Railways:- Up line and down line ..........difference??

[Wacky Racer]

One thing that has always puzzled me.

I understand maybe the track running from London to Glasgow could be the UP line, but what about one running from Hull to Liverpool across the country?

Or is there some other reason for naming them, rather than geographical....

Had a quick "Google" to no avail.......

[cobra kid]

Up go TO the capital or to a line going in that direction. Down go FROM the capital.

[Wacky Racer]

cobra kid said:

Up go TO the capital or to a line going in that direction. Down go FROM the capital.

By capital, do you mean London?

If so, by my example a line going from Hull to Liverpool trans Pennine goes nowhere near London, in fact in a East-West direction.

[Gaspode]

I believe that 'Up' refers to the main terminus station.

[Mikey G]

cobra kid said:

Up go TO the capital or to a line going in that direction. Down go FROM the capital.

What about London to Cardiff?

[soprano]

Mikey G said:

cobra kid said:

Up go TO the capital or to a line going in that direction. Down go FROM the capital.

What about London to Cardiff?

Capitals of colonies dont count.

[Wacky Racer]

soprano said:

Mikey G said:

cobra kid said:

Up go TO the capital or to a line going in that direction. Down go FROM the capital.

What about London to Cardiff?

Capitals of colonies dont count.

[sneijder]

Thread hijack : Is it also true that the house number 1 on a road is the house nearest the town centre ?

[cobra kid]

Wacky Racer said:

cobra kid said:

Up go TO the capital or to a line going in that direction. Down go FROM the capital.

By capital, do you mean London?

If so, by my example a line going from Hull to Liverpool trans Pennine goes nowhere near London, in fact in a East-West direction.

I was told this by someone at work as went to work on track one day. Something vaguely like that anyway.

Edited by cobra kid on Thursday 2nd July 20:08

[Pigeon]

Wacky Racer said:

One thing that has always puzzled me.

I understand maybe the track running from London to Glasgow could be the UP line, but what about one running from Hull to Liverpool across the country?

Or is there some other reason for naming them, rather than geographical....

Had a quick "Google" to no avail.......

Towards London is "up", away from London is "down".

If the line doesn't go to/from London then it's less well defined and depends on historical factors like where was the headquarters of the railway company who first built it. So for example on the Bristol-Birmingham route, going towards Birmingham is "up" because it's heading towards Derby which was the HQ of the Midland Railway who used to run that line.

[Wacky Racer]

Thanks Pidge...

Always a mine of knowledge.....

(Having just had a very pleasant day riding on the Manchester-Sheffield Hope valley line, through the Cowburn and Dore & Totley tunnels, wondering if I was on the up or down line....

[Ross1988]

To get all railway, the up and down lines can and will change as you go on different stretches of track, or ELR, Engineer Line reference, or if its a bi directional line. But yes as stated the main lines have ELR's stretching 100's of miles i was just been pedantic

[Mag1calTrev0r]

sneijder said:

Thread hijack : Is it also true that the house number 1 on a road is the house nearest the town centre ?

I believe it's nearest the townhall rather than town centre

[Deluded]

Mag1calTrev0r said:

sneijder said:

Thread hijack : Is it also true that the house number 1 on a road is the house nearest the town centre ?

I believe it's nearest the townhall rather than town centre

Nope, not always. Was the other way round in my old house.

[Nic jones]

(As far as I know) Only one station in the country has two Up platforms. Any guesses where?

[grumbledoak]

Nic jones said:

(As far as I know) Only one station in the country has two Up platforms. Any guesses where?

Surely everywhere is 'up' from Cardiff?

[Ross1988]

Nic jones said:

(As far as I know) Only one station in the country has two Up platforms. Any guesses where?

Any station in which there is numerous platforms, as the lines are referred to up main, up fast, up slow, up relief up goods etc...

But anyway where is it? As a guess it would be where a main line started and split of into two directions, so maybe St Pancras? or some big station in London? I don't really know my London stations.

[Stickers]

cobra kid said:

I was told this by someone at work as went to work on track one day. Something vaguely like that anyway.

Nobody just goes to work on a track one day, without first passing their track safety cert (Passport) & that is a 3 day course ending with a strict exam - unless of course he already had one

[daved]

Nic jones said:

(As far as I know) Only one station in the country has two Up platforms. Any guesses where?

Edinburgh Waverley?

[Wacky Racer]

So anybody know the answer, re the two "up" platforms?