The paper tube map you can pick up in TfL stations has a new cover, as the 39th Art on the Underground map cover appeared over the weekend, along with several changes to the map inside.
The new pocket tube map features a photographic collage by artist Joy Gregory, inspired by more than a century of gardens on London’s transport network, and 2023’s winning garden in Morden.
Gregory, who works primarily in photography, has taken inspiration for her map cover from TfL’s annual staff gardening competition ‘In Bloom’, which recognises staff for cultivating gardens in unlikely station environments. Having visited and documented gardens across the TfL network, Gregory was inspired by Morden station’s garden and its bounty of fruit and vegetables, naming the piece after what the station’s Customer Service Manager calls ‘a little slice of paradise.’
The cyanotype was used by some of the earliest known women photographers to document botanical objects at a time when women were discouraged from engaging with the sciences. Gregory draws on this feminist history throughout her work, using the cyanotype to reilluminate and reframe overlooked narratives about identity, race, gender and social history which underscore contemporary society.
The map inside has also changed, with several edits to reflect recent changes to London’s transport.
The most significant change is the arrival of Brent Cross West station on the Thameslink line in North London.
Edmonton Green station has lost its British Rail logo, as Greater Anglia’s limited peak hours only service no longer calls at the station. It’s London Overground only now.
Kentish Town now has a strike-through on the name, probably because although the Northern line station is closed for escalator work, the Thameslink station is still open, but that wasn’t clear on the old map design.
Now, it looks like the Thameslink station is also closed, but that’s probably less of an issue than having people turn up expecting the tube station to be open. The sidebar text has also been corrected to note that the National Rail section remains open.
The name of Shenfield station on the Elizabeth line has shunted sideways slightly.
Bermondsey has gained a dagger – due to the loss of step-free access until June 2024.
As have the Heathrow stations – which the sidebar says is because special fares apply at Heathrow Airport stations
St Mary Cray has gained a step-free icon.
As has Catford.
The new tube map is free and available at TfL network stations.
Hello Ian, you missed another improvement. Hammersmith Piccadilly line now has a blue step-free bobble. The tracks there have been raised to provide level boarding recently and this has been reflected on the new map. Thanks
That was already included in the previous October edition map. Thanks
Sorry Ian, I didn’t know that there was a paper release in October. Excuse me.
I have never heard of an October 2023 release.
It was the previous edition pdf on the TfL website – you can check the publication date and issue number at the bottom left corner of the map.
For some reason the St Mary Cray and Catford upgrades aren’t on the paper maps. Any clue why that might be?
I have also noticed that Amersham now has full step free access, it used to have part step free access in the May 2023 edition.
Confirmation required. The October 2023 version of the Tube map was only online in pdf format. The printed versions for this year are only dated May 2023 with ‘Come Out, Come Out cover and the December 2023 with ‘A Little Slice of Paradise’ cover