OS 50K Symbols - Land features

Creative Commons Licence [Some Rights Reserved]   Text © Copyright June 2007, David Hawgood; licensed for re-use under a Creative Commons Licence.
Images also under a similar Creative Commons Licence.


This is one of a series of articles which give photographs of features on the ground which have standard symbols
on Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 maps, with map extracts showing the symbols. On the maps a blue circle is on or near
the symbol. Use the mouse to move the pointer over the blue circle on a map to hide it.
Click on a thumbnail to see a page with a larger photo, other photo details, and a larger section of the
1:50,000 Ordnance Survey map.
The article Ordnance Survey Map Symbols
gives an introduction, and links to others in the set of articles.

Electricity transmission line


Pylons (V beside line) are shown at standard spacing on straight runs of pylons SP0615 : Pylons
SP0615 : Pylons by Jennifer Luther Thomas 1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright

Where the line changes direction, the V symbols change sides.TA1612 : Pylons Near Roxton Farm
TA1612 : Pylons Near Roxton Farm by David Wright 1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright

Large pylons, e.g. to cross an estuary, are sometimes shown separately ST5689 : Severn estuary: the big pylon
ST5689 : Severn estuary: the big pylon by Chris Downer1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright

Pipe line


SH6639 : Maentwrog Power Station Pipeline, Tyn-y-Coed
SH6639 : Maentwrog Power Station Pipeline, Tyn-y-Coed by Ian Warburton 1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright
arrow on line shows flow
1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright

Buildings

Building SO9421 : Can you see the join? (light line around building; compare with town hall just north)
SO9421 : Can you see the join? by David Stowell 1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright
Public building SO9421 : Centenary classrooms, Cheltenham College (heavier line around building; also see hospital just north)
SO9421 : Centenary classrooms, Cheltenham College by David Hawgood 1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright
Ruin NS2808 : Baltersan Castle (no colouring within square showing building)
NS2808 : Baltersan Castle by John McLeish 1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright

Bus or coach station


Bus station SD5429 : Leaving Preston bus station
SD5429 : Leaving Preston bus station by Tom Pennington 1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright
Coach station SJ3590 : Liverpool Coach Station, Norton Street
SJ3590 : Liverpool Coach Station, Norton Street by Tom Pennington 1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright

Place of worship


with tower TQ5045 : Chiddingstone Church, Christmas 2006
TQ5045 : Chiddingstone Church, Christmas 2006 by Jean Barrow 1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright
with spire, minaret or dome SP3509 : St Mary the Virgin Church, Church Green, Witney
SP3509 : St Mary the Virgin Church, Church Green, Witney by Brian Robert Marshall 1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright
without such addition SK4167 : St James the Apostle Church, Temple Normanton
SK4167 : St James  the Apostle Church, Temple Normanton by Nikki Mahadevan 1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright

Chimney or tower


Chimney NS1971 : Inverkip Power Station
NS1971 : Inverkip Power Station by william craig 1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright
Tower TQ5439 : Water Tower - Langton Green
TQ5439 : Water Tower - Langton Green by Nikki Mahadevan 1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright

Glass structure


TQ4761 : Coolings Nursery - Rushmore Hill
TQ4761 : Coolings Nursery - Rushmore Hill by Jean Barrow 1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright

Heliport


ST2174 : Cardiff Heliport
ST2174 : Cardiff Heliport by John Thorn 1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright

Triangulation pillar


SK2773 : Triangulation Pillar north end of Birchen Edge
SK2773 : Triangulation Pillar north end of Birchen Edge by Nikki Mahadevan 1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright

Mast

SK3362 : Mobile phone masts near Slack (note the symbol is a tall triangle with a wave at the top)
SK3362 : Mobile phone masts near Slack by Nikki Mahadevan 1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright
NS8810 : Lowther Hill (this "mast" is a radar dome)
NS8810 : Lowther Hill by Andy Stephenson 1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright

Wind pump


SP2847 : Windpump and Whitehead's Coppice (note the symbol has an x at the top)
SP2847 : Windpump and Whitehead's Coppice by Jennifer Luther Thomas 1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright

Wind generator


NS2347 : Ardrossan Windfarm Symbol is being changed. Map extract is from 2008, symbol like that for a wind pump but bigger, and heavier line. At 2016 online maps are being changed to a new symbol shown below. To see it in place, click photo, click map, zoom out by pressing minus key.
NS2347 : Ardrossan Windfarm by Stuart McMahon 1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright New Symbol  OS50K symbol - wind turbine version2

