Those of you semi-familiar with London - want to help me with a project?

[Lau]

I'm doing a typographic project at the moment with the title "Where in the world", and I drew some maps of what I remember of the world (poorly!). One of the most interesting ones was the London Underground map. I thought it would be interesting to see which bits other people remembered of the tube map as a kind of spinoff project.

Would any of you be willing to draw as much of the tube map as you can remember from memory (as much as you can remember - no cheating!) and scan it in and email it to me at books@laurabarnard.co.uk as a fairly high resolution file? If you could include your name, age and occupation that would be fantastic as well. If you'd rather upload it to Imageshack or something that would fine too.

It can be as vague as you like - the bits missing and misnamed and misplaced stations are as interesting as the ones in the right place. In a way, the more bits that are wrong, the more interesting it is.

I'd be eternally grateful, and I'll owe you all a pint.

p.s. I'll attach mine later, but I don't want to influence anyone by posting it before anyone's drawn one.

[robbieduncan]

Do you just want the tube map or the DLR included as well?

I'm not at work today and am looking for ways to avoid doing the cleaning! I'm on it now...

[Lau]

Ooh, blimey, the DLR! Yes, if you know it that would be great. Thanks very much for doing it.

[robbieduncan]

Originally Posted by Lau

Ooh, blimey, the DLR! Yes, if you know it that would be great. Thanks very much for doing it.

I live in the east so I know almost the entire DLR! My Tube memory is less good...

[Lau]

Now, you see that's the kind of interesting thing that comes out - like your memory of the network shows where you live and work, and yet other people will know the North-West end really well, and so on. Good stuff - cheers Robbie. (I presume that's your real name )

[Applespider]

Sure - I'll give a go when I'm at home tonight with access to coloured pencils!

And I'll try not to cheat by memorising the Tube poster on the way home. I suspect it will be drawing the lines so the intersections meet in the right places that will be the tricky bits.

As a matter of interest, would it be useful to know which lines we regularly travel(ed) on when we're doing this and which stations - so you can see which bits are accurate/not based on personal experience? For example, I don't think I've ever been on the northern parts of the Jubilee/Metropolitan lines so my drawings of 'North London' will be highly inaccurate but I'd be more alarmed if my knowledge of parts of the Victoria/District Line was off since I get on that almost every day.

[dcv]

Ooooh this sounds like a cool idea. Aaargh I've got a really busy work day today though I'll have to find some time later...

I think my knowledge of the underground is pretty good so this'll certainly be an interesting test! I've always lived around west London (zone 1 & 2) so I should be able to draw in all the Hammersmith & City, District, Circle, Central & Piccadilly line stations anyway... might struggle a bit with the Northern, East London & the rest though...

There's a scanning function on my printer but I've never tried it and no idea how to use it over Airport. Hmmmm. Might have to try to draw it with my graphics tablet instead (this will certainly provide entertainment as I can't control the damn thing)

[Lau]

Thanks (ooh - coloured pencils!) That sounds great. Actually, I'm kind of hoping that it'll show from the map which lines people use a lot. On mine for instance, I used to live in South London, so that whole bit of the Northern Line is perfect, but North West London is just a big line with one station on it! And I grew up in Essex, so my East side is ok as well. So hopefully it will just sort of show peoples memory of the city by where they know the tube stations are, so don't worry.

Thanks for doing it.

(And yes, the intersections are the hard bit - I kept drawing merrily away, and realising that that these two stations should meet, and I thought one was further north, and the other south, and so on.... )

Edit - thanks as well DCV but don't worry if you're too busy! - any form of input is fine. Scratched into a piece of wood, drawn on a napkin, you know, anything. If anyone would rather post it to me the old school way, that's fine too. Just ask me for my address (I won't post it here due to scary mad stalker types. )

[robbieduncan]

I have put my effort here. I'm a but disappointed. I looks nothing like the real map and I could not remember the names of stations I'm sure I know. If I spent longer I think I could do a lot better.

I've just realised why the Northern and Jubilee lines don't work on my map too. I forget London Bridge!

Oops! Just seen you wanted it mailed. I have just mailed it to you...

