New Adlestrop Railway Atlas

[Dunnyrail]

The New Adlestrop Railway Atlas - historical UK railway map

Does anyone know if, when or even when the Atlas will be completed? This superb currently goes about as far a line between then Humber and Mersey sadly notbincluding anything roughly North of that line. I have the .pdf on phone, iPad and Computer and find it the best Net Map to use when out and about on the train. I have attempted to try to ask ifvthere is work being done to extend it to no avail and wondered if anyone on here knows the story about its creation and non completion.

 

[A Challenge]

Given the copyright is © 2001 to 2018, I am assuming that nothing has been changed since 2018, and therefore is probably an abandoned project, though the domain main page (https://www.systemed.net/) has 2021 on it, so the website itself is still being used (plus the website hadn't gone down so the fees are still being paid).

 

[Doctor Fegg]

Hi, it's my map (and site!).

It absolutely is not an abandoned project. It's just something I only get the time to work on once in a while, and I'm crazily busy at the moment.

I've actually done the research for the rest of mainland UK - it's all sitting in a nice tidy GIS database here on this computer. I just haven't had the time to make it into a lovely PDF map yet. I'll do so when I get some free time, unless someone wants to commission me to do it faster

 

[Dunnyrail]

Hi, it's my map (and site!).

It absolutely is not an abandoned project. It's just something I only get the time to work on once in a while, and I'm crazily busy at the moment.

I've actually done the research for the rest of mainland UK - it's all sitting in a nice tidy GIS database here on this computer. I just haven't had the time to make it into a lovely PDF map yet. I'll do so when I get some free time, unless someone wants to commission me to do it faster

Brilliant great news, look forwards to seeing it. I hope you appreciate the way that I feel about this super map of yours and hope that prompts you forwards. Not sure I could commission you, but what would be needed, I am retired and time rich cash poor! Send me a private message if you would like to discuss.

 

[the sniper]

Hi, it's my map (and site!).

It absolutely is not an abandoned project. It's just something I only get the time to work on once in a while, and I'm crazily busy at the moment.

I've actually done the research for the rest of mainland UK - it's all sitting in a nice tidy GIS database here on this computer. I just haven't had the time to make it into a lovely PDF map yet. I'll do so when I get some free time, unless someone wants to commission me to do it faster

Glad to see you're up for finishing it, thanks for your work so far! It's a great map. I dread to think what year I first downloaded it, prior to the north being added, many moons ago...

 

[soccermad]

Why Adlestrop ?

My Grandparents live in Adlestrop when I was a lad and are buried in the Churchyard there.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Why Adlestrop ?

My Grandparents lived in Adlestrop when I was a lad and are buried in the Churchyard there.

Maybe a nod to the Edward Thomas poem.

@Doctor Fegg should be able to confirm.

 

[ainsworth74]

Hi, it's my map (and site!).

It absolutely is not an abandoned project. It's just something I only get the time to work on once in a while, and I'm crazily busy at the moment.

I've actually done the research for the rest of mainland UK - it's all sitting in a nice tidy GIS database here on this computer. I just haven't had the time to make it into a lovely PDF map yet. I'll do so when I get some free time, unless someone wants to commission me to do it faster

Glad to hear it's still being worked on as it's a brilliant map and very very interesting. Sadly, however, I cannot offer a commission but if the lottery ticket goes my way

 

[Doctor Fegg]

It is a nod to the Edward Thomas poem, absolutely. (Not that far up the line from where I live!)

Here's a little randomly chosen excerpt from the GIS - just to show it hasn't been forgotten. It doesn't look as pretty as the PDF - that's the main remaining task to do....

 

[Nippy]

I really like this as well. I have it open on my iPad when I am travelling about to see where old railway lines cross/join etc

 

[soccermad]

Adlestrop​

BY EDWARD THOMAS
Yes. I remember Adlestrop—
The name, because one afternoon
Of heat the express-train drew up there
Unwontedly. It was late June.

The steam hissed. Someone cleared his throat.
No one left and no one came
On the bare platform. What I saw
Was Adlestrop—only the name

And willows, willow-herb, and grass,
And meadowsweet, and haycocks dry,
No whit less still and lonely fair
Than the high cloudlets in the sky.

And for that minute a blackbird sang
Close by, and round him, mistier,
Farther and farther, all the birds
Of Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire.

 

[vlad]

I'm probably being controversial here - but this is proof that even in the pre-Grouping era there were people promoting the fact that railway closures were needed!

 

[Grumbler]

Adlestrop​

BY EDWARD THOMAS
Yes. I remember Adlestrop—
The name, because one afternoon
Of heat the express-train drew up there
Unwontedly. It was late June.

The steam hissed. Someone cleared his throat.
No one left and no one came
On the bare platform. What I saw
Was Adlestrop—only the name

And willows, willow-herb, and grass,
And meadowsweet, and haycocks dry,
No whit less still and lonely fair
Than the high cloudlets in the sky.

