‘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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SMJ Forum

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.

North End and Warwick Road stations? 57 Replies

Some time ago we ahd an interesting and lively discussion on the mystery station at Tiffield, which added quite a lot to our collective knowledge.I've recently been looking closely at two of the other mystery stations- at North End (sometimes…Continue

Started by Barry Taylor. Last reply by Richard Maund Jan 27.

1873 timetable 4 Replies

Page 12 of Arthur Jordan's book features a full page reproduction of the E&WJ public timetable handbill for August 1873. Does anyone know where the original of that handbill is preserved?Incidentally, the timetable itself formed the basis of…Continue

Started by Richard Maund. Last reply by Barry Taylor Jan 25.

SMJ photos

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I was browsing through some very old notebooks.

 

One included a Sunday visit to Newport Ebbw Junction loco shed in February 1962.

 

Amonst the 100+ locos were two (at least) austerities from Woodford Halse.

 

Presumably these had worked over the SMJ to Stratford, then via the 1960 link to Honeybourne, then Gloucester (?).

 

I remember South Wales locos being pretty common at Woodford and assumed that most of them came via Banbury. In fact, I suppose, most of them came via Stratford.

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Peter

After 1960 most traffic between South Wales and the GC at Woodford went via the SMJ, this included the fast fitted freights to and from York Dringhouses. Like yourself I wrongly assumed that Ebbw Junc and Cardiff Canton locos at Woodford had come via Banbury. Woodford WDs and later 8Fs worked through to Wales with the Woodford crews relieved around Honeybourne. If you can get hold of a back copy of June 2010 Steam days there's an article by Rex Partridge about Byfield SMJ that details some of these workings.

Dick

Dick

 

Most of my time was spent at the east end of the line, Blisworth etc. where it was fairly quiet. Obviously things were a lot busier from Woodford to Stratford.

 

When I went to Woodford I usually went near the Byfield Road bridge. This was near the shed and the best place to go for the number of locos. Before that I went a few times to the station yard, i.e.  near the junction. Here it was fairly obvious that probably the majority of freights were along the SMJ Byfield line. I suppose most of the rest were along the Banbury line, and very few along the main line to London. 

Peter

I usually used to go to the football field next to the triangle on Saturday afternoons, watch the match noting anything turning on the triangle and nip around the shed at halftime! Charwelton was another favoured spot as you'd catch any V2s or B16s on fitted freights before they were taken off and replaced with WDs or WR engines. As I spent a lot of time spotting at Banbury and Swindon I wasn't so interested with what happened south of the sheds, clearly I should have been.

Dick

Dick

 

Most of my time was spent at the east end of the line, Blisworth etc. where it was fairly quiet. Obviously things were a lot busier from Woodford to Stratford.

 

When I went to Woodford I usually went near the Byfield Road bridge. This was near the shed and the best place to go for the number of locos. Before that I went a few times to the station yard, i.e.  near the junction. Here it was fairly obvious that probably the majority of freights were along the SMJ Byfield line. I suppose most of the rest were along the Banbury line, and very few along the main line to London. 

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