GB rail map (as a graph)

[sfiliste]

Dear all,

I am currently working on a simplified European network (mainly to calculate the distances travelled by trains). I am working today about GB rail map. My goal is not to represent all lines, but rather the main lines, as well as any bypasses (using mathematical ‘graph’ logic). I have attempted to do this, and I am submitting my work to you in the attached maps (I use the Engineer's Line References)

I would very much like to hear your opinion on:

(1) any important lines that I may have omitted, or, conversely, any minor lines that I may have included. In particular:

[GB – North]
Is the line from Motherwell to Lambert (and Stirling) an important line? It looks like it is the only way to go without turn back from West Coast line to Perth and Inverness ?

[GB – Centre North]
I keep the line between Carlisle and Newcastle, as between Leeds and Carlisle.

[GB – Centre North / zoom Leeds + zoom Bradford & Leeds]
This part was hard to simplify. Please say me if it is looks correct. Say me if some lines are really local.
Especially, I am surprised (and I ask confirmation) that there is no way to go from Bramley (LBE1), Morley (MLD1), Wakefield Westgate (DOL2) to Carlisle per Shipley (TCJ3) without turn back at Leeds.
Please say me also if the main station of Bradford is Bradford Interchange. I don’t figure on my map the other one.

[GB – Centre North / Manchester & Liverpool]
What is the main line between these two cities? The “Deal Street and Edge Hill Line” looks perfectly connected to the West Coast line. The Manchester and Allerton Junction Line is not. Do I keep it?

[GB – North of London]
Do I forget any lines? Especially between the radial lines from London? Leicester to Birmingham may be?

(2) About London, this part was really difficult for me.

This part was difficult for me. The main idea is to understand the possibilities to bypass London.

From the south to Wilesden Junction

Coming from VIR line, I understand that a train can go to Waterloo, to Victoria, and turn around London per FLL1 / FLL2 and CKL and WLL line to arrive in the Wilesden Junction. Do you confirm?
Coming from Brighton, a train passes Clapham Junction, and WLL line to arrive in the Wilesden Junction
Coming from BML1 (Earsfield), is it also possible to go to WLL line? I am not sur of it! More generally coming from BML1, are they some junctions in Clapham Junction to connect to the RDG1?

From Wilesden Junction to several directions. Lets suppose a train on WLL line.

Coming from WLL, how to go to Slough? Is it a junction to this line (that I forgeton my schematic)?
Coming from WLL, I see how to go to London Euston to Crewe Line, but I don’t understand the junction with the CAW line.
How to go from the WLL line to the Midland main line? Do I have to use the line per Putney, to bypass Kew Bridge, Acton Central and then CAW line?
Coming from BOK2 line and then from the TAH1, I see a junction to the East Coast Main line but no junction to the line to Cambridge. Do you confirm? Also, I don’t see any junction to the line to Norwich per Chelmsford. Do you confirm?


I come back soon with my questions with South of London!
Thank you in advance for your help (and sorry for any mistakes in English)

 

[Class15]

It’s possible to get from Willesden South West Sidings onto the WCML towards Euston, which isn’t shown in the map.

 

[The exile]

Why have you left out Sunderland - Newcastle? It’s just as important as the rest of the line south of Sunderland.

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[GB – North]
Is the line from Motherwell to Lambert (and Stirling) an important line? It looks like it is the only way to go without turn back from West Coast line to Perth and Inverness ?

What do consider “important” as meaning? The entire line is used by passenger trains, but none that run “end to end”. Neither of the through passenger trains from London to the Highland Main Line uses it - but it does see freight trains because Mossend Yard is on it a few km north of Motherwell.

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Especially, I am surprised (and I ask confirmation) that there is no way to go from Bramley (LBE1), Morley (MLD1), Wakefield Westgate (DOL2) to Carlisle per Shipley (TCJ3) without turn back at Leeds.
Please say me also if the main station of Bradford is Bradford Interchange. I don’t figure on my map the other one.

