Alternative Underground Map using 60 degree Angles

ABB125 · 5 May 2019

Good Evening

I've always wondered what the Underground Map would look like if it was based on 60 rather than 45 degree angles, so I've finally gotten around to having a go myself. You can see the result below.
Are 60 degree angles a good idea? I think the new Paris metro map uses them.

A bit about the map:

Only major/interchange stations are included
I have provisionally split the Northern Line in two, mainly to make the map easier to interpret
I have included Crossrail, but not Thameslink or any London Overground (I will try to create another map, probably with 45 degree angles, at a later date including these and other National Rail lines)
The map is based around the Circle Line being symmetrical (nearly!) in the middle of the map, with Crossrail and the Central Line mirroring each other somewhat
I have tried to make the Euston/King's Cross area as clear as possible, but the area between Farringdon and Stratford is a bit messy
I think the biggest issue with 60 degree angles is the lack of vertical lines; perhaps i should try 30/60/90 angles
I think the biggest advantage of 60 degrees is that it produces some lovely equilateral triangles, such as Green Park/Oxford Circus/Piccadilly Circus
I haven't included a key; therefore it is more of a challenge to work out which line is which. If you can, hopefully it means the map is easy to understand

As this is my first attempt at a map like this, please feel free to point out the numerous errors that I will have made, as well as any comments and suggestions.

RailUK Forums

Darandio · 5 May 2019

Would there be potential space problem once all stations were added given the 60 degree angle? It's hard to tell at the moment.

As an aside, how did you create it?

ABB125 · 5 May 2019

Darandio said:
Would there be potential space problem once all stations were added given the 60 degree angle? It's hard to tell at the moment.

As an aside, how did you create it?

I used Inkscape, with an axonometric grid underlay.
Yes, I think there would be a few issues if I added more stations, but I have tried to leave space where it was easy.

pdeaves · 5 May 2019

Have a look at the works of Maxwell Roberts. He experimented with all sorts of angles, curved lines and all sorts of things.

ABB125 · 5 May 2019

pdeaves said:
Have a look at the works of Maxwell Roberts. He experimented with all sorts of angles, curved lines and all sorts of things.

I will, sounds interesting.

Dstock7080 · 5 May 2019

pdeaves said:
Have a look at the works of Maxwell Roberts. He experimented with all sorts of angles, curved lines and all sorts of things.

http://www.tubemapcentral.com/

@TubeMapCentral

MikeWh · 5 May 2019

Waterloo is missing from the dotted Northern line.

yorkie · 5 May 2019

ABB125 said:
Are 60 degree angles a good idea?

Sorry but my honest answer is no!

Also, is there any reason why you could not have vertical lines?

pdeaves · 5 May 2019

As a general rule, minimise the number of direction changes on any line. If you can't do a vertical line as it doesn't fit your available angles, try adjusting where that line goes on the page rather than 'wiggle it'. I think a 60° plan shows potential. Depending on how it develops it could either work or be an abomination (if you force something into a shape that doesn't naturally suit it).

rebmcr · 6 May 2019

ABB125 said:
perhaps i should try 30/60/90 angles

As seen on projectmapping.co.uk/Resources/TOCs AS v37 Dec 2018.pdf

TFN · 6 May 2019

Crossrail seems to be ignoring that it goes through Ealing Broadway to connect with Central, District lines.

Very interesting map!

rebmcr · 6 May 2019

TFN said:
Crossrail seems to be ignoring that it goes through Ealing Broadway to connect with Central, District lines.

Also Crossrail should be serving T4 and T5 (or only T4 if there must be one alone).

A word of advice @ABB125 : if you enjoy doing these sort of projects, set up a swatch in Inkscape (and whatever other packages you use) with the official TfL colours. It makes everything look twice as impressive, with very little effort (at least once you've got all of the right hex codes imported).

ABB125 · 6 May 2019

MikeWh said:
Waterloo is missing from the dotted Northern line.

Thanks, I'll add that.

yorkie said:
Sorry but my honest answer is no!

Also, is there any reason why you could not have vertical lines?

I decided to have horizontal lines, and if I'm using 60 degree angles, the only other angles that are available are 60 and 120. (Vertical would be 90.)

pdeaves said:
As a general rule, minimise the number of direction changes on any line. If you can't do a vertical line as it doesn't fit your available angles, try adjusting where that line goes on the page rather than 'wiggle it'. I think a 60° plan shows potential. Depending on how it develops it could either work or be an abomination (if you force something into a shape that doesn't naturally suit it).

