AUTOPSIES RESEARCH GROUP

Each journey on the Paris Metro fills me with a little nostalgia. Perhaps it's not really nostalgia as I never knew the now vanished green Sprague-Thomson trains, which ran from the 1930s to early 80s, or the ticket collectors - the poinçonneurs - that began to die out with the introduction of the first automatic ticket gates in 1973. Perhaps it's because I see a more recent but aged set of trains that are being phased out, and that I know the stiff little handles that you need to turn to open the doors will soon be gone forever as automatic doors take precedent. And also perhaps the reason I feel regret when I travel is because as each station is redecorated as part of the 'more beautiful metro' renovation project, brash geometric tiles from the 1960s, 70s and 80s are being chipped away and replaced by neat shiny white replicas of tiles from the 1920s. Yes, the old tiles are damaged, covered in grease and mould from leaking tunnels, but it's sad to see a layer of design history being lost as each station is renewed. On some lines from station to station you can enjoy many different examples of platform design, and see how during each decade designers had different ideas about lighting, seating, signs, tiles etc. Let's hope this is not entirely swept away by the homogenising renovations currently underway, and that some stations keep their eccentric/garish look.

What I really wanted to say here was the RATP, that runs the transport network in Paris, including the Metro, is currently  celebrating its 60 years with a small exhibition next to the Centre Pompidou until 5 October 2009. The exhibition is also available online. The photographs and posters displayed offer a glimpse of now obsolete objects such as the curious poinçonneur ticket punch, and open backed buses. Once so familiar to passengers these have become relics over night. Providing 3 billion journeys a year, the ever innovative RATP obviously feels it needs to keep up with the times.

www.ratp.fr

Jacob Paskins