Stations
An index of stations has been introduced to the latest version of the map. Click the preview image to access the PDF with the index.
There are 1,609 stations on the map at present. 1,383 people have stations on the map, of which I know 1,295 personally. Where's my station, you may ask?
Stations are usually grouped in different areas, or grouped on single lines, all representing each of my friendship groups throughout the years. Below is a list of these groups, in chronological order.
Maternal Family (Mostly in France)
Located in the South - 4, 18, C, P and S Trains, T1, T2, T3, T4 and T5 Trams
Located in the North-East - 11, 12, 15 and A Trains, TLR
My mum is French/Corsican, so the vast majority of that side of the family (including my mum) live in France. I regularly travel to Corsica where I visit a lot of them. The Mauté side of the family have two sections (other than the obligatory Zone 1 station for my mum).
My mum's side of the family were a little smaller compared to my dad's side, my mum being only one of two siblings.
Mauté itself is a significant area of Greater St. Jacques, where many rail and tram lines converge. This major area had to be given to a premium name - sorry Lomax. In theory, Mauté is the 'Croydon' of St. Jacques, however in my head it is much like Nice, France. Mauté exists on a peninsular and hence would be a beautiful place to live.
There is a Corsica section found in the north-east 'Tropical' section of the map, which I will detail later on within this page. I have placed further family members within the Corsica section of the north-east, with premiere stations given to my closest cousins (Carla, Thibaut, Coline and Lola).
Paternal Family (Mostly Family in USA or Sierra Leone)
Located in the South - 14, 18, C and M Trains
Located in Central - 10bis Train
My dad is from Sierra Leone. Much of this side of the family is dispersed around the globe, some residing in the United States, centred in areas in Maryland and Virginia, close to Washington D.C, with some having opted to return to Sierra Leone (I understand, England can be depressing). One family member is even making plans to move from The Gambia to Botswana, so there's an excuse to visit this intriguing country.
My father's side of the family is more vast, him being one of seven siblings, so I have many first cousins from my dad's side. The siblings themselves are scattered around in Zones 1 and 2.
Big families are a Smith tradition, I am the first of six (half) siblings, so each one of them needs their station. Line 10bis was a perfect choice, fitting them all onto a single, special line. Sad to say I'm only in regular contact with one of them, I'm intending to change this soon. Needless to say, it is very unlikely I will continue the Smith tradition of a large family. I just had to turn out a certain way, didn't I!
My father moved back to Sierra Leone soon after I obtained my first job out of university. There aren't too many Sierra Leoneans on the map, though some family friends have made it onto St. Jacques.
For those who live in the USA, many of them can be found in the south of the map. I do visit the US from time to time, always hosted by my cousin Sidney who lives in a beautiful house in the Virginia suburbs. I've been able to visit my other cousins and uncles when I have visited the states (and am always sure to catch a baseball game).
Corsica
Located in the North-East - 6, 8, 10, 11, 12, 15, A, K and L Trains, TLR
It is tradition that each year, during the summer period, I spend time in Corsica. For 30 years, this has been the case, and long may it continue.
Pietra-di-Verde, Corsica, was the village of our roots, and the beautiful church was where I was baptised. Every summer, my mum would take three weeks off work and we would spend time with my grandma and the rest of the family. What happy memories those were, spending time with the family at the beach. Holidays were tons better when my cousin Carla also showed up, and then Thibaut and Coline, when they were born. We were close cousins, and never were bored as Carla would usually invent games for us to play.
A village raises a child, and as I got a little older, I would play with the other kids. Games were so imaginative back in the day; I'm almost going to sound like a boomer when I state that we had tons more fun as kids then the young ones of today, mostly stuck on their phones.
My mum would move to Corsica after the divorce, when I was 11. Devastating at first, the significant silver lining was extremely long summer holidays in Corsica - and Easter holidays too. Easter was particularly magical - there weren't as many people around but those who lived in the village all year, and a few visitors, always found adventures in Pietra-di-Verde, from football to exploring the river. Summer was busier, which was incredible (but came with its drawbacks, such as the cliques that formed as we got older) - but there was the beach, and if we couldn't find parents to take us to the beach, we would instead head to the river, where it would be warm enough to swim. We did so much back in the day, hanging around in the village so late at night, even after lights out at 3am. We played many games, including the famous 'Red Letter' which became quite violent at times! Who could forget setting off the car alarm repeatedly (we were jerks too).
As we got older (and some of us could buy alcohol) - we'd even have parties in the church grounds, and have a blast until the early hours of the morning (much to the chagrin of nearby neighbours). At this time, yes, we had our phones - but we never forgot to enjoy ourselves. Who could forget the village fêtes - each village would host a party lasting until sunrise where many of us would attend as many as possible. Even me, who wasn't big on huge parties at the time, was clamouring to attend.
Corsica truly was the place of happy memories. I was insecure of my social life up until ages 15/16 - but Corsican summers more than made up for my relative lack of social life in England.
We grow up, and Corsica just isn't the same any more. Since I started working full time - it means I cannot go on long holidays (I snubbed internships and summer jobs to enjoy my final long summers until I retire - and I don't regret it now that I have a decently-paid job!) Since 2016, there's only been two years in Corsica which were memorable. 2016 was an interesting year - many people got their driving licenses and Alex would look to really co-ordinate our Corsican adventures - such as tree top ropes, trips to some of Corsica's most beautiful beaches, and Bavella's rivers, one of my favourite places in the entire world. Disagreements with leadership meant that this exclusive and wonderful trip would be the only one. 2020 was great too, bar the wretched masks. Up in the village we didn't have to worry about these ridiculous restrictions however, and this was the year where Carla, Coline (who lives in Corsica full time), Thibaut and I would be re-united. Plus, my boss allowed me to work for a couple of weeks in Corsica (sadly it's now frowned upon for me to do this; a shame as I would enjoy spending a few extra weeks in Corsica to spend more time with my mum). Corsica is a bit of a drag now - but the holidays allow me time to rest, swim in the Tyrrhenian sea, and work on projects (a lot of my mapping was done right here in Pietra-di-Verde).
Kids these days just don't know to have fun, I've noticed. We had absolute blasts, even up to when I was 21 - we had such memorable nights together. The next generation of kids just seem to hang out on their phones all the time, more obsessed with wearing expensive brands (many of them wore those Alexander McQueen trainers). Even when I went to a fête last year, when my friends and I went together we lived the night - they just sit around on their phones. No Corsican spirit.
Lastly - Corsica in the winter - chef's kiss. Quiet, relaxing, bliss.
Corsicans are mostly found by the beach - in the north-east - which is the Tropical section of the map (the Line 11 loop is its own satellite city, similar to Miami).
Dame Alice Owen's School
Located in the South-West - 6, 10, 11, 12, 14, 16, 18, B, D, J, M, P and V Trains, T6 and T8 Trams
Strive, with a will, Owenians.
