Why do Network Rail still use some imperial measurements?

[ABB125]

From the NR Tweets:

“To put the repairs into context, we’re expecting to replace 1,456 sleepers, three sets of points, the moveable rails which enable trains to change course, 1,010 yards of new track and 3km of cable for signalling and power supply.”

That’s getting on for the full length of the tunnel, which is something they were proposing might happen a few days ago.

I wonder why they've used a mixture of yards and kilometres? Seems a bit odd; I'd have thought they'd use either fully metric or (less likely) fully imperial

 

[45669]

I wish they'd just stick to feet and inches. I'd know what they're talking about then.

 

[USRailFan]

I wish they'd just stick to feet and inches. I'd know what they're talking about then.

You Brits are weird...

 

[45669]

You Brits are weird...

Weird? Why??

 

[reddragon]

I wonder why they've used a mixture of yards and kilometres? Seems a bit odd; I'd have thought they'd use either fully metric or (less likely) fully imperial

Railways are miles & chains / yards, speed is mph, drain pipes are in inches.

Cables, OLE and dimensions are metric.

It's just where we are!

 

[ABB125]

Weird? Why??

Because we still use imperial measurements in some areas. Literally everyone* else uses metric.

*Apart from the USA, which as far as I'm aware uses (American) imperial measures almost exclusively. Personally, I can't get my head around using ft-lbs etc for engineering calculations; yet I still use miles when measuring distance (and metres/feet for shorter lengths!)

 

[Annetts key]

Cable is delivered on drums, typically 500 metres of cable on a drum. Hence the total length being given in km.

Meanwhile rails and the distances on plans and on the ground are still measured using imperial.

 

[delt1c]

I wish they'd just stick to feet and inches. I'd know what they're talking about then.

Of course everyone knows how many inches in a mile , but few know how many cm's in a km

 

[D6975]

Because we still use imperial measurements in some areas. Literally everyone* else uses metric.

*Apart from the USA, which as far as I'm aware uses (American) imperial measures almost exclusively. Personally, I can't get my head around using ft-lbs etc for engineering calculations; yet I still use miles when measuring distance (and metres/feet for shorter lengths!)

There are 3 countries that still use principally Imperial measurements. These are USA, Liberia and Myanmar. Only the USA is showing no sign of changing though, the other 2 are gradually going metric. USA will shortly be alone in using Imperial.

The railways are gradually going to become metric in the UK as the modern signalling being brought in is metric based. It's about time our roads went metric too, but imagine the cost of changing all those road signs..

 

[InOban]

There are 3 countries that still use principally Imperial measurements. These are USA, Liberia and Myanmar. Only the USA is showing no sign of changing though, the other 2 are gradually going metric. USA will shortly be alone in using Imperial.

The railways are gradually going to become metric in the UK as the modern signalling being brought in is metric based. It's about time our roads went metric too, but imagine the cost of changing all those road signs..

Ireland managed to switch from miles to km!

And many items referred to as 6, 12" etc will actually be supplied as their metric equivalent - 150mm, 300mm etc.

Because no-one under 60 has been taught imperial measurements I think that their continued use is risky.

 

[AndyPJG]

Because we still use imperial measurements in some areas. Literally everyone* else uses metric.

*Apart from the USA, which as far as I'm aware uses (American) imperial measures almost exclusively. Personally, I can't get my head around using ft-lbs etc for engineering calculations; yet I still use miles when measuring distance (and metres/feet for shorter lengths!)

Well the USA/NASA managed to get to the moon (allegedly) using nautical miles for distances and feet/sec2 for rocket burns!

 

[Gloster]

Well the USA/NASA managed to get to the moon (allegedly) using nautical miles for distances and feet/sec2 for rocket burns!

And, reportedly, only using eight digits after the point in the value of pi.

 

[RPI]

Ireland managed to switch from miles to km!

And many items referred to as 6, 12" etc will actually be supplied as their metric equivalent - 150mm, 300mm etc.

Because no-one under 60 has been taught imperial measurements I think that their continued use is risky.

I left school in 2000 and was taught a mixture of imperial and metric so the under 60 thing isn't quite true!

 

[notverydeep]

Railways are miles & chains / yards, speed is mph, drain pipes are in inches.

Cables, OLE and dimensions are metric.

It's just where we are!

Not London Underground - mostly metric now...

I left school in 2000 and was taught a mixture of imperial and metric so the under 60 thing isn't quite true!

Strangely I left in 1987 and was taught no imperial at all. I am doing my best to indoctrinate my children, by only measuring heights and weights in metric and always using it for cooking...

This is my favourite take on the subject:

The first comment that comes up is priceless: "Imperial and metric have something in common: They're both incompatible with imperial"! Sorry for going slightly off topic...

 

[Mat17]

I was at school in the 90s and learnt both systems.

I can use both (except km which I can't visualise and means nothing to me). But I'm generally happy with either system.

