Annie Mole (AM) - What began your interest in the history of London Underground maps?
David Leboff (DL) I've always been interested in the Underground system, being a Londoner born and bred. When I went to study for a degree in geography and cartography, I was looking for a subject for my final year dissertation which could cover both fields and the Underground map appeared to be an appropriate one. I knew next to nothing about the subject when I started but eventually discovered enough to produce the thesis. For the intervening 17 years, I have been fascinated by the subject and have built up a large collection of maps of my own, as well as researching their origins.
AM - How long did it take to research and write your book?
DL There was not too much to research per se and so much of the time was spent amending the format of the text and illustrations. Overall, it took around two years between being commissioned and seeing the book in print.
AM - You have illustrations of maps dating back to 1867, which was the hardest map to find and how long did it take to locate it?
DL Many of the maps in the book (including the 1867 one) are owned by me personally. The remainder had to be borrowed or copied from fellow collectors or official collections such as the Public Records Office and Guildhall Library. I don't recall any maps which we knew to exist but had trouble locating. To the contrary, we had to be tough and leave out several worthwhile examples which I would have loved to have included.
AM - You think too much importance was given to Harry Beck as the founder of the tube map. Basically he fudged the real locations of the stations, gave greater importance to the central London part of the map and straightened tube lines in order to make the whole map more readable. However, his map has totally confused tourists, as the map gives little indication of the real distance between stations - forcing people to take the tube for one or several stops when a short walk would be quicker!
 |
 |