[Lau]

That's perfect! Cheers - that's just what I'm looking for. And in spite of me travelling through it for a year, I forgot London Bridge on mine too.

Thanks - I owe you a pint.

Edit - no mailed or uploaded is fine, whatever gets it to me and is easiest for you all....

[robbieduncan]

Originally Posted by Lau

Thanks - I owe you a pint.

Once we have all drawn our maps we can work out which station we all agree exists and go for a drink there!

[Lau]

It's a deal! Although London Bridge is out already....

[edesignuk]

Originally Posted by Lau

(I won't post it here due to scary mad stalker types. )

I promise you that was just a one off incident!

[Jaffa Cake]

If you'd like a contribution from a non-Londoner, I'll draw up a map of how I remember it tonight.

[Lau]

Originally Posted by edesignuk

I promise you that was just a one off incident!

<Runs away>

Originally Posted by Jaffa Cake

If you'd like a contribution from a non-Londoner, I'll draw up a map of how I remember it tonight.

Contributions most welcome from non-Londoners - hell, from non-UK residents as well! Thanks, that would be great.

[dcv]

OK well I got bored of work so decided to have a go in Photoshop since I can't be bothered figuring out that scanner and I have no coloured pencils to hand!

It's here... that's as much as I could fit onto the page as I originally sized it to fit on A4 paper, but then had to resize it as the file size was HUGE!

So as you can see I know west and central London pretty well - no cheating I promise - I've probably missed a few stations out though. Don't know much of the top or bottom of the Northern line, also not sure about the northern bit of the Bakerloo. I couldn't be bothered trying to draw in the DLR. Is there a prize up for grabs?

edit: oh dammit i just remembered another station...

[edesignuk]

Originally Posted by dietcokevanilla

It's here...

Holy ****! Photographic memory anyone?

[dcv]

Originally Posted by edesignuk

Holy ****! Photographic memory anyone?

Hehe, maybe it's because I'm a Londoner

Remember I don't have a car, so I know the tube pretty well



Oh crap, I've just thought of about another 5 stations...

[geese]

Well, heres my piss-poor effort. I thought i did well until i realised i forgot about the bakerloo and picadilly lines. It only took me 10 mins though.

an extra mark for putting in Waterloo and City though?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/skhan/109262696/

You'll note i;ve deliberatly denied the existance of West London- this is deliberate.

[dcv]

Originally Posted by geese

an extra mark for putting in Waterloo and City though?

Aarrrgh! dammit, I forgot about that

(the stations are there though )

[Lau]

All I have to say about yours DCV is .... !

But also - thank you

And thank you to you too geese - also a stellar effort.

This is turning out really interesting. I'll give it another day and put them all up somewhere so we can compare them all.

[XIII]

I'll have a try later on, as a break from work, as a very much non londoner.

[Jaffa Cake]

Right, if you're wanting a laugh here's my dodgy effort. I've cheated a bit and knocked it up in Illustrator, as I only have black and red pens at home. I haven't a clue if any of the colours are accurate (except maybe the Thames), I know there are a load more stations and a couple more lines... but this is the best you're going to get from Northern Boy here!

So... where does Walford need to go, exactly?

[Lau]

Originally Posted by Jaffa Cake

Right, if you're wanting a laugh here's my dodgy effort. I've cheated a bit and knocked it up in Illustrator, as I only have black and red pens at home. I haven't a clue if any of the colours are accurate (except maybe the Thames), I know there are a load more stations and a couple more lines... but this is the best you're going to get from Northern Boy here!

So... where does Walford need to go, exactly?

Good stuff - thanks Jaffa Cake!

[robbieduncan]

Originally Posted by Jaffa Cake

Right, if you're wanting a laugh here's my dodgy effort. I've cheated a bit and knocked it up in Illustrator, as I only have black and red pens at home. I haven't a clue if any of the colours are accurate (except maybe the Thames), I know there are a load more stations and a couple more lines... but this is the best you're going to get from Northern Boy here!

So... where does Walford need to go, exactly?

I love the fact that you've used whatever colours you want! It makes it kind of hard for us Londoners to read it as we see red and think Central! Also Canning Town is on the other side of the river (but well done for even putting it on).