‘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"
I took my grandson to the National Railway Museum on Dec. 30th and noticed two bench seats, of the type found on station platforms until traditional stations were replaced with bus-shelters. Both bear the title " STRATFORD " - I'll try and upload…Continue
Broom History Group will be holding an event at Broom Village Hall 2-4pm on 9th November 2024 including a film on the railway and Broom Junction.…Continue
The only mention of a US 2-8-0 S160 on SMJR metals that I've come across came to me via Rex Partridge. He used to know many retired Woodford (2F) footplatemen, most of whom have long passed on, and one told him of taking a S160 that was being used on the GC main line from Woodford onto 'the Nibble' (SMJ) but only as far as Byfield on 'The Round the World' pick up goods. It happened sometime during the 1940's and possibly only ever happened the once. The usual motive power for this working would have been a J11 'Pom Pom' or perhaps later a L1 tank but all sorts of unusual classes turned up occasionally, (see the Locomotives seen on SMJ Metals page via the Pages of History link at the top of this page, most of the information about this working has come to me via Rex).
I've never heard of S160s going to Kineton. Do you know where your attached picture was taken?