Fantasy Map: Children’s Library Literary “Transit Map”

This adorable map adorns the walls of the rather lovely Passmore Edwards Centre children’s library in Newton Abbot, England. The names of the “stations” were chosen by local children in a competition.

(Source: Devon Libraries/Flickr)

Unofficial Map: Circular Tube Map by Maxwell Roberts

Apparently, circular Tube Maps are like London buses — none come forever, then two arrive at the same time.

This one is by Maxwell Roberts, an expert on the London Underground map if there ever was one. He’s personally redrawn multiple, multiple versions of the map in just about every possible configuration, just to see what works and what doesn’t. Many are featured in his excellent book, Underground Maps Unravelled, which I promise I’ll review properly one day.

Wisely, Roberts has confined his map to the traditional view of Greater London itself, with trains headed to distant places given an arrow pointer towards that destination.

Interestingly, most of his route lines radiate out from a central point, but some run parallel to other routes instead. This makes the design less rigid to a design ideal, but also upsets the visual flow of the diagram in a couple of places — I find the parallel Bakerloo and Metropolitan Lines in the northwest part of the map quite jarring.

Roberts’ interchange stations are much tighter than Fisher’s, looking far more like “traditional” Tube Map markers, but some are still very convoluted in making their connections between lines, such as at Farringdon/Barbican.

The London Underground logo “hidden” in the Circle Line is a bit of a gimmicky design affectation, although it actually works surprisingly well in the context of the diagram.

Overall, I think this version is more successful than Jonny Fisher’s, although I still don’t really see it as a viable alternative to the current official map. Neither does Mr. Roberts, who says, “Overall though, I don’t think I will be sending this one to TfL for comments. No great advances in usability here, but it was fun to make it.” Three-and-a-half stars.

(Source: Going Underground blog — click through for more detailed analysis from Maxwell Roberts himself)

Unofficial Map: “Orbital” London Underground Map by Jonny Fisher

Here’s an interesting new look at the London Underground from architect/designer/writer Jonny Fisher. It’s always fun when someone reinterprets something as well known as this: every designer approaches the same problem differently. For me, this map isn’t wholly successful, but it’s definitely thought-provoking.

Have we been there? Yes.

What we like: A bold attempt at a redesign of possibly the most well-known transit map of all. The “orbital” theme actually makes a lot of sense: London already has a Circle Line, and the Overground does form a looser larger circle around that. As a map designer myself, I can certainly appreciate the skill and effort that’s gone into making this look as coherent and attractive as it does.

What we don’t like: Station labels set in all lower case text… ugh!

Inclusion of far-distant Thameslink stations like Brighton, Peterborough and Kings Lynn (97 miles from London and — from my understanding — no certainty to be a part of the final Thameslink Programme) is faintly ridiculous and leads to some awful crowding of station names in the north eastern quadrant of the map. Inclusion of the Tramlink services in southern London may have been more warranted, and would have helped with the “orbital” theme of the map.

Lack of differentiation betwen the different types of service shown, even in the legend, which opts for a pretty “rainbow”  of route lines instead. The colours may be in order, but the types of services are all mixed up. As the Underground operates at far greater frequencies that the mainline and rail services, this is an important distinction to make.

Some of the bigger interchange stations are now inordinately large: it looks as if you have to traverse across large parts of London to change from the Circle Line to the Victoria Line at Kings Cross/St. Pancras, for example.

I miss the Thames.

Our rating: Interesting new look at something familiar, if flawed. Two-and-a-half stars.

(Source: Massingbird.com via Londonist)

Historical Map: Railways of London, showing the Metropolitan and District Lines, 1889

One last post for the Tube’s 150th birthday (it’s still the 9th of January here on the West Coast of the United States!). This is the oldest map I can find that shows what would later be known as the London Underground: an 1889 map of London’s railways — still some 26 years after the first part of the Metropolitan Line opened.

Main line routes are shown in red and the newfangled “underground lines” are shown in blue. The newly completed Circle Line — a cooperation between the two competing Underground operators — can clearly be seen on the map.

(Source: Retronaut)

Google Doodle Celebrates the London Tube’s 150th Birthday!

The Metropolitan Line — first part of what was to become today’s London Underground — was opened on January 9, 1863 between Paddington and Farringdon Street via Kings Cross.

See my other posts about the London Underground here.

(Source: google.co.uk home page)

Vintage “Punch” Magazine Tube Map Cartoon

Lovely little Edwardian piece of whimsy to welcome the weekend.

(Source: Annie Mole/Flickr)