Making Maps: The Story of the UK's Ordnance Survey
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 14 มิ.ย. 2024
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Did you do the Duke of Edinburgh's award? Because you're reminding me of that
Know what may prevent you dying sooner than anticipated? Having a good map.
Simon! What that Jazz piano track that was playing during the Policy Genuis ad? 🙂
Can't do policy genius as they can't accept data from within the EU. (UK based)
Lolz More like Pyramid schemius... allegedly ...
I was taught to read an OS map as a child and my Dad bought one for everywhere we visited and a few places we didn’t. Very useful skill to have.
Best maps you can buy as well
Always carry one when I’m off for a walk.
The US version is our United States Geological Survey Topographic Line Maps; 1:24,000 scale topographic maps, covering the contiguous US, Alaska, and Hawaii, updated regularly, and split into segments meant to print on standard, 8.5" x 11" paper. An old boss of mine was delighted when I showed them to him before a backcountry ski trip. The database used to create them uses the same international mapping standards as the OS maps. All the maps are available for free on the USGS website. If you're planning a vacation in the US, there's not a better source available, particularly if you're orienteering or geocaching.
@@terenceconnors9627 I did actually do this on one of my trips to the states and it was handy.
Yep I agree I was taught at school to navigate using OS maps, came in quite handy when I joined the Army a few years later.
Maybe it's my imagination, but, to me, Simon becomes a little more British when he makes a video about his home country.🧐☕🇬🇧
He must have taken theatre classes.
It's your imagination. Its all part of his part completed Czech sleeper agent training that the end of Communism ruined. He's never set foot in the UK.
@@Marykate465 Wait...I thought *all* British people were theatre majors?! Are they not? That one guy that wrote a bunch ov awful plays, Shackspire I think it was, seems to really talk a lot about British stuff. Maybe i just need to read more?
@@jaymevosburgh3660 🤷♀️
I was a theatre major, and he seems to have been trained for the stage.
Simon has been identified using DNA evidence to be the real Jack the Ripper. Far as I understand he makes all these videos from prison.
How else do you think he makes 31 videos a day?
I worked on editing the 1: 10,000/MasterMap scale for a few years for the OS. It was fun! This scale was the realm of the utter attention to detail - you could see things like ALLL of the rudely-named private enclosures and remote hills (Lord Hereford's Knob, anyone?), and the ancient GIS programme we used gave you the WORST Tetris effect ever - imagine looking at coloured lines on a grey background all day. They had the real OG Kent map up on a display board once. It also had the best work perk ever - 'factory first' paper maps sent to us from the printer for the last QC check and unable to be sold otherwise; I have a whole bookcase full of the things covering a good chunk of Britain.
Oh and Simon they aren't in that building any more. They moved recently to the outskirts of Soton to a custom fancy building called Explorer House near the M271.
Always wondered, what GIS and software in general does OS use to make their maps?
That is quite detailed compared to the 25k and 50k maps but have you ever looked at the old 1:2500, 1:1250 and earlier 1:500 maps?
The level of detail is insane
"Ended up getting chased by a bull and electrocuted by a femce" as a farmer, is this not what everyone did for fun as a kid?
can confirm even better at night as you only have the sound to go off. :D
Yeah, I have been there.
Even been stuck up a oak tree for almost seven hours after being chased by a bull.
Fun times.
Was surveying out in Texas and my crew was about a mile from a fence when a young bull put his head down and started pawing the ground. As the party chief I am responsible for the safety of my men so I took the rod from my eyeman and told the guys to start towards the fence as I kept walking towards the bull.
When the bulls eyes opened wider and rolled I jumped up, spread my arms and legs wide then quickly brought my hands down to my crotch.
The bull took off running away. When my crew made it back to me they asked me how the hell I drove that bull away.
"Look guys, all you gotta do is show a bull who has the bigger **** and they will leave you alone."
@@sadwingsraging3044 That's a loooong setup for stupid joke...
