‘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"
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
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.
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.
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?