My parents moved to Potters Bar later on in my childhood, mostly drawn to the fact that we would be close to Dame Alice Owen's School. A reputable state school, people from as far as Islington would apply to attend. My parents were exceptionally stern to ensure that I would be attending. Any thought of attending Nicholas Breakspear school in St. Albans, following many of my primary school peers, or Mount Grace School on the other side of Potters Bar, convinced by my neighbours, was imminently dashed. My parents were correct in that it was pure foolishness - by all accounts, to not attend Owen's - why anyone would want to trade a 10 minute walk to school for a long bus journey (Nicholas Breakspear School was essentially in the middle of nowhere) is anyone's guess. My next door neighbour had to endure this as he had moved into Owen's catchment area after starting secondary school, the poor lad.
I was offered a place after passing the entrance examinations, but there was virtually no way I could have missed out on a spot. Location, music aptitude and entrance exams - I had it all, my parents plans fell into full motion. They were ecstatic, and I have not a whiff of regret of obtaining the privilege of being an Owenian. A fantastic school with lots to offer, good teachers, good friends, I look upon these days with nostalgia - well, at least Years 7 to 12.
The school's catchment area was vast - students ranged from Islington to Welwyn, Knebworth (and even obscure hamlets of Hertfordshire such as Little Berkhamsted). People from all over the region wanted their students to study there (without the private school fees, of course!) It is ironic that almost all of my best friends from school were those who didn't live in Potters Bar, so many a time I would head out of town, almost exclusively driven by my dad to Welwyn Garden City, usually to hang out at Charlie's house, or for many of the birthday parties at Roller City.
Years 7 and 9 were bliss, I had a very fun teaching group (N forever). We Es, Ns and Ss, we considered ourselves as the cooler side of the year, with a rivalry with the Ds and As. I'm not sure which side was considered the smarter side, the ENSs would claim this, as well as the DAs - but more importantly, us ENSs stuck together. We fratenised often outside of our individual teaching groups, as key subjects were taught in sets, mixing classes up. We had an absolute blast - myself, Pearce, Charlie, Gabriel, Josh, amongst others.
When GCSEs approached, things mixed up further and I met more people from the other side of the year. It was time to get to know more of the Ds and As, who had their quirks but were good people too. Years 10 and 11 - more time was spent with Rebecca, Sarah, Oisin and the like - though I had my time with the ENSs. Though GCSEs were pure stress, I had a lot of enjoyable moments at school during this time - my favourite classes actually being Music GCSE where we got to compose our own music (which I have kept and uploaded onto this site).
A-Levels approached and school started to become a bit of a drag. It was ironic that my favourite lessons to look forward to during the year were French - which was my least favourite of the A-Levels - this was simply because the class was incredible fun, with some of my favourite people in the year. Rebecca, Sarah, Oisin, Awinnie, Nick, James, Charlotte, Giulia - French was the one to look forward to. Chemistry was great, Maths was exciting (how sad that I was excited to learn calculus), and so was Physics, being taught by the son of the presenter of the Periodic Videos YouTube series. Highlights also included the French Exchange (where I was hosted by Adrian in Paris) - which hugely inspired me to create this metro map. There were plenty of parties at Old Owens, it verged on there being a party every fortnight.
Year 13 was a rather miserable year for me - school had really worn thin. The only highlight was the trip to CERN in Geneva. School work hit its peak, and I had to think about university and a future career. French A-Level was fully completed, I had naturally fast-tracked the exams, being French - so I was left with Maths, Physics and Chemistry. I spent many classes with the same people, and it really started to grate. Maths, one of my favourite subjects, really stopped being enjoyable as I just didn't really fit in with the rest of the class (I felt a little below-class compared to them). When Adam left, Maths truly became the lowlight of the week for me - and I had eight hours of it a week. This is in high contrast to when I started school where I didn't want to learn anything but numbers. First signs of depression showing, I just wanted to get those A-Levels to meet my conditional offer at Imperial and get the hell out of there (and it really hurts when someone who thought was a close friend tells you straight to your face that they don't like your persona).
What's worse is that a few of my best friends also took Further Maths A-Level. I'm a person who really absorbs good energy from other people if they share my zeal for life - and it showed during chemistry labs when I consistently got good results in the laboratories when I shared a fume hood with three of my closest friends in the course. Eireni... James... Awinnie - if I was in a class with these three, for instance, I truly believe I would have the energy to enjoy lessons and obtain a B or even an A in Further Maths. I ended up with a C - quite frankly I didn't need this A-Level for university so I just gave up trying the end. Mechanics 4 is brutal, screw relative motion, seriously.
I was considered one of the popular kids early on - The Es, Ns and Ss were where it was at. By the end of Year 13, the popularity had completely shifted. I never even received an end of school reward (as voted by my peers). It really was time to leave for pastures anew.
The Owenians weren't originally planned to receive a section of this map, bar those who studied at Imperial. I surmised that my Napega map was enough, and that I had to move on. The intention was to fill the entire St. Jacques Map before I had graduated, but after three years, it was barely a third full. To add a little more population, I decided to give stations to Owenians, exclusively for my closer friends throughout the years, from the era of ENS early on, to my fellow A-Level Frenchies at the back end of my time at school.
Peter, one of my closest friends from school, and who I meet up with regularly, early on after 2012, would organise evenings at the local spoons where fellow Owenians of the class of 2012 were invited. These were large gatherings and it was really good to see more Owenians, some of which I barely hung out with during the days of school - so these people have also found themselves with stations on the map. For those who haven't made it onto this map - don't you worry. Project Napega will soon be under construction, where I completely redesign the original Dame Alice Owen's Metro network - and every single Owenian from the 2005-12 era will be included. Watch this space.
The south-west is where you can find the Owenians, they occupy a considerable section of map there.
Metanet Forums
Located in the South-West - 6, A and V Trains, T6 Tram
Stickman Adventures, found on one of the few games sites that slipped through the net of the DNS filters, recently introduced. A striking looking platformer, where you control a ninja, trying to avoid robots and mines, collecting gold along the way to the exit doors. It was all the rage in Computer Club (where the nerds hung out at lunchtime) - and even outside of this exclusive club. We quickly forgot about the game that was previously in vogue, and Stickman Adventures would have its day, being replaced by a new game. However, I truly enjoyed the game, and continued to play.
Stickman Adventures was not the game's official name. 'N (The Way Of The Ninja)' was its true moniker. Created by Metanet, an independent game developer comprised of the duo of Mare and Raigan (yes, they are on the map), it would transpire that we were all playing an outdated (and misnamed) version of the game in Computer Club. The game, by this point, had now been further developed. Instead of 150 levels, there were 500. I downloaded the game - and got straight to work in completing it. I eventually got as far as completing all but 6 levels in the game, I could not get passed the most notorious level in the game, Episode 88, Level 4: Mother Thumping Impossible (by blue_tetris), so could not fully complete the fiendishly difficult 80s column.
Part of my journey along this incredible behemoth of a game was joining the Metanet Forums, primarily to ask for help for levels that I would be stuck on (it was primarily a member called 'AMomentLikeThis' who answered my calls for assistance). Levels like Episode 74, Level 4 (Zenith) and Episode 83, Level 1 (Bricklayer) were eventually beaten with the help of fellow players.
