OS 50K Symbols - Railways

Creative Commons Licence [Some Rights Reserved]   Text © Copyright October 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.

Track multiple or single


SP5012 : Oxford to Bicester railway single track
SP5012 : Oxford to Bicester railway by David Hawgood 1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright

TQ5346 : Railway between Penshurst and Leigh Stations (This railway is multiple track, in a cutting)
TQ5346 : Railway between Penshurst and Leigh Stations by Nikki Mahadevan 1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright

Bridges


SE2537 : Railway Bridge over Ring Road, Horsforth / West Park (railway over road)
SE2537 : Railway Bridge over Ring Road, Horsforth / West Park by Rich Tea 1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright

SE5036 : Road Bridge by Church Fenton Station (road over railway)
SE5036 : Road Bridge by Church Fenton Station by Rich Tea 1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright
Footbridge
NS8547 : Fiddler's Grill
NS8547 : Fiddler's Grill by Raymond Okonski 1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright

Track under construction


NO7396 : Railway revival 2
NO7396 : Railway revival 2 by Stanley Howe 1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright
(In October 2007 this map shows the dashed black line symbol for a railway under construction - but this will change when the railway is finished and the map is redrawn)

Dismantled and disused railways

These are not shown on the OS key. They may have the words "dismantled" (or an abbreviation) which generally applies where there have been rails but they have been removed, "disused" where the rails are still in existence.

NO7596 : Up-line near Upper Mills of Crathes Dashed line with words "dismantled railway"
NO7596 : Up-line near Upper Mills of Crathes by Stanley Howe 1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright

SJ2824 : Morton Common road crosses the Oswestry to Welshpool railway Word "disused" beside black line symbol for railway
SJ2824 : Morton Common road crosses the Oswestry to Welshpool railway by John Haynes 1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright

Level crossing


NN9915 : Private level crossing (Symbol is abbreviation "LC")
NN9915 : Private level crossing by Lis Burke 1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright

Siding


TQ2182 : Old Oak Common Sidings
TQ2182 : Old Oak Common Sidings by David Hawgood 1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright

Viaduct


TL8928 : Chappel Viaduct, Near Wakes Colne, Essex
TL8928 : Chappel Viaduct, Near Wakes Colne, Essex by Brenda Howard 1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright

Tunnel


SP5769 : Kilsby Tunnel
SP5769 : Kilsby Tunnel by Ian Rob 1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright

Some tunnels have air shafts, shown by a small circle within the tunnel line, as here:
SE2441 : Air shaft, Bramhope Tunnel
SE2441 : Air shaft, Bramhope Tunnel by David Spencer 1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright

Stations


SO5174 : Looking South from Ludlow Station Station
SO5174 : Looking South from Ludlow Station by Chris Heaton 1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright

ST1875 : Cardiff Central Station Principal station
ST1875 : Cardiff Central Station by Linda Bailey 1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright

Light rapid transit system, narrow gauge or tramway


The OS symbol for the line of these is a continuous narrow black line with short lines across it; but in many cases the line is shown by a wider black line, the symbol used for other railways. Also, there is a special symbol for stations on these lines, a yellow circle; but often the symbol is a red circle, as for other railway stations.)
SP0090 : West Bromwich Midland Metro Tram Station Light rapid transit system
SP0090 : West Bromwich Midland Metro Tram Station by David Ellis 1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright

TQ4380 : King George V Station, Docklands Light Railway Note that station has a yellow symbol, but light railway has a wider black line as for other railways. (The DLR was extended to Woolwich in January 2009 so this is no longer the end of the line).
TQ4380 : King George V Station, Docklands Light Railway by Dr Neil Clifton 1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright

SH6054 : Snowdon Mountain Railway narrow gauge (note that station is a red circle, not a yellow one)
SH6054 : Snowdon Mountain Railway by John Lucas 1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright
SJ2007 : Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway narrow gauge (symbol in this case is continuous black line with pairs of short lines across it)
SJ2007 : Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway by David Stowell 1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright

TQ2768 : Croydon Tramlink track West of A217. tramway
TQ2768 : Croydon Tramlink track West of A217. by Noel Foster 1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright

Station on light rapid transit system


SJ7891 : Brooklands Metrolink Station (symbol is yellow circle)
SJ7891 : Brooklands Metrolink Station by Manchester Warrior 1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright



Railway cutting and embankment are shown under "land features"
KML
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