On Aug 13, 6:01*pm, D7666 wrote:
Returning to the original question,

IIMU that Thameslink and the other national rail lines were removed
from the tube map prior to initial Oyster implementation when they
were then only valid on tube lines i.e. to not confuse customers. No
more deeper reason than that.
[snip]

Sorry, that's just wrong, as the central section of Thameslink that
once featured on Tube maps - Kentish Town to Elephant & Castle/ London
Bridge - accepted Oyster PAYG from day one (as it had ticketing inter-
availability with LU - that is, LU tickets were and indeed are
accepted on this section as if it is just another Tube line).

Likewise the Great Northern/ Northern City line between Moorgate and
Finsbury Park accepted Oyster PAYG from day one as well.

I'm 100% about this (if I tried I could dig up some old TfL fare
guides PDFs that would provide confirmation - but haven't got time
now).

There is a webpage called the 'Tube Map Archives# that does just that,
it is however only a very partial collection, and in this case it
doesn't help at all as it shows two maps from 1999, one with and one
without the central section of Thameslink on it - see:
http://www.clarksbury.com/cdl/maps.html

Also worth bearing in mind that AIUI there are different versions of
the map produced for different purposes (e.g. the classic folded card
map, posters and leaflets might have different versions, sometimes
just subtly different).

(When using Thameslink at London Bridge there was an odd arrangement
whereby you had to touch-out or in on standalone validators located on
the platforms used by Thameslink - the Oyster pads on the gates at
London Bridge did not accept or validate Oyster PAYG, instead one had
to explain to the gateline staff that you were using Oyster PAYG on
Thameslink - I'm serious, and I posted about it several times in the
past. Thankfully the number of people using Oyster PAYG who'd be
wanting to enter London Bridge mainline station to catch a Thameslink
train northbound but only as far as Kentish Town - later extended to
West Hampstead - was not that great, and now Oyster PAYG is accepted
across NR this strange situation has disappeared.)