You are correct - but there would be very little need for a direct connection between any of those places and the Shipley line. As for Bradford, again, what is “main”? Bradford Interchange is more significant in terms of connections across the North of England but is unelectrified. Bradford Forster Square is mostly only served by suburban electric services to Leeds, Skipton and Ilkley, but is also the station used by Bradford’s few trains to London.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

I do appreciate that you are doing this. Great resource. Thanks

 

[sfiliste]

It’s possible to get from Willesden South West Sidings onto the WCML towards Euston, which isn’t shown in the map.

Thanks for your answer. Does it mean than it is possible to go from WAW line to Euston and also from LLG to Euston ?

 

[William3000]

Dear all,

I am currently working on a simplified European network (mainly to calculate the distances travelled by trains). I am working today about GB rail map. My goal is not to represent all lines, but rather the main lines, as well as any bypasses (using mathematical ‘graph’ logic). I have attempted to do this, and I am submitting my work to you in the attached maps (I use the Engineer's Line References)

I would very much like to hear your opinion on:

(1) any important lines that I may have omitted, or, conversely, any minor lines that I may have included. In particular:

[GB – North]
Is the line from Motherwell to Lambert (and Stirling) an important line? It looks like it is the only way to go without turn back from West Coast line to Perth and Inverness ?

[GB – Centre North]
I keep the line between Carlisle and Newcastle, as between Leeds and Carlisle.

[GB – Centre North / zoom Leeds + zoom Bradford & Leeds]
This part was hard to simplify. Please say me if it is looks correct. Say me if some lines are really local.
Especially, I am surprised (and I ask confirmation) that there is no way to go from Bramley (LBE1), Morley (MLD1), Wakefield Westgate (DOL2) to Carlisle per Shipley (TCJ3) without turn back at Leeds.
Please say me also if the main station of Bradford is Bradford Interchange. I don’t figure on my map the other one.

[GB – Centre North / Manchester & Liverpool]
What is the main line between these two cities? The “Deal Street and Edge Hill Line” looks perfectly connected to the West Coast line. The Manchester and Allerton Junction Line is not. Do I keep it?

[GB – North of London]
Do I forget any lines? Especially between the radial lines from London? Leicester to Birmingham may be?

(2) About London, this part was really difficult for me.

This part was difficult for me. The main idea is to understand the possibilities to bypass London.

From the south to Wilesden Junction

Coming from VIR line, I understand that a train can go to Waterloo, to Victoria, and turn around London per FLL1 / FLL2 and CKL and WLL line to arrive in the Wilesden Junction. Do you confirm?
Coming from Brighton, a train passes Clapham Junction, and WLL line to arrive in the Wilesden Junction
Coming from BML1 (Earsfield), is it also possible to go to WLL line? I am not sur of it! More generally coming from BML1, are they some junctions in Clapham Junction to connect to the RDG1?

From Wilesden Junction to several directions. Lets suppose a train on WLL line.

Coming from WLL, how to go to Slough? Is it a junction to this line (that I forgeton my schematic)?
Coming from WLL, I see how to go to London Euston to Crewe Line, but I don’t understand the junction with the CAW line.
How to go from the WLL line to the Midland main line? Do I have to use the line per Putney, to bypass Kew Bridge, Acton Central and then CAW line?
Coming from BOK2 line and then from the TAH1, I see a junction to the East Coast Main line but no junction to the line to Cambridge. Do you confirm? Also, I don’t see any junction to the line to Norwich per Chelmsford. Do you confirm?


I come back soon with my questions with South of London!
Thank you in advance for your help (and sorry for any mistakes in English)

What’s the pink and blue denote?

 

[sfiliste]

Why have you left out Sunderland - Newcastle? It’s just as important as the rest of the line south of Sunderland.

Thanks for your answer.

