Stratford

[Peter Fleming]

This is part observation, part questions.

 

My knowledge of the SMJ is more to do with the eastern end. But the other day I was in Stratford and had a snoop round (unfortunately without camera).

 

First the GWR. I walked the route of the line from just beyond the station. There is a footpath/cycle track for about quarter of a mile along to a roundabout. Beyond this the line is taken over by a new road for about quarter of a mile, and beyond this it continues as a cycle path/footpath mainly on a low embankment to the south of the racecourse and crosses the river on a girder bridge. There are two old carriages (no rails) in use as a cycle store and a cafe.

 

As for the SMJ:

 

A new road uses the old bridge (?) to cross the river from the east. This continues for about half a mile to  a roundabout (the footpath is some distance away). At one point between the road and footpath there is a short length of track (about 20 feet) ending in a buffer stop. Is this the old station site?

 

Beyond the roundabout the cycle path/footpath continues for about another half mile with new housing developments occupying the space between the old SMJ and the racecourse. The path continues to the Luddington Road adjacent to the racecourse entrance.

 

My questions:

 

(i) Where exactly was the SMJ station. Presumably it was on the edge of town with only fields beyond.

(ii) Where did the two lines cross (presumably where the roundabout is now?). Did the SMJ go over the GWR?

(iii) What links for through running existed between the two lines at any time?

(iv) The river crossing: I assume this is the original rail bridge but it must have been extensively renovated as the brickwork looks new.

 

Peter

 

 

[Andy Thompson]

Peter
If you go over the bridge (now Seven Meadows Way) which uses the original SMJ footings and as you like is the original bridge tarted up - you enter the former Old Town SMJ site. Heading West from the bridge, on your right remains the platform edge. Footings of the former 21D engine are to your left. The SMJ to Broom crossed over the GWR at the roundabout. For a long time a chord running north from the SMJ just past the Old Town station joined the SMJ to the GWR. In 1960 a 'South Curve' was put in for through running to Wales and the west as the line to Broom had been lifted.

Andy

[John Jennings]

Peter, Many of your questions can be answered by reference to other parts of this site but I list the more important points below.
1. The river bridge is the original rail bridge. It was strengthend by BR in the late 1950's to allow for heavier traffic particularly 9F hauled steel trains. The local councils (town and county) had been arguing since Adam had short trousers about the site of a second Avon road crossing and during the post war years many schemes were devised and objected to. When the ex SMJ route was finally abandoned the council seized on the opportunity to use both the bridge and some of the SMJ trackbed for a new road. You can clearly see this by overlaying various maps or refer to Cobbs atlas. When the road was built the bridge again received additional strengthening in the form of concrete spraying.
2. The SMJ station was at the western end of the river bridge, the short length of track you refer to is slightly to the south of the platforms and in the area of the loco shed / yard.
3. The SMJ (originally the ER&SJR) line crossed the GWR North Warwick line by means of an embankment and bridge which was a few yards to the north of the roundabout you mention. The roundabout is sited about two thirds of the way along the GW Racecourse platforms. There was no junction at that point. The original connection from the GW was adjacent to Sanctus Road overbridge on the GW line and controlled by a GW box known as S M Junction Signal Box. It closed in 1959 when the new Evesham Road box replaced all of the former mechanical boxes in the area.
4. For a general appreciation of the layout and connections at Stratford you might like to read my "Working the Triangle" blog on this site.
5. The coaches you mention being used as a cycle store and cafe are a (fairly) recent addition to the area. They are sited on the GWR North Warwick formation about three hundred yards south of the 1959 junction with the SMJ route. The greatest problem in getting bearings on the area now is the fact that there is such a growth nof trees and bushes compared to 40 - 50 years ago when many of the pics on this site were taken. One reference point that has not changed is the spire of Holy Trinity church, if you stand on the ground with an old photo that shows that spire it quickly enables yo to get a grip of the layout!

Trust this is helpful

John

[Peter Fleming]

John

Thanks for that.

The SMJ station was, then, very close to the river. In pictures of the station there are what appear to be bridge parapets very close by. It must have been, for all its existence, at the edge of town and not as well sited as the GWR station.

The Seven Meadows Way presumably follows the trackbed with the footpath some yards away, so do you need to venture on to the verge of the road to see anything?

The original link between the stations was presumably a transfer connection and not used for through running. The later junction towards Honeybourne obviously was. I had not realised that the line to Broom was abandoned a lot earlier than the rest of the line.

You imply that there was once a racecouse station on the GWR: I had never hearad of this.

Peter



John Jennings said:

Peter, Many of your questions can be answered by reference to other parts of this site but I list the more important points below.
1. The river bridge is the original rail bridge. It was strengthend by BR in the late 1950's to allow for heavier traffic particularly 9F hauled steel trains. The local councils (town and county) had been arguing since Adam had short trousers about the site of a second Avon road crossing and during the post war years many schemes were devised and objected to. When the ex SMJ route was finally abandoned the council seized on the opportunity to use both the bridge and some of the SMJ trackbed for a new road. You can clearly see this by overlaying various maps or refer to Cobbs atlas. When the road was built the bridge again received additional strengthening in the form of concrete spraying.
2. The SMJ station was at the western end of the river bridge, the short length of track you refer to is slightly to the south of the platforms and in the area of the loco shed / yard.
3. The SMJ (originally the ER&SJR) line crossed the GWR North Warwick line by means of an embankment and bridge which was a few yards to the north of the roundabout you mention. The roundabout is sited about two thirds of the way along the GW Racecourse platforms. There was no junction at that point. The original connection from the GW was adjacent to Sanctus Road overbridge on the GW line and controlled by a GW box known as S M Junction Signal Box. It closed in 1959 when the new Evesham Road box replaced all of the former mechanical boxes in the area.
4. For a general appreciation of the layout and connections at Stratford you might like to read my "Working the Triangle" blog on this site.
5. The coaches you mention being used as a cycle store and cafe are a (fairly) recent addition to the area. They are sited on the GWR North Warwick formation about three hundred yards south of the 1959 junction with the SMJ route. The greatest problem in getting bearings on the area now is the fact that there is such a growth nof trees and bushes compared to 40 - 50 years ago when many of the pics on this site were taken. One reference point that has not changed is the spire of Holy Trinity church, if you stand on the ground with an old photo that shows that spire it quickly enables yo to get a grip of the layout!

Trust this is helpful

John

[Tim Poultney]

The track is there I believe as a reminder of the roads past history , also on the othe side of the road on the verge is a low brick wall, this going by old maps, is the old east bound platform.
The roundabout appears to be in the middle of the triangle formed by the crossover to the west and junction to the east, the SMJ appears to have gone over the Honeybourne line.
I also believe it to be the original bridge.

[Dick Bodily]

Peter

When you were standing at the buffers with the short piece of track, if you had looked to the far side of the main road dead opposite you could have just made out the up platform edge of Stratford Old Town, which just about remains intact but now half hidden by bushes and other foliage. On the nearby roundabout there's a short section of what looks like a platform ramp but this is not actually an authentic piece of preserved station remains. Look at the Stratford on Avon Photo Album on this website for several pictures of this location.

Dick