Despite the title of ‘Quarter-inch’ Fifth Series, the mapping was in fact at 1:250 000 scale - reflecting the gradual move towards metric-scale mapping by Ordnance Survey. The series, as laid out, covered Great Britain in 17 sheets, each 190km × 150km. The mapping was completely revised and redrawn from 1-inch Seventh Series material.

Figure 1 ‘¼-inch’ Fifth Series sheet 10 (1957)

Figure 2 ‘Wales & The Marches’ special sheet (1959)

The first sheet to be published was no. 10 North Wales and Lancashire in April 1957. This was given a blue variant of the familiar 1-inch Seventh Series cover. (Figure 1)

In August 1959, a special 1:250 000 sheet - Wales and the Marches - was published, drawn using the same style as the ‘¼-inch’ Fifth Series, but issued as a Tourist sheet. (Figure 2)

The next four sheets of the ‘¼-inch’ Fifth Series were published in the Spring of 1960, covering Wales and the north of England.

Figure 3 ‘¼-inch’ Fifth Series sheet 16 Edition A (1963)

Figure 4 ‘¼-inch’ Fifth Series sheet 13 Edition B (1965)

Figure 5 ‘¼-inch’ Fifth Series sheet 13 Edition C/*/*/* (1972)

It took until January 1963 for publication of the series to be completed, with the publication of sheets 17 South East England and 16 Southern England. (Figure 3)

In 1965 a new cover was introduced - a distinctive 1960s design. (Figure 4)

With the introduction of the new Ordnance Survey logo and ‘house style’ in 1969, the ‘¼-inch’ Fifth Series followed suit in 1970. (Figure 5)

The ‘¼-inch’ Fifth Series was kept up to date until 1978. Fifth Series mapping was then used to make up a new set of sheets for the Routemaster series, after which the Fifth Series was discontinued.

Page last updated: 30 October 2009