OS 50K Symbols - Roads and paths

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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.

Motorway

SP6702 : M40 motorway near Tetsworth


Number
SU3714 : M271 Southbound, Southampton


Service area
Note that the name of the service area is in blue lettering.
SD5052 : Forton Services, M6 (Symbol on line of motorway)


SK2401 : Tamworth Motorway Services (Symbol beside motorway; here service area is on access road from motorway junction)


Junction number
SU1980 : Westbound carriageway of M4 just east of J15


Elevated
SD9413 : M62 Viaduct


TQ1678 : Below the M4 (In this urban area, the symbol has been reduced to a V of lines on each side of the motorway where there is space on the map)



Motorway Under Construction
TQ0476 : M25 T5 spur crossing the A3044
(This map extract is from 2006 as the motorway is now built and shown on latest maps)

Primary Route (A road, green lines)

TQ7326 : A21 at Silver Hill


Primary route number
SK8490 : A631 by Woodhouse Farm


Unfenced
NN1457 : Pass of Glen Coe, Scotland.


Footbridge over
SX3760 : Footbridge over A38, Landrake


Dual carriageway
TQ2589 : A406 - North Circular Road


Primary route under construction
SP8924 : Site of Linslade bypass, looking North
(This map extract is from 2006 as the road is now built and shown on latest maps)

Services (same symbol as on motorway)
TL3565 : Cambridge Extra services


Road bridge over river
NN0909 : Double-arch bridge and reflection, Inveraray

Main road (A road, red lines)

SP7804 : Longwick - residential and commercial buildings on A4129


Main road number
TF1479 : Tennyson Villa Farm on the A157 approaching West Barkwith


Unfenced
NR9946 : Boguille Hill on coast road, Arran (Dashed lines beside red line show it is unfenced, green dots show cycle route)


Dual carriageway
TA0327 : Boothferry Road


Main road under construction
ST1896 : South end of Blackwood by-pass
(This map extract is from 2006 as the road is now built and shown on latest maps)

Secondary road (B road)

SP7903 : Houses on B4444, Princes Risborough


Secondary road number
TF0896 : Oakleigh Farm by the B1434


Unfenced
TF1080 : B1399 between Fulnetby and Holton (also shows road fenced one side only)


Dual carriageway
TQ0771 : Convent Road, Ashford

Roads with passing places

Narrow A road with passing places
NC5956 : A836 and Ben Loyal (Symbol is dashed red line, long dashes and short gaps - the green dots show a cycle route along the road, this is also an unfenced road with dashed black lines each side)


Narrow B road with passing places
NG5618 : Corner on Elgol Road (Symbol is dashed brown line, long dashes and short gaps).

Road generally more than 4m wide

TR3246 : Crossroads to Waldershare Lane across Sutton Road Road over 4m wide (bottom left to top right of map below) crosses one under 4m wide


Unfenced SU9386 : Road through Littleworth Common


Dual carriageway
TG2823 : Minor road dual carriageway, Scottow

Other road, drive, or track

NO7598 : Track to Damhead

Road generally less than 4m wide

SD9774 : Park Rash (This example has gradient symbols as well)


Unfenced
TF1281 : Between Holton and West Torrington



Unfenced
TL2963 : Field track

Path

NG4919 : The 'Bad Step', Skye (Path is dashed black line, the continuous black line is the high water mark symbol)

Gradients

Note that arrows point downhill.

Gradient 20% (1 in 5) or steeper
NY2114 : Honister Pass, Cumbria


Gradient 14% (1 in 7) to 20% (1 in 5)
SH8874 : B5383

Gate

SX4363 : The end of the road, Cargreen


ST2090 : Cattle grid on Mynydd Machen Common This symbol of a line across the road is sometimes used to denote a cattle grid, usually with the words "cattle grid" which in future may be abbreviated as "CG". But this example of a cattle grid has the line across but no words.

Road tunnel

TL2532 : Weston Hills Tunnel

Ferries

Passenger ferry
NX7462 : Ferry to Threave Castle (dashed black line with words "Ferry P")


Vehicle ferry
SX8752 : Dartmouth Higher Ferry and Torbay Railway train ((dashed black line with words "Ferry V")


Ferry route
HY5140 : Ferry at Whale Geo pier, Westray

Line of former road

Dashed line, usually with words like "Line of Roman Road". The OS key does not show this type of dashed line, which is also used for dismantled railways.
TL4901 : Mount End, Essex, on the Roman road

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