Ah yes, as a 10 year old kiddo in Washington I too was chased into an electric fence, not by a bull but by a grizzly bear dressed up as a pony. That thing had murder in its eyes. 👀🐻🐎
In the US we have the US Geological Survey for our mapping. As good as the electronic maps are, I still prefer a good paper map when out and about, size matters when it comes to maps.
The multicoloured map show at the start was the British Geological Survey map, that one shows the type and age of the rocks beneath the surface. Not considering mapping the surface to be enough of a challenge, we brits decided to map the subterranean landscape as well. It's probably another video in its self explaining how this came about.
Acquired many paper maps in Australia in the 1980's and 90's, befire digital maps. Still have them, still useful.
I received a Times Comprehensive Atlas of the World (Times Books, London) as a gift. A big heavy work of art, it sits in my living room and is referred to often. Google Maps is great but for just browsing the world with a magnifying glass, the atlas gives a better perspective on distances. No batteries needed.
USGS produces a lot of good data
A paper map and a magnetic compass will NEVER have their batteries go dead, unlike a GPS unit or smartphone.
{And YES, I _DO_ use GPS and a smartphone...👍👍}
If one studies the Jack The Ripper case, the Ordnance Survey maps of London that were done right around 1888 are must-haves. They are outstandingly detailed. And they mean that even if you aren't British, you know at least a *little* about what those maps are (and after you watch this video, you'll know much much more).
In the US we have similar USGS (U.S. Geological Survey) topographical maps with the whole nation split into quadrangles. I still use mine any time I'm hiking, in addition to carrying a GPS
I grew up in the 70's, 'reading' maps.
I love them, I could sit and 'read' a map for hours. And OS maps, were the absolute best.
Fun thing about OS Survey maps. I used one to locate the small town (now apparently a neighborhood of a city that absorbed it) in Ireland named for my ancestors who were "encouraged" to "settle" way back when, before being "asked" to leave for America about 400 years ago. LOL
So pleased that this covered MasterMap, so many only think about paper maps which are such a small part of OS's amazing work
1:25 - Chapter 1 - Ordnance survey
4:00 - Chapter 2 - Origins
6:05 - Mid roll ads
7:25 - Chapter 3 - An anglo gallic dispute
9:25 - Chapter 4 - The principal triangulation of britain
11:30 - Chapter 5 - Irish maps
12:35 - Chapter 6 - New era
15:00 - Chapter 7 - Wars
16:45 - Chapter 8 - Into the modern world
Learned to read map and compass for orienteering with Boy's Brigade, handy skill, even today. Our bookshop still sells a few maps, mostly to walkers, partly because they prefer the paper over digital map on phone, but also if they are hillwalking in the middle of nowhere and have no phone signal, they paper map keeps working!
I'm not sure if it belongs on this channel, but how about a video on the Domesday Book? That thing was a MASSIVE undertaking for the middle ages.
I love my old Ordnance Survey maps - the detail, quality and varieties are awesome.
They also produce some decent enough apps.
But I swear they don't include PH on them anymore !
Whenever I visit a new area to camp and cycle or walk I like to pick up an ordnance survey map, kind of like a memento I suppose though there's something nice to physically actually having something without scrolling round the small screen.
I do the same thing .. we may aswell be the same person 😂
To summarise the video into one word: "TRIANGLES"
ILLUMINATI CONFIRMED
That's a very Pythaorean point of view, assuming he existed, which some question, and attributing to him already well-known maths theory.
Ingress HARD mode
And to complicate those triangles - elevation / altitude has just entered the conversation :-)
I think even now, anyone who goes hiking still carries an OS map. Paper maps don’t run out of batteries or loose their signal.
Nope, no map, no GPS, nothing. Of course I do recon beforehand, well, most of the time...
I do something similar when traveling in a different state here in the US. There are times when Google just doesn't work :)
My thing about paper maps is they allow you to look at the big picture while giving you all the details.
I sacrifice my helmet to save weight I don't take extra paper.
@@jpswaddle7899 Then leave the one ripits behind. A paper map doesn't weigh all that much.
