Letter: Squeezing the Tube

Sir: The fascinating contrast between the 1909 and 'modern' maps of the Underground system is of considerable interest. Perhaps the director of the V & A was right to decry the hideous 1909 map (report, 17 January). Although it shows the Underground lines in bold colour in relation to the streets, the lengths and orientations of those very streets are not correct.

The complicated part in central London is reasonably accurate, but the northern and southern margins are squeezed into the oblong. The remarkable thing is that these early maps of the Underground are distorted, but masquerade as accurate because they show streets as well.

Yours etc,

CHRISTOPHER BOARD

Senior Lecturer in Geography

London School of Economics

London, WC2