London Underground employee Harry Beck’s easy to understand and world famous 1931 schematically designed map for the Capital’s rapid below-street rail system was based on an electrical wiring diagram. The basic topographical concept of Beck’s original design has influenced other underground network maps around the world.
Tentatively introduced to the travelling public in 1933, Beck’s map was a spare time and non-commissioned project which soon became popular. Beck continued to slowly evolve the map until 1960, and even today, the modern version enjoys a strong resemblance to the original. Cited a design classic, the design is usually not permitted to be altered for any purpose.
Did you know?
There are eight versions in total of the London Underground map, including High Frequency Services (the more frequent lines are highlighted), Bicycle, and web-based Real Time Disruption variants.
Tags: British Design Classics, Culture, Design
The most useful version, surely, is the one that shows where all the toilets are: http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/toilets-map.pdf