I was using this map:

https://assets.nationalrail.co.uk/e8xgegruud3g/6U7I9lkpxPPkHQR8s8EYuj/e3fccc7b40a84b026bfa9e5a668af7f5/National_Rail_network_map_June_2024_v40b.pdf

And Sunderland - Newcastle looks like "local route"

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About Motherwell - Stirling

What do consider “important” as meaning? The entire line is used by passenger trains, but none that run “end to end”. Neither of the through passenger trains from London to the Highland Main Line uses it - but it does see freight trains because Mossend Yard is on it a few km north of Motherwell.

I was wondering how a train will go from London by West Coast Main line to Stirling and to to the North. It is why i wanted to add this line to the network.

You are correct - but there would be very little need for a direct connection between any of those places and the Shipley line. As for Bradford, again, what is “main”? Bradford Interchange is more significant in terms of connections across the North of England but is unelectrified. Bradford Forster Square is mostly only served by suburban electric services to Leeds, Skipton and Ilkley, but is also the station used by Bradford’s few trains to London.

OK. I will add the Forster Square station and also the line to Shipley.

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What’s the pink and blue denote?

Nothing

 

[30907]

General question:
what is the significance of blue lines vs purple?
I'm not sure what your criteria for main/local are.
There are a few spelling mistakes

Specific:
North - Motherwell to  Larbert important for freight, not passengers
Glasgow has two separate unconnected stations, Central and Queen St.

Bradford and Leeds
No direct links to the Skipton line, correct (3 different railway companies involved!)
Bradford Forster Sq has the direct London services (since 1990-ish).

Liverpool/Manchester
Both routes are important, though DSE is the 1830 original.
There is a very important connection from Ordsall Lane Jn to Salford Crescent

North of London
Nottingham to Grantham,
Birmingham to Leicester
Leamington to Birmingham via Solihull
Water Orton to Kingsbury (not Whitacre to Kingsbury)

London
GRE (Graham Road Curve) is hardly used.
VIR to Waterloo ditto (was built for Eurostar)
BML1 to WLL you would normally route via Chertsey and RDG1, and there is a connection to WLL at CLJ (it's also possible direct but northbound only)
BML1 and RDG1 are partially interconnected East of Clapham Jn
Waterloo is a terminus - no connection to London Br since 1900!

Willesden
WLL towards Slough is via WAW (direct links removed in 1990s and earlier)
WLL to Midland ML - as you say, via Putney and CAW (the Dudding Hill Line).
BOK2 to ECML is little used (almost impossible southbound)
to Cambridge there was a connection at South Tottenham to T Hale
to Chelmsford you go via Stratford.

Yes, WAW/LLG to Euston is possible (and has been used relatively recently).

You have to remember that British railways were never centrally planned, so there are loads of routes that historically didn't connect (and often still don't!).

You might find OpenRailMap helpful because you can enlarge to a very detailed level.

Anyway, welcome and good luck!

 

[PLY2AYS]

North of London
Would you consider the Chiltern mainline from Marylebone to Birmingham ‘north’?

 

[pdeaves]

[GB – Centre North / Manchester & Liverpool]

For completeness/correctness, Liverpool Street should be Liverpool Lime Street (Liverpool Street is in London).

 

[Magdalia]

[GB – North of London]
Do I forget any lines? Especially between the radial lines from London? Leicester to Birmingham may be?

North of London
Nottingham to Grantham,
Birmingham to Leicester

I'd agree that, if Peterborough-Leicester and Ely-Norwich are important enough to be on the map, then Nottingham-Grantham and Birmingham-Leicester should be too.

What’s the pink and blue denote?

To me, pink looks more important than blue. If the different colours don't mean anything then everything should be the same colour!

One thing I can't see from any of your maps: have you included Stansted Airport?

 

[Class15]

Thanks for your answer. Does it mean than it is possible to go from WAW line to Euston and also from LLG to Euston ?

Correct - there’s a junction which makes all of this possible (Willesden West London Jn).

 

[The exile]

Thanks for your answer.

