Letter: Underground beauty of bygone days

Sir: I was interested to see your reproduction of the 1909 map of the London Underground ('Early Underground map surfaces', 17 January). I have a very similar map of the Metropolitan Railway which dates from 1930 or a little later, and which also shows the stations imposed over a street map.

What is particularly interesting is that the reverse of the folder not only gives lists of theatres, principal shops, places of interest and how the Commercial Manager of the Metropolitan Railway can assist with house-hunting in 'Metro-land', but lists some of the beauty spots to be visited. It describes Eastcote as a dainty little village pervaded with an old-world atmosphere; Ruislip as a fragment of that older and more beautiful world; and Amersham, with its cobble-paved streets, quaint inns and gabled houses, retaining the tranquillity of bygone days.

Yours faithfully,

HAROLD TUPPER

Christchurch, Dorset

18 January