At my young age, I was apprehensive of joining another internet forum. The Chip's Challenge Newsgroup, a community for one of my favourite games, of which I made some custom levels - on my arrival, a couple of members asked the community if 'someone like me was really welcome in their space'; though in fairness, I did steal a few levels from other level designers. Even at the age of 9, I should have known better. I then joined an Anti-Neopets forum in sheer anger at getting locked out of my Neopets account. It was a crazy messageboard with some insane characters. I didn't make the best impression when I claimed to have sent a message to one of Neopets most notorious users, 'featheralley' - calling her a 'stuck up b!tch'. This supposed Neomessage was a complete fabrication; stemmed from the desire of an 11-year old to look cool for internet tough guys. I was ridiculed out of the forum. 'You're a badass. Not'. Frankly, moaning about an internet game wears thin and is not the most positive use of one's time, you can only insult the site's most notorious CEO (who happened to be a Scientologist, no less).
The Metanet Forums was a far friendlier community. I didn't just receive help with levels, we could discuss the game in general, custom maps, suggest ideas for Mare & Raigan to consider for their next releases, and more. People created their custom comics, there was a lot of talent for graphic design (as many members opted to use fancy images for their signatures at the bottom of their posts). I in fact credit these very forums for getting me started on graphic design – I’m not advanced by any means, yet I still can navigate Photoshop/Affinity Photo. Those with more expertise were always happy to help when I had questions, and I even designed signatures for other members. There was the usual off-topic section, polls section, and for the older members – ‘Bash ‘n’ Thrash’, for ranting and more mature content. Didn’t stop me from going in when I was 12 (not really knowing what to post). Essentially, we were a community of nerds.
One of the cornerstones of the community was map creation. N came with a level editor, and many took advantage of this to create levels and even level packs. These could be submitted onto the N User Map Archive (NUMA – not associated with that Moldovan dance classic) – where other users could rate and comment on maps. I loved creating custom levels – going by my obsession with Chip’s Challenge when I was younger (creating a level set of 986 maps), N was no different and I submitted my creations – generally being well received, even if I didn’t place as much effort on them as many other people. Maps could range from the usual levels, ‘Races’ which played similar to a Sonic the Hedgehog level, ‘Survival’ where users recorded demos to see who could survive the longest in the map, ‘Art’ where people would use tiles and objects from the game to create fancy artwork (everyone remembers the Afternoon Dragon), and famously – DDAs (Don’t Do Anything) where you start the level and watch the character be propelled across the map in exciting ways, often with very close calls with robots and rockets! The community was large and bustling – there was much to offer.
Metanet was now primarily my social life, hanging out in the forums and on IRC. On the way home from spending the whole day on the computer in my dad's office, posting on the forums and creating maps, I would proudly announce to everyone in the car that my post count reached 750, promoting me to an advanced member (we called them 'Metanembers') - being granted special privileges. Cut me some slack, I was 12 years old. It must be mentioned that a not insignificant proportion of this post count was accrued through arguments with a troll named' SHUTTHEHELLUP'. The internet was a crazier time in the 2000s.
How excited I would be when blue_tetris himself - i.e. Mr. Boutwell, granted me the responsibility of moderatorship! Quite an achievement, even though it was for the 'Fun & Games' subforum only, a wholly recreational vestige of the forum. Even then, I was now one of the cool kids. I'd continue contributing to the community, hanging out on IRC more often and creating more maps, and trying to become one of the Metanet celebrities one way or another. One way or another, I was going to be awarded with a custom title.
Quite frankly however, I needed to expand my social life outside of computer screens and internet forums. One member asserted himself as being better than me for ‘having a life outside of the internet’ on the very own sub-forum I was moderating. I took his advice to heart, as social occasions with friends became more frequent from that point on!
In vast contrast to even a decade ago, the Metanet Forums are now a barren wasteland. Many past members have transferred to Discord (which I still can’t really get my head around, IRC was tricky enough). It seems the forums are no longer accessible any more, due to SQL errors.
Note: Classic posts on the forum included posting about 'stealing an internet', and being 'surprised that members of a forum about a flash game enjoyed Pokémon'. My most embarrassing moments were on an internet forum, thank goodness.
With how much I have reminisced about this community, they only occupy a slither of the map - there are 9 stations in total for Metanembers, including the legendary Mare & Raigan themselves - these are all exclusively on Line 6.
Deal or No Deal Forums
Located in the West - 5, 7, 18 and F Trains
I would become obsessed with Deal or No Deal around the age of 13 - the programme would be on just after I reached home from school. Following the contestants as they waited for their turn to win money - by opening boxes and getting offers from the banker - it was a perfect way to relax after school. I'd be obsessed with playing the flash games, and to this day, on this website I have the biggest collection of DoND flash games.
As with N, an obsession meant finding a community. The Deal or No Deal community was dedicated to their show. Members would watch daily, giving live commentaries. Many members were seasoned statisticians (especially KP) who would determine whether an offer was worth taking or not. The community wasn't without their internal controversies - such as the 'Wakey Era' where contestants who accepted a deal instead of going all the way to the end were heavily disparaged and even insulted (a few were eventually banned because of this, in an explosive thread where a contestant dealt at a third offer of £20,000 on a strong board. I registered just in time for that debacle. The statisticians rejoiced and that was the end of the Wakey era.
The community also had more to offer - a community dedicated to stats, discussions for Deal or No Deal show abroad, a much nuttier off-topic session, as well as a board where members could create their own Deal or No Deal series. I even wrote my own series - with a completely custom board and with personalities for each of the contestants. A member named 'NoelsFan' also helped out and guest-wrote a few episodes. You'd need to register on the forums to read it, however, you could create an account if you had enough time on your hands, the series was sheer insanity.
Forum members would also host games amongst another, of which I took part in many games, and even hosted my own. One of the biggest parts of the forum was the Race to a Billion game, expertly organised, managed and presented by Aaron. The game was a blast as players would accrue money to reach the ultimate goal of becoming a billionaire, with many obstacles to watch out for.
The forum was a cornerstone for Deal or No Deal fans - surpassing by far in popularity the 'official' forum on Endemol's Deal or No Deal site. Quite frankly, the content on DoND.co.uk was of far better quality, and the community was far more dedicated to the game (the official forum was akin to old ladies chatting at the supermarket cafe).
The Deal or No Deal forum's most famous member, h2005 (aka David) in fact became a contestant on the show! He would go on to win £6,500, and keep his box to take with him, a privilege previously given exclusively to winners of the £250,000 grand prize. Many members also managed to watch many a game live, in particular Archie, who loved TV gameshows (if I remember correctly, he also took part in one).
The Deal or No Deal enthusiasts on the forums were an exceptionally friendly community, without any form of ostentation (which Metanet, I must admit, occasionally had tinges of). There weren't any fancy signatures, heck, even users' post counts were hidden from view (I think this just works far better for a forum as people no longer try and spam to reach any privileges you get from reaching a certain number of posts). No custom titles, just good old fashioned forum fun. I had a blast on the Deal or No Deal forums.
The forums are still alive and kicking, and the community is still discussing the show to this day, as it has been re-introduced on ITV (in a completely different format). The commentaries still continue, mostly being covered by h2005. There is also a Discord, though I very rarely show up.
Unlike the Metanet forums, I've gotten closer to meeting up with some of the members. During the lockdowns, Aaron invited me to play some online gameshows and quizzes, Archie would also be in attendance. It was a great way to meet them and actually hear each other's voices. A really sound group of people - Aaron, we've been meaning to meet and we SHALL meet in person soon. I've also met the one and only 'KP' in person, spending a bit of time at Foyles.
