Thameslink on the Tube Map

[DynamicSpirit]

Yes, that was why it was added. I get the impression TfL sort of did this under duress as they don't get any revenue from Thameslink.

It makes me wonder if this is why they did a spectacularly bad job of adding it in to the map: either they deliberately did a bad job, so Thameslink looks meandering and slow therefore it doesn't poach people off TfL services... Or, they accidentally did a bad job/rushed it etc. but aren't in a hurry to fix it because it's not a TfL service.

Nothing to prove this, except for the fact that generally TfL don't do such a terrible job of weaving lines in. Especially compared to the Elizabeth line which was also only added a few years ago.

To my mind, TfL do an equally terrible job of weaving their own lines in, so I don't think there's any motive to make Thameslink look bad. The Elizabeth line is also shown in a very meandering way - particularly East of Liverpool Street - despite being one of the fastest lines on the map. Ditto the Jubilee line East of Waterloo. If TfL really wanted to discourage people from using national rail, they could easily do it by highlighting on the maps those stations/parts of stations where boarding/alighting will get you charged the higher National Rail fares instead of the lower TfL fares - but they don't. So I think it's just incompetence at map design/political pressure to put stuff on maps that doesn't accord with what would be most useful to most passengers.

 

[Western Gaffer]

Surely anyone looking at a tube map, with or without additional lines, must understand and accept that it isn't intended to portray distances or to represent the actual geography in terms of curvature, etc?

There are geographically-correct equivalents out there, but they're not exactly useful for journey planning purposes as the disproportionate scale of the outer suburbs distorts the picture so as to render the central part illegible on a full-size image:

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/geographically_accurate_map/response/560395/attach/3/London%20Connections%20Map.pdf

 

[Doctor Fegg]

In the '80s someone drew a Tube map that was geographically accurate in the centre, but reverted to Beck-style schematics for the more suburban sections. This strikes me as a smart compromise and one I'd like to see revived. Sadly I can't find the original on a few minutes' Googling.

 

[JJmoogle]

I can't really attribute Thameslink's wobblyness on the tube map to anything other than the map needs a recast, It seems clear that the reason for its inclusion(especially post TL2000 completion) is the fact it's an incredibly high capacity north/south cross intensive metro service, much like the Elizabeth line.

There are other intensive metro services that should probably be on the tube map too(northern city, SW/SE metro etc) however I suspect those will have probably to wait until Crossrail 2, and an expansion of TfLs overground operations bears fruit, by which time my goodness the map will definitely need to be redrawn.

 

[renegademaster]

My theory of why Thameslink was put on the map so when Elizabeth line came, you could see an easy route between Heathrow and Gatwick.

 

[Dstock7080]

My theory of why Thameslink was put on the map so when Elizabeth line came, you could see an easy route between Heathrow and Gatwick.

Not what TfL said at the time:

Thameslink services set to be temporarily added to latest Tube map to help support customers during the coronavirus pandemic

Thameslink services set to be temporarily added to latest Tube map to help support customers during the coronavirus pandemic

tfl.gov.uk

Temporary addition from next month will illustrate more through London travel options while customers need to maintain social distancing
Transport for London (TfL) is temporarily adding Thameslink services to the world-famous Tube map from next month to help customers move around the city during the continuing coronavirus pandemic.
The temporary addition to the map, which will appear in stations in the coming weeks, will see Thameslink services within Zones 1 to 6 (as well as Dartford and Swanley), shown on maps displayed in stations, as well as the pocket Tube map, online at tfl.gov.uk and on the TfL Go app

 

[hkstudent]

Not what TfL said at the time:

Thameslink services set to be temporarily added to latest Tube map to help support customers during the coronavirus pandemic

Thameslink services set to be temporarily added to latest Tube map to help support customers during the coronavirus pandemic

tfl.gov.uk

COVID was not the major reason making TL to put on map, but a factor that caused it to be put earlier.

As mentioned later in the paragraph, it was for the Northern Line Bank branch closure capacity relief, so that there will be no need to provide shuttle bus to connect Kings Cross to London Bridge as Thameslink will be used as the river crossing alternatives.

However, the capacity relieve seems be not apparent enough, as most passengers didn't change to TL, thinking it's not TfL services. And of course, COVID made the patronage be much lower anyway.

 

[Russel]

3. It says Kings Cross and St Pancras

When did that change happen, I've always known it as Kings Cross St Pancras, but I've just checked the tube map and it's now showing as Kings Cross And St Pancras International?

 

[Dstock7080]

When did that change happen, I've always known it as Kings Cross St Pancras, but I've just checked the tube map and it's now showing as Kings Cross And St Pancras International?

Actually & and International were added from the December 2020 Tube map, the same edition that Thameslink was added

 

[stuu]

When did that change happen, I've always known it as Kings Cross St Pancras, but I've just checked the tube map and it's now showing as Kings Cross And St Pancras International?

The underground station hasn't physically changed it's name, they have tried to show both names on the map. The London rail map actually shows Kings Cross St Pancras and St Pancras International as separate stations connected by interchange blobs, like Bank-Monument