Section 26: Distance Markers

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The Railways Clauses Consolidation Act 1845 required that the railway companies provide markers at quarter mile intervals along the trackside. Section 94 of the Act read:

"The company shall cause the length of the railway to be measured, and milestones, posts, or other conspicuous objects to be set up and maintained along the whole line thereof, at the distance of one quarter of a mile from each other, with numbers or marks inscribed thereon denoting such distances."

One reason for compelling the railway companies to have mileposts installed was that it allowed passengers to verify that they had been charged an appropriate fare for the length of their journey. Usually the mileposts are placed on only one side of the line, but occasionally there may be mileposts on both sides. The stated distance is measured from a defined point of origin, usually an important station or junction. This 'zero' point may be marked by a 'zero' post [26.1]. Alternatively, an ordinary milepost showing "0" may be used but quite often there is no marker at all.

[26.1] Zero Post (e.g. "T.& M." = Thirsk & Malton Line) (North Eastern Railway). Status: Obsolete

A milepost may be positioned facing the track (with a single face) or angled from the track (with two faces) so as to be readable from an approaching train. A milepost stating a fraction of miles may [26.2] or may not [26.3] show the whole number of miles.

[26.2] Mileposts showing the whole number of miles (e.g. Highland Railway). Status: Current [26.3] Mileposts that do not show the whole number of miles. Status: Obsolescent

Some companies varied the shapes of their quarter-mileposts to make the fractions more readily identifiable [26.4].

[26.4] Varying shapes of mileposts (e.g. Caledonian Railway). Status: Obsolescent

Quarter miles are frequently represented by symbols such as spots, triangles or bars [26.5].

[26.5] Quarter miles represented by symbols (e.g. triangles) (B.R.). Status: Current

Stripes or spots could be painted on the post itself, as a secondary means of showing the quarter miles [26.6].

[26.6] Quarter miles additionally represented by stripes or spots on the post (e.g. L&SWR). Status: Obsolescent

On some lines, the location of the zero point was stated on the whole-numbered mileposts [26.7]. In some cases, just the initial letter, or letters, of the zero point location was shown [26.8].

[26.7] Milepost stating the location of the zero point (e.g. Darlington) (North Eastern Railway). Status: Obsolescent [26.8] Milepost with the initial of the zero point (e.g. "M" = Manchester). Status: Obsolescent

The whole-numbered mileposts on the Edinburgh & Glasgow Railway were unusual in that they gave the mileage from both those places [26.9].

[26.9] Edinburgh & Glasgow Railway Milepost. Status: Obsolescent Click Here for Photo

During the Second World War, some mileposts were removed (e.g. on the West Coast Main Line) and holly bushes were planted in their place.

From 1963, mileposts were generally coloured yellow. This change coincided with the repainting of permanent speed restriction indicators from white to yellow (see Section 13).

Some railways are provided with kilometre posts in addition to the mileposts. It has become practice to install kilometre posts when a railway is being electrified. Posts are installed at 500 metre intervals. On the Great Northern Line, they comprised small blue markers [26.10]. Kilometre posts were also provided on the Midland Main Line in connection with the testing of the APT-E train.

[26.10] Kilometre Posts, Great Northern Line electrification. Status: Obsolescent [26.11] Kilometre Posts, Ayrshire Lines electrification. Status: Obsolescent [26.12] Kilometre Posts, East Coast Main Line electrification. Status: Obsolescent Click Here for Photo

Around 1987, additional posts were provided midway between the quarter-mileposts on some lines in the north of Glasgow, thus providing distance markers at 10 chain intervals [26.13].

[26.13] Ten Chain Marker (Scottish Region). Status Uncertain

In some complex areas around London, lineside markers are installed at intervals of one chain [26.14]. There are eighty chains to one mile. Similar markers are installed at the London end of the Great Western Main Line [26.15], where in addition there are metric markers provided at ten metre intervals from the zero point at Paddington [26.16].

[26.14] Chainage Markers ( (a) - mile marker; (b) - chain marker ). Status Uncertain [26.15] Chainage Marker (miles and chains) (Great Western Zone). Status Uncertain [26.16] Metreage Marker (Great Western Zone). Status Uncertain

From c.1998, new reflectorised mileposts were installed along certain parts of the Great Western and Southern Zones. They are double-sided and placed edge-on to the track so that they face drivers [26.17].

[26.17] Reflectorised Mileposts. Status Uncertain Click Here for Photo

A new standard form of kilometre post was introduced in 2003. To distinguish them from mileposts, the new kilometre posts have yellow figures on a black background [26.18].

[26.18] Kilometre Post. Status: Current

The Channel Tunnel Rail Link, which opened from 2003, has kilometre markers provided every kilometre. These comprise large square yellow boards clearly visible to drivers. The name of the adjacent track is identified on each board [26.19]. In addition, a plate giving the kilometreage to the nearest tenth of a kilometre [26.20] is fitted to each block marker (see [2.120]), shunt marker (see [3.85]) and group of emergency replacement switches (see [25.24]).

[26.19] Kilometre Marker (e.g. beside Down Track) (CTRL). Status: Current [26.20] Kilometreage Plate (CTRL). Status: Current
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