//Strangely, I think, the railways still measure distances in chains and furlongs.//
Just miles and chains, spicey. (80 chains to a mile).
There is no justification for any distance measurements in the UK to be given in anything other than miles and fractions thereof. It is illegal to post any road signs in anything other than miles (though, perversely, the three "countdown" markers at motorway exits are placed at 300, 200 and 100 metres). Speed limits and their signs are shown in miles per hour. Distances between locations are shown in miles on signposts. Kilometres are simply not required on UK roads.