Robin May wrote:
"Mark Wilden" wrote the following in:


There was a typography-related question from another list. The
fellow says:

I live in west London and one of my local stations is Sudbury Town
(Piccadilly Line), built in 1931, when the Johnson face was very
well established across the network. Despite this, Sudbury Town
has its own typeface, and it ISN'T Johnson. In fact it's not even
a sanserif face - IT HAS SERIFS! All the station signage uses this
renegade typeface, including platform "bullseye" signs,
destination, "Way Out" and toilet signage. Why did this happen?
Was it a typographic experiment that went wrong? I'm sure someone
must know. My only reference book which mentions it says "The
signage is unusual and does not conform to the general pattern.
Perhaps it was a typographical experiment."

Any information or links would be appreciated!

It's a 'petit-serif' typeface based on Johnston, designed by Charles
Holden and Percy Delf Smith for 55 Broadway and also used
experimentally at a few tube stations of the time.

There's info about it in "Johnston's Underground Type" by Justin
Howes.

You beat me to it, Robin! I was just reading that bit myself. It says
that the typeface was used at Arnos Grove and Boston Manor as well as
Sudbury Town. Has anyone seen any of these signs at AG and BM? I don't
remember any at BM, and rarely visit AG.
--
Richard J.
(to e-mail me, swap uk and yon in address)