Milepost markers - from where are they measured

[vlad]

I have often wondered this. What if anything ( post/plaque ) identifies the datum points ?
Any pictures of any datum points ?

The zero point for the former North Staffs Railway line through Stoke, which is under a bridge in Macclesfield, at the site of the former Hibel Road station, is identical to all the others on the line - just with a 0 on it. IIRC the Derby to Bristol zero point, at the south of Derby station, is similar.

 

[Annetts key]

The 0 mile post often does not exist where a branch line diverges from a ‘main line’. Especially if the location of the relevant points has been moved since the original junction was laid out.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Watching the mileposts can be interesting between Ash Vale and Farnham because of the location of an extinct junction.

 

[Sean Emmett]

Not all origins are at zero. The Channel Tunnel is measured from km 10 at Folkestone to allow for 'chainages' of less than 10.00 km back round the loading/unloading loops, and avoids negative distances.

The Welsh Highland is measured from KM 20 at Caernarfon (footbridge) to avoid confusion with the Ffestiniog's miles, chains and yards. This also allows for extension back through the town and a potential interchange with TfW, should Bangor - Caernarfon ever be re-opened.

 

[mcmad]

Neither NESA nor 5 miles indicate a long (or short) mile between MKC and Hanslope Jn.

Not sure either NESA or 5 mile diagrams comment on long/short miles to be honest. Tends to just be local knowledge.

 

[zwk500]

Not sure either NESA or 5 mile diagrams comment on long/short miles to be honest. Tends to just be local knowledge.

5 mile definitely shows them if you look at the top. I'm sure ive seen one labelled but might be mixing my documents up. NESA tends not to highlight them, as you say.

 

[Boodiggy]

I believe wolverton has the record for the “longest mile” as when they realigned the track the mileage was never altered.

Yes that is correct!

 

[Wychwood93]

The 0 mile post often does not exist where a branch line diverges from a ‘main line’. Especially if the location of the relevant points has been moved since the original junction was laid out.

A zero post on a main line exists at Bathampton Junction at the start of the 'Bradford branch' BFB - it is on the up side approx. opposite to the relay room.

See also: BFB mileages (railwaycodes.org.uk)

Would have to be an image from a moving train - will have a go next time I am that way.

 

[===gricer===]

The line through Okehampton has mileposts from Waterloo :- 200 Miles

So that is measured from buffer stops at Waterloo station and if so is there anything at Waterloo station indicating that
it is a datum ?

Thanks for the replies so far

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

The line through Okehampton has mileposts from Waterloo :- 200 Miles
So that is measured from buffer stops at Waterloo station and if so is there anything at Waterloo station indicating that
it is a datum ?

Quail shows the current barrier line at Waterloo is 5 chains (110 yards) from the zero, which was where the LSWR met the SER to the east.
Waterloo initially had a through line to what is now Waterloo East on the SER.
I don't know if anything marks the spot.

 

[Sean Emmett]

The line through Okehampton has mileposts from Waterloo :- 200 Miles

So that is measured from buffer stops at Waterloo station and if so is there anything at Waterloo station indicating that
it is a datum ?

Thanks for the replies so far

I understand distances at Waterloo are measured from the former junction with the SER, and that the buffers are at 0m 05c.

But the stagger round the curve means that the buffers of P20-24 are at 0m 07c, despite appearing much further out.

The LSWR main line is notorious for mileage discrepancies, generslly under- rather than over-stating the distance. There's a significant adjustment immediately after Salisbury, and on the Bournemouth line after St Denys.

Edit: post 83 3/4 to MP 84 after Salisbury is about 7 chains, possibly the shortest quarter in the same MP series. Even with this adjustment, the latest RPS mileage chart estimates the overall distance from Waterloo to Exeter is over 1/4 mile longer than posted.

Wonder how much that cost in the era when freight rates and pax fares were based on mileage?!

 

[pdeaves]

I understand distances at Waterloo are measured from the former junction with the SER, and that the buffers are at 0m 05c.

That's an interesting one. Not only measured via a closed route (quite common now), but by a route that was barely used by any traffic.

 

[zwk500]

That's an interesting one. Not only measured via a closed route (quite common now), but by a route that was barely used by any traffic.

But it avoided a negative mileage or having a change of mileage (and possibly line direction) for such a short link. The LSWR certainly intended to operate services into the City of London, even if there was there little chance of it happening.

 

[chappers]

The classic mind-bending one for me is Victoria Park on the North London Line. The mileages are zeroed from Broad Street, and the line used to extend out at Victoria Park Jn (I think) to the East and West. The junction and line to Broad Street no longer exists and this section or the line is just a plain, E-W line but both mileages converge on each other without ever reaching zero

 

[jrbrownhill]

Does anyone have a google earth file with milepost and(or) railway access points?

Used to have one but seem to have lost it.

 

[etr221]

The classic mind-bending one for me is Victoria Park on the North London Line. The mileages are zeroed from Broad Street, and the line used to extend out at Victoria Park Jn (I think) to the East and West. The junction and line to Broad Street no longer exists and this section or the line is just a plain, E-W line but both mileages converge on each other without ever reaching zero

The NLR eastern section - east from Dalston to Victoria Park (for junction with GER from Stratford) and on to Bow and Poplar is a section which seems to have been totally remiled and redesignated.
My assumption is it used to be measured from Broad Street (0m for the NLR) round from Dalston Jn round through Dalston Eastern Junction and on all the way to Poplar and the docks/end of NLR; with a seperate section of NLR mileage between Dalston Eastern and Western Junctions; and GER mileage to Victoria Park, from Stratford (somehow!) and beyond.

But at some stage (when?) it was changed so that various progressive mileages met (and ended/started) at the newish (it was BR built) Navrino Road Junction: 'GE' from Liverpool St via Graham Road curve (GER 2m79ch); measuring down from Stratford (no idea where the zero point is/was) (DWW2 1m11ch); and measured back down down Dalston W Jn (2m22ch from Broad Street) (DWW1 1m52ch)