diff --git a/dotcom-rendering/src/components/DirectoryPageNav.island.tsx b/dotcom-rendering/src/components/DirectoryPageNav.island.tsx
index c661f97f8be..28e2379a3b9 100644
--- a/dotcom-rendering/src/components/DirectoryPageNav.island.tsx
+++ b/dotcom-rendering/src/components/DirectoryPageNav.island.tsx
@@ -304,12 +304,7 @@ export const DirectoryPageNav = ({ pageId, pageTags }: Props) => {
 	});
 
 	const navWeb = css({
-		'&': css(
-			grid.paddedContainer,
-			grid.verticalRules({
-				color: borderColor,
-			}),
-		),
+		'&': css(grid.paddedContainer, grid.outerRules(borderColor)),
 	});
 
 	const largeLinkStyles = css({
diff --git a/dotcom-rendering/src/components/GalleryCaption.tsx b/dotcom-rendering/src/components/GalleryCaption.tsx
index 26a71ba6205..9b5cf754a00 100644
--- a/dotcom-rendering/src/components/GalleryCaption.tsx
+++ b/dotcom-rendering/src/components/GalleryCaption.tsx
@@ -31,34 +31,10 @@ const styles = css`
 
 	${between.desktop.and.leftCol} {
 		${grid.column.right}
-
-		position: relative; /* allows the ::before to be positioned relative to this */
-
-		&::before {
-			content: '';
-			position: absolute;
-			left: -10px; /* 10px to the left of this element */
-			top: 0;
-			bottom: 0;
-			width: 1px;
-			background-color: ${palette('--article-border')};
-		}
 	}
 
 	${from.leftCol} {
 		${grid.column.left}
-
-		position: relative; /* allows the ::before to be positioned relative to this */
-
-		&::after {
-			content: '';
-			position: absolute;
-			right: -11px;
-			top: -12px;
-			bottom: 0;
-			width: 1px;
-			background-color: ${palette('--article-border')};
-		}
 	}
 `;
 
diff --git a/dotcom-rendering/src/components/GalleryImage.tsx b/dotcom-rendering/src/components/GalleryImage.tsx
index 5ce317dcd10..5c849fc37d5 100644
--- a/dotcom-rendering/src/components/GalleryImage.tsx
+++ b/dotcom-rendering/src/components/GalleryImage.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { css } from '@emotion/react';
 import { isUndefined } from '@guardian/libs';
-import { from, space, until } from '@guardian/source/foundations';
+import { between, from, space, until } from '@guardian/source/foundations';
 import { grid } from '../grid';
 import { type ArticleFormat } from '../lib/articleFormat';
 import { getImage } from '../lib/image';
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ type Props = {
 
 const styles = css`
 	${grid.paddedContainer}
-	${grid.verticalRules()}
+	${grid.outerRules()}
 	grid-auto-flow: row dense;
 	background-color: ${palette('--article-inner-background')};
 
@@ -33,10 +33,17 @@ const styles = css`
 	}
 
 	${from.desktop} {
-		&:first-of-type {
+		&:first-of-type > * {
 			padding-top: ${space[3]}px;
 		}
 	}
+
+	${between.desktop.and.leftCol} {
+		${grid.centreRule(2)}
+	}
+	${from.leftCol} {
+		${grid.centreRule(1)}
+	}
 `;
 
 const galleryBodyImageStyles = css`
diff --git a/dotcom-rendering/src/grid.ts b/dotcom-rendering/src/grid.ts
index f60ae0ffc5d..50d462bc358 100644
--- a/dotcom-rendering/src/grid.ts
+++ b/dotcom-rendering/src/grid.ts
@@ -87,42 +87,71 @@ const paddedContainer = `
 
