‘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.
Doesn’t look like the WCML so reckon it must be the SMJ. Feel I ought to know where Roade used to play cricket, but memory is too hazy to recall right now. Anyway that delivery from left of shot was definitely a ‘no ball’ by either the front or rear foot rule - delivery didn’t really start until half-way down the wicket ! I must have watched far too many village games in those days ...
Looks like the 'bridge' under the line is where brook and footpath cross the line, between the two road overbridges in the top left hand corner of the OS plan at https://maps.nls.uk/view/114480620
I wonder if Pianoforte Supplies had a cricket pitch near their works and if that was so was that the location of the match. If so it could have been either line as the LNWR main line would not have been in the deep cutting that far south. The factory was just east of the main line south of the bridge carrying the main road through the village.