In the ol’ days, the London Underground used to be run by different companies. In an attempt to provide uniformity and to stand out from other advertisements, the iconic roundel (the red circle and horizontal blue bar) was created. Over 100 years later, the roundel – which has been through a number of transformations and is now produced on resilient vitreous enamelled metal – joins the monarchy, red buses and black cabs as key elements that define the British capital’s make-up.
