1:2500 OS Maps - Printing them? Grid Size?

[Ralf]

Hi Folks, 

 

This should be a dead easy one... I'm trying to work out how far apart the gridlines are on 1970s 1:2500 OS Maps such as those on Old-Maps.co.uk? I know the scale (!:2500) so can measure and work out distance BUT only if I print my screen grab at the appropriate size but having asked Google I'm unable to find an answer, although something somewhere said 4cm but surely it'll actually be an imperial distance based grid?

 

Only roughly trying to work out approx areas of a site and rough building measurements don't worry not trying to build a model building based on a map! 

 

 

Many thanks

Ralf 

 

[john new]

Hi Folks, 

 

This should be a dead easy one... I'm trying to work out how far apart the gridlines are on 1970s 1:2500 OS Maps such as those on Old-Maps.co.uk? I know the scale (!:2500) so can measure and work out distance BUT only if I print my screen grab at the appropriate size but having asked Google I'm unable to find an answer, although something somewhere said 4cm but surely it'll actually be an imperial distance based grid?

 

Only roughly trying to work out approx areas of a site and rough building measurements don't worry not trying to build a model building based on a map! 

 

 

Many thanks

Ralf 

OS Grid squares IIRC are 1km.

[Bristol_Rich]

Everything you need to know about the OS National Grid Reference is here:

 

https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/resources/maps-and-geographic-resources/the-national-grid.html

 

Irrespective of map scale the grid size remains constant. IIRC pre 1930’s maps were based on military maps and used imperial measurement, thereafter on the adoption of the modified method became metric. Accuracy I believe is about 2m...

[Ralf]

Thanks John & Rich, thanks for the info but I don’t think it answers what I’m trying to get at...

 

Because I’m printing a screen grab I don’t know how many mm square the grid boxes should be on my paper printout...

 

Cheers

Ralf

[melmerby]

Do you mean a map like this:

https://maps.nls.uk/view/102903937

 

In which case the map grid is 100m x 100m (the sheet is 500m x 500m)

The inner grid is marked in metres and has an imperial scale outside.

 

Using that I calculated that the didtance from the front of KX to the corner of Goods Way was about 450m

Google maps tells me it is 466m

 

You should be able to work it out from that what size to print

 

Keith

[Ralf]

Keith

 

Do you mean a map like this:

https://maps.nls.uk/view/102903937

 In which case the map grid is 100m x 100m (the sheet is 500m x 500m)

The inner grid is marked in metres and has an imperial scale outside.

 

Quite like that - that’s a 1:1250 map this one - link below is 1:2500, but I like the logic of look at something still extant and then ask google earth...

 

https://www.old-maps.co.uk/#/Map/249500/207500/12/100955

 

Ralf

[melmerby]

Keith

 

 

Quite like that - that’s a 1:1250 map this one - link below is 1:2500, but I like the logic of look at something still extant and then ask google earth...

 

https://www.old-maps.co.uk/#/Map/249500/207500/12/100955

 

Ralf

I know what went wrong

I was looking at a 1:2500 but scrolled across to something more recognizable (KX) and hadn't noticed the scale had changed!

Outer London is 1:2500, Inner London is 1:1250

 

It's still 100m per grid square.

 

Keith

 

EDIT this is what I should have linked to but the maps aren't shown as individual sheets.

https://www.old-maps.co.uk/#/Map/530185/183157/12/100954

Edited October 16, 2018 by melmerby

[Ralf]

It's still 100m per grid square.

 

Fabulous thanks Keith!   

 

Ralf

[martin_wynne]

Hi Ralf,

 

If you use Templot (free) for the NLS 1:2500 maps it will:

 

1. make the screenshot for you,

 

2. scale it to the right size for your model,

 

3. display it with a grid of any size over it (here I set 1ft squares),

 

4. print it out at any size, including full size for your model on multiple sheets with alignment marks.

 

You don't have to use Templot for the track planning if you don't want to.

 

Click the background > maps menu item.

 

 

 

You can do the same thing with modern aerial images if you use the NLS web site to display them (slide the transparency slider).

 

The only thing you must remember is to set your model scale first (here I set EM), otherwise all bets are off. Everyone forgets that bit.

 

edit: p.s. Templot can also bend the maps to fit your model space, like this:

 

 

More info about that at:  http://templot.com/companion/wrap_picture_shape_to_curve.php

 

Martin.

Edited October 16, 2018 by martin_wynne

[LongRail]

The maps normally have the grid lines titled with their coordinates so you should be able to work out the scale from there

[Ralf]

Martin,

 

If you use Templot (free) for the NLS 1:2500 maps it will:

1. make the screenshot for you,

2. scale it to the right size for your model,

3. display it with a grid of any size over it (here I set 1ft squares),

4. print it out at any size, including full size for your model on multiple sheets with alignment marks.

 

That's very very clever stuff, have dabbled in Templot and can just about produce something resembling a track plan but had no idea it could do this too! I shall investigate! 

 

Thanks
Ralf