 // ----- Vertical Rules ----- //
 
-type VerticalRuleOptions = {
-	centre?: boolean;
-	color?: string;
-};
-
 /**
- * Render Guardian grid vertical rules.
+ * CSS for a centre vertical rule anchored to the top of the nth child of the
+ * grid container.
+ *
+ * The rule is self-contained on the nth child element rather than on the grid
+ * container, so that `top: 0` aligns to that element's top edge. `bottom`
+ * uses a large negative value to extend the rule down to the container's
+ * bottom, so `overflow: hidden` is applied to the container.
  *
- * Left and right rules are always present.
- * A centre rule can optionally be enabled.
+ * @example
+ * css`
+ *   ${grid.container}
+ *   ${grid.verticalRules()}
+ *   ${grid.centreRule(1)}
  *
- * Usage:
- * css([grid.container, grid.verticalRules()])
- * css([grid.container, grid.verticalRules({ centre: true })])
+ *   ${from.leftCol} {
+ *     ${grid.centreRule(3)}
+ *   }
+ * `
  */
-const optionalCentreRule = `/* CENTRE RULE */
-    & > *:first-child::before {
-      grid-column: centre-column-start;
-      transform: translateX(-${columnGap});
-	  ${fromBreakpoint.leftCol} {
-		transform: translateX(calc(-${columnGap} / 2));
-	  }
+const centreRule = (n: number, color?: string): string => `/* CENTRE RULE */
+	overflow: hidden;
+
+    & > *:nth-child(${n}) {
+      position: relative;
+
+      &::before {
+        position: absolute;
+        top: 0;
+        bottom: -9999px;
+        width: 1px;
+        background-color: ${color ?? palette('--article-border')};
+        content: '';
+        grid-column: centre-column-start;
+        transform: translateX(-${columnGap});
+
+        ${fromBreakpoint.desktop} {
+          transform: translateX(calc(-${columnGap} / 2));
+        }
+      }
     }`;
 
-const verticalRules = (options: VerticalRuleOptions = {}): string => `
+/**
+ * CSS for the left and right Guardian grid vertical rules.
+ *
+ * Use `grid.centreRule` separately to add a centre rule anchored to a
+ * specific child element.
+ *
+ * @example
+ * css`
+ *   ${grid.container}
+ *   ${grid.verticalRules()}
+ * `
+ */
+const outerRules = (color?: string): string => `
   ${fromBreakpoint.tablet} {
     position: relative;
 
     &::before,
-    &::after
-    ${options.centre ? ', & > *:first-child::before' : ''} {
+    &::after {
       position: absolute;
       top: 0;
       bottom: 0;
       width: 1px;
-      background-color: ${options.color ?? palette('--article-border')};
+      background-color: ${color ?? palette('--article-border')};
       content: '';
     }
 
@@ -145,9 +174,7 @@ const verticalRules = (options: VerticalRuleOptions = {}): string => `
         grid-column: centre-column-end;
       }
     }
-
-    ${options.centre ? optionalCentreRule : ''}
-`;
+  }`;
 
 // ----- API ----- //
 
@@ -248,8 +275,17 @@ const grid = {
 	 * breakpoint.
 	 */
 	mobileColumnGap,
-
-	verticalRules,
+	/**
+	 * CSS for the left and right vertical rules. Use `grid.centreRule`
+	 * separately to add a centre rule anchored to a specific child element.
+	 */
+	outerRules,
+	/**
+	 * CSS for a centre vertical rule anchored to the top of the nth child of
+	 * the grid container. Can be called multiple times within different
+	 * breakpoint contexts to vary which child the rule anchors to.
+	 */
+	centreRule,
 } as const;
 
 // ----- Exports ----- //
diff --git a/dotcom-rendering/src/layouts/GalleryLayout.tsx b/dotcom-rendering/src/layouts/GalleryLayout.tsx
index b922146c1c9..c00dccf3a5e 100644
--- a/dotcom-rendering/src/layouts/GalleryLayout.tsx
+++ b/dotcom-rendering/src/layouts/GalleryLayout.tsx
@@ -579,7 +579,7 @@ const BodyAdSlot = (props: {
 const WebAdSlot = (props: { adIndex: number }) => (
 	<div
 		css={{
-			'&': css([grid.paddedContainer, grid.verticalRules()]),
+			'&': css([grid.paddedContainer, grid.outerRules()]),
 			gridAutoFlow: 'row dense',
 			backgroundColor: palette('--article-inner-background'),
 		}}