One of the most iconic British designs to come out of the 20th century was the London Underground map. The original topological style of Harry Becks 1931 hand drawn map has been the basis of the London Underground map designs down to this day.
During the 1920s, Harry Beck worked as an engineering draughtsman at the London Underground Signals Office. In 1931, he proposed a radical new design to illustrate the rapidly expanding Underground system. The Underground Group's draughtsman, Fred Stingemore, had been finding it increasingly difficult to squeeze new lines and stations into his map. Beck could see that the network had become too big to represent geographically, and worked on a solution to the problem in his own time.
'Looking at an old map of the Underground railways', he said, 'it occurred to me that it might be possible to tidy it up by straightening the lines, experimenting with diagonals and evening out the distance between stations'.
Beck's solution was to map the network schematically, using a system based on electrical circuit diagrams. The Underground's publicity department initially rejected his proposal, thinking it too radical. However, after he made a series of modifications, the design was approved. A trial pocket version was published in 1933, just before the Underground became part of the London Passenger Transport Board.
Fast forward nearly 80 years, and you can now have this classic artwork printed onto our range of wallpapers to fit any size wall space. If the dimensions of our set-sized murals below are not suitable, please contact us with your wall sizes.
The TFL range can now be reproduced onto our printable vinyl cushion flooring - Floorink. Suitable for both residential and high traffic commercial spaces, Floorink is extremely durable and easy to clean and maintain.
Quote "BeckInTime" at checkout for wall mural discount
1932 Vintage Tube Map
Harry Beck's London Underground map on Floorink(Vinyl cushion R10 slip rating)
510cms wide x 385cms high (200" wide x 151" high)
Price: £1600 (ex Vat) worldwide delivery available
Approx 6 weeks lead time
Harry Beck's London Underground tube map printed onto Pre-Pasted Wallpaper
364cms wide x 250cms high (142" wide x 98" high)
Price: £292 (ex Vat) worldwide delivery available
1933 Vintage Tube Map
Harry Beck's London Underground map on Floorink(Vinyl cushion R10 slip rating)
510cms wide x 385cms high (200" wide x 151" high)
Price: £1600 (ex Vat) worldwide delivery available
Approx 6 weeks lead time
Harry Beck's London Underground tube map printed onto Pre-Pasted Wallpaper
364cms wide x 250cms high (142" wide x 98" high)
Price: £292 (ex Vat) worldwide delivery available
1940s Vintage Tube Map
Harry Beck's London Underground map on Floorink(Vinyl cushion R10 slip rating)
510cms wide x 385cms high (200" wide x 151" high)
Price: £1600 (ex Vat) worldwide delivery available
Approx 6 weeks lead time
Harry Beck's London Underground tube map printed onto Pre-Pasted Wallpaper
364cms wide x 250cms high (142" wide x 98" high)
Price: £292 (ex Vat) worldwide delivery available