This morning I listed some of the significant maps in my life, and there’s another one that stands out in my memory: the London Tube Map! The Tube Map has been periodically updated, and stylistic flourishes added, but the basic design of this subway-diagram was created in 1933, by a smart fellow who realized that geographical accuracy was less important than giving people a user-friendly schematic of the different lines and stations. So his map is just that: a schematic diagram, rather than a strictly geographical one.
It’s a brilliant design, actually, much easier to use as a reference, when you’re trying to figure out your stops, and your transfers to other lines, than an actual map of the subways:
the geographical subway map
On our European sojourn in 1984, when I was nine years old, my parents bought a postcard of the Tube Map, for navigational purposes—and they put me in charge of it. I’d never felt so grownup in my life as I did that week, using my bossiest voice to tell the grownups what trains we needed, and which stop we needed to get off to switch lines. I have to imagine they were “checking my work,” in a manner of speaking—but they were subtle about it. They let me have the glory, and I felt Important all week. (I’m sure I was insufferable.)
What stood out most, in our experience of the subways, was the ubiquitous presence of punk-rockers, wearing leathers and tattoos and dangling earrings, and sporting brilliantly dyed mohawks and spiked hairdos. They must have looked a little scary, too, because our parents gave us firm instructions: don’t stare openly… unless there’s a train-track between them and us! We also devised a code-word, so we could alert each other to the fascinating sight without drawing attention to our attention-drawing. We called them “pirates.” Because they were colored as brilliantly as parrots, and parrots sit on pirates’ shoulders.
We saw many things, in London, of cultural and historical significance—and I remember those too… But nothing stands out in my memory quite as vividly as the subway “pirates.”
Kana's Chronicles 
We too still love and use maps – but no longer use them as much as our GPS.
For years we kept a jigsaw puzzle that showed the London Underground despite the fact that we lost a piece early in its history. 😁
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I’ll bet that was a tricky jigsaw—lots of featureless background-color!
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The map looks really easy to use. It reminds me a little of the Washington, D.C. metro subway map.
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I wonder if D.C. “stole” the idea of a schematic map… :)
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Love the Tube map.
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It’s brilliant in its simplicity…
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Stimulates thinking
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My mate Neville sent me that exact map last summer. I too, love maps, all sorts. What a groovy topic for a Sunday read, thanks for sharing. 🗺️🏴☠️
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I agree, london tube map is a great example of iconic and effective design. When I lived in London, Pre GPS, we used London A-Z, which is also very user friendly. I don’t think I had seen the geographical tube map, it looks strange to me because I am so used to the non-geographical one.
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Is the London A-Z still around, or has the internet obliterated it?
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It’s a good question. I really don’t know… I think they are still publishing new versions. I would probably still use it in certain situations, since I used it extensively and I was really used to it, but would not use it as often as before.
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What a good memory. I still have to get used to Google Maps and GPS. But I would love to have paper maps also.
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