I was using this map:

https://assets.nationalrail.co.uk/e8xgegruud3g/6U7I9lkpxPPkHQR8s8EYuj/e3fccc7b40a84b026bfa9e5a668af7f5/National_Rail_network_map_June_2024_v40b.pdf

And Sunderland - Newcastle looks like "local route"

If your main criterion for “important” is “through trains to London “ then your decision is correct. The line south from Sunderland sees around 5 train pairs to London each day (operated by the Open Access operator Grand Central). The majority of the trains that run on the line south of Sunderland run through to Newcastle, however- so it depends entirely on what your goal is in making the map.

 

[sfiliste]

Dear all,

First question of the Sunday ! What is the normal way to go from South Glasgow (Carstairs) to the North and to the East. I put on my map: Motherwell – Coatbridge -Cumbernauld – Larbert line and also Motherwell – Coatbridge – Stepps and then the two “triangles” to go to all possible directions. Is it right?

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If your main criterion for “important” is “through trains to London “ then your decision is correct. The line south from Sunderland sees around 5 train pairs to London each day (operated by the Open Access operator Grand Central). The majority of the trains that run on the line south of Sunderland run through to Newcastle, however- so it depends entirely on what your goal is in making the map.

I add this line!

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Correct - there’s a junction which makes all of this possible (Willesden West London Jn).

So, I correct the Wilesden Junction. But i dont find any code for this junction (ZZZ on my map)

 

[Class15]

So, I correct the Wilesden Junction. But i dont find any code for this junction (ZZZ on my map)

The thing is that ‘LEC1’ and ‘LLG’ are so closely linked and have multiple crossovers between them that they wouldn’t be important enough to have names - but showing the two lines being completely separated without connection would be inaccurate. I possibly would actually merge them, as, heading North-West from Willesden, they are not really two separate lines.

 

[sfiliste]

Specific:
North - Motherwell to  Larbert important for freight, not passengers
Glasgow has two separate unconnected stations, Central and Queen St.

Thanks, I add it, and draw connections between these two stations.

Bradford and Leeds
No direct links to the Skipton line, correct (3 different railway companies involved!)
Bradford Forster Sq has the direct London services (since 1990-ish).

OK. I add it too.

Liverpool/Manchester
Both routes are important, though DSE is the 1830 original.
There is a very important connection from Ordsall Lane Jn to Salford Crescent

OK. I add it too.

North of London
Nottingham to Grantham,
Birmingham to Leicester
Leamington to Birmingham via Solihull
Water Orton to Kingsbury (not Whitacre to Kingsbury)

OK. I add also these lines.

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The thing is that ‘LEC1’ and ‘LLG’ are so closely linked and have multiple crossovers between them that they wouldn’t be important enough to have names - but showing the two lines being completely separated without connection would be inaccurate. I possibly would actually merge them, as, heading North-West from Willesden, they are not really two separate lines.

Does it mean that the smarter way is to merge LEC1 & LLG from Wembley to the end of LLG line?
And also merge part of WLL line and LEC1 line?

 

[The exile]

Dear all,

First question of the Sunday ! What is the normal way to go from South Glasgow (Carstairs) to the North and to the East.

For passengers - via Glasgow Central and Queen Street or, if coming from south of Carstairs, via Edinburgh. Other than the sleeper, there are no through long distance passenger services from the West Coast Main Line to north of the central belt. Very little freight nowadays but that will go via Mossend under normal circumstances.

 

[sfiliste]

The thing is that ‘LEC1’ and ‘LLG’ are so closely linked and have multiple crossovers between them that they wouldn’t be important enough to have names - but showing the two lines being completely separated without connection would be inaccurate. I possibly would actually merge them, as, heading North-West from Willesden, they are not really two separate lines.

Here is the new presentation for Willesden Junction. Does it look better?

 

[Class15]

Here is the new presentation for Willesden Junction. Does it look better?

Great work! Yeah, I personally prefer that version!

 

[The Planner]

Why omit lines? Just map them all.

 

[zwk500]

Here is the new presentation for Willesden Junction. Does it look better?

For what you're doing that's a more accurate presentation, as the precision of the LLG lines diving down and crossing under to join the slow lines isn't needed.

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But i dont find any code for this junction (ZZZ on my map)

The connection between the two is a single crossover in each direction, they'd be considered part of LEC1 or LLG.

