3. SM & J walk-11.01.19

THE ARCHIVE FILES > Archive-2019 > 3. SM & J walk-11.01.19
Having done the jobs and with the sun putting in a welcomed appearance I went for a walk from home. I found myself between the villages of Roade and Hartwell crossing the route of the long-closed Stratford-upon-Avon and Midland Junction Railway (SM & J). Over fifty years after its closure, remnants of this once strategic railway route still exist.
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Images 1-10 of 10 displayed.

Former SM & J bridge, SP773518 The remains of, what I believe to be, bridge 167 still stands proudly at a field boundary between Roade and the M1 motorway. This bridge carried the single track section of the SM & J railway between the remote Ravenstone Wood Junction and Roade. The path where I am standing is part of the 230 mile Midshires Way. Keywords: SM &J bridge SP773518
Former SM & J bridge pier, SP773518 The brickwork of the retaining pier is is in good condition with no cracks evident. I believe that this bridge is numberd 167, was built by the SM & J railway to carry their line across a bridleway in deepest Northamptonshire near to Roade. Keywords: SM & J bridge pier SP773518
Former SM & J embankment, SP773518 Standing at the base of the embankment and looking up to the top reveals that it is still very much intact but now heavily wooded. The SM & J tracks were removed in the middle 1960s after the line was used to store hundreds of redundant wagons and other stock. This particular piece of clearance appeared to have taken place in order to eradicate rabbits as there was the remains a huge warren in the bank. Keywords: Former SM & J embankment SP773518
Former SM & J trackbed, SP773518 Looking eastwards along the remains of the SM & J trackbed between Roade and Ravenstone. The line was a single-track at this point and it's hard to believe that it was used for heavily loaded freight trains right up to its closure in June 1958. This line was yet another example of an east-west link of which there were many in past times. Between London and Birmingham the only remaining line that links between the Great Western and the Midland is the yet to be reopened (if ever?) Varsity and Marston Vale line. Do we rue the day that all these lines were closed given the difficulties that we have today with the dearth of cross-country links? Keywords: SM & J trackbed SP773518
Former SM & J fence post, SP773518 A fence post still standing along the side of the former SM and J railway that last saw traffic in 1958, apart from wagon storage and the demolition trains! Keywords: SM & J fence post SP773518
Former SM & J clinker & coal slack, SP773518 Climbing back up the embankment to continue my walk my foot slipped on this piece of clinker. I wonder what locomotive dropped this as it passed long the line above? Also notice, the fine pieces of coal slack in almost the remains of the ballast. Keywords: SM & J clinker & coal slack, SP773518
Former SM & J embankment, SP773518 A more general view of the SM& J embankment as it stretches off to the east. Notice one of the turbines of the M1 wind-farm that thousands of people pass every day on the nearby motorway that is just over the brow of the hill beyond the last electric power mast. Keywords: SM & J embankment SP773518
Former SM & J bridge, Ashton Road, Roade With one of Roade's iconic water towers dominating the skyline, the bridge that carries Ashton Road that marks the route of the SM & J railway can be made out. The route of the line went across the field towards the right of the image. This is a very similar view to the one from my house and is something I wake up to every morning! The WCML is just behind the water tower where the SM & J crossed on what was colloquially referred to as the 'Tin Bridge'. Keywords: SM & J bridge Ashton Road Roade
Former SM & J culvert, Roade SP761511 This is a culvert that went under an an embankment that carried the SM & J railway across a dip in the fields in the background. This is only a very short distance from my house in Roade. It is from here that I recovered a track chair that I have mounted on a section of sleeper that is now used to hold my driveway gate open. Keywords: SM & J culvert Roade SP761511
Former SM & J track chair Holding my gate open is a section of sleeper to which I have attached a track chair. The chair was recovered from the small stream at the end of the field in front of my house. It was laying at the point where the SM & J railway passed the field on its route between Ravenstone Woods and Tocester at Roade being casually discarded when the wrecking gangs ripped the infrastructure out in the 1960s.

Images 1-10 of 10 displayed.