‘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'

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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 15 minutes ago.

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 27 minutes ago.

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

Ravenstone Wood as three way junction?

A close analysis of the 1945 RAF aerial photographs available in the historical imagery resource on Google Earth has provided evidence that Ravenstone Wood was probably a three-way junction during the latter part of WW2 and for an unknown period of time afterwards. Trains approaching from Bedford would have been faced with the SMJ to the left, Northampton straight ahead and a line into WD (later MOD) Yardley Chase explosives depot to the left. It would appear that this latter line was a secondary connection to the principal connection to the depot at Piddington Station.

From the photographs I have attached it seems to indicate that the 'Ravenstone' connection extended from the main line to the north-east across a field where some reception sidings were sited before turning to the east to join the main military network through the extended siding of the nearest storage shed. This latter arrangement would have been most unusual to allow 'through' trains by a storage shed considering the fire risk from sparks emanating from a WD 0-6-0 saddle tank! I believe second connections at these depots, although Kineton never had one (or did it?), were to ensure that the depot would keep working if one junction was taken out by enemy action.

Does anybody have further information on this, maybe i have missed previous discussions etc on this intriguing subject!

Dave Hayward

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Permalink Reply by Robin Cullup on April 15, 2018 at 19:55

I wrote an article on Ravenstone Wood Jcn that appeared in the Midland Railway Society Journal No.58 (Summer 2015) which dealt (briefly) with the Yardley Chase Munitions Depot. The Piddington connection was announced as opening on 23rd April 1942. The connection at the Ravenstone Wood Jcn end was dated as opening 23rd October 1942 described "new sidings for construction purposes up side opposite box and connection into up line".

The Fortnightly Notices for 2nd December 1944 state:

"Ravenstone Wood Jcn - temporary connection from contractor's siding to up line removed".

Finally on 7th October 1945 "Ravenstone Wood Jcn - trailing connection up siding to up line removed".

Unfortunately we don't have all the Train Registers from RWJ for this period but there are 4 entries in 1944 mentioning the siding before it was disconnected.