When it is one of the most widely used and recognised diagrams in the world. Nicholas Crane has written a short but informative feature about the London Underground map/diagram and how it has helped shape London and Londoner’s perceptions of how their city looks.
If you’d prefer pictures, GeoffTech’s excellent site has more than a few versions of the Tub Map – some serious, like the geographically correct version, some less so like the Have I Got News For You version and some just plain silly like this one.