The section of map for the DoND forumers is slightly larger than Metanet's, occupying a section of map on the west side, shown on Lines 5, 7, 18 and F.
Imperial College - Gabor Hall
Grouped on the 4 Train, Extra Stations on the M Train
Floor 4 at Gabor Hall was the place to be.
As my dad and aunt dropped me off at Princes Gardens left me to my devices, I was initially a bit daunted, but quickly loved the experience of being alone. This was not alien to me - I had been left alone in the house for long periods of time from the age of 15, taking care of myself and the home. Independence was hardly new - but this time, I would be sharing the experience with fellow students.
Gabor Hall, often called 'Gay Bar', ironically, was one of the fancy halls in SW7, just barely a stone's throw from the main South Kensington Campus. I opted to stay there... primarily due to the fact I refused to share a bathroom. Given my financial situation, it probably wasn't the right choice.
I would be assigned to room 419 on floor 4. I drop all my kitchenware, clothes, books and other accessories off into my room. The first person I met in Gabor was Dharani, enthusiastic at starting university - a brilliant, vibrant character and the queen of the floor. Floor 4 generally became a bit of a 'chill' floor, there were often people about gathering in the kitchen. We organised a couple of little parties in the kitchen/common area throughout the year. There was also that one person on our floor that we never saw - we once even tried to coax him with cake, promptly being told to piss off. We also had a lot of people from the fifth floor that came to visit and hang out with us.
My time at Gabor was relaxing, but ultimately fleeting. There's no experience like living right in Zone 1. My favourite spots in central London were a short walk away. Being in the middle of all the action was enthralling. SW7 will certainly be the poshest postcode I will ever live in during my lifetime, unless I win the lottery - and I don't even play.
Line 4 was chosen, during the earliest stages of the creation of the map, solely due to the fact that I resided on the fourth floor. Line 4 includes all but one of my fellow floormates, plus many guests from the fifth floor. King of Gabor, Vasa, in charge of the halls at the time, also just had to be on the map, as well as a few hall 'prefects'.
Imperial College - Chemistry
Exclusively in the Centre (Within the Circular Line 1)
We all survived the lab and the tyranny of Mimi Hii, but barely got through Bresme's lectures.
Nick Arnold, author of the 'Horrible Science' series, can be blamed for my time at Imperial. His book on chemistry, 'Chemical Chaos', was the catalyst to sparking my interest in chemistry - which became my favourite subject in school - overtaking maths. The periodic table was memorised, and my chemistry book collection slowly group throughout my trips to Foyles as a teenager. GCSE was a breeze, and A-Levels allowed me to spend more time within the subject. A successful interview at Imperial College, one of my five choices, earned me a conditional offer. After achieving the grades, I would be accepted into Imperial, though Warwick was very tempting, with their beautiful, modern labs and facilities. (Had I joined Warwick, however, life would have gone in a completely different direction - I don't think I would be playing softball and baseball today, for one!)
Invigorated and with vehemence, I couldn't wait to start studying. My dad would exclaim that people would 'headhunt me' into high paying jobs just for the fact that I studied at Imperial. (He meant well by this encouragement, but quite frankly this advice was somewhat detrimental to my future).
What would my coursemates be like? Candidly, I was exhausted with school (by Year 13 I spent my classes with a lot of people I just couldn't connect with, most of my best friends from school now studied different A-Level subjects). A new group of people, new friends to meet, I was looking forward to this. Others shared this sentiment - the Imperial Chemists of 2012 in fact started their Facebook group where we could connect before the academic year commenced. A little nervous at first - I introduced myself and got responses. We started talking - and organised a mini meet up (for some sushi and a trip to the Imperial Union). I met quite a few chemists there, it was a great meet up and it made me more eager to begin my studies. Those in that initial meet up got some of the larger interchanges along Line 1, which I have placed most of the first chemists that I met.
What I was looking forward most to was the labs. That was my main love for chemistry, conducting experiments (but I was rather crestfallen when I discovered that the use of Bunsen burners was sporadic, and hotplates with magnetic stirrers were the standard procedure for heating). To my surprise, there was a general consensus of aversion towards lab work shared by the group; I thought to myself 'why would you study chemistry if you hate labs?' though it may have been due to the anxiety that lab work caused, as we were graded on the quality and quantity of product that we needed to synthesise, and detailed lab reports had to be compiled. All these marks counted towards our final degree grade.
There were 140 chemists in our year, give or take the small number who came and went. I like to think that every single person in my course is included on the map (with the exception of one person). I have also included some professors, students in other year groups, PhD students, post-doc students and lab technicians on this map - all within Zone 1 (with a very notable exception by the river).
The degree didn't go as well as I planned, I struggled to grasp many concepts (especially with organic chemistry). I was a poor student, reminiscing candidly - I enjoyed the challenge of labs, but was hopeless at independent study. I did not put enough effort - appearances at the library were rare, I would bunk off many lectures (choosing to use Panopto to view them remotely), and did not show up at all my tutorials. I partied too much during 2nd and 3rd year, ironically not being as extroverted in 1st year. To conclude the lab report: I squandered a fantastic opportunity.
One achievement did come out of my time at university - for my research project, by far my favourite academic part of my time at Imperial - I managed to synthesise and characterise a new compound. If you're curious, here's a link for more information!
Imperial College - Baseball and Softball (Falcons)
Grouped on the G and H Trains, Extra Stops on the T4 Tram
Even in this photo, I'm in right field.
My baseball days go back to 2012, but my softball days go back even further, to 2005. If we want to mention rounders, we need to go back to 2002 (!)
Softball was by far my favourite sport during P.E., as it was the only ball sport I was remotely good at (moreso due to the fact that school softball was pure chaos - we had no gloves and people just seemed to do what they wanted). Afraid of needing alcohol and nightclubs to make friends, I would read solid advice to join societies to meet friends in less wild environments. I researched the vast list of societies Imperial offered, and made a small list of those which piqued my interest - the baseball society being one of them. I would find their modest stall (with a humorous Pokemon reference added to their small leaflets) during freshers fair. First training would be this weekend, in the morning. Sign me up.
I was initially going to return home for the weekend (the first week of university is always mentally draining), but I shunned the idea to make some new friends at Hyde Park. A friendly and small bunch, Dan was the president of the club, a very friendly chap. This looked a good group, and I enjoyed my first training - but unexpectedly, I was way in over my head. This was my first time donning a baseball glove, and it showed. I couldn't throw very far, and struggled to hit the ball (it wasn't as easy as in softball). You have to start somewhere - and I was particularly enthralled by the appealing baseball jerseys and uniforms. Even if I don't excel at the sport, I should stay long enough to get a shirt.
I stuck around, though I avoided championships and stuck to friendly games, due to my anxiety with team sports - I would eventually play competitively (and when it comes to my performance, I use this term loosely) by the end of the year. After the season (university baseball season runs from October to March, in contrast to the MLB!) - I would receive one of my most cherished possessions, my official Imperial College London jersey. J D SMITH adorns the back, and I proudly wore number 33. My very first sports shirt with my name on it. Glorious.
I would continue to play throughout university - and I go in more detail on my time playing baseball at university here. It is due to this small society that I have the pleasure of still being involved in the UK softball and baseball communities.
