Markonthemaps (Mark Ovenden)

Look! It's another one of those wildly accurate (sic) #AI 'maps' of #UK. Of fun note here: #Windsor moves to northwest of #London. #HamptonCourt Palace is now north of #Reading. #Brighton has miraculously de-camped inland. And #Canterbury appears to have a doppelgänger in #Essex!

Was a joy to see the #GreatBritishRailways livery on a train out in the ‘wild’ for the first time yesterday. (Unfortunately train I was on broke down between #Eastleigh & #SouthamptonParkway which doubled a standard return from #London to 6 & half hours :-( @SWR staff tried best but miserable trip.

Joy of rediscovering an old CD: arguably the smoothest, cleverest and happiest mixed compilation of its era (1994!): ‘Escapade Presents Non-Stop Europe Express’. Trannies With Attitude chose a perfect combination and flow of tunes it brings deep happiness recalling fun times. youtu.be/cHc9Os3Y7XA

This looks like a great idea: uses turning planet #map to tell history of the #world. Give it a go!

He’s produced 25 books on topics from Music to Maps, Transport to Time (via HIV, Dogs, Encyclopaedias & Wresting)! His font 1 "Just My Type" inspired me to make a book & TV doc"On The Map" featured one of my cartographic designs, & his Radio1 book was a bestseller www.vectisradio.com/on-air/prese...

Hard to see from the photo but this is a completed ventilation shaft for #HS2 just outside #Amersham. The screenshot shows how it looks from above. The new tunnel - with no station here obviously - is not that far from the #Underground station that is the highest above sea level (147m).

Err...NO! #Madrid (fairly landlocked last time we checked) is in the #BayOfBiscay (#Barcelona now inland). #London appears to be on an island where #Scotland is. #Rome has moved to #Sicily, miraculously closing the #MessinaStrait. #Amsterdam heads north. Plus: the return of #Doggerland! #AIGoesWrong

Did you know #ParisMetro & #LondonUnderground #signage is made in the same factory? We revisit #AJWells in #Newport where Cedric Wells walks us through the enamelling process. They also do enamel outdoor kitchens & #Charnwood log burner stoves. A great listen: www.vectisradio.com/on-air/prese...

Several eras of #transportation #history in close proximity: vintage #buses, #LondonUnderground refurbished D-Stock, classic #BritishRailways totem sign (only a repro & with wrong #typeface, sadly), last remaining passenger #Hovercraft and old #steam train. Always worth a ride to #Ryde! #TransitSky

lnkd.in/p/eNxpd67P Spotted this on LinkedIn, worth re-sharing here because it’s a reminder that if it wasn’t for the great work of #railway #surveyors, #engineers and builders we would never have opened up the vast continental interiors. We stand on shoulders of giants.

#ParisMetro & #LondonUnderground signs side by side? Yep: at the factory where they are manufactured: #AJWells at Newport, #IsleOfWight. They have a huge kiln here for cooking #enamel signs. And also made log stove burners. Doing a talk here on enamelling. #TransitSky

Here is #Split #railway station in #Croatia. Love the old logo still on show outside and interesting to see the poster displaying their #pictograms and in-house #typeface. #RailwaysBlueSky

1st time I’ve spotted #GBR (Great British Railways) branding on a poster out in the field. Bit small but good to see. Have you seen it much around? Wonder when GBR will start appearing larger than old brand names like #SWR here? #UKRailways

The #RailFuture campaign argues for improvements & extensions to the network. Its chair Mike Southgate has a barometer if services are improving: will his wife take the train as opposed to using car: the "Mrs Southgate Test". Plus #IslandLine issues too. Listen: www.vectisradio.com/on-air/prese...

Fun fast-edited video of all 8 speakers at the recent #CYAN-festival in Split. I seem to be towards the end soing some odd gesticulations. Was a superb event which all designers and illustrators would love. Lok it up gor 2027. www.instagram.com/reel/DeFm-0s...

What a joy to a part of of this years magnificent #CYANfestival in #Split, #Croatia. Joyful volunteers and dedicated organisers, enthusiastic attendees and informative lectures. Look out for this event in 2027! lnkd.in/p/e6y2Stgb

It's a year since #FelicitySpector and #JackCurtis explained why their incredible train experiences were included (with mine & 7 others) in 'The Untold Railway Stories'. How Ukraine workers fix bombed tracks so fast? And an amazing train journey from UK to Baku. www.vectisradio.com/on-air/prese...

Wayfinding is crucial of course but in this case I just wonder if someone had a wee bit of a need to spend the signage budget at the last minute. Do you think there may just possibly be a parking spot around here? Anyone got any other examples of signage overkill? #Wayfinding

#Comedian, #contentcreator & #transport lover Christopher Beanland joins todays CATCHcast. www.vectisradio.com/on-air/prese... He's produced books on Lido's, Stations, Brutalism & performed stand-up comedy at Edinburgh. He also runs #ParkDate pod! Hat's off to him and do take a listen! #TransitSky

Anniversary today of this fine feline going to #cat heaven. With him for 18 years and he brought so much happiness. An indoor housecat his whole life (living in flats) he eventually got limited garden access in his last year before passing in 2020. Miss him still. #CatsOfBlueSky

Urgent medical attention required: life #signs are not good! #signpostSunday

Fascinating chat with @roadscholar.bsky.social about possibility of a new #tunnel under the #Pennines. He reckons linking #Manchester and #Sheffield can be done much cheaper with the Norwegian method that a #TunnelBoringMachine Listen here: www.vectisradio.com/on-air/prese... #TransitSky

Always good to see new mass transit infrastructure opening but this must be especially pleasing for the people of beautiful #NewZealand. www.railwaygazette.com/auckland-cit... Huge bravo to all for completing this vital link for #Auckland. And a rather fine map too! #TransitSky

