diff --git a/src/core/span_type.hpp b/src/core/span_type.hpp
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+++ b/src/core/span_type.hpp
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+/*
+ * This file is part of OpenTTD.
+ * OpenTTD is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation, version 2.
+ * OpenTTD is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
+ * See the GNU General Public License for more details. You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along with OpenTTD. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+
+/** @file span_type.hpp Minimized implementation of C++20 std::span. */
+
+#ifndef CORE_SPAN_TYPE_HPP
+#define CORE_SPAN_TYPE_HPP
+
+/* This is a partial copy/paste from https://github.com/gsl-lite/gsl-lite/blob/master/include/gsl/gsl-lite.hpp */
+
+/* Template to check if a template variable defines size() and data(). */
+template <class, class = void>
+struct has_size_and_data : std::false_type{};
+template <class C>
+struct has_size_and_data
+<
+	C, std::void_t<
+		decltype(std::size(std::declval<C>())),
+		decltype(std::data(std::declval<C>()))>
+> : std::true_type{};
+
+/* Template to check if two elements are compatible. */
+template <class, class, class = void>
+struct is_compatible_element : std::false_type {};
+template <class C, class E>
+struct is_compatible_element
+<
+	C, E, std::void_t<
+		decltype(std::data(std::declval<C>())),
+		typename std::remove_pointer<decltype(std::data( std::declval<C&>()))>::type(*)[]>
+> : std::is_convertible<typename std::remove_pointer<decltype(std::data(std::declval<C&>()))>::type(*)[], E(*)[]>{};
+
+/* Template to check if a container is compatible. gsl-lite also includes is_array and is_std_array, but as we don't use them, they are omitted. */
+template <class C, class E>
+struct is_compatible_container : std::bool_constant
+<
+	has_size_and_data<C>::value
+	&& is_compatible_element<C,E>::value
+>{};
+
+/**
+ * A trimmed down version of what std::span will be in C++20.
+ *
+ * It is fully forwards compatible, so if this codebase switches to C++20,
+ * all "span" instances can be replaced by "std::span" without loss of
+ * functionality.
+ *
+ * Currently it only supports basic functionality:
+ * - size() and friends
+ * - begin() and friends
+ *
+ * It is meant to simplify function parameters, where we only want to walk
+ * a continuous list.
+ */
+template<class T>
+class span {
+public:
+	typedef T element_type;
+	typedef typename std::remove_cv< T >::type value_type;
+
+	typedef T &reference;
+	typedef T *pointer;
+	typedef const T &const_reference;
+	typedef const T *const_pointer;
+
+	typedef pointer iterator;
+	typedef const_pointer const_iterator;
+
+	typedef size_t size_type;
+	typedef std::ptrdiff_t difference_type;
+
+	constexpr span(pointer data_in, size_t size_in) : first(data_in), last(data_in + size_in) {}
+
+	template<class Container, typename std::enable_if<(is_compatible_container<Container, element_type>::value), int>::type = 0>
+	constexpr span(Container &list) noexcept : first(std::data(list)), last(std::data(list) + std::size(list)) {}
+	template<class Container, typename std::enable_if<(std::is_const<element_type>::value && is_compatible_container<Container, element_type>::value), int>::type = 0>
+	constexpr span(const Container &list) noexcept : first(std::data(list)), last(std::data(list) + std::size(list)) {}
+
+	constexpr size_t size() const noexcept { return static_cast<size_t>( last - first ); }
+	constexpr std::ptrdiff_t ssize() const noexcept { return static_cast<std::ptrdiff_t>( last - first ); }
+	constexpr bool empty() const noexcept { return size() == 0; }
+
+	constexpr iterator begin() const noexcept { return iterator(first); }
+	constexpr iterator end() const noexcept { return iterator(last); }
+
+	constexpr const_iterator cbegin() const noexcept { return const_iterator(first); }
+	constexpr const_iterator cend() const noexcept { return const_iterator(last); }
+
+private:
+	pointer first;
+	pointer last;
+};
+
+#endif /* CORE_SPAN_TYPE_HPP */