On initial sketches of my map, I created a line for the Imperial Baseballers. This line would not run into central St. Jacques, instead forming a partial orbital across the north-east of the city. This line would pioneer the Overground network which would be introduced in Version 4. Line G houses many of the baseballers, and due to there being so many through the three years in this group, Line H was created to house more Imperial Falcons. The Raiders invasion meant some stations have been kicked off Lines G, onto Tram T4 (these are people who weren't particularly involved in the club).
Imperial College - Dodgeball (Wolverines)
Located in the North - 2, 3, 10, 15, 16, B, H and L Trains
I never did get the hang of this game.
Dodgeball was one of the societies I really wanted to join in 1st year, I enjoyed the rare occasions where we played in secondary school during P.E. I ticked the society bucket list and joined the taster session. I very much was keen from memory, but I was hopeless. I decided not to pursue the sport as I threw all my eggs into baseball gloves.
I had a change of mind during 2nd year, assumably in retaliation to the frustration I had with baseball at the time - being stuck playing right field in every single game (even friendlies). 'Jacques Smith, aspiring dodgeball player' I introduced myself to Zain as I shook his hand, him looking rather bewildered. Myself starting from scratch, many of these guys had gotten good. We would play upstairs in Beit Hall (in a rather small room) - I remained rather dreadful at the game, my throwing being quite feeble. Yet, I enjoyed my time playing. If I kept at it, perhaps I could become one of the greats - unfortunately it all went to pot after I had found out I failed my winter exams (my social calendar during the first term of 2nd year was intense, considering I lived further away from campus). Still, I thought of the dodgeballers, and intended to eventually start adding their stations to the map. Version 3 shows the first two people pioneering the Wolverines in St. Jacques - Zain Green and Robinson Academy.
I would not return until the start of 3rd year, where I would spend the most time with the dodgeballers. It was just as well, in time for planning version 4 - so more space could be created. Line L exists because of the Wolverines. The dodgeballers were more willing to party and hang out at the sports nights at the union every Wednesday (just after training had finished, we would all show up after dodgeballing up a sweat). The baseballers were never willing to attend, the most wild party we ever had was a quiet dinner at the Eastside restaurant. Hence, the Imperial Wolverines got a nice chunk of St. Jacques real estate. I was never good at the sport, but I enjoyed the camaraderie.
Of considerable note, Imperial College is notorious for producing some of the most excellent dodgeballers in the country. With that in mind, maybe I wasn't so bad as I remembered, I was comparing myself to greats.
Mirroring baseball, I would briefly return to dodgeball later on in life...
Imperial College - Afro Caribbean Society
Located in the North-West - 2, 7, 8, 9, 15, H and K Trains
Hard to look dapper with hair like that.
Yet again, another society which I fully intended to join. I didn't even have to wait until the Freshers Fair to join, a group of ACS members approached me to talk about the society, and I cheerfully responded that I knew of them and had every intention to join. Sadly, during 1st year, I didn't attend many events - I remember a house party to meet fellow members, and attended their yearly Afrogala performance which I terrifically enjoyed - so much so that I wanted to take part in the next one. I vowed to immerse myself in more societies and expand my social calendar to its limits - I would attend more events and take part in the performance (mainly the acting parts) - meeting some really fun people in the process.
The performance was electric. I had a minor role, playing an interviewer assessing the two main characters (masterfully played by Tobi and Ladi) for a job - which went awry. Also for the event was great music and dancing. It was a truly great event that I loved partaking in, and sadly my only physical memento of the event, my Afrogala jumper... was (rather ironically) taken to Sierra Leone by my dad when he moved back there. Papa, if you're reading this - if you still have my Afrogala jumper, I would love to have it back.
My time of the society was marred by the 'great failure of 2nd year' - my appearances at future ACS events was more sporadic and I lost connection with a lot of them.
The north-west corner of St. Jacques was pretty bare, and with a good amount of line space (Lines 2, 8 and 9) this became the home of Imperial ACS. Stars was dismayed by not having an interchange station, so when the Overground was expanded and Line K was introduced, it goes through Stars Lane.
Bus Enthusiasts
Located in the West - 6, 7, 10, A, H and J Trains
Newer friends and Capitals/NBL players located in the South - 14, 18, M and P Trains, T8 and T9 Trams
During university, I would develop an intense interest in London's buses, after a ride on a Scania OmniCity on the late route 10 (King's Cross - Hammersmith). This exact bus on this route is what is tattooed on my leg as it represents the bright future it would bring forth for me (I didn't just get a tattoo of my favourite bus for the hell of it).
My aunt thought it an exciting project to pursue - riding every bus route in London. I would get to work - creating a grid of London's bus routes, and crossing off all those I had ridden. A small number I could already cross off - the 298 was my bus home when living in Potters Bar, along with the odd ride on route 313. We took the 14 to travel from university to a comedy event, and the much more obscure H98 bus was the route choice when travelling from Hounslow West to Harlington playing fields (the H98 was to become a very notable bus in my life even past university days!)
Slowly, I would start to plan 'bus days out' - travelling to different corners of London exclusively using buses - with the goal of crossing more routes off the list (at the time, just riding for a few stops was enough to cross off a route). I started to buy books, research intensely on the internet (there are some very, very, good websites on the subject) - and eventually joined the Tangy Tango bus forum, where I could get involved in bus discussions (and learn a lot more about how buses work in London).
I figured that I could meet some fellow forum members (and other bus enthusiasts) in real life. The perfect opportunity was at a bus garage open day - one was being organised by London United at Fulwell Garage. I met a few fellow bus gricers - but a more successful trip at Metroline's Potters Bar garage got me a few new friends.
I would attend further bus garage open days and events and have met some more people - though I no longer show my face as softball has now consumed all of my time. To commemorate all of those, including those of the Tangy Tango clan, there is small section in the west.
Tower Transit
Located in the South-East - 18, E, F, J, M and S Trains, T1, T2, T3, T5 and T7 Trams
The one-and-a-half months between my last trip abroad (my last chance for a long holiday before I entered the workforce) and my job offer was a depressing slog. University did not go as envisaged. Yet, I was exploring other options to gain employment, scrawling through job sites galore.
The most promising option was a job opening to schedule buses for Arriva London. This job had my name on it and I devoted most of my time to perfect my CV and cover letter for the role. It came just in time, in fact before my holiday to Washington DC - hopefully by October I would be successful and commence work. However, the application process seemed to take an exceptionally long time. I was landing more interviews, but I was sure that I would be the perfect person for Arriva London - a bus enthusiast with a mathematical brain, and a vast knowledge of London's routes.
I received a job offer - for a sales company. The interview process was very informal - a chat with other candidates and observers who would make note of all of our social skills. I possessed enough charm, it would seem, to progress to the interview. On the spot - I received a job offer. 'Shake my hand and you're with us'. Mind you I had never thought about sales and did not feel I would be successful in this career, though out of desperation I was seriously considering it (how would my life be different if I had shaken the man's hand?). My aunt had warned me that this was not the correct path to take, and that a job in buses was a career far more suited to my interests. I refused the offer.
