London Underground map, 1943
Easy-Find rendering of Beck map

by Albert P. Zammit
He can probably be reached at one of these email addresses:
barlet@onvol.net, barlet@iname.com or barlet@euroweb.net.mt.

 
(Click on images to enlarge.)

Summary: On the front—printed in two colours—is the cover, a local area map of central London (covering three panels) and a list of visitor attractions. The other side is printed in full colour, with a diagrammatic map of the London Underground on three panels; the other two panels on that side comprise an index of grid references to stations.

The map itself is an official map created by H.C. Beck and released by London Transport. The nearest equivalent pocket map is that of 1943 and 1945 (those two being apparently identical). There are, however, a few differences from the pocket map. This map design is therefore an intermediate form that was never released as a London Transport pocket map.

Size: sheet 42 × 31 cm (16" × 12"), folding into 8.5 × 15.5 cm (3¼" × 6")

Dating: Estimated 1943. There is no printed date. The date is estimated as follows: The map is identical in content to the 1943 and 1945 LT pocket maps, but has some stylistic differencs inidicating that it preceds the 1943 pocket map.

Notes:

1. After the 1941 LT pocket map, Beck removed all traces of the planned extensions of the Northern line and Central line. These were, however, reinstated in the 1946 map. Meanwhile, the 1943 and 1945 maps exhibit changes made in readiness, to make room for the extensions. E.g.:
   1. Park Royal station label is moved to the left of the Piccadilly line to make space for the Central line western extension.
   2. Mile End station becomes an interchange (with the Central line eastern extension) and the District line bends upwards to meet it at that point.
   3. Liverpool Street station symbol moves upwards slightly to make room for the Central line eastern extension.
   4. The list of off-map stations at the eastern end of the District line is moved downwards to make room for the Central line eastern extension.
   5. Edgware Station is move downwards to make room for the western limb of the Northern line extension.
   6. Highgate and East Finchley Station labels are move to the left of the Northern line, to make room for the eastern limb of the Northern line extension.
   What is interesting about the Beck map that is included in this Easy-Find sheet, is that none of those preparatory changes are present. Therefore, after the debacle of the 1941 map (with the olympic-sized rings used for interchange symbols), Beck initially re-drew the map completely eradicating the Central and Northern line extensions; that design was released to Joseph Labin, who created the Easy-Find Guide; subsequently, Beck modified his design again to prepare to reinstate the Northern and Central line extensions; and that later design was used in the 1943 and 1945 LT pocket maps.
2. Therefore, although this item is not an official LT publication, it gives an interesting insights into the historical development of the LT map.
3. The map is overprinted with a grid, and there is an index of stations cross-referenced to the grid. This is innovation that took many more years to be incorporated in the LT map, not appearing until the mid-1950s.

This unusual map sold for £42.67 in March 2008.