London Underground may be struggling with workers’ unions over the introduction of 24 hour services on the Tube, but a new exhibition launched last Friday shows that night running transport services have played an important role the capital for over 100 years.

‘Night Shift – London After Dark’ is a celebration of posters used on public transport over the last 10 decades. They either highlight public transportation’s role in helping to promote the night time economy or provide safety messages for travellers.

The exhibition is being held at the London Transport Museum in Covent Garden and runs until next April. Exhibition curator Veronica Dominiak says: “Many of the posters are beautiful examples of graphic design and provide a great insight into social history.”

Posters on show include a London Underground map from 1922 letting travellers know where best to gather around the capital if they want to hear the results of the General Election – and the late trains, buses and trams that can help them get there.

Other posters promote the Underground as a great way to reach West End theatres, clubs and restaurants and many illustrate the good use of coloured lights used to illuminate transport termini.

One exhibit is devoted to promoting the work of so called ‘fluffers’ who until the 1990s were responsible for cleaning the inside of tube tunnels in the small hours.

To promote passenger safety one poster advises travellers hailing a bus to ‘wear or carry something white’ to help them be seen. And a more modern promotional illustration warns of the dangers of stepping into an un-licensed minicab.