I would attend another bus garage open day, this time for Tower Transit's Westbourne Park. One of the smaller companies in London at the time (now defunct and its garages taken over by RATP and Stagecoach) - I was intending to really impress the interviewers at Arriva London - by taking the initiative to get some work experience within a bus company. Andy Edwards, manager of Tower Transit at the time - was interested in giving me a shot, and a week of work experience was organised. My plan was in motion.
I did quite a lot with Andy - a visit to the business side of things, the control room, the garages, and even helped a bus driver to learn the rail replacement route for the Diwali celebrations at the Swaminarayan temple in Neasden. But my biggest intention was to see what a bus scheduling department was really like - so I could really stand out in the interviews for Arriva. Indeed, one day was dedicated to learning the ropes. Stuart and Michael were happy to take me under their wing for the day - and I managed to compile a schedule for Route 230 (Wood Green to Upper Walthamstow). It indeed was my favourite part of the week. Now armed with a secret weapon (and a fully created timetable and schedule, for one of Arriva London's routes at the time, no less) - there was no stopping me, the job was now as good as mine.
It turns out - however, that Tower Transit were also interested in offering me a job. My foot was in their door, and they were not about to lose an opportunity of an enthusiastic (and rather desperate) young fellow. The wait and slog were now over - I was officially employed and now, officially a working adult. I was ecstatic - and it came just in time as the remains of the student loans I had saved were just about extinguished. It was with great irony that Arriva had finally offered me the hoped interview - but they were too slow to act - I would be starting with Tower Transit the following week.
The scheduling department had lost a much esteemed employee - Paul had sadly passed away months prior. I would have to fill his big shoes. Thankfully, the team were an exceptionally friendly bunch of people, who I still meet up with today. Mike, Stuart, Gary - and even stern Bernie, who had a cold exterior but such a passion for buses. He was proud of being the primary scheduler of route 25, at the time the biggest route in London.
Stuart, Mike and Gary taught me much of the ropes for bus scheduling, but Andy C also had other plans, handing me more responsibilities (such as organising the bus blinds, Tower Transit proudly had very few blind issues with me at the helm!) The job was so very fun - plenty of different tasks, a lot of bus surveys (spending the day riding buses, right up my alley) - plus it was with a great team of people.
My most notable achievements at Tower Transit was my timetable for route 488, which survived for years, and scheduling the D8 which the company would go on to win from Go-Ahead. (Route 31, however, was one that I scheduled for a bid, which we lost to undercutting Metroline, but the route will be returning back to Westbourne Park, now under RATP London). I would not however last long, as a dream opportunity (Mike was the one who informed me of it) came up which I wanted to pursue...
The people I met during my time at Tower Transit are in the south-east region of the map, primarily on Line 18's Mauté branch. Employees I was close to (especially the schedulers) are on this Line, whilst acquaintances are found on the nearby trams (especially the T1, T2 and T3 trams).
London Mets Baseball Club
Closer friends located in the North-East - 3, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, A, D, E, G and L Trains, TLR
Newer friends and Capitals/NBL players located in the South - 14, 18, M and P Trains, T8 and T9 Trams
Never to be seen in right-field again.
I did not leave the Imperial Baseball club in good terms, after I did not make the team for the Spring University Championships at Farnham Park. The sport caused a lot of issues to my mental health when I was stuck in right field or on the bench for many a game. Me and Ashley would often butt heads. Still, I got a lot of happiness from the sport - and wanted to represent my university for the last time - donning the jersey and my new cleats. That decision completely wrecked me mentally (as well as the perilous academic situation and uncertain future I was facing), though I got it together for my exams.
By the end of 2015, I had turned my life in a completely new direction. Now employed and making my own life, out of academia, I needed some new friends and to create a new social life. I missed socialising greatly. I would still meet up with some of my friends from secondary school, and on occasion, would end up at some university events with the chemists, now as a guest rather than a fellow student. What I needed was a new friendship circle - life was getting a little more lonely (bear in mind that my dad was in Sierra Leone most of the time and only returned to England for brief periods of time) - is this what adult life was all about?
What did I miss at university? Certainly not boring lectures - but I sure missed playing baseball. As much as it caused me anguish occasionally, there was few greater pleasures than a relaxed bit of catch, some fielding practice and hitting some balls.
I knew of the London Mets previously - one of the biggest baseball clubs in London. (Ashley in fact had attended a session but was so insulted on only being considered for a Single-A team). I initially thought that the level of play would be far too much for my humble skills, so I put the idea behind me. It was time to move on from university life - however the December and January days were short and fleeting. I changed my mind and signed up for the London Mets winter training - which was held at Middlesex University and Hendon, and later on, the Wren Academy in Finchley. Anxious at first, I dusted off my baseball glove and set off - it was convenient that training was relatively close by to where I lived at the time.
Training was very enjoyable. My first training session was where I met some of the characters. In the three years with the Falcons, I had developed some skills in fielding and these were noticed. Baseball in 2016 was more niche than it is today (it is amazing to see the work MLB has done to advance the sport, it is now broadcast on television and there have been MLB organised events - including three series at London Stadium - I've volunteered for a few of these events!) so it was a much smaller group. The Mets were looking to expand to create a second Single-A team, as in 2015, there was a lot of talent shown in their Baseball for Beginners (B4B) programme. Cole was in charge of the new team - the Mercenaries - and I got talking with him. Seemed a very nice guy, and to walk out of a training session with the potential to join a baseball team was not what I was expecting! I continued the training sessions and got to know more of the players, including those who would become my team mates for the next few years. Curry at the Boulevard, drinks at pubs, I was into a new friendship circle. Brad, James, Tom, amongst others, this new team looked exciting.
The Mercenaries weren't the only team looking to complete their roster - the Musketeers, the already established single-A team, would ask if I was interested in joining them. Alas, Cole did ask me first, and I did hang out more with the Mercenaries, so I gladly chose them instead. I was back in the game, and how glad I was too! Adults can have social lives as well. It felt a lot like training at university, albeit with our own field at Finsbury Park instead of the regal Kensington Gardens. A promising year of baseball, (apart from one complete disaster of a game at Leicester which forever tarnished my confidence) and with the greatest of incongruity - I did not spend a single inning in right-field. I was always in left-field with the odd appearance in the outfield.
Over my time in baseball, I would play for the Mercenaries, the Musketeers, the Mustangs and the Minotaurs. I have met so many people in the club, that a previously bare bit of map was completely overtaken by them - the north-east (west of Tropical) has been completely invaded by players in the Mets organisation. This area has completely filled up, so overspill has had to be created with an area in the south - on Lines 14 and 18 and trams within the vicinity (these are primarily for those in the higher echelons of the club). The T8 has also been filled with baseballers later on in my time with the Mets.
Baseball would lead onto other great things. My social life had now resumed, being chiefly similar to what it was at university. This is because of...
London Raiders (Initial Section)
Located in the North-East - 8 and L Trains, TLR
The first year in Raiders is always the most magical. Contrasting to 2015, life really did turn around.
Tom was one of my closer friends early on during my time at the Mets (he would soon move away from London and start his own baseball club). He didn't just play baseball, he and his wife were also members of a London softball club. I loved softball, the times playing this incredible game at university were amongst my most cherished times with the Imperial Falcons. It was with beyond doubt that I would be interested in playing again.
