The new UK National Rail Map, published since 2009, takes note of the major developments on the railways this year. In the future, it may be seen either as the high water mark of railway services in the UK, or a reset to be followed by a new structure which is not yet clear.

In the earlier spring lockdown, sales of the previous “Mayflower” map went through the roof. I frequently had to struggle into the Post Office with 24 maps which was the most I could carry in a plastic box. This publication is an excellent way to learn just how extensive our railway network is, and to plan places to which you might like to go in the future.

So, welcome to the 2021 Railmap website brought to you by nationalrail.com, based at Bishop Auckland. This map is the product of careful research updated to give improvement in accuracy and aesthetic appeal every year. You can buy the new map which features both the revived Rail Riders club for enthusiasts, and the racecourses of the United Kingdom and Eire. Rail Riders is an enthusiasts club that was run by the state-owned British Rail and wound up in 1991, but has been revived this year by Simon Buxton based in Thirsk. Meanwhile the map shows every racetrack in the UK, both flat racing and National Hunt (jumps) and even lists the same in the Republic of Ireland. Once the pandemic subsides, our new promotion “Back a Winner by Train” will be launched.

When bought by post, the maps are sent out in a sturdy tube. Postal tubes are not cheap to send, so we encourage you to buy multiple copies of the current edition, or back numbers (costing for as little as £2) to fill your tube with up to four maps. That way the cost of the postage is spread across the maps you choose. Last year’s 2020 edition was the best selling ever with its depiction of the voyage of the Mayflower in 1620, and is now available for £6. You can have any permutation you like and we mail to you as soon as possible after receipt of your order. We feature over 2,620 stations including Northern Ireland, and proposed stations under construction or likely to be so.

The map measures 63cm wide and 100cm deep, sized so it fits in the standard “British Rail” poster case. This map is by no means only for enthusiasts, but also for booking clerks to help plan journeys across the UK. It is most useful for regular travellers wishing to plot a journey, which is why ferry connections, Plus Bus interchanges, and details of request stops and restricted service stations are shown. It makes planning split ticketing journeys simpler in conjunction with the nationalrail.com website. Every station is shown with its three letter code, e.g. YRM for Yarm, CRM for Cramlington, to speed up online bookings.

This map, and is predecessors, looks best framed on the wall, although four pins on a cork board works nearly as well. You can find miniatures of previous editions in the online Shop.

The postal tubes are here, the maps are ready, and we await your order to help inform you of developments in the British rail network. There is no official map featuring all the stations issued by the rail companies, the Rail Delivery Group nor the Department for Transport.


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