers, a small length from bridge 65 is still on wooden sleepers. Photo above shows old course of the line on the R.H.S. Looking towards bridge 65 at Northend.

There is a farm crossing point here in the foreground.

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Permalink Reply by NIGEL on April 5, 2015 at 20:55

View of M40 bridge showing why the track had to be elevated to the extent that it has. The old SMJ line disappears into the bushes and trees on the other side of the motorway, centre of photo. Looking towards Kineton.

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Permalink Reply by NIGEL on April 5, 2015 at 21:59

The transition from wooden to concrete sleepers is evident at this point. Most of the track chairs are G.W.R. dated 1920's and 1930's with a few B.R. (W.R.) ones on the wooden sleepers. A few tens of yards from the farm crossing on the Northend side.