After finishing university, I had come out as a gay man. I didn't understand my feelings and thought I could repress them, but candidly, listing all the classmates I fancied during my times at school, university and in Corsica, they all shared one primary characteristic. What is a new gay man to do? It was all so daunting.
Tom's softball club was an LGBT+ softball club. What an excellent fit for me, though I was bemused that such a thing would exist here in London. An American sport, sure, but a club that was predominantly LGBT? The name was familiar though, as I remembered them being advertised on buses - 'Freedom to Bat for my team', though I thought this was just a catchphrase. (I have actually found a photo of this bus advertisement on flickr, bus enthusiasts are great for this kind of thing!) I did not hesitate to sign up to the pre-season socials - it looked like a truly lovely group of people - and this way I could meet fellow LGBT+ people. The start of season 'Meet the Raiders' party - was enough to get me hooked into the club, and I was sure to attend their training sessions.
Training sessions were such fun. After playing, we would retreat to The Hope and we socialised, myself getting to know fellow players. This was an incredible bunch of people and I instantly made rapport. It was a blessing to find this community, and I made sure to thank Tom. I only attended two sessions (as baseball had to take priority). However, this was enough to get me on Raiders Orange. Oh, we had a blast together, even if we didn't win many games.
However, softball was merely a fun, social activity during the week - with my baseball 'career', I could not be too invested in the club. There's a small section of map between the baseballers and softballers, mainly on Line 8, just west of the Tropical Line 11 loop. This would be a good place for softballers...
London Raiders
The mighty mighty Raiders.
Located in the North-East, East, South-East and South - 2, 3, 5, 6, 9, 10, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, E, F, G, J, K, L, M, R, S and X Trains, TLR, T2, T7, T10, T11, T13 Trams, People Mover
Yeah - I got far more invested in the club. Softball and Raiders became a more significant part of my life. Just look at the area south of the eastern arm of the river. It's 90% Raiders. A completely brand new line, exclusively for fellow members of the club - Line R, fittingly, had to be devised for Version 5 for this very reason.
It was clear that the small slither of map between the Mets players and the Tropical section was woefully inadequate for the Raiders. I have kept some stations, however; this is why, for instance, some people have two stations on the map - Ali, for instance, has Brownsville in the initial Raiders area and Ali's Villa in the current Raiders area.
Being such a large club, there are new members every year and I have struggled to fit them all. Some stations have been kicked out and relocated elsewhere, the south-east has been essentially conquered now.
I delve more into my history with softball and the Raiders on the Zafarnia map.
London Underground - Timetables
Located in the West - 2, 5, 7, 10, 12, 17, 18 and V Trains
Also located in the South - T4 Tram
London Underground would advertise for schedule compilers. Whilst on a bus survey for route 31, Mike informed me of the new opportunity. Regardless of the initial guilt in leaving my current job, I had to pursue employment with London Underground - plus the salary for trainees was more than what I was making on the buses.
Just like with the application for Arriva London, I took my sweet time with my application. My cover letter and CV were fine tuned, with all my achievements at Tower Transit. I knuckled down and completed the online tests. Stuart even had a friend who previously was interviewed - so I was able to practice my interview skills. On Stuart and Mike's suggestion, I even prepared a portfolio of my work with the buses to bring to the interview.
In my mind, the interview didn't go as well as hoped. However, there was another opportunity in the works - Go-Ahead London, one of Tower's rival companies (and largest bus operator in London) was interested in taking me on. Working for Go-Ahead opened a possibility of even working in Singapore, where they started subsidiary operations. Working abroad was exciting - and I made friends at university who came from Singapore, who were proud of their beautiful country.
It would transpire that I performed better at the interview than I thought; London Underground was to offer me the job. I asked for confirmation whether I would be in the timetables team or the train operator schedules team - and the role would be within the former department (which is what I desired). However, with the Go-Ahead opportunity I couldn't decide. Stuart warned me that rejecting an offer from London Underground would put me on a blacklist. 'Think of the pensions'. I eventually accepted the offer. Still feeling some guilt when I handed in my resignation - I did however have to think of the exciting future.
After a five-week holiday, I was to start my new job. Training began, with exercises on several lines - each increasing in difficulty. Training also included cab rides on the lines I would work on, which all compilers would look forward to (and now I'm senior enough, it's now I that get to take the trainees out). I passed training and would start live work. My very first timetable would be the District Line service for Christmas Eve 2018 - which by sheer coincidence, would be the 150th anniversary of the opening of the first section of the line as we know it today.
My role in London Underground may not be a glamorous finance or consultancy job, nor a software development role, but it is consistently challenging and at most times, incredibly rewarding. For all timetables you create, your name is on the front pages. To think that your role affects millions of citizens in your city is gratifying. I've written four Working Timetables - Jubilee Working Timetable No. 17 (this has since been replaced), District Working Timetable No. 154 (current), Circle and Hammersmith & City Working Timetable No. 38 (current), and a cancelled District Working Timetable (which I am glad got shelved, as it was horrendous - reversing every other Upminster terminator at Dagenham East). Though not published on TfL's website, I had to create the emergency timetable for the Central Line, still operating to this day; due to the considerable issues with the fleet of trains. I cannot upload this here for obvious reasons, though the timetable was deemed notable enough to get a news article on the BBC website.
This remains my job to this day - I do have my frustrations at times with how intense the work can become, and for the fact that I have never once touched the Metropolitan Line (I've literally created two Waterloo & City Line timetables and still am yet to touch the met).
If I had to discuss the lines: Bakerloo is annoying; having to deal with London Overground who can struggle with fine-tuning their timetables - and as north of Queen's Park is their track, you have to work around them. The Central can be a pain - most terminii only have two platforms, and Hainault and Woodford are very complicated sites. The C&H is a challenge, interworking with the District and Metropolitan lines - the timetables can be tough to read at first. The District is my favourite, everything falls neatly into place if you know what you're doing. The branches aren't a bother as Earl's Court is a nice site to work with; and most terminii have more than two platforms. The Jubilee is fiendishly difficult, one of the lines I find the most challenging. It may be a simple line, yet Stratford is horrendous to get to work, not helped by the nearby depot. Neasden depot is always arduous, having to work round the Metropolitan line - of which I cannot say anything about as I'm not allowed on that line. The Northern is really, really nice - I love working on this line, even though I have only done it twice (the man in charge of the Northern Line generally prefers to keep most Northern Line work on his desk). The Piccadilly Line was always one I've enjoyed, having done most of my work on this line early in my career - the man who is in charge of the line (and compiles every single Working Timetable; the line is his baby) is very proud to announce that the 'Piccadilly Line is the expert's line'. With the Piccadilly upgrades, these days there is plenty to be done on this line, and I've always been hoping to return as a guest on the Pic. The Victoria Line is very easy, even with the challenge of timetabling trains to the nearest five seconds (though the peak services are a challenge). The services on Bank Holidays are my timetables. The Waterloo & City line is no joke even if it's a line with just two stations. There are lots of complications (stabling trains in different places on different days of the week), it's fiddly and very confusing, and I'm still stumped. Don't underestimate the drain.
No one would be shocked that I would eventually work for London Underground, and Tower Transit was the perfect segue to my current career.
