Dick

Yes I am that photographer, the SMJ has fond memories for me and was the catalyst for my intersest in railways. It is hard to believe and I still cannot believe it myself that some fifty years on as a trainee fireman on the GWSR that I fired a 9F between Toddington and Winchcombe hauling a goods train which is where the goods ran after closure of the Stratford  to Broom section in 1960.

Paul

Dick

After the demise of the pick up goods with its ex MR 4F loco all traffic that came into the SMJ yard at Stratford was handled by the duty loco at Stratford GW. This loco was almost always a 2251 class loco that was primarily used to bank freights out of the GW station in the up direction until they were all cleared out around early 1964. After that various small ex LMS or BR standard 2 or 3 types were used for a while but by early 1965 there was often no loco available for this duty and by 1966 all banking duties had been withdrawn. Until the ex GW sub-shed at Stratford closed the 2251 allocation was serviced at Tyesley after closure they were moved to Leamington ex GW. If you give me your direct e-mail I will send you a load of notes concerning the activities at Stratford GW that will allow you some perspective of how the railways at Stratford operated. I don't think it appropriate to lodge them on this site as they are not strictly SMJ line related.

       The wagon labels I have posted show the ash traffic to Ettington as described by John Jennings.The traffic has originated from various western region engine sheds. The recipient at Ettington was a Mr H.J.Jaques. Although the labels are from an earlier period than discussed.

 Hi Dick                                                                                                                                      The wagon labels I have posted show the ash traffic to Ettington as described by John Jennings.The traffic has originated from various western region engine sheds. The recipient at Ettington was a Mr H.J.Jaques. Although the labels are from an earlier period than discussed.

Hi Dick

After the demise of the pick up goods no traffic came to or from Stratford to either Ettington or Kineton. I was in the brake van of the trip working that went to clear the remaining trucks from these two stations. The guard had been told that all traffic for the MOD was routed via Fenny Compton and empties there would go out that way. The situation at Clifford Sidings was a little better. It remained open for traffic because of a contract with a local coal and ash merchant who had ash delivered in standard 10t open trucks from various loco sheds that were still open for steam. I remember that the labels on the trucks indicated various sources including Leamington Spa and Nuneaton. This traffic came in via the GW yard at Stratford and was trip worked by the Collet 2251 class loco kept there for banking duties. This was a daily trip regardless of whether any traffic was about because as there was no fresh drinking water at Clifford a churn of water was taken up daily. If there was no traffic to move this would just be taken as a light engine move to remove the necessity of a brakevan and guard. The final traffic to Ettington was fertiliser in sacks and Kineton received coal and fertiliser. I believe the merchant was an agent of Warwichshire Farmers Co-op. The ash merchant at Clifford just seemed to vanish after the supply of ash dwindled due to the on going closure of steam loco sheds. The SMJ yard at Old Town handled coal and bagged agricultural traffic until around summer 1963 again this was worked down from the ex GW yard at Birmingham Road. The two merchants involved were Dingley's and the CoOperative Coal dept. 

Hi Dick thanks for your reply re Byfield/Woodford

Rex and Chris Bazeley hold GCR section meetings once a month - they meet i think on the 2nd wednesday of each month

The social Club is holding an open day again this year

The Model Railway was donated some money for renovation work by the Social Club on the premise that we would have an open day

We got all other local groups involved including Rex and Chris with a GCR slideshow and memorabilia

The Byfield Photo Archive

Woodford Historical Society/Photo Archive

It was a good day

I believe it is planned this year for the 14th May  i will keep this site posted

Thanks

Keith