The one thing that annoys me with this map is the wiggly bits, they just don't look right. I might try starting with all the deep lines, making them as straight as possible, and then fit the sub-surface lines around them.

TFN said:
Crossrail seems to be ignoring that it goes through Ealing Broadway to connect with Central, District lines.

Very interesting map!

Thanks. I'll amend the error.

rebmcr said:
Also Crossrail should be serving T4 and T5 (or only T4 if there must be one alone).

A word of advice @ABB125 : if you enjoy doing these sort of projects, set up a swatch in Inkscape (and whatever other packages you use) with the official TfL colours. It makes everything look twice as impressive, with very little effort (at least once you've got all of the right hex codes imported).

Thanks, I will do something to Heathrow.
Setting up a swatch sounds like a good idea, I'll try that.

ABB125 · 11 May 2019

I've amended the map a bit to reduce the number of times lines change direction (particularly the Northern line), but haven't yet used the official colours.

rebmcr · 11 May 2019

ABB125 said:
I've amended the map a bit to reduce the number of times lines change direction (particularly the Northern line), but haven't yet used the official colours.

The Edgware Road area looks a lot clearer too.

Still no Crossrail to Ealing though.

ABB125 · 11 May 2019

rebmcr said:
The Edgware Road area looks a lot clearer too.

Still no Crossrail to Ealing though.

Is it supposed to go there?

pdeaves · 11 May 2019

ABB125 said:
Is it supposed to go there?

Yes, west of Paddington Crossrail passes through Ealing Broadway on the way to Hayes & Harlington, thence south to Heathrow or west to Reading.

ABB125 · 11 May 2019

pdeaves said:
Yes, west of Paddington Crossrail passes through Ealing Broadway on the way to Hayes & Harlington, thence south to Heathrow or west to Reading.

Ah yes, I can see that now!

Dstock7080 · 11 May 2019

District and Circle Lines from Notting Hill Gate terminate at Edgware Road, not Paddington as shown

ABB125 · 11 May 2019

Dstock7080 said:
District and Circle Lines from Notting Hill Gate terminate at Edgware Road, not Paddington as shown

Oops! Evidently I forgot to change that when I amended the Paddington/Edgware Road layout. Thanks for pointing that out.

MikeWh · 12 May 2019

The Charing Cross Branch of the Northern line (dotted) still wants to bypass Waterloo.

ABB125 · 12 May 2019

MikeWh said:
The Charing Cross Branch of the Northern line (dotted) still wants to bypass Waterloo.

Thanks

Dstock7080 · 12 May 2019

Northern Line (Bank branch) should call at King’s Cross St. Pancras

ABB125 · 12 May 2019

Dstock7080 said:
Northern Line (Bank branch) should call at King’s Cross St. Pancras

Ah yes, thanks. That should make it easier to draw.

whoosh · 16 May 2019

Interesting to look at. I like the central area, and in particular Crossrail and the Central Line. There seems to be a pleasing symmetry with the two in this part of the map.

As someone else has mentioned above, and Maxwell Roberts also goes into more detail about this (have a look at his monthly newsletters which you can download), all the station names being accommodated can make a big difference to whether a layout of lines works or not.

I often find it interesting to see different interpretations of the London Underground map. One of Henry Beck's maps (in about 1940) contained 60° lines.

ABB125 · 16 May 2019

whoosh said:
Interesting to look at. I like the central area, and in particular Crossrail and the Central Line. There seems to be a pleasing symmetry with the two in this part of the map.

As someone else has mentioned above, and Maxwell Roberts also goes into more detail about this (have a look at his monthly newsletters which you can download), all the station names being accommodated can make a big difference to whether a layout of lines works or not.

I often find it interesting to see different interpretations of the London Underground map. One of Henry Beck's maps (in about 1940) contained 60° lines.

Thanks for the comments. I'm currently working on a slightly different version, but it will probably be a week or two before it is ready.

sprunt · 23 May 2019

There's an old version of the Stuttgart map that had no vertical or horizontal lines at all - it's very striking, but I think they decided that some of the lines were a bit tricky to follow.

Alternative Underground Map using 60 degree Angles

Established Member

Attachments

RailUK Forums

Established Member

Established Member

Established Member

Established Member

Established Member

Established Member

Forum Staff

Established Member

Established Member

Member

Established Member

Established Member

Established Member

Attachments

Established Member

Established Member

Established Member

Established Member

Established Member

Established Member

Established Member

Established Member

Established Member

Established Member

Established Member

Established Member

Member