TfL have revealed details of the new standardised Moquette for the Underground.
The design, winner of an open competition that was announced last year, was produced by WallaceSewell – a firm with form for Moquette having produced the designs for both the London Overground and Croydon Tramlink.
The Moquette will be known as the “Barman Moquette,” named in honour of Christian Barman, London Transport’s publicity manager between 1935 and 1941. Barman played a key role in much of the design that took place across the network during that period, helping to implement Frank Pick’s vision across London Transport. This was no small task, given Pick’s attention to detail – Barman later admitted that Pick once angrily chastised him for failing to ensure that litter bins local councils were attaching to London Transport’s Trolley-bus poles were designed to a sufficiently high standard.
Over the years they were at London Transport together, the two figures would come to know each other well and Barman ultimately worked alongside Pick in the commissioning of the first Moquettes (which makes this name particularly apt). Barman would also eventually write Pick’s only official biography to date.
Overall the new Moquette is an interesting design. The official TfL press release cryptically suggests that it is intended to embody “the spirit of London” – which seems a slightly strange statement to make until one takes a closer look at the pattern. On detailed inspection, there is certainly the suggestion of a skyline in there.
TfL indicate that the Moquette will likely make its first appearance on refurbished Central Line stock in 2013. This is perhaps a more telling statement than it appears at first glance – back in 2009 the Press Release announcing the design competition indicated that its first outing would be on “the proposed 2012 tube stock for the Piccadilly line.”
Regardless of the particulars of its debut, however, it will certainly become a familiar sight to Londoners going forward.
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