I love maps, I loved geography at school and was extremely happy when I got a Collins world map for Christmas and spent many an hour looking through it. Quite proud that they made the maps in my home town and many friends who worked there, they now have moved to a purpose built building on the outskirts of Southampton..
This is such a British Megaproject!
In a wonderful example of foresight, the second triangulation, starting in the 1930s, was done in metric. The American 'plat' maps, still in use, were done in the old version of inches (25.3mm/inch), not the new standard of 25.4mm/inch.
I bet your property deeds are done in feet and tenths/hundredths/thousandths.
@@sadwingsraging3044 I'm in New Zealand. Everything is metric.
@@karlfimm You say so.
Bet you find an old enough deed you might find the calls in Survey Feet.
Great item!
In the Netherlands, these maps are called "Stafkaarten", i.e. maps intended for use by military officers.
I was always fascinated with maps when I was little. And even now, love looking at online maps. In America the name "Rand McNally" has as much weight and meaning as ordnance survey. 😊
Not quite, NGS maybe or USDA, Rand McNally is an Atlas, good for highways, I should know I'm a trucker, they don't show relief or topographic info nor so much as local, still need to bust out plat maps of different counties etc. Rand McNally is the biggest manufacturer YOU have heard of and are quite accessable, however, anyone that will need to trust their life to a map isn't going to reach for them if they have any kind of knowledge.
Coming from Britain - with the brilliant OS coverage, to live in the US - I was severely dismayed by the quality of mapping here. Rand McNally aren't even worth calling maps. Even the USGS maps don't have the detail and quality of good old OS products. Such a shame!
@@aldcwatson ... As a former surveyor I can assure you there are plenty of great maps of the US that include elevations, topography etc etc they just might not be available at the local gas station but are available at the local library
Sounds more like Fisher or Mckenzie for the BWCA. Extremely detailed & waterproof for canoe camping trips.
@@aldcwatson Britain has a much higher population density so its understandable that the mapping is better.
Nothing impresses your hopelessly lost friends more than being able to produce a mental map without a smartphone and navigate by it. Anyone can obediently follow a GPS guide but it's a worthwhile skill to read and understand maps without a voice telling you where to go, and one that we should teach regardless of the media is paper or screen.
"I got chased by a bull and shocked by a fence" Its called a learning experience Simon. If kids dont roam off the path, how are they to learn?!
Watching this from Texas my first thought was "Well, there's a night of cow-tipping gone bad."
I was on the path when it happened to me! I have also been chased by the whole herd of cows, a herd of sheep, and a couple angry jack russels.
@@atodaso1668 Apart from the Jack Russells', I've also had a farmer point a shotgun at me. He wasn't happy when I walked up to him and put him flat on his back. I'm ex-Army. I took the shotgun off him, removed the cartridges and threw the gun into a Bramble patch, which also contained lots of Stinging Nettles. I also reported him to the Police, as it was a Public Right of Way.
Those are gorgeous maps and a testament to their skill and dedication!
My truck driving father made sure I knew how to read a road map before I even had a good grasp of reading. And, the U.S. Army taught me how to read a topographic map, and use a compass. So paper maps yes please.
I was taught to use an OS map in my O-level Geography and am eternally grateful for the skill. Batteries go flat, satellites get obscured, but a map and compass keeps going - albeit with the map in a water-resistant case because of Britain's maritime weather :-)
the missed opportunity to collab with map men hurts my soul
Whilst I mainly use my phone nowadays (Well an OS map on my phone with GPS), I still like to carry a backup paper map printed from the OS website (High value subscription product btw)
This was really interesting. I work in Geospatial Information Systems (GIS) so I deal with cadastral data all the time, here in the US. I have seen and touched the UK Ordnance Survey a few time through college. A topic in the same vein that I think would be interesting is the US' Public Land Survey System (PLSS) developed to survey the Louisiana Purchase, definitely a mega project; it is used predominately in the western US, the east coast still uses a version the British used. While I have practical and some historical knowledge of PLSS, I am sure your team could teach me something new.
