Rather Geographically Inaccurate GWR Route Map

[Trainspotter37]

Whilst travelling onboard a GWR Networker Turbo, I could not help but notice the geographical inaccuracy of the route map. I am aware that they are not necessarily designed for geographical accuracy but for ease of use, but as such it has made the shape of the UK rather distorted in the process!

 

[HamworthyGoods]

These maps are often supposed to be schematic rather than geographically accurate. The Tube map being a prime example.

 

[izvor]

For a route diagram it's actually quite geographically accurate. What I do find bizarre is the description of London - Reading - Swindon (and others) as "infrequent". I realise this is some sort of regional or unit-specific publication (clue in the print code bottom right) but ... really? High up in the confuse-a-stranger league table.

 

[trainmania100]

Was never going to be perfectly to scale but it does its job and makes it easy to see how to get around the network.

 

[JohnRegular]

For a route diagram it's actually quite geographically accurate. What I do find bizarre is the description of London - Reading - Swindon (and others) as "infrequent". I realise this is some sort of regional or unit-specific publication (clue in the print code bottom right) but ... really? High up in the confuse-a-stranger league table.

Yes, I understand that means 'infrequently served by Turbos' but the type of unit is going to be pretty far down on the list the average passenger is thinking about.

 

[pelli]

Six months ago there was a discussion of a version of this diagram which had slightly fewer lines filled in and a different caption - "Regular Turbo served route" instead of "GWR regional or local route", "Occasional Turbo served route (6 or less trains/day)" instead of "Route/station served infrequently, or during engineering work only", etc. Here are the first two posts in the thread:

I hesitate to post such a trivial topic but I found this map truly bizarre. Why would anyone need a map of routes served by Turbo trains? I doubt many passengers would recognise them and it’s not like you’d plan your route to enable you to take what is a pretty hum drum train. To the average passenger the map is pretty misleading and could be taken to imply there’s a limited service between, say, Exeter and Plymouth.

Possibly it's a map that is only displayed on board the Turbo fleet, so the service that the train is operating will always be on a section highlighted on the map. It would also emphasise that a passenger would need to change if heading beyond the thick line section. I agree that it's a fairly unusual presentation though.

 

[Starmill]

These maps are often supposed to be schematic rather than geographically accurate. The Tube map being a prime example.

The tube map displays all TfL-sponsored services, and some others. It's certainly not a complete document by any means, but it's rather more complete than this one is.

The only reason I can think for wanting this information to be easily displayed in this format is, for example, if you need to know if your train will be a Turbo so you can fit your mobility scooter or whatever onboard, and it has been taken out of context by mistake.

That's just an example, I have absolutely no idea what GWR's actual policy on carrying mobility scooters is, and I can't be bothered to look it up at present.