He said his design, with its use of curves and new angles, might be too radical a change for those responsible for the London Underground Map.

BBC: London Underground map gets curves in lecturer's design

He said the biggest challenge on the horizon for the London Underground map would be the forthcoming Crossrail line linking Maidenhead and Heathrow in the west and Shenfield and Abbey Wood in the east.

BBC: London Underground map gets curves in lecturer's design

Mr Beck was notably ahead of the game in producing a version of his London map showing all underground and surface level train services as early as 1938.

BBC: London's Tube map creator Harry Beck gets blue plaque