See the London Underground like never before with these newly released 3D tube maps
London Underground stations are like mazes. TfL doesn't publish maps of the inside of individual stations, forcing commuters to follow endless signs through anonymous tunnels, with no idea how the stops are really structured. It's easy to get lost inside Waterloo or Bank if you're not paying attention.
However, blogger Ian Mansfield got his hands on a set of interior maps of almost every single London tube stop, revealing their layouts in a way rarely seen by the general public.
Mansfield received them via a Freedom of Information request t oTfL (Transport for London), and explains that "they are technically axonometric diagrams, which is 3D-like, but not to scale, which becomes obvious when you see some of the vertiginous descents offered on some stairs and escalators."
Here are some of the most iconic and interesting ones from the bunch.
First up, King's Cross/St. Pancras, the second-busiest tube station in London. It is known for the beauty of the station above ground ...
... as well as the snaking passageways below, which serve the Hammersmith & City/Circle/Metropolitan lines, and the Northern, Piccadilly, and Victoria lines.
Here's the second part of the Kings Cross/St. Pancras axonometric map.
In terms of footfall, Kings Cross/St. Pancras can't beat Oxford Circus. It's the busiest underground station in the city.
In 2014, Kings Cross/St. Pancras had 92 million visitors; Oxford Circus, meanwhile, had 98.5 million. Pictured is the upper levels and entrance hall.
And here are the platforms and mid levels. It intersects the Bakerloo, Central, and Victoria lines.
Canary Warf is cavernous, ferrying more than 50 million city workers to and from work every year.
It sits at the intersection of the Jubilee Line and the DLR in East London.
Angel, meanwhile, holds a very different record. It is home to the longest escalator on the network, 60 meters.
It serves just one line, the Northern (Bank branch). The escalator is located on the left of the diagram.
Gants Hill is one of the more architecturally interesting tube stations, its Soviet-era architecture is inspired by the metro in Moscow.
It's also a particularly simple tube stop, serving only the Central Line. It is located in Zone 4, North East London.
Just contrast that with Waterloo, the third-busiest tube stop in London.
Ever visited Waterloo?
It's notable for having the most escalators of any station on the London Underground — 23. (Take the wrong one and you can end up with a 100-yard detour.)
It connects the Bakerloo, Jubilee, Northern, and Waterloo & City Lines.
Westminster tube is defined by its imposing pillars and high-ceilinged atrium.
It's easily recognisable in its axonometric map.
Barbican wasn't always open to the elements, but after sustaining damage during the Blitz, the decision was made to keep it that way.
It serves the Circle and Metropolitan Lines.
Here are a few more interesting ones...
If you've ever ventured into West London, then chances are you've changed lines at Earl's Court, its above-ground platforms connecting the Piccadilly and various arms of the District line.
Finsbury Park, located in North London, serves the Piccadilly and Victoria Lines. (It's also the home of yours truly.)
South Kensington is another picturesque station, and services the District, Circle, and Piccadilly Lines.
Victoria connects the Circle, District, and Victoria lines. Its train station is a gateway to much of Southern England.
Here's Bermondsey, in South London.
And here's Brixton, at the end of the Victoria line. The area is currently undergoing rapid gentrification.
Leicester Square is one of London's most notorious tourist traps. Its tube stop connects to the Northern and Piccadilly lines.
And lastly, here's Warren Street.
Want to see more?
Click through to see the rest of the axonometric diagrams Mansfield received »
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