Maps are wonderful things. Here in the US we did not have an Ordnance Survey but much of the US, once the natives were either wiped out or moved, was mapped in detail (in order to plat the land for original purchase.) Then later the US Geological Survey produced (and still does) wonderful maps and there are specialty maps by other government agencies. And most states have their own geological agencies making high resolution maps, and of course each county will have detailed plats. Many Americans never look at these things, though they are quite useful and the older ones have a lot of historical information embedded in them.
As a P.S. to the O.S. surveyors making military maps of north west Europe in WW2: The Royal Engineers were also mapping the desert of North Africa, for the 8th Army. Drawing and printing was done in the back of 3 ton army trucks!
As a retired O.S. surveyor, I was privileged to know the father (also O.S) of one of my colleagues who did just that.
I'm an American, but I have two OS maps of London spliced together on my wall. I can get lost for hours just looking at all the little details
A sideprojects on the survey of India, and Mt Everest and K2 would be nice.
Ahhh,,, A THG purveyor I see!
@@sadwingsraging3044
Ahh, I’m a Land surveyor
@@larryscott3982 party chief myself.
Look for 'The History Guy' video on the 'Everest Survey'.
He did a great video on it.
@@sadwingsraging3044
I’ve got a T3, and I’m not afraid to use it.
One of my favorite videos so far, as I am a huge map fan. Thank you!
Surprised the life insurence sponsor wasnt on a Casual Crimminalist video
Over the years I've found the old Ordnance Survey maps instrumental in helping people to trace their ancestors due to the old maps showing the houses and streets that no longer exist. Thus helping to identify which set of census and parish records to be looking at. One search that I helped someone with was is the area known as the Isle of Dogs and much of which is now known as the London Docklands. An ancestor lived in a street which we were able to find and trace through successive maps. The area had been swamp, then dug out a became a waterway for ships, then filled in and became streets, dug out again and became docks again, then filled in again, dug out again, and finally filled in again. I also found some of the names of places and churches extremely funny, but I've not yet found one better than 'All Hallows by the Tower, Barking.'
As someone who works in the field of GIS (Geographic Information Systems), I really enjoyed this episode. It's nice to see when other people have an interest in land surveying and maps
i just wish these were longer love listening to mr simon's narrations ! thanx you guys
I learned how to read topological maps, road maps and marine charts when I was young (long long time ago). I learned how to use a lensatic compass as well as using a sun compass to navigate the earth. Simon, just look at your video on the Carrington event and you should be able to see just how incredibly precious those drawn on paper maps are. We are playing cosmic Russian Roulette with a star able to wipe out our geo position satellites as Wells’s the power grid and internet. I think this is something that should be taught in schools around the world. Love your videos!!!
This reminds me of a line in my Non-Euclidean Geometry textbook when introducing fractals. What is the length of the British Coastline? Depends on the size of your ruler.
Can I suggest now you have done OS Maps , how about the Trig Points and their development (the small stone/concrete pillars used for the trigonometry you alluded to
Super interesting. Thanks
"Chased by a bull and electrocuted by a fence"
I will pay cash for video footage of this event.
National Library of Scotland has a Ordanace Survey Online Map That is Awesome
Love this. How about a series on exploration/mapping the largest rivers on each continent?
Really enjoyed this one. Please don't be too shy of producing some slightly more, er, nerdy and niche videos like this! It didn't have any Nazi battleships or Soviet nukes in it but was every bit as enjoyable. Thanks!
if you enjoyed this video you should literally look up early AMERICAN maps they are literally much more interesting
Simon is like Max Headroom. He’s everywhere.
Let's be glad his speech is less spazz though haha
Cool and informative video!
Excellent video - will share with my colleagues at Ordnance Survey :)
Very informative thanks. Maybe it's just because I'm English but OS maps are always fascinating to study.
