Banish the Blue Blobs

Putting the step into step-free at Harrow & Wealdstone

There is absolute lunacy in the reverse logic behind TfLs decision to insert big, blue blobs onto their lovely new tube map. Harrow & Wealdstone is a blue-blobbed station and it’s true you can get to the platform without any help, there are lifts but should you ever want to board a Bakerloo line train here then you are pretty much stuffed. There is a step down to the platform you can see in the photo above that must be at least 6in and if you tried to get a wheelchair in you’re going to end up on your face and if you try and get a wheelchair out well that’s just plain impossible. A disabled person is just going to be sat on a train not able to move.

Time to send the blobs back where they belong. Blobbyland.

It’s about time we banished these big, blue blobs from our tube maps. For too long they’ve been part of the corruption turning Harry Beck’s classic, simple and uncluttered design into a mess of blobs, red text and illogical lines.

My suggestion? Simple. Publish a detailed guide to true step-free access in London listing any possible obstacles in the way of in the way such as a large gap between the platform and train or any lift engineering works going on. It should be available at every tube station and through the post as well as online. Also remove the misleading symbols from the in-train maps and the pocket and wall tube maps and provide posters outlining some sort of disability helpline people can ring if they need to so there information is always there.

Rayners Lane, Harrow & Wealdstone, Wembley Central, West Hampstead

It's almost as if the thrills of Wealdstone are endless. Almost.

22nd September
Rayners Lane; Picadilly, Metropolitan
Harrow & Wealdstone; Overground, Bakerloo
Wembley Central; Overground, Bakerloo
West Hampstead; Overground, Jubilee

Today I write this sat on an Uxbridge-bound Metropolitan line train on my dinky little laptop. I needed to get some bits and bobs like coathangers and pillows and a clock and I figured I could double this up with a little bit of tubing. I set out from Uxbridge to Rayners Lane where I got off and it was here I realised I’d forgotten to put an SD card in my camera. I had to go to Tesco and buy one because a. I was too lazy to go back and get it and b. You can never have too many SD cards. From there I took the H10 bus to Harrow & Wealdstone where I got the Bakerloo to Wembley Central. I got out here and went to Tesco, Iceland and Poundstretcher and bought the stuff I needed. Got back on and found out I could either go all the way to Baker Street to get on the Met or I could take the Bakerloo to Wilsden Junction then change for a Stratford train and finally get off at West Hampstead for the Jubilee to Wembley Park. Long winded I know but I got on an Uxbridge train eventually as I am now. Sat in between scarlet-uniformed school kids and a very angry looking man in a blue hoodie. Just got to get back to University now and cook my delicious fajitas.

A swishy new OG train running on the Watford DC line

Victoria

Victoria, Victoria, You stole my 'art

20th September
Victoria; District, Circle, Victoria

Next stop on my list was something of a midnight oddessey. Seeing as I don’t drink very much or really enioy clubbing or being drunk the evenings can be a bit boring on Fresher’s week unless you have a reaql fondness for non-alcoholic cocktail parties with the Christian Union. As such I ended up getting the bus at about 11pm to Uxbridge and then taking to tube to central London. I met a really nice guy who’s girlfriend was on my course and we chatted all the way down on the Picadilly line to the end of the train at Acton Town and then changed for another train and changing again at Earl’s Court for a district line train to Victoria. That’s the third station now. Victoria. Once there I got some shopping from an open late Sainsburys, took a bus to Marble Arch, where the traffic was backed up all the way along Edgware Road and went to go get a nightbus (N207 no less) back to Uxbridge which was a whole different dynasty in itself.

Number Three

Newbury Park, Uxbridge

Newbury Park, 2 down ...

20 September 2009
Newbury Park, Central
Uxbridge, Piccadilly, Metropolitan

Today was the first day in my epic journey. It was very exciting as it was also the first day at my new university. Laden with luggage my mother and I were dropped off by a rail replacement bus service in the cavernous Newbury Park bus station before making our way down to the platform. We changed at Liverpool Street for the fairly pleasant, green ride up to Uxbridge and finally out at my destination. I am really happy to have finally begun and Uxbridge is a lovely town with more than enough shops for me, an easy tube link into London and an easy bus ride to the university too.

Anyway I’m off now to go get a bus into Uxbridge and go on a late night wander of London. Not sure where I’ll end up but I’m sure I’ll end up taking the nightbus back.

Welcome, welcome.

Hello. Welcome to The Tube Station Chronicles. This is my effort to visit every single tube station on the London Underground, Overground and DLR networks (as well as a tiny little bit of National Rail).

A fool at Tottenham Court Road.

I’m Adam Smith, a first-year Politics student at a fairly obscure plate-glass University on the outskirts of London and I’ve lived for the whole of my life in beautiful, boring, rural Norfolk. Saying that I’ve lived this rather short life constantly obsessed by London and the tube network. Maps, stations and announcements all still bring a childish joy to my face and now that I live in London(ish). Armed with a map of the tube, a few Wikipedia articles and an Excel spreadsheet I’ve painstakingly created in my 3 years of University I aim to visit every single station.

Here are my current criteria for stations I’m going to visit:

1. The London Underground Network
2. The London Overground Network
3. The Docklands Light Railway Network
4. National Rail between Finsbury Park and Moorgate
5. National Rail between Kentish Town and Moorgate, London Bridge and Elephant & Castle
6. Any station which opens before graduation in 2012 which should include
i. Overground between Dalston Junction and New Cross, West Croydon and Crystal Palace
ii. Overground between Clapham Junction and Surrey Quays
iii. DLR between Stratford International and Canning Town
iv. Imperial Wharf Overground station
v. Blackfriars tube station

Newbury Park, first stop. Photo by Fossie1

Despite visiting London alot and having already completed a plan to visit every Zone 1 station I have decided to start a-fresh and my first station will be Newbury Park (photo by Fossie1, thanks) on the 20th September (as a result of some engineering work on the London-Norwich line). I am classifying a station as visited if it has been exited through ticket gates out onto street level or entered through ticket gates. I am hoping I can take a photo at each station and maybe write a little bit about it but I’m guessing the joys of Northwood Hills and West Silvertown are ones I’ve yet (or am every likely to discover).

So visiting all stations from Acton Central (or Abbey Road in 2010) to Woolwich Arsenal. I might be a wee bit insane but how hard can 371 stations be in 3 years. That’s only two a week. Hm maybe this is a little ambitious. Well we’ll have to wait and see. I have a funny feeling my 18+ student Oyster card is going to be pretty worn.