When I made this playful diagram about 20 years ago, it wasn’t too far off the new #GreaterManchesterMayor’s plan but I’ll be in my 90s by 2050 - if indeed any of us make past the AI killing us all off in 2 years time. But hey, otherwise: it’s a great plan! www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

#OTD 100 years ago, 7 new #Underground stations opened serving #SouthLondon. With beautiful modern designs by #CharlesHolden and escalators to all platforms, it was a huge boon to southern suburbs and brought the #Tube to Morden. #TransportForLondon #TFL #Train #TransitSky

Leading young #rail planner Kayla Bibby, founder of the North Star Rail Alliance, wants a new Merseyrail route utilising disused tunnels: names it 'the Sergeant Pepper Line'. Hear our geeky map chat plus thoughts on rise of the UK's new skyscrapers. www.vectisradio.com/on-air/prese... #TransitSky

Privilege to speak for #TootingHistoryGroup on #Centenary of the #NorthernLine extension to #Morden They made an exceptional cake we all tucked into afterwards! And sang happy birthday to it!

Appreciation to @joebrownlondon.bsky.social for this post. Great to see his excellent books in @stanfordstravel.bsky.social too. And he’s so right to ask everyone to buy in physical bookshops if possible. To paraphrase the wise old car sticker: « if you can read this thank a bookshop »!

#BAFTA award-winning Geoff Posner's back: more tales of #AcornAntiques, #French&Saunders, #DinnerLadies & his other telly productions in the 2nd part of our long giggly natter about his life as a TV Director including cast corpsing over #MrsOverall's lumpy tights: www.vectisradio.com/on-air/prese...

He's worked on #CatherineTate, #HarryEnfield, #Blackadder, #SteveCoogan, #French&Saunders, #LittleBritain & #VictoriaWood / #JulieWalters. #AcornAntiqes #2soups: all directed by #GeoffPosner. He reveals how he 1st met Vic. Plus why he's a big transport fan too! www.vectisradio.com/on-air/prese...

@terriblemapshq.bsky.social have you seen this one? AI seems to have made the south of Ireland into southern England while turned Ulster into an island for a solar panel advert. Quite the mapping mix up!

#AndrewMartin host of 'Reading On Trains' Substack & author of bestseller 'To The Sea By Train' told me last year about these plus then new 'Moquette Mystery'. Listen again and find out more about why there was a station at #Waterloo dedicated to corpses! www.vectisradio.com/podcasts/cat...

Forgive shameless self promotion but for we freelance #authors these things are rare: new book with @mrmappy.bsky.social #Mapping #Britains #Railways has just gone to Number 1 in 6 #Amazon categories. Also No1 @stanfordstravel.bsky.social in #Trains & #Transport. Appologies for trumpet-blowing!

Book launch ahead! Love #maps #railways #design? Know people who do? Search "Mapping Britain's Railways" & "Ovenden" for new #BritishLibrary title out 18/08/26. 1st with every #TrainOperatingCompany & newest #GreatBritishRailways maps, plus historical ones. #transit & #cartography lovers must-have!

As if we didnt already know: the #SUV (Stupendously Unnecessary Vehicle) is dominating the #UK. Time for action now to reduce these things down and tax them off our roads? www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

What's the attraction of that golden age of #bus and #coach travel? Transport Historian Michael Walton wants to enthuse us about the beautiful design of #marketing & #posters that epitomise those glory days of buses & coaches. Listen to Mike here: www.vectisradio.com/on-air/prese... #TransitSky

Oh my word! This is quite hilarious. For anyone who knows the geography of the UK and our #railway network in particular you will be horrified. Let’s hope no one tries to use it to plan a journey! #TransitSky #UKRailways

Not the best eclipse photo, but with my cracked iPhone lens and cover it somehow feels quite sweet

Spotted this huge cloud emanating from the #NewForest last night but zero mention of fires on local news so assumed must be a weird natural formation. How wrong! Very noticeable aroma in air this morning. Were local news outlets asleep last night (approx 8pm)? www.islandecho.co.uk/islanders-ur...

Rare chance to see inside a #railway #signalbox. Disconnected in 1988 but now a #Grade2Listed historic landmark. Fine views down the line to #Shanklin from where a #Ryde bound ex-London #Underground renovated D-Stock (now 484) is seen entering #Brading station under electronic control. #TransitSky

Can #Trams, #Railways, #Sport and #Music mix? Dr Kevin Tennent of the #UniversityOfYork says YES! Hear how he studied the #LondonOlympics, and #Independent #RecordLabels between the business systems behind our transport systems. www.vectisradio.com/on-air/prese...

Very sad to see this. Hope it is not true or massively exaggerated?

Today: a Welsh-born professor who lived in China as a child and studied in Leeds and Taiwan! Dafydd Fell also presented a radio show in Taiwan, writes about party politics there and his book on the islands Sugar Railways is an absolute delight. Listen here: www.vectisradio.com/on-air/prese...

A few large heavy ‘steam rollers’ clearing bus lanes might put idiots like this off flouting the rules maybe? #TransitSky

More good moves on reducing #publictransport costs. #TransitSky

#TransitSky Anything to boost #publictransport simply has to be applauded. Sister who is incapacitated needs to take 3 buses to the hospital (an £18 per return trip) but with this: cut to £12 it’s more do-able. Ideally we need ‘hopper’ fares too (allowing bus changes within an hour). Good start tho.

Bowled over to be included in #Waterstones list of Summer26 pre-orders! If you know anyone who loves #transport and #cartography: maybe point them in this direction! www.waterstones.com/book/mapping... #TransitSky #UKRailways