London Underground map designer to get a blue plaque

[whole diary]

[bobm]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page)

Harry Beck 's 1933 version of the Tube map used an easy to follow grid system that ignored distance between stops

Tube map designer Harry Beck is to have his iconic design officially commemorated, on the 80th anniversary of its first public appearance.

An English Heritage Blue Plaque will be unveiled later at Mr Beck's birthplace in Wesley Road, Leyton, east London.

His design used an easy-to-follow grid system on which all subsequent maps on the expanding network have been based.

The blue plaque, designed using famous London Underground font, will be unveiled at 10:00 GMT.

This year is the 150th anniversary of London's Tube.

Previous Tube maps had proved relatively unsuccessful, with creators' concern with geography and distance between stations leading to hard-to-decipher guides to stations.


Harry Beck also created a map of the Paris Metro which was never used

Beck, who died in 1974 aged 72, worked out that people did not need to know the true distance between stops.

The plaque will be unveiled by London Transport Museum director Sam Mullins who said: "Beck's map was revolutionary in its simplicity.

"It has become a London icon and influenced the design of many Metro maps across the globe, as well as being the inspiration for many contemporary artists and designers."

Mr Beck worked with London Transport as an engineering draughtsman before he designed the map.

He continued to update the map as new stations and lines came into service

Even after he left the employment of London Transport he still worked on the diagram.

His last version of the map was published in 1960, after which a dispute over its remodelling by other designers led to a rift with his former employers.

Despite this, he continued to work on updated designs on his own, featuring the new Victoria Line as a neat lilac diagonal line.

But these, or his prototype for the Paris Metro map, were never used.

Mr Beck was notably ahead of the game in producing a version of his London map showing all underground and surface level train services as early as 1938.

At the time, this was deemed too complex for publication, but today such an integrated map appears at all London stations.

[grahame]

Interesting how much has changed ... as well as how much of the diagram can still be recognised

Mark Lane
Post Office
British Museum
Aldwych
Dover Street
Praed Street
Strand
Charing Cross
Aldersgate

Have I missed any?

[devon_metro]

Have I missed any?

Brompton Road!

[Chris from Nailsea]

Interesting that Paddington and Praed Street appear to be so far apart, on Harry Beck's map.  However, he had "worked out that people did not need to know the true distance between stops". 

[JayMac]

There are times though when it does pay to know the real distance between stations. Particularly if you are a visitor to London.

With no Oyster^▸ (Smartcard system used by passengers on Transport for London services), Leicester Square to Covent Garden will set you back ^4.50. By tube it'll take you longer than the walk between stations.

Another more stark one that catches people out is Queensway to Bayswater. On the map the stations appear to be a fair distance apart requiring a change at Notting Hill Gate. The reality is that they are just 250yds apart on the same street. In fact if you look carefully at street level you can see one from the other.

Then there's Charing Cross and Embankment. Quicker to use the variety of underpasses than actually take a train between the two.

Finally, Shepherd's Bush to Goldhawk Road looks a little complicated on the map. Tube to White City, walk to Wood Lane then another tube. Around a mile and a half by rail. One third of a mile walk above ground.

[paul7575]

You'll be able to rip yourself off with Crossrail's double ended stations quite easily, if you find yourself wanting to get from Liverpool St to Moorgate, or Barbican to Farringdon, you wont even need to get on a train...

The other two double enders (Bond St and Tottenham Court Rd) are a bit different, as Hanover Square and Dean St don't already have stations...

Paul

[swrural]

Of great relevance to users of this site is the following of course:

Depending where you *really* want to be, you could waste a lot of time going to the wrong one of the three 'Paddington' stations.  At least in Mr Beck's time one was called Praed St and the other Bishop's Road, being of course where they are.