This should be a MegaProjects video
Woke up to a pain in my chest. Do I have heart problems? Then had an incredibly hard day and coming home, decided to listen to some Lovecraftian horror. Got depressed by tales of necromancy, graverobbing and living corpses. Finally decided to listen to something neutral and informative and went to Simon for a bit of enlightenment... meanwhile Simon: “Hi, at some point you’re gonna die, let’s face it.”
"The most British sentence I've ever uttered"
But such fun - the whole experience!
As a surveyor this episode gave me a semi!
Surveyors on the Pacific islands were working on laying out airfields when half of it was occupied by America and the other half was overrunning with Japanese.
Then you had the Surveyor Wars in the Wild West which would be a great video for Simon!
I had the pleasure of working with a team from OS. They were extremely professional and were definitely a cut above others in their field.
I have a small collection of OS 1/25000 maps I used to use when going 'green laning' in my old Land Rover. Those maps and an army surplus compass gave me great days out, especially Salisbury Plains where are open to drive but are also where the British army teaches its drivers, including tanks.
There are signs everywhere saying not to touch any discarded ordnance as it may explode!
11:49 I was thinking about "Translations" early on in this video. I got to run tech for the show when it ran here in DC.
bonus fact: for some reason i dont remember, the Ordnance Survey had build and use a temporary office building, it was huge, they were supposed there for 5 years, they there for 20 years. They did leave shortly after this, it then took many more years for the land to be sold and the building demolished. there are now blocks of flats there.
That was fantastically interesting!
OS maps totally fascinating, and a great vlog about their history.
SatNav will take you somewhere, a map will show you where it is.
really miss these
As a land surveyor, this one was very cool. Modern theodolites are essentially all digital now and we can survey over a thousand feet from one setup with very high accuracy. Fun stuff
Very proud to have worked at the Ordnance Survey for 23 years, first in 1:10,000 drawing section (yes, hand drawing) then in digital mapping and finally database development.
While in college working on my Geology degree, I worked on several Geological survey maps. It's a lot of work, took me and 2 others a week to map out about a mile of a ridge line.
Can't imagine how hard it was a century ago without modern equipment.
Always something more to learn as an Anglo and Francophile.
I used to spend hours looking at maps and globes wondering what's over there? Or over here? Thanks for the regular videos on all the channels.
I first learned to read an OS Map whilst a 14 year-old schoolboy, when I joined my school Army Cadet Force. I was hooked from there-on in. I now have a sizeable collection of them, including maps from the 1920's and 1930's. Also local maps in One Inch series; 25,000 series; 40,000 and 50,000 series. My favourite maps, are those One Inch maps of Dartmoor, etc, which include Purple Shading, which denote the North and West sides of Hills, as they would be in real time at about 10 am, at the Equinoxes. Very easy to read for beginners. These were available during the 1960's and 1970's. A great shame the OS don't still include the shading, as it was very easy to read at a glance. Also very easy to Orientate the map, if you had no Compass. Generally, look for Lichens on the North side of trees in the UK and look for the tree's shadow on the ground, if Mid Morning, or Before Noon. That said, Map and Compass should be used in unison, for precise navigation. Unlike most people I know, I also have my own in-built Clock and Compass and the ability to memorise a map and its data; very useful for travelling at night in wild places. Dead Reckoning, anybody?
I just moved to the UK. I'm really glad I saw this because I didn't know about it before. Great video!
Doo ettt, go collecting. Charity shops are good for OS maps most of the time.
Always handy to keep a couple of os maps especially if ur out hiking or camping
Your opening line cracked me up 😂 I never comment on your videos but I’ve been watching your content for months and I really enjoy your style, keep it up ☺️
Still love vintage paper maps.
As a pilot in West Germany during the Cold War years, we used maps of 1”:50,000” to plan IP to target runs since the details were so good it allowed for faster positive identification of the target. At over 500 knots (575 mph) having accurate details was important!!
Engineers don't use theodolite. We surveyors do. And map making is a survey operation not engineering.
Awesome video.
