Geofurlong provides several complementary views of the British railway network, from detailed per-ELR data pages through to national-scale network maps. The sections below describe each feature.

ELR Summary

Selecting an ELR opens its data page, which is structured into several sections. The Route Information section presents the key facts: the line’s limits (normally defined by bounding junctions or stations), its relationship to adjacent ELRs, and its place within the broader network.

  • Route / Section — the limits of the line are described, typically by junction or station names. Where the ELR forms a sub-section of a longer named route, that context is shown in the Section field.
  • Remarks — where specific conditions apply to the ELR — such as a closed alignment, a suspected data quality issue, or an unusual configuration — these are noted here.
  • Maps — see details below.
  • Urban Areas — if the ELR passes through significant urban areas, these are listed in mileage order.
  • ELR Extent — the Extent entry states the length as reported by Network Rail (in originating units, with decimal miles and kilometres for reference). This reported length is compared against the geospatial measured length, and any discrepancies are shown as symbols with associated tooltip information: ⓘ - small variation, ⚠ - medium variation, and ⚠⚠ - large variation.
  • Track ID Extents — the coverage ranges of the underlying Network Rail Track IDs within the ELR. Mileage sections with a Track ID allocated are shown highlighted; subsidiary extents — such as short overlap sections at junctions — are shown for completeness.
  • Grouping — lists ELRs that share a common route identity, forming a longer named line. For instance, ECM3 is one of nine ELRs comprising the East Coast Main Line group (ECM1 – ECM9).
  • Neighbours — lists geographically proximate ELRs, whether or not they are connected by a physical junction. Lines that intersect or run parallel are included; for example, HTM (Shaftholme Flyover) and JCA (Joan Croft Jn to Applehurst Jn).
  • NR Region — the Network Rail region, or regions, in which the ELR falls. An ELR spanning a regional boundary will list more than one; see BKE (Basingstoke Branch) as an example.
  • TRACKmaps — the railway track diagram book(s), commonly known in the industry as Quail maps, in which the ELR appears. Where the ELR spans multiple books, these are listed in order of nominal extent. For example, NEC2 (Newcastle to Carlisle) appears across books 1, 2, and 4.
  • LOR — the Line of Route, or Routes, that the ELR forms part of, with a direct link to the LOR map.

ELR Map

Every ELR has an interactive map showing its geographic extent with background mapping. Mileage markers are placed at 220-yard (one furlong) intervals — the origin of the geofurlong name — including the start and end mileages. The map supports multi-level zoom and pan, placing the line in its full geographic context. See, for example, BBM (Bedford Branch).

Minimap

A Minimap is a localised interactive map centred on a specific location, showing all the ELRs that converge or interact in that area. Mileage markers are displayed at quarter-mile intervals, and key junctions are labelled. Minimaps are particularly useful for understanding complex urban / junction layouts and the relative positions of connecting lines.

Browse all available Minimaps from the Minimaps overview, or access a specific one directly — for example, Bedford on the Midland Main Line.

Line of Route (LOR) Map

A Line of Route (LOR) groups together all the ELRs that form a continuous named operational route. The LOR map displays the full route — often spanning multiple ELRs — on a single interactive map, with markers at one-mile intervals and key junctions identified. This gives a higher-level view of a complete line compared to the individual ELR maps.

LOR maps and regional listings are available from the LOR tables page, with a national LOR overview map also available.

Hexmap

The Hexmap provides a national-scale view of the entire GB railway network. The country is divided into a hexagonal grid, with each hexagon colour-coded to indicate how many distinct ELRs fall within it — giving an immediate visual impression of network density across the country.

Clicking any hexagon reveals the ELRs it contains, with links through to their data pages and the corresponding Minimap for that location. The Hexmap is an effective starting point when you are exploring an unfamiliar area of the network rather than searching for a specific ELR.

Administrative Areas

The geographic position of each ELR is sampled at 22-yard intervals and analysed against council administrative area boundaries to determine which local authority area the line passes through at each point. The results are aggregated into a table showing the Administrative Area for each mileage range along the ELR. An ELR crossing several boundaries — such as LEC1 (WCML: London Euston to Rugby Trent Valley Jn) — will list each area in turn.

Nearest Place and District

Using the same 22-yard geographic sampling, each point along the ELR is matched to the nearest populated place. The linear distance from the railway to the centre of that place is calculated and the results aggregated into a Nearest Place table showing the place name, its council District, and a proximity classification: Adjacent (up to 150 metres), Near (151 to 500 metres), Distant (501 to 800 metres), and Remote (over 800 metres).

Infrastructure Features

Key infrastructure features are recorded with their geographic position, and their ELR and mileage computed via the Geofurlong reverse geocoding system. Features are presented across two tabs on the ELR data page.

Principal Features lists the stations and junctions along the ELR. Each entry shows the mile position together with dot markers (●) that indicate the sub-mile position to the nearest quarter: one dot (¼ mile), two dots (½ mile), or three dots (¾ mile). This allows the spacing and sequence of key features to be read at a glance — without converting miles and yards into meaningful gaps between them. Where a junction connects to another ELR, that ELR is shown in the Connections column with a direct link to its data page.

More Features presents the complete mileage dataset at 220-yard resolution. Every row links directly to that position in Google Maps, enabling rapid field or desk verification. The track count (number of lines, excluding crossovers) is shown at each position. Embedded within the table is a manually curated set of named infrastructure features: viaducts, tunnels, gradient summits, notable bridges, and other points of interest. Together, these give a comprehensive picture of the route at engineering resolution.