Windmill with or without sails


SK3650 : Heage Windmill (this has sails)
SK3650 : Heage Windmill by Nikki Mahadevan 1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright
TL4632 : Clavering Mill, Clavering, Essex (this has no sails)
TL4632 : Clavering Mill, Clavering, Essex by Robert Edwards 1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright

Cutting


TQ5346 : Railway between Penshurst and Leigh Stations (symbol has lines along top of cutting)
TQ5346 : Railway between Penshurst and Leigh Stations by Nikki Mahadevan 1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright

Embankment


NN8465 : Fields and railway embankment (symbol has no lines along bottom of embankment)
NN8465 : Fields and railway embankment by Lis Burke 1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright

Quarry


SD8620 : Britannia Quarry
SD8620 : Britannia Quarry by michael ely 1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright

Spoil heap, refuse tip or dump


SN6908 : Pwllfawatkin landfill
SN6908 : Pwllfawatkin landfill by Nigel Davies 1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright

Woods

Coniferous wood SK3062 : Pine trees in Farley Moor Wood
SK3062 : Pine trees in Farley Moor Wood by Nikki Mahadevan 1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright
SH5550 : Cone-laden trees
SH5550 : Cone-laden trees by Eric Jones 1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright
Non-coniferous wood SU8790 : Beech Wood near Little Marlow
SU8790 : Beech Wood near Little Marlow by David Hawgood 1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright
Mixed wood TL0193 : Bridleway through Park Colsters, north-east of Shire Hill Lodge
TL0193 : Bridleway through Park Colsters, north-east of Shire Hill Lodge by Tim Heaton 1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright

Orchard


TQ6841 : Apple Orchard
TQ6841 : Apple Orchard by N Chadwick 1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright

Park or ornamental ground


SK4778 : Footpath through the estate of Barlborough Hall
SK4778 : Footpath through the estate of Barlborough Hall by Nikki Mahadevan 1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright

Access land


A purple line shows the boundary, a symbol within the area shows the owner and whether always open.
NT2810 : Purple Plague (shows boundary line)
NT2810 : Purple Plague by Richard Webb 1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright
The map below shows the boundary line symbol on a map from 2006 - it had a much more prominent purple line.
1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright

Forestry Commission access land

TF0876 : A ride in Newball Wood (purple symbol in wood is for Forestry Commission)
TF0876 : A ride in Newball Wood by Alan Murray-Rust 1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright

Natural Resources Wales

SH7955 : The A470 heading south SH7955 : The A470 heading south by Steve Daniels Symbol from about 2016  OS50K symbol - Natural Resources Wales
Map on photo page is from 2006 before this symbol was in use. To see symbol on 50K map, click map on photo page gives current 25K map, click minus sign at bottom of bar on left of map extract to give current 50K map.

National Trust access land


Always open SK0655 : Grindon Moor White acorn on purple ground shows it is a National Trust property which is always open.
SK0655 : Grindon Moor by Alan Murray-Rust 1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright
Limited access SP6837 : Palladian Bridge, Stowe Landscape Gardens Purple acorn in white square shows limited access.
SP6837 : Palladian Bridge, Stowe Landscape Gardens by Chris Coleman 1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright

National Trust for Scotland

Always open NN9162 : Pass of Killiecrankie
NN9162 : Pass of Killiecrankie by G McK 1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright
Limited access NT0578 : House of the Binns See National Trust for Scotland - House of the BinnsExternal link
for opening hours - the estate is always open, the house has limited hours.
NT0578 : House of the Binns by Brian MacLennan 1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright

Manx National Heritage

Manx National Heritage - Eiraght Ashoonagh VanninExternal link
SC1565 : Calf of Man
SC1565 : Calf of Man by M J Richardson 1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright

Forestry Division Plantation (Isle of Man)

SC2373 : Earystane plantation, Isle of Man SC2373 : Earystane plantation, Isle of Man by kevin rothwell Symbol from 2016  OS50K symbol - Forestry Division Plantation (Isle of Man)
Click map on photo page - shows a pink area as we don't have access to 25K scale map for Isle of Man. Then click minus sign at bottom of bar on left - gives current 50K scale map. This plantation (and others on the Isle of Man) have the symbol but don't have the purple boundary line.

Graticule intersection at 5' intervals


NN7891 : 57° N 4° W at grid reference NN 7856 9165
NN7891 : 57° N    4° W by Richard Webb
1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright
(To show graticules at intervals -

go 6 squares West to grid ref NN 7350 9177
1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright


go 9 squares South to grid ref NN 7320 8250
1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright

Note this shows that grid north is not quite true north.
KML
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