How to use this site

This website will provide a list of every route operated by British Railways as shown in the Sectional Appendix dated October 1st, 1960 (Some dates different on the Western Region). Don't know what the Sectional Appendix is? Click here to find out more.

In the National Routes page the country is divided into regions and then sub-divided into sections or, in the case of the Western Region, Traffic Divisions. Clicking on any of the links will take you to a list of all the routes contained within that section or division. Then simply click on whichever route interests you.

Once you have found the route that you are looking for (And assuming that the page has been completed) you will see a list of locations along with certain other information. At junctions you will see an arrow. These arrows are clickable and will allow you to move from route to route. It will thus be possible to take a 'journey' from Penzance to Thurso, passing every signal box along the way and, hopefully, to get a feel for British Railways as it was during this fascinating period of its history. This is definitely a work in progress, so many areas of the country have little or no information available as yet.

Without an intimate knowledge of the routes concerned, users will find it difficult to navigate any distance and to keep track of where they are. Maps become an essential tool. In this connection, I get a lot of use out of my Ian Allan Pre-Grouping atlas. If you don't possess such a map then there are excellent online versions available. Some of them are listed on my links page.

Any feedback is always welcome and, indeed, essential. Any mistakes that I have made will remain mistakes without the help of those who know better.

Definite items for inclusion

List of stations, signal boxes, depots and other features in 1960.
Distances between locations.
Number of running lines, loops and refuge sidings
Closing dates of routes and stations.
Links to OS maps for each station.

Possible items for inclusion

Locations, running lines, loops, refuge sidings, depots, tunnels, water troughs etc., closed before 1960.
Private sidings.
Timetable information for routes.
Features of closed lines that remain traceable and the uses that some have been put to.
Opening dates of routes and stations.