And for that minute a blackbird sang
Close by, and round him, mistier,
Farther and farther, all the birds
Of Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire.

View attachment 92654

A beautiful poem. It would sound awful though if you substituted Adlestrop by its anagram - Portslade.

 

[soccermad]

OMG how horrible

 

[Gloster]

I have always thought that the word ‘unwontedly’ indicates that the train made an out of course stop. It is therefore hardly surprising that ‘No one left and no one came’.

EDIT: A bit of further reading suggests that the train was timetabled to stop at Adlestrop. It could be either that Thomas was surprised as he was just not used to trains stopping there, or because he simply had not realised that it would. We will never be sure.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

I have always thought that the word ‘unwontedly’ indicates that the train made an out of course stop. It is therefore hardly surprising that ‘No one left and no one came’.

Not usual or accustomed.

Poem is reputedly based on a journey that Edward Thomas supposedly made in June 1914 whereas Adlestrop station itself remained open until the mid 1960s.

 

[HA25322]

Its great news that you have not given up on the map. I really enjoy it and look forward to seeing the finished article. Well done on it so far.

 

[Dunnyrail]

Its great news that you have not given up on the map. I really enjoy it and look forward to seeing the finished article. Well done on it so far.

I would like to second that, when doing any kind of research the Addlestrop Map is my first port of call. Well for the bit that is done so really looking forward to the rest being completed. Withoit doubt it is the best map available to use in an iPhone or iPad, certainly a great resource when out and about on a train.

 

[Blinkbonny]

And just to add further appreciation, I concur with everything said above.

Thanks.

 

[Skymonster]

I’ve only just discovered this topic and the map, and I think it’s a fantastic resource - great work.

Just one polite question though: where is Manchester Airport?

 

[Joshua483]

It is a nod to the Edward Thomas poem, absolutely. (Not that far up the line from where I live!)

Here's a little randomly chosen excerpt from the GIS - just to show it hasn't been forgotten. It doesn't look as pretty as the PDF - that's the main remaining task to do....

View attachment 92594

How long do you think it will be an till the next version of the new aldestrop railway altas is released?

 

[507020]

I’ve only just discovered this topic and the map, and I think it’s a fantastic resource - great work.

Just one polite question though: where is Manchester Airport?

It may not be included simply because it is a map intended to show only the original Victorian railways and their current status as open or closed, but not any emphatically modern or entirely new build lines.

How long do you think it will be an till the next version of the new aldestrop railway altas is released?

I don’t know but I would expect it to be a very long time. Fortunately most railways are not north of Lancaster or York and so most are included and it is still quite accurate in that stations such as Maghull North and Kenilworth are shown open, but Bow Street is not. Perhaps the most significant error is now that the line to Okehampton is shown closed when it has in fact reopened. I do hope the lines north of Lancaster and York will appear soon though.

 

[Skymonster]

It may not be included simply because it is a map intended to show only the original Victorian railways and their current status as open or closed, but not any emphatically modern or entirely new build lines.

if that was the case I’m pretty sure Stansted Airport wouldn’t be on the map either, but it is - I think the omission of Manchester Airport is an error.

 

[507020]

if that was the case I’m pretty sure Stansted Airport wouldn’t be on the map either, but it is - I think the omission of Manchester Airport is an error.

Also HS1. I was looking through old versions of the map on web.archive.org last night and I wouldn’t be surprised if the area around Styal uses a different data source than the lines in the south because everywhere north of Chester and west of the ECML was missing until quite recently.

 

[Doctor Fegg]

I don’t know but I would expect it to be a very long time.

I wouldn't

 

[507020]

I wouldn't

No I would because it’s a tactic of mine to avoid disappointment. If I anticipate that it will be at least another 10 years before the map even reaches Windermere or Whitby and then it is done much sooner than that then I will be pleasantly surprised. Of course only you know exactly how long it’s likely to be.

 

[Doctor Fegg]

New update!

The New Adlestrop Railway Atlas - historical UK railway map

Now includes Cumbria and the rest of Yorkshire, plus plenty of smaller changes.

 

[507020]

New update!

The New Adlestrop Railway Atlas - historical UK railway map
Now includes Cumbria and the rest of Yorkshire, plus plenty of smaller changes.

Well that was a lot faster than I expected! Congratulations on including Manchester Airport this time. I expect closed lines in the Newcastle area are the reason for its omission. Will the next update be a smaller one to complete England before moving onto Scotland?

 

[the sniper]

New update!

The New Adlestrop Railway Atlas - historical UK railway map

Now includes Cumbria and the rest of Yorkshire, plus plenty of smaller changes.

An unexpected late Christmas present for everyone! Thanks again for your work.

 

[alxndr]

New update!

The New Adlestrop Railway Atlas - historical UK railway map

Now includes Cumbria and the rest of Yorkshire, plus plenty of smaller changes.

Fantastic!

Wenhaston is still missing on the closed line between Halesworth and Blythburgh though