In a promotion for the new Samsung S24 phone, a circular London railway map has been produced. It looks great, except I struggled for ages to find stations I know well.
I easily found Kings Cross/St Pancras and Paddington but it took some time to find the other stations I was familiar with. They would be Lancaster Gate, Bank, Old Street, Moorgate, Edgware Road, North Greenwich, Bayswater, Embankment, Charing Cross, Vauxhall and London Bridge.
I think I will stick with the modified original Beck map. Maybe you like this circular Tube map.
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Oh my. Not sure if I like that. It would take me quite some time to get used to it.
ReplyDeleteJayCee, for a tourist with little sense of direction, I don't think it works very well. But maybe my limited knowledge influences how I see it.
DeleteIt looks very pretty but I'd prefer to use the Beck map.
ReplyDeleteJB, when were you last in London? I'm interested.
DeleteYou could make it into a interesting blog post.
DeleteI gonna get this new phone
ReplyDeleteReally Roentare. It comes with artificial intelligence, whatever that is. By my S23, the camera will be stunning.
DeleteThey don't know much about cognitive psychology.
ReplyDeleteTasker, I had to think about that, and yes, you are quite correct.
DeleteThat looks very confusing.
ReplyDeleteMerlot, I wonder what Londoners think about it.
DeleteOne would think that tube maps would be, by design, simple to understand and quickly read. I mean, I imagine that, from time to time, they are transporting foreigners or and people unfamiliar with the city. That's just nuts.
ReplyDeleteDebby, there would be thousands of people each day who would be strangers to London and its public transport. Even the standard Tube map has become quite complex, but it does need to show everything. At least Ikea stores have been removed from the latest maps.
DeleteOoh, your sarcasm detector seems to be on the fritz, Andrew!
DeleteIt normally isn't Debby. I had a weak moment.
DeleteRecalibrate asap!
DeleteI have, thank you.
Deletethecontemplativecat here. The London subways are legendary. Your post brought back memories.
ReplyDeleteCat, New York's subway is up there too with being legendary. It ain't pretty but works very well.
DeleteRound and round and round we go - I doubt I’ll be using the tube again so I’ll just sit here and wonder if any locals find it useful. Personally I prefer straight lines
ReplyDeleteCathy, I suppose our train lines can be judged as being straight on a map. The usual Tube map does have straight lines too. I like such maps to be close to the actual geographic.
DeleteThe Beck map was my first travel aide in all parts of London. Even after a long time living and workin in the capital, the map was glued inside my handbag.
ReplyDeleteHels, you couldn't survive London back then without a map of the Tube. Now, we do it all on our phones, but I still like printed maps.
DeleteLooks interesting and it goes to show people don't care for change sometimes.
ReplyDeleteMargaret, a couple of maps ago the Thames was removed from the official map. It was quickly put back. The river is how people orient themselves when looking at the map.
DeleteIt looks pretty, but I doubt I could follow it.
ReplyDeleteIt looks complicated at first but it would be okay if it is bigger and easy to read.
ReplyDeleteDiane, you can right click on the map and open it a new window and will be more readable, but it is not a big map. It was the best I could find.
DeleteI don't know the area, but I do know that what is a circle from above, may not appear to be a circle from the ground. Sounds like that may be your problem.
ReplyDeleteVery much so Kirk, although I forgot to look at the Thames path and that would have helped me find stations.
DeleteThat circular tube map will never catch on. The Beck map is iconic and just perfect even though it may not accurately reflect the overground geographical reality of London.
ReplyDeleteNo Beck's map doesn't YP, from someone who caught a train from Charing Cross to Embankment. I think the current Tube map is ok, but the version that showed all Ikea stores was not, as wasn't the one that omitted the Thames.
DeleteIt would be difficult to adjust to.
ReplyDeleteTP, I think so, especially for casual users.
DeleteI've not ever been in a subway. I rode Bart when briefly in college just north of Oakland. That's it, the sum total of my underground mass transit experience.
ReplyDeleteStrayer, they can be a great way to move around large and busy cities quickly and easily, but the comfort factor, certainly in London and New York can be lacking.
DeleteIt's an interesting piece of graphic design, but I don't find it very useful. It's certainly not geographically accurate. (But then, neither is the Beck map.) More like an art piece, I'd say.
ReplyDeleteSteve, there are issues with Beck's map but no one has been able to do better...yet. I like that people try.
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