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- These maps show the London Underground in a way that normal people never get to see
- These maps show the London Underground in a way that normal people never get to see
These maps show the London Underground in a way that normal people never get to see
LatestFirst, here's the modern tube map. So far, so normal.
Next, here's the night tube. It's September launch has been postponed due to widespread strikes over pay and hours.
Not every tube map ever created is still running. There are dozens of discontinued "ghost stations" around London.
Here's a close-up of the discontinued lines.
The Tube map isn't actually to scale, so Transport for London created a map showing where the Tube *really* runs. It was first released in response to an Freedom of Information request from a member of the public, and after it proved very popular, TfL made an official version to release more widely.
But how are Tube stations structured inside? Blogger Ian Mansfield got his hands on a series of axonometric diagrams via an FOI request to TfL. These are "3D-like" diagrams that show off the internal structure of almost every London Underground station.
To start with, here's King's Cross/St. Pancras, the second-busiest tube station in London. It is known for the beauty of the station above ground ...
... as well as the snaking passageways below, which serve the Hammersmith & City/Circle/Metropolitan lines, and the Northern, Piccadilly, and Victoria lines.
Here's the second part of the Kings Cross/St. Pancras axonometric map.
In terms of footfall, Kings Cross/St. Pancras can't beat Oxford Circus. It's the busiest underground station in the city.
In 2014, Kings Cross/St. Pancras had 92 million visitors. Oxford Circus, meanwhile, had 98.5 million. Pictured is the upper levels and entrance hall.
And here are the platforms and mid-levels. It intersects the Bakerloo, Central, and Victoria lines.
Canary Wharf is cavernous, ferrying more than 50 million city workers to and from work every year.
It sits at the intersection of the Jubilee Line and the DLR in East London.
Angel, meanwhile, holds a very different record. It is home to the longest escalator on the network, 60 meters.
It serves just one line, the Northern (Bank branch). The escalator is located on the left of the diagram.
Gants Hill is one of the more architecturally interesting tube stations, its Soviet-era architecture is inspired by the metro in Moscow.
It's also a particularly simple tube stop, serving only the Central Line. It is located in Zone 4, North East London.
Just contrast that with Waterloo, the third-busiest tube stop in London.
Ever visited Waterloo?
It's notable for having the most escalators of any station on the London Underground — 23. (Take the wrong one and you can end up with a 100-yard detour.)
It connects the Bakerloo, Jubilee?, Northern, and Waterloo & City Lines.
Westminster tube is defined by its imposing pillars and high-ceilinged atrium.
It's easily recognisable in its axonometric map.
Barbican wasn't always open to the elements, but after sustaining damage during the Blitz, the decision was made to keep it that way.
It serves the Circle and Metropolitan Lines.
Here are a few more interesting ones...
If you've ever ventured into West London, then chances are you've changed lines at Earl's Court, its above-ground platforms connecting the Piccadilly and various arms of the District line.
Finsbury Park, located in North London, serves the Piccadilly and Victoria Lines. (It's also the home of yours truly.)
South Kensington is another picturesque station, and services the District, Circle, and Piccadilly Lines.
Victoria connects the Circle, District, and Victoria lines. Its train station is a gateway to much of Southern England.
Here's Bermondsey, in South London.
And here's Brixton, at the end of the Victoria line. The area is currently undergoing rapid gentrification.
Leicester Square is one of London's most notorious tourist traps. Its tube stop connects to the Northern and Piccadilly lines.
And lastly, here's Warren Street.
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