Fun with psychogeography

[hirez]

Driving in on the A1 past the set of art-deco flats that look like a spaceport hotel, it came to me that while I'd been in London, I'd never felt of London. You know those seabirds that build nests on the tiny outcroppings of rock on otherwise sheer and windswept cliff faces? Exactly like that.

Ancient history. You can never go back.

Later, I half-heard a conversation along the lines of 'The country's the wrong shape; Brighton should be on the Northern Line."

Thus: Brighton on the Northern Line. (Large JPG)

The thing about Harry Beck's splendid diagram is just that. It's a diagram. Distances and relative geography are largely irrelevant. This means one can play Hob with people's internal maps, and indeed overlay those internal maps on what has become a form of consensus reality.

I've always thought of 'my' London as being very different from the one that (say) Tara Palmer-Thomkinson would have experienced. The map's the same, but the things you see when you get there are... Otherwise.

This, then, is a first pass at diagramming 'my' London. The things and places I remember - meeting Andrea and Cal on the way to the pub, or figured large - various works and venues. Of course, memory is imperfect and things have fallen out. I'll get to them in due course.

Comments

[lastaii.livejournal.com]

LMAO! Bristol, on the central line? :o)

[hirez.livejournal.com]

It's yer conceptual distance, innit guv. I want to know if it feels closer because it's on that diagram.

[quercus.livejournal.com]

Well that will stop me ever going near Brighton ever again...

[quercus.livejournal.com]

This means one can play Hob with people's internal maps,

"Play Hob"?

I'm not wearing a stinky ferret suit for anyone!

[reddragdiva]

Best. Idea. Ever.

(Tho shirley Brighton belongs on a Thameslink extension etc etc blah.)

[smogo.livejournal.com]

Brighton to Whitby by tube? I think I'd still rather drive.

[ciphergoth.livejournal.com]

Er, Brighton *is* on the Thameslink...

[goth-twiglet.livejournal.com]

Ilike the other end of the Northern Line Better. IF. ONLY.

[codepope.livejournal.com]

Cripes old chap, I'm on the map twice! And there's Kraftwerk... great stop.

[neilh.livejournal.com]

And there was me more worried about what was going on at Goodge Street.

[perlmonger.livejournal.com]

but you've got it wrong! Brissle is on the Piccadilly Line extension. And tack»head on the Fleet?

Kraftwerk is on the Victoria though; I've always thought it an ironic transtemporal reference to the Saxe-Coburgs, but who can tell these days...

[codepope.livejournal.com]

That's where the tube system reverses the polarity.

[neilh.livejournal.com]

That would explain it - I always thought it was a slightly weird station.

[hirez.livejournal.com]

The Bristol thing was a hard decision. I think on balance, that it probably should have been a District line thing. The less I have to travel on the Gibberdilly line, the happier I am.

Tack>>head == Kilburn National, 1989.

But that's the point of this thing. My diagram != anyone else's. Indeed I'd like to see other people's.

[hirez.livejournal.com]

Of course.

[hirez.livejournal.com]

I suppose for complete historical accuracy, that should have been at Edgeware Road.

Damn. Another one to add.

Splosh!

[sarah-mum.livejournal.com]

The central line as young poggs would like it.

You = Upton Park

[reddragdiva]

I know, I mean on the map as presented. OTOH, it's in HiRez's brane, so that's different.

[lastaii.livejournal.com]

Well indeed, it's *your* impression of how it works, so it's right for you :)

I just highlighted the Brizzle thang because, well, frankly I was off my face on chilli vodka...

Re: Splosh!

[poggs.livejournal.com]

Splosh should be renamed "Wales (for Girlfriend)".

Can I propose an extension out to Juddernham?

[glitchdrei.livejournal.com]

That's a much better name for Brixton!

[aeia.livejournal.com]

Which pub was that? Bricklayers Arms?

Re: Splosh!

[hirez.livejournal.com]

You can indeed. I'll upload the .PSD and you can hack it yourself. Share and enjoy.

Oh, now, actually... If I was any sort of web-hacking type, I'd build a collaborative site - a kind of graphical wiki, if you will - and let people loose on it.

[hirez.livejournal.com]

Yes.

Indeed. I wasn't sure about that, but you're right.

[hirez.livejournal.com]

Yup. S'why it's got its own stop and everything. I should bung Gossips in there, too.

Re: Splosh!

[poggs.livejournal.com]

Tube Map Wiki.

Put in your own station and where it connects to and...

[sheepthief.livejournal.com]

It works

[sarah-mum.livejournal.com]

Ah, so it's your fault I drove to Hammersmith this afternoon just to drop someone home.

[kathbad]

Splosh.

[echo-echo.livejournal.com]

I do like the idea of the Northern Line going from Camden to the Elsinore to The Spa. In fact, I particularly like the idea of having a tube running from The Elsinore to The Spa. If I was actually bothered about going to The Spa which I'm not anymore.