By the time I started work in the team, Version 4 of the map was current. Seeing as I was working for London Underground, it was clear that my colleagues exclusively had to be Underground stations (I've relaxed this requirement and a few compilers are on the Overground) - nothing else. Unfortunately, there was simply no viable section of map where there were at least twenty Underground stations. This drove me to develop Version 5, the current version of the map - as a number of lines were due for viable extensions (Lines 14, 15 and 17 originally terminated in Zone 1, and were thus extended). Close to the Deal or No Deal section, all timetablers are found to the west of the map. There are some who did not pass training, who have migrated down to the trams in South St. Jacques - on the T4 Tram loop.
London Underground - Duty Schedules
Located in the West and South-West - A, D and F Trains, T6 Tram
My team timetables trains, however we need people to drive them. This is where the Duty Schedules team comes in.
When working for Tower Transit, we had to schedule everything - buses, drivers and rotas. Due to the extra complication with train scheduling, it would be very demanding to create timetables and duty schedules, so there is a dedicated team for this, who we work with closely. Each line also has its complications - and its is them who need to meet with the unions to ensure all parties are happy. It's a difficult job, even if we may at times get frustrated when timetable alterations we wish to make aren't possible with their existing duty schedule sheets.
I've wanted to become dual-skilled, but timetabling work is already demanding enough. The reverse has happened, with a couple of duty schedule compilers helping out with timetabling.
When assigning an area for them, the requirement of them having Underground stations was sacrificed as they weren't my direct and closest colleagues. Tram T6 was assigned to the team (there weren't too many viable Underground extensions at the time). A few duty schedule compilers have doubled up and gained some interchanges with Crossrail lines.
London Underground - Production Services
Located in the North and North-West - 11, 15, H and K Trains
London Underground is one big jigsaw, and our work couldn't happen without the work of the Production Services team. They help us to finalise our publications, then send them out across the business. They produce signal data outputs, as well as managing the traction current information. They also produce all our outputs. We create hundreds of timetables each year, it is them who help us to organise everything required from our team to run London Underground services.
I was close with their team, especially at the start of my career - where they had a lot of fun at work. I have therefore given them their own section of map, primarily on the northern branches of Line 15.
London Underground - Other
Located in the South-West - T3 and T12 Trams
We deal with many other teams across the business - track access planning, closure planning and rail replacement buses.
A few notable names have made their way onto the south-west of the map - on the T3 and T12 trams.
Other Softballers
Located in the South-West, South, South-East, East and North East - 3, 6, E, F, K, M, S and X Trains, TLR, T1, T5, T7, T9, T10, T11, T13, T14
The UK softball community is more than just the Raiders, and as softball has eclipse baseball as my primary sport, I've played in far more tournaments and have met so many more people.
This community is so huge - the Raiders took over much of the map but it became perspicuously impossible to include every person I had met in the softball community on the St. Jacques Map - which was close to full population. Trams were created and extended, but it was no longer viable. This has led to the Zafarnia map - and I go into far more detail about the softball community here.
London Storm Dodgeball
Located in the North and North-West - 2, 3, 8, 11, 13, 14, B, C, K and L Trains
Nope, still haven't got the hang of this game.
To mirror returning to baseball at university, I would eventually come back to dodgeball after a longer hiatus. My throw was much more powerful compared to 2015, surely I would naturally have become a lot better. It was great to return, essentially my social life had been restored to university levels, and at least I had a full time job and got paid.
I returned and clearly had no clue. I don't remember strategising so much whilst playing at university, though my memory would be hazy. When the player on the left called two numbers out, I had no clue what I was to do with the ball in my hands. I threw it out of cue. 'And you said you played before?' I quickly learned what this system meant, though dodgeball is a crazy enough game, and having to use more of your brain didn't help matters!
The club offered social sessions and training sessions. Not looking to play competitively, I opted for the former. Tom was the extremely friendly face who would run the social sessions - which were incredibly fun. I would meet some of the people I used to play with at Imperial - Will, Euan, Ciaran - and met more friendly faces. I must say, when I initially joined the club, the social time at the pub was great fun, really enticing me to be more involved within the club. I wanted to become a better dodgeball player, but this was a really fun community. I would attend some of the socials.
Sadly, my demanding job really does frazzle my brain at the end of a hard day of work, so I can barely concentrate as it is - not conducive when you are threatened with having up to five balls thrown at you synchronously. I struggled to really play at times. Now, Storm's level of play is very high, and many of their best players also show up at the social sessions. They're there for some casual fun, but they barely hold back, it is challenging even keeping up with them. Many of my throws were caught, and though I could dodge well, the best players would pick me off with ease. Notably, I would play considerably better if I had worked from home on the day, instead of coming straight from the office.
Ali was one player, an incredible player who represented Wales - who also happened to play softball with the Swamp Monsters. She would convince me to try a training session - and so I did. I nervously attended and was clearly way in over my head. The coach brought his whistle, and the intensity at the gymnasium was elevated far beyond the social sessions. I was almost embarrassed to be playing amongst greats - however a small part of me wanted to improve my game. I had a lot to learn, and the training sessions were like being thrown not just in the deep end, but into the benthic zone. I will admit it ate up my confidence, though I had the opportunity to play with some of the UK's greatest players - including fellow Imperial alum and undeniable king of dodgeball, Steve.
London Storm and Imperial College are well connected - in fact the founder of the club, Alan, came straight from Imperial, one of the people I met during my manic first year. As the years went by, many of the social sessions were majority Imperial students. Young, skilled and full of energy, I struggled to keep up. This was the first experience of me really feeling like one of the oldies. They were a cordial bunch, however, even if they were menacing on the court - in fact offering me an invite to an alumni session where past Imperial students would attend a training session and games with current students. I got to reconvene with even more Wolverines of the past, including Alan himself. Social time at the union, then ending the night at KFC (when the plan was to end up at the famous Slug in Fulham, an establishment that I had attended a few times during my time at university) - it was as close as I would get to reliving the Imperial experience (so Anisah, thanks for this).
Alas, dodgeball would always be my winter sport - as soon as softball and baseball started, I just simply didn't have the time or energy to partake in three sports along with a demanding full-time job, hence appearances on the dodgeball court during summer were sporadic. I even obtained a hand injury playing, when hit by one of the club's best players - the man has an insane arm. When I first met him he mentioned studying baseball pitchers to improve his throw - and it showed. Maybe I should invite him to a baseball sesh. I simply didn't want to risk injuring my hand any further as missing even part of the softball season would be devastating.
My time with the club has fizzled out - I notice that it isn't as social as it used to be (but things may have changed recently). I was missing heading to the pub after a social session, great times were had. I could return in the future, though Mondays are a tough day for me (I'm usually at my most exhausted on a Monday), and I don't really have the skill level anymore to keep up with the other players (not that I ever did). Who knows, I may well make a re-appearance, though I'm thinking of trying a new sport instead. I do feel guilty getting one of the team shirts, having never played a tournament - but the shirts are so damned cool I wanted one (and I have worn it for softball... poser that I am). I intended to eventually play, but it's very unlikely at this stage. Still, the impact of this club in my life is well represented on the map.
It was only natural that I intertwined London Storm's section of map with the existing Imperial College Dodgeball Wolverines stations. Hence, they can be found in the north and north-west regions of the map.