Yep
Some branches of the engineers do use Theodolites and surveyors originated from the military engineers.
I worked for them as a surveyor from 1972 to 2016, and saw the change from analogue to digital. An awful lot of their map data is used by, local authorities, emergency services, land registration ( property sales and ownership) public utilities. The ramblers market is a very small part of user Base, but a very public facing one. It's never been an organisation that stands still, and I guarantee that there have been many operational changes since I left.
Triangles were selected as the preferred survey method in the early days, as angles could be measured more precisely than distances, and triangles were self checking using trigonometry. Nowadays GPS and the other satellite networks give a more reliable fix.
This is my favorite Mega Project that is not military/space based. My wife and kids hate my obsession with maps, especially older ones. We have a game room/ office that I have lined the walls with maps. I do not know exactly why but maps are so fascinating to me. I especially enjoyed viewing maps of the same region starting with the oldest and going to the newest, it is like watching history happen right in front of you lol
Would love to see you do The Rolling Stones as a Megaproject given their longevity and influence. It would also be a great tribute to Charlie.
would be a better fit for biographics
@@mayoite160 true
Early map making is a fascinating topic! The lengths people went to always blows my mind
They still do OS maps are legendary
totally love these maps!
Gonna buy one from the region I live in, Groningen. A physical one just because
I have a feeling this video wont be doing too well, but you sure as hell made us map nerds happy!
This is a fascinating video, really is. You know what else is interesting, the ITER fusion reactor is! You should do that as well.
Good video 👍
In the US, we had a thing called a Gazeteer. I had one for Wisconsin, an entire book of detailed maps, that I used when I would go on bike rides around the backroads. My cousin and I would mark the roads we had taken and the towns we had visited, helping us devise new routes to see things we had missed on previous rides. I even used one to map out a cross-country road trip we had planned that would see us driving through at least part of every state west of the Mississippi. He crashed his car a few months before we were to head out, though, so we never did that trip.
Despite nostalgia, though, GPS is so much better, with turn by turn instructions so I don't usually miss my turn and have to pull over to figure out if it's better to turn around or take a different route. And real-time traffic and construction updates take a lot of aggravation out of long trips, too.
The mapping of the US has some interesting stories as well. Many state and county lines were adjusted after later more accurate surveys splitting towns between states in some cases, resulting in troublesome legal problems for residents due to differing state laws and taxes. As a backpacker, I've also gone backpacking in areas where the section lines on the USGS (United States Geological Survey) maps are not straight because of the difficulty in surveying those rugged areas when they were surveyed.
Thanks for this, very interesting. I loved the old OS maps in their various scales. If only they'd been easier to fold!
Wow. Simon name checked three place that I visit weekly. Nether wallop, butts green and broughton are all near where I live and I work in those places regularly.
In the US, Rand McNally's road maps are actually as popular as ever. Apparently, Americans enjoy having paper maps for planning, etc., even with GPS. Has anything similar happened in Britain?
Many people still carry maps in thier cars and some breakdown companies are just starting again to produce road maps. You used to go buy a new one every year or every other year. Then Tom Tom etc became affordable/ into existence and started slowly and then rapidly replacing them. But as of recently maps are coming back in to favour.
So are we going to get a USGS video too? Maybe a California Geological Survey?
When bull running a tie at the fence is as good as a loss!
Love a good OS map, even still use them today to find things
At 2:12 the most British comment ever, please more of these in the future
I love an old map - I have a collection for the places I've lived in with copies of some going back 200 years.
I used them a lot when I was stationed at RAF Edzell when I was in the US Navy.
maps are awesome, Ive loved them since I was a kid
Wow. In Czechoslovakia we has detailed topographical hiking maps, I loved them.
In the US our equivalent is the USGS maps updated annually
That was a good one.
Very cool
Grew up learning to read maps in great detail, and still have never heard the phrase "ordnance survey" until today... Lol, 'Merica
As a former artillerist in a different nation, it is nice to see the UK Ordnance Survey getting the credit it deserves.