SMJ “The Shakespeare Route” 10 6x4 BW Prints Set BW1
Called “The Shakespeare Route” by a PR minded boss, the Stratford-upon-Avon & Midland Junction Railway was created in 1910 by the merger of the East & West Junction Railway and the Northampton & Banbury Junction Railway, both meeting at Towcester. With 67 route miles, running east-west across the Midlands, life was a struggle and passenger servces ended by the early fifties. The SMJ reached Banbury via the LNWR branch from Verney Junction. We see 264T No 2591 and 060 goods No 3544 on Verney and Towcester trains at Banbury (Merton St) on 18 Sept 1948. At Towcester, the N&BJ joined the E&WJ and we see the station on 4 August 1951. A signal box at the east end of the station dated from shortly after the merger. This SMJ box had replaced a number of earlier boxes, one of which had been at Green’s Norton, where the two companies actually met. Green’s Norton SB closed over a century ago, but was moved to Towcester station where it survived, largely ignored, for many years. Our photo gives SMJ devotees a chance to include this rare structure in their collection. The N&BJ line ran north east to Blisworth, but an E&WJ branch struck west to join the Midland at Olney Junction. It opened to passengers on 1 December 1892, but traffic was derisory and passenger services ceased on 31 March 1893 Two lavish brick built intermediate stations, Salcey Forest and Stoke Bruerne were built and the latter is seen decades after the end of passenger services. West of Towcester the E&WJ crossed the Northants ironstone field, and the station buildings at Byfield typified the single story brick stations on the original E&WJ line. At Fenny Compton, there were interchange facilities with the GWR, and a brick building on one E&WJ platform but a wooden shelter on the other platform, which is seen in 1951. 3F No 43568 is in charge of a four wagon freight heading through Kineton towards Stratford in 1949. Another 3F, 43521, is in the up platform at Straford in May 1951, ready to depart for Fenny Compton and places beyond. E&WJ 060 No 16, built by Beyer Peacock in 1906, is watering in the up platform at Stratford in 1911, before taking a passenger train of the 1885 4-wheelers that had been rebuilt at 6-wheelers to Towcester and Blisworth. A copy of these notes accompanies the set. These views are copyright; Reproduction by any means is prohibited without our prior written permission
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Our second look at “The Shakespeare Route commences with Stratford’s own 43277 with the depot’s 21D shed plate entering the station from the east on an ‘engine and van’ or 1-1-3 working in 1951 The main buildings were on the east bound platform and the old Gloucester Wagon Co signal box, long taken out of signalling use, adjoined them. Passenger services ended in 1952. The SMJR railtour of 1956 was hauled by a Bedford 3F, 43222 and called at Stratford. Kineton, a few miles to the east was provided with a fixed distant on a tall lattice post which we see on 11-6-1952. We look from the Up platform at Fenny Compton towards Stratford in 1951. Arrangements here were unusual with a level crossing AND just next to it a bridge over the road but this had very limited clearance, so tall vehicles needed the crossing! A joint LMS-GWR signal box, visible on the right, was opened in 1931 and replaced in 1960. Byfield was one of the larger communities on the line by SMJ standards and although passenger services ended in 1952 the buildings still survived in 1966, accommodation being boosted by a former LYR grounded coach body, The near pavilion is the booking office with the waiting room and toilets to the right. The station was worked from an RSCo signal box on the Up side which eventually became bidirectional. The box had to be extended at both ends. An RSCo frame survived as late as 1966 although the line was by then closed, as did the early switching out apparatus which enables Byfield box to be switched out. Our last glimpse of the SMJ in this set is a sad one as it is of Morton Pinkney station after the tracks had been lifted but with the buildings still standing. As can be seen they are very similar to Byfield. These views are copyright; Reproduction by any means is prohibited without our prior written permission
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SMJ and steam on the Byfield Ironstone Railway 11 6x4 BW Prints Set BW3
From 1915 to 1965 Byfield sent out thousands of tons or ironstone and was a lifeline for the SMJ, so here is the Byfield Ironstone tramway. We start at the loco depot, standing on the old main line looking towards the SMJ, the replacement route to the quarry diverging to the left (see points) near the bridge. A venerable engine heads towards us and when it arrives, it is Manning Wardle 1235 of 1893 which was 20 years old before the Byfield line was opened! She was broken up early in 1962. More modern was CHERWELL, Bagnall 2654 of 1942. All sorts of bits could be found at the loco depot of an ironstone quarry including wheels for an 0-6-0T even! The old main line curved past the shed and engines positioned the tank filler in line with the curved end of the pipe and the stop valve was then opened. A conventional ‘bag’ or hose would have been easier to use! In the emergency of World War 1, the railways helped out and the LNWR provided track materials for Byfield Ironstone Co! Cherwell brings some wooden bodies wagons from Iron Cross quarry and crosses over the road, heading for the BR sidings. Quarrying ended early in 1965, but Daventry Borough Council asked if Cherwell could go to play park at New St Recreation Ground where we see her in 1966. Soon the smokebox door was plated over and the engine was a sorry sight. In 2001 it went to the Rushden Highham & Wellingborough Railway for restoration as it no long met EU rules on park safety and is to be restored to running order, These views are copyright; Reproduction by any means is prohibited without our prior written permission
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Bargain Pack SMJ and steam on the Byfield Ironstone Railway Sets BW1,2,3 31 6x4 BW Prints
Why not buy all 3 sets
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orig Byfield Ironstones Sidings SMJR to Hawarden Bridge BTC BR 1950s wagon label mint
To expand your Byfield Ironstone photos, why not add a rare Byfield wagon label? This 4 x 5" British Transport Commission wagon label is for dedicated ironstone traffic from Byfield Ironstone Sidings over the one time SMJ or Stratford on Avon & Midland Junction Railway from the Byfield Ironstone Co quarries to John Summers & Sons Ltd steelworks at Hawarden Bridge some 5 miles west of Chester. Loaded ironstone wagons would have worked over the SMJ as far as Fenny Compton and via the GWR Birmingham line to the Shrewsbury & Chester line.
John Summers was nationalised in 1951 at the very end of the Labour government nationalisation orgy but denationalised quite quickly, but as this wagon label is British Transport Commission it ties it to 1948-1951.
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