Up and Down?

[SquidvT]

Ok i am having trouble with the concept of Up Lines and Down Lines.

Can someone explain which line is up and which is down and why?

Thanks.

[eyore]

I believe Up is the direction of the railways head office, therefore, usually London in the UK. Down is obviously, the opposite direction.

[Darpor]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Railroad_d ... ed_Kingdom

[AndyUK]

Generally the Up line is the one heading towards London, the Down line away from London. Exceptions include the ex-Midland Railway lines, substitute Derby for London, and the Cardiff area Valley Lines where Up referred to heading up the valleys i.e. uphill.

Andy L

[SquidvT]

Ah thanks guys! Makes perfect sense (I think )

[rocky291]

Mileposts are located along the lines, with the datum point being the major terminus on the line, or in the case of a branch, at the junction of a mainline. When travelling in the down direction the numbers on the posts are counting up, and when travelling in the up direction, the numbers are counting down (seriously!).
The posts are usually located adjacent to the down line, or on the left of a single track when travelling in the down direction.
e.g. the NYMR mileposts show the distance to Rillington Junction, which was where the line branched off from the York - Scarborough line and the posts can be seen on the left side when travelling from Pickering to Whitby.
It seems unlikely that an exception was made for the valley lines just because they go uphill. I imagine that is a term used by locals, and not the railways.

Generally the Up line is the one heading towards London, the Down line away from London. Exceptions include the ex-Midland Railway lines, substitute Derby for London, and the Cardiff area Valley Lines where Up referred to heading up the valleys i.e. uphill.

Andy L

[AndyUK]

...It seems unlikely that an exception was made for the valley lines just because they go uphill. I imagine that is a term used by locals, and not the railways.

Generally the Up line is the one heading towards London, the Down line away from London. Exceptions include the ex-Midland Railway lines, substitute Derby for London, and the Cardiff area Valley Lines where Up referred to heading up the valleys i.e. uphill.

Andy L

It may sound unlikely but it's none the less true. Just check the Quail map of the area if you don't believe me.

Andy L

[johnnywilliam]

Bit of a . when they head east to west though!

[Oldpufferspotter]

I believe that in the USofA all trains are either Eastbound or Westbound.
I suppose in the case of a northbound train you would have to look at a map to see if the destination was east of or west of the originating depot?? Perhaps someone from the US could advise us on this one?
regards Ted

[malkymackay]

As usual with the railway network, there will always be exceptions to the general rule. The ECML mileposts count up in the Down direction, from zero at Kings Cross, reset to zero at York and then again at Newcastle. Just to make things interesting, they start counting down towards Edinburgh at the old ER/ScR boundary.

[rocky291]

Seems a bit odd, but I'll take your word for it!

Kevin
Andy L

It may sound unlikely but it's none the less true. Just check the Quail map of the area if you don't believe me.

Andy L

That is correct. the general direction taken by the route determines if it is westbound, eastbound etc.
The London Underground uses this system as a consequence of much of it once being owned by an American chap by the name of Yerkes.
Ted

I believe that in the USofA all trains are either Eastbound or Westbound.
I suppose in the case of a northbound train you would have to look at a map to see if the destination was east of or west of the originating depot?? Perhaps someone from the US could advise us on this one?

[metrobus]

Also Ex LYR where its towards and away from Manchester Victoria
Edward

[pacerfan]

...It seems unlikely that an exception was made for the valley lines just because they go uphill. I imagine that is a term used by locals, and not the railways.

Generally the Up line is the one heading towards London, the Down line away from London. Exceptions include the ex-Midland Railway lines, substitute Derby for London, and the Cardiff area Valley Lines where Up referred to heading up the valleys i.e. uphill.

Andy L

It may sound unlikely but it's none the less true. Just check the Quail map of the area if you don't believe me.

Andy L

I can back this up as I have a 1912 WTT for the TVR that states that down is towards Cardiff, Up is back up the valley's. And that the practise was the same for neighbouring systems such as the Rhymney and Barry

[chrisiveson]

Wembley, "Up for the cup".