Some upgrading of the poor-quality infrastructure was undertaken, and some heavy mineral flows – continuing until as late as 1960 – passed along the line, but the severe operational constraints led to the diversion of traffic to other routes in 1964.

c. clxxviii) on 9 July 1847,[2][page needed] with the intention of connecting the ironstone fields of Northamptonshire with a market for iron ore in South Wales.

[3][page needed] In the first instance it was to do this by connecting from Gayton Wharf, near Northampton, to the Buckinghamshire Railway, at Cockley Brake, near Banbury, running via Towcester.

[5][page needed] Still intending to reach South Wales independently, the N&BJR obtained authorisation in the Northampton and Banbury Railway (Extensions) Act 1865 (28 & 29 Vict.

This line would have turned south-west on the approach to Banbury; the company signalled its intention by changing its name to the Midland Counties and South Wales Railway.

However it quickly became obvious that these ambitious plans—96 miles (154 km) of railway was contemplated at a cost of £1,250,000—were impossible to put into effect, and the company reverted to its former name.

In fact the desired connecting line across the hills to Chipping Norton was built much later by the Banbury and Cheltenham Direct Railway, which opened on 6 April 1887.

[note 3][4][page needed] That was planned to give the E&WJR access both to Birmingham northwards and via Honeybourne south-westwards; the authorised line included running powers over the Northampton and Banbury Junction Railway between Towcester and Blisworth.

Every one is too familiar with the annoyances of a break in the line of communication, and travellers by the east and West Junction coming from the south and desirous of proceeding to Birmingham &c., have to land at one end of Stratford and journey by omnibus or car, or walk to the opposite extremity of the town, causing fatigue, anxiety, and delay... we hope some means will be used to effect a junction in the two lines, so that one station can be used, and the Great Western Company have a station in the Alcester-road, particularly accessible from the town.

[note 4] The East and West Junction Railway, which runs from Stratford-on-Avon to Blisworth, a distance of about forty miles [60 km], was opened for passenger traffic on Monday [2 March 1885].

[note 5] Its line lay only eight miles west of Stratford, and the E&WJR sponsored the promotion of the Evesham, Redditch and Stratford-upon-Avon Junction Railway.

[5][page needed] A passenger service on the ST&MJR main line was inaugurated on 1 December 1892, operated by hiring in a Midland Railway locomotive and coaches, but this was unsuccessful and it ceased from 30 March 1893.

Nonetheless the Midland Railway was quick to exploit the new shorter route from the West of England to London and by 1883 was working goods trains between Broom Junction and Olney with its own engines.

The Midland Railway locomotives proved too heavy for the lightly constructed permanent way on the line and the local company's own engines were substituted.

[3][page needed] The three railways – the E&WJR, the ST&MJR, and the ER&SJR – were only notionally independent and the reality was given official recognition when an act of Parliament[which?]

[2][page needed] The joint committee had made strenuous efforts to sell its lines to a larger railway, ideally the Midland Railway, but notwithstanding the interest shown by the GCR, no company made an offer; the lines were still heavily loss-making and there was a huge backlog of modernisation and upgrading required.

A demonstration set-up was installed on the SMJR line; an inductive conductor was placed along the track, and two sets of coils in the train were able to receive and transmit speech.

In view of the extraordinary number of terrible railway accidents that have occurred in different parts of the world during the last few months, the latest invention in the science of wireless electricity deserves far more public attention than has been given to it.

[The invention] promises to create a beneficial revolution in railway traffic by making a train the safest as well as the most comfortable means of travelling.

The reach and flexibility of the arm of the law will be marvellously extended to the detriment of wrongdoers flying from justice; and a passenger on an English express, while travelling along at 60 miles per hour [100 km/h] will soon be able to hold a quiet conversation with a person as far away as Astrakan.

Harry Willmott drew attention to the large deposits of easily winnable iron ore near Burton Dassett; 30 million tons were claimed to be accessible.

The railway wheels were wood laminate; a wooden ramp was provided at the changeover point and the driver steered so as to descend on to the rails.

It ceased to run from 2 July 1932, being regarded as an unsuccessful experiment, and the journey was replaced by a steam train connecting with taxis in the ordinary way.

Broom Junction was awkwardly laid out for the dominant mineral traffic heading from Northamptonshire towards South Wales, as it required reversal at the station.

[2][page needed] The SMJR passenger service between Stratford and Broom was closed temporarily on 16 June 1947, and the closure was made final on 23 May 1949.

[3][page needed][7] The Northampton and Banbury Junction Railway ordered four locomotives for the start of its service, from Neilson of Glasgow.

[2][page needed] The East and West Junction Railway started its basic train service with the 1866 Manning Wardle 0-6-0ST used by the contractor in the construction of the line.

[2][page needed] When the LMS absorbed the SMJR line, most of the locomotive stock was soon classified as life expired, and in due course Midland Railway pattern 0-6-0 types became dominant.

[War Department] depot here brings a good deal of traffic to this section, and after a lengthy halt outside the yard instructions were given to run through and reverse into the sidings.

[5][page needed] Today the only part of the former SMJR network still open is the 5 miles (8 km) section between Fenny Compton and the Ministry of Defence depot, Kineton.