Part one ...

As far as I recall, printed rail timetables included a distance table - 
you'd almost suspect that legislation required it or something, just to 
ensure that the perfidious rail companies weren't selling you a ticket 
from say Broad Street, London to a (fictitious example) 'Birmingham 
Road' Station that was somewhere in the region of Blisworth. I wonder if 
distance tables really were a legal requirement at one stage ...

Part two ...

It would be useful to some, and it might even be a selling point if 
online timetables included distances, and the ticket selling portion 
threw in a 'Rate per mile' for the different tickets quoted.

That might take the sting out of the fact that the ludicrously cheap 
book-in-advance ticket that is never available, at 5 pence per mile, is 
in fact too cheap to be true (which is why it isn't true), while the 
Saver at 121 for the same journey is actually palatable, as it 
indicates the railways are prepared to carry you for say 21 pence per 
mile over the distance (I don't have the distance or cost per mile for 
the precise journey that I have in mind yet ...)

Mark

Mark Annand wrote:


> I wonder if distance tables really were a legal requirement at one
> stage ...


Railways Clauses Act, 1845, s 94. 
This legislation requires the installation of trackside mileposts. 
I expect the distance tables just summarise them.

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