On Tue, Nov 27, 2007 at 12:48:30PM +0000, Clive. wrote:

All the underground lines, in maps for public consumption show all lines
to be either north south or east west, for clarity

No they don't. See here, where the Picadilly line looks like it runs
from west to east between Uxbridge and Ruislip, then northwest to
southeast from Ruislip to Rayners Lane, then north tosouth between
Rayners Lane and Acton Town:
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloa...d-tube-map.pdf

and that's just one tiny part of the map.

what's wrong with holding to that convention?

If I were at Rayners Lane and told you that "that train's going west"
and "that train's going south" it would be obvious what I meant. If on
the other hand I were at Moor Park, then according to the map both
Watford and Harrow are east, according to the map, but in opposite
directions. Which is why if it's desperately important, then using
compass directions is stupid.

And then there's the Circle line, where eastbound becomes southbound
becomes westbound becomes northbound. Better to describe a train as "at
Baker street headed for Liverpool St".

--
David Cantrell | Official London Perl Mongers Bad Influence

You may now start misinterpreting what I just
wrote, and attacking that misinterpretation.