 

[sfiliste]

Some new questions about London!

St Pancras
Do I have connection with (BOK1/CRF1) => itinerary from St Pancras to Camden Road?
Do I have connection with BOK1 westbound ? And also connection to East Coast Main Line?

Clapham Junction
Coming from HOU (Barnes) or BML1 (Earsfield) or VTB1 (Balham), could I always go to
- Northbound to WLL (to reach Willesden Junction)
- Eastbound to Victoria and Waterloo

West bypass of London
Coming from the VIR line, what is the normal way to go to the East Coast main line? or Midland Main line?

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I continue today with SouthWest of London and Southeast & Wales.
Please say me if i forger important lines.

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Why omit lines? Just map them all.

Just because my time is sadly limited ! I dont map all the stations too.

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For passengers - via Glasgow Central and Queen Street or, if coming from south of Carstairs, via Edinburgh. Other than the sleeper, there are no through long distance passenger services from the West Coast Main Line to north of the central belt. Very little freight nowadays but that will go via Mossend under normal circumstances.

What do you mean? Does it mean than the SCM2 / CMD2 is not the normal bypass of Glasgow?

 

[zwk500]

Some new questions about London!

St Pancras
Do I have connection with (BOK1/CRF1) => itinerary from St Pancras to Camden Road?
Do I have connection with BOK1 westbound ? And also connection to East Coast Main Line?

This area is extremely complex. However, you do have a connection from BOK1 to the ECML via Line NLI. There are then spurs from the junction to St Pancras (international platforms only) and HS1 towards stratford

Clapham Junction
Coming from HOU (Barnes) or BML1 (Earsfield) or VTB1 (Balham), could I always go to
- Northbound to WLL (to reach Willesden Junction)
- Eastbound to Victoria and Waterloo

HOU does not reach Clapham Junction. RDG1 is the ELR from Waterloo to Reading via Richmond. RDG1 has connections to WLL and the Triangle south of Victoria as well as the normal route to Waterlooo
BML1 (Also known as the South West Main Line) only has the normal route through to Waterloo. There is no connections to any other line.
VTB1 (also known as the Brighton Main Line or BML just to confuse people) has a connection from the Slow line to WLL, a connection from the fast line to the triangle south of Victoria and the Main route to Victoria.

West bypass of London
Coming from the VIR line, what is the normal way to go to the East Coast main line? or Midland Main line?

For ECML, via the West and North London Lines (WLL/BOK) and then either Harringay Park curve (GOB line) or the North London Incline (NLI).
For the Midland Main Line, it would be to route via RDG1 and HOU to Kew Jns and then use BOK5 and the Dudding Hill Line (CAW).

 

[Boff]

What do you mean? Does it mean than the SCM2 / CMD2 is not the normal bypass of Glasgow?

At the moment no daytime passenger services from the WCM1 bypass Glasgow; they all terminate at Glasgow Central.

There is an operator (Lumo) that will be operating services from London to Stirling that use WCM1 & SCM1/2/3 to bypass Glasgow, however they will only operate 4 services a day and won't be starting service till 2026.

All other services that travel North-South go via Edinburgh and the ECML, except for a once a day sleeper service that travels to Edinburgh via the WCML and ECA2, before turning and using NEML via Bathgate, Aidrie and Glasgow Queen Street Low Level to travel across Glasgow and onto the WHL. Of course there is also the various freight services that use the SCM2, so it's up to you whether you want to include it.

CBD2 is never used by any service other than local commuter trains from Glasgow to Stirling.

 

[sfiliste]

At the moment no daytime passenger services from the WCM1 bypass Glasgow; they all terminate at Glasgow Central.

There is an operator (Lumo) that will be operating services from London to Stirling that use WCM1 & SCM1/2/3 to bypass Glasgow, however they will only operate 4 services a day and won't be starting service till 2026.

