London Underground is the largest one in the world. It carries more than one billion passengers a year. Statistically speaking it makes around 3.5 million journeys on a daily basis, having 11 lines and 270 stations. The Underground is currently running more services than ever before on the 140 year old network.
One of its main features and iconic images is its map, which even frequent travellers need in order to get from A to B. Harry Beck is the designer of the original and widely used tube map, however he has not depicted the stations geographically but schematically. That is why Mark Noad has created a new geographical version of the map, showing all stations in positions closer to their actual locations. Even the River Thames has a more realistic shape. However it seems a bit "rough" and messy, unlike the schematic map used by London Underground.
This of course is not the only alternative tube map. One simple and straight to the point map is that shown here, helping tourists understand what is where, mainly the few key attractions in order to get a brief glimpse of London.
A very interesting map is the one below, showing exactly which stations and lines are underground and which parts are overground. Someone who takes the tube often knows these facts, but its quiet ironic to see how nearly 50% of London Underground is actually overground.
These are merely a few odd maps, copying the original and official one used by TFL. We can only wait and see if artists and sketchers will use their imagination to draw crazier tube maps.
