What's This Site's Theme?If you're not familiar with the London Underground (Subway), it's a facinating subject and the inspiration for the front end of the 3dp website. We first became intrigued by it, and specifically its map, on a visit to London in 1993.
The map, or more correctly, diagram, was created by Harry Beck in the early 1930s and has survived many changes and additions since. It's magic is that by removing the geography and straightening out the lines, the map makes understanding a very complex subway system extremely easy. It became the model for every major transportation map since from Washington D.C to Moscow.
In researching it, I discovered that it was part of a wider picture of superb design instigated for London Transport early in the 20th Century by one Frank Pick. Particularly between the First and Second World Wars, the desgin of stations, standardization of signage, and advertising posters created a remarkably appealling environment, one which we have paid tribute to in the design of the common area of our recently finished basement (from which the pictures on this page hail [I know they're not good and will be replaced, but they give you the idea!]). Anyone wishing to find out more can go to The London Transport Museum Website and explore. Better yet, go to London!
Dave Harkins and Donna Schrader along with our son Colin (not to mention our cat Eponine!). The site was started to post pictures of Colin for friends and family and has expanded since. "3dp" is a personal injoke standing for "Dave and Donna Desktop Publishing", DDDP or simply 3dp. We met in a publishing department and 3dp is our now our unofficial "company name".
About Those Page Names . . .Rutledge is the name of the development we live in and the name we therefore gave to our station (basement). It seemed like a good place to start the site too.
Colindale is actually a real stop on the Underground's Northern Line and was therefore the ideal name for Colin's page.
RAF Harkness is a more "place sounding" variation of Dave's last name. The prefix "RAF" is how Royal Air Force bases are named (RAF Biggin Hill of Battle of Britain fame for instance).
Donnatown. Quite simply, how Donna wanted her portion of the site named. It amuses her greatly.
Feedback to 3dp@msn.com.