by Andrew Dow
RAILWAY Gazette praised the design of George Dow's diagrammatic maps of the London & North Eastern Railway's London suburban services when they were first published in the late 1920s. In this hardback book the designer's son has compiled a comprehensive history of the 'Dowagram'.
Dow's maps of sections of the LNER, London, Midland & Scottish Railway and British Railways networks are placed in the context of the historical development of diagrammatic maps from their purely geographical counterparts.
The 88 pages contain a discussion of the changing styles of map used by various main line and underground railway companies, the design methods adopted, and their merits and faults.
A table gives the first appearance of particular features of diagrammatic route and network maps, including characteristics such as equally spaced stations and the use of common angles between lines.
Different approaches to representing lines, stations and interchanges are discussed, along with the factors which produce a map which is both visually attractive and a useful aid for passengers.
ISBN 1 85414 291 7
£14·95 from Capital Transport Publishing, 38 Long Elmes, Harrow Weald, Middlesex, HA3 5JL, United Kingdom.
Tel: +44 20 8863 8996