 

[45669]

I left school in 2000 and was taught a mixture of imperial and metric so the under 60 thing isn't quite true!

When I left school, metres hadn't even been invented !

 

[Dai Corner]

When I left school, metres hadn't even been invented !

I think my first introduction to metric units (the SI system as it was then called) was in secondary school when we first started doing calculations in Physics and Chemistry. 1970s.

 

[45669]

I think my first introduction to metric units (the SI system as it was then called) was in secondary school when we first started doing calculations in Physics and Chemistry. 1970s.

1970s? I left school in the 1950s!

 

[Mike Machin]

Not London Underground - mostly metric now...



Strangely I left in 1987 and was taught no imperial at all. I am doing my best to indoctrinate my children, by only measuring heights and weights in metric and always using it for cooking...

This is my favourite take on the subject:

The first comment that comes up is priceless: "Imperial and metric have something in common: They're both incompatible with imperial"! Sorry for going slightly off topic...

I was at school 1963 to 1975 and was taught using the metric system exclusively. I’m 63 in two week’s time and inches/feet mean nothing to me!

 

[45669]

I was at school 1963 to 1975 and was taught using the metric system exclusively. I’m 63 in two week’s time and inches/feet mean nothing to me!

Luckily for you (and for me!) most tape measures have proper measurements - plus metric ones as well!

 

[75A]

Luckily for you (and for me!) most tape measures have proper measurements - plus metric ones as well!

Must depend on where you were educated then, I was @ School 64/76 in Sussex and only did imperial, the most important being 8 furlongs in a mile (Fontwell / Goodwood)

 

[The Ham]

Of course everyone knows how many inches in a mile , but few know how many cm's in a km

That's what happens when you use numbers which are divisible by 10, no one can remember just how many zeros there should be.

There are 3 countries that still use principally Imperial measurements. These are USA, Liberia and Myanmar. Only the USA is showing no sign of changing though, the other 2 are gradually going metric. USA will shortly be alone in using Imperial.

The railways are gradually going to become metric in the UK as the modern signalling being brought in is metric based. It's about time our roads went metric too, but imagine the cost of changing all those road signs..

Roads are designed in mm, m and km, it's only the graphical interface which uses mph among with distances being traveled and occasionally (but only when paired with metric signs) things like height limits showing feet and inches.

 

[InOban]

Must depend on where you were educated then, I was @ School 64/76 in Sussex and only did imperial, the most important being 8 furlongs in a mile (Fontwell / Goodwood)

Must have been a shock when you sat any external exams, because they would certainly have been in metric.

 

[D6130]

Ireland managed to switch from miles to km!

They may have done for roads - in the Republic only I believe - but Irish railway distances and speeds are still measured in miles and miles per hour.

 

[75A]

External exams?
5 'O' & 3 'A' level passes.

 

[6Gman]

I left school in 2000 and was taught a mixture of imperial and metric so the under 60 thing isn't quite true!

And who learns basic units of measurement in school? Surely you learn the basics at home?

 

[The Planner]

Cable is delivered on drums, typically 500 metres of cable on a drum. Hence the total length being given in km.

Meanwhile rails and the distances on plans and on the ground are still measured using imperial.

Signalling plans have metric on them now if they have been updated.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

I am British but have lived in USA for 21 years. I have learned to use both. I prefer metric but miles on roads and mph I am good with. I still use F for weather but absolutely refuse to use F in our chemical plant. C is perfect.

 

[Spartacus]

It's traditional, like buying petrol in £ per litres but measuring it's use in miles per gallon

Like most people I know I use a mixture of both depending on circumstances, for instance miles and proportions of them for longer distances, centimetres and millimetres for smaller ones, unless it actually works out as an imperial measurement, which is often the case when doing anything around the house, it having being built in imperial. As I don't have to measure them precisely yards and meters are practically interchangeable for me, while human heights and weights I measure exclusively in imperial, my cat's weighed in metric.

 

[Cheshire Scot]

Having been educated in Imperial (1961 to 1974) there are some elements of metric I am reasonably comfortable with and others I may struggle or even become completely clueless about.

Kilometers - straightforward - 8 kilometers = approx 5 miles / 160 kph = approx 100mph. Approx is good enough for me!

What throws me is when things are quoted in millimetres. It should be straightforward, after all a metre = approx 39 inches and there are 100 cm in a metre / 30cm = approx a foot (12 inches for the yougsters), but someone says 'mm' my mind goes blank!

Weights I am pretty hopeless - 1 kg bag of suger is approx the same as the old 2 lb bag but that is as far as it goes. No idea what a quarter pound of cold meet equates to.

Liquids also pretty vague, 1/2 litre = approx 1 pt / 1 litre = approx 2 pints, and petrol approx 4.55 litres to a gallon which is useful for calculating fuel usage which of course I measure in miles per gallon.
Going back to the 1/2 litre are 1/2s (and other fractions) permitted in metric?

As I say approx. is good enough for my needs, and if I need a really accurate conversion then the internet gives the answers.