All other services that travel North-South go via Edinburgh and the ECML, except for a once a day sleeper service that travels to Edinburgh via the WCML and ECA2, before turning and using NEML via Bathgate, Aidrie and Glasgow Queen Street Low Level to travel across Glasgow and onto the WHL. Of course there is also the various freight services that use the SCM2, so it's up to you whether you want to include it.

CBD2 is never used by any service other than local commuter trains from Glasgow to Stirling.

OK. Thank you!

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St Pancras.

This area is extremely complex. However, you do have a connection from BOK1 to the ECML via Line NLI. There are then spurs from the junction to St Pancras (international platforms only) and HS1 towards stratford

So, I try to simplify. Here is the schematic (without the High Speed Line). Two lines ZZZ and ZZY are added. Do I forget any spur?

 

[The exile]

One comment on your West and Wales map. The line from Bath to Westbury (no idea what the engineers' reference is), which you have left out, is much more significant than the one from Chippenham to Westbury, which you have included.

 

[sfiliste]

Clapham Junction

HOU does not reach Clapham Junction. RDG1 is the ELR from Waterloo to Reading via Richmond. RDG1 has connections to WLL and the Triangle south of Victoria as well as the normal route to Waterlooo
BML1 (Also known as the South West Main Line) only has the normal route through to Waterloo. There is no connections to any other line.
VTB1 (also known as the Brighton Main Line or BML just to confuse people) has a connection from the Slow line to WLL, a connection from the fast line to the triangle south of Victoria and the Main route to Victoria.

1/ So, I remove all the connections to BML1.
2/ Concerning the RDG1 connections, I add SCC line for connection between RDG1 and WLL (coming from WLL to RDG1) and also CJL line (coming from RDG1 to WLL)
3/ OK for VTB1.

So, I correct Clapham Junction in the schematic below (RDG1 in orange, BML1 in blue)

 

[endecotp]

I continue today with SouthWest of London and Southeast & Wales.
Please say me if i forger important lines.

Trains run from Bristol to Weymouth via Bath, Westbury, Castle Cary and Yeovil. You’ve included all of this route except for a short section from Bath to Trowbridge. Edit: The Exile has made the same observation.

In Scotland, more trains run to Oban than to Fort William.

It’s unclear what your aim is, i.e. what criteria would be appropriate for which lines to include/omit. For example, adding the Thameslink core (St Pancras to London Bridge) would add a lot of connectivity to your graph. In practice, the majority of cross-London passenger journeys involve using the Underground (including the Elizabeth Line and Thameslink); any sort of “journey planner” that doesn’t model the Underground in some way will produce poor results. Similarly in Glasgow you should consider modelling the short walk between Central and Queen Street in some way.

 

[sfiliste]

One comment on your West and Wales map. The line from Bath to Westbury (no idea what the engineers' reference is), which you have left out, is much more significant than the one from Chippenham to Westbury, which you have included.

BFB. I add it.

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In Scotland, more trains run to Oban than to Fort William.

OK, added line.

It’s unclear what your aim is, i.e. what criteria would be appropriate for which lines to include/omit. For example, adding the Thameslink core (St Pancras to London Bridge) would add a lot of connectivity to your graph. In practice, the majority of cross-London passenger journeys involve using the Underground (including the Elizabeth Line and Thameslink); any sort of “journey planner” that doesn’t model the Underground in some way will produce poor results. Similarly in Glasgow you should consider modelling the short walk between Central and Queen Street in some way.

Thanks for your reply.
The main objective is to be able to compute rail distances from A to B. So, I dont want to add pedestrian links or underground links.

 

[endecotp]

The main objective is to be able to compute rail distances from A to B. So, I dont want to add pedestrian links or underground links.

Add Thameslink and the Elizabeth Line (aka Crossrail). These are not Underground lines in the normal sense. They are more like regular railways that happen to be in tunnels for some of their length. Without including them, distances for journeys such as Cambridge to Brighton will be completely wrong:

Realtime Trains | 1153 Cambridge to Brighton | 20/10/2025

Real-time train running information for 1153 departure from Cambridge to Brighton on 20/10/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk