Discussion:
new name for St Pancras
(too old to reply)
David Marsh
2004-04-11 14:12:58 UTC
Permalink
[Text interleaved/in conversation order: read to end for all comments]
begin quote from Neil Williams in uk.railway
about: Re: new name for St Pancras
Not that surprising - more or less all the mainline stations in the
original HVV area are prefixed "Hamburg" (though to avoid confusion newer
signs tend to have the prefix in a smaller font).
Difficult one, though.
Are all those stations in what the locals would regard as Hamburg city itself?
Are they all in Hamburg state, come to that?

The difficulty with a large conurbation is that at some point you'd have
to make some kind of judgement call between what really was in the City
(ie, city centre) and what wasn't; or name them all "Somecity ..." but that
could be quite misleading over an extended citycentre-urbancity-suburbs..

And what about cities with contiguous suburbs which are in different
counties (Glasgow being a case in point, eg Glasgow(?) Drumry (almost in
Clydebank, both in West Dunbartonshire))?
The equivalent would be something like "London East Croydon"
Croydon may well be in Greater London, but it's definitely a town or
other-centre in its own right, and sufficiently far enough away from
Central London that adding "London" to the name would be misleading.
or "Manchester Stockport".
Ditto.
Now there's a question - why is it that (outside London) we don't have
such things and rely on local knowledge? Farnborough Main is the only one
I can think of that even comes close in naming terms.
Edinburgh Park, Edinburgh Haymarket, Edinburgh Waverley (oops).

Hmm, the latter _really_ ought to be Edinburgh Central for clarity and
neatness although I imagine there'd be huge uproar against it.
I wonder if "Waverley" is sufficiently well-known worldwide that a
change isn't necessarily needed. I'm sure pretty much every tourist
guide names it in full and obligingly anecdotes the origin of the name.


And how do we deal with the likes of Glasgow Central and Glasgow Queen
Street? Both are equally major stations. I supposed they could be
renamed North Central Station and South Central Station to reflect this
(as Queen Street doesn't really convey its importance), but that's a bit
of a mouthful (and tends to work better in German than in English!).
Not invented here?
We do have quite a lot of stations named "Somecity Central" though.

eg, Dumbarton Central/Dumbarton East; Greenock Central/Greenock West.
(also, Ardrossan Town, Prestwick Town, Dunfermline Town)

I guess the reason there aren't more is because many towns and cities
(particularly in England) lost all/most other stations and therefore the
Central station was in fact the only station and so the descriptor fell
out of use..
--
David Marsh, <reply-to-email is valid at time of writing> |
Edinburgh, Scotland. [en, fr, (de)] | http://web.viewport.co.uk/ |
Please help me by correcting any errors in my foreign language posts!<
Please trim & interleave quotes otherwise your posts will not be read<
Ewan
2004-04-11 14:55:31 UTC
Permalink
Post by David Marsh
begin quote from Neil Williams in uk.railway
Now there's a question - why is it that (outside London) we don't have
such things and rely on local knowledge? Farnborough Main is the only one
I can think of that even comes close in naming terms.
Edinburgh Park,
Edinburgh Park is named after the business park rather than a park in
Edinburgh (hmmm... wonder how many people would get off at Edinburgh
Park expecting to find a park...)
Post by David Marsh
Edinburgh Haymarket,
Although I'm pretty sure that the station signs and timetables just say
Haymarket.
Post by David Marsh
Edinburgh Waverley (oops).
Network Rail seem quite happy with Edinburgh Waverley - they've even
replaced the big signs at either end of the station and they still say
Edinbugh Waverley.

....
Post by David Marsh
And how do we deal with the likes of Glasgow Central and Glasgow Queen
Street? Both are equally major stations. I supposed they could be
renamed North Central Station and South Central Station to reflect this
(as Queen Street doesn't really convey its importance), but that's a bit
of a mouthful (and tends to work better in German than in English!).
Perhaps Glasgow Queen Street should be renamed Glasgow George Square?

eat
--
http://photos.eatnet.org.uk | updated 01-Mar-04
scot-rail | http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scot-rail
trainspots | http://www.trainspots.co.uk
Alasdair
2004-04-16 00:36:39 UTC
Permalink
Post by Ewan
Network Rail seem quite happy with Edinburgh Waverley - they've even
replaced the big signs at either end of the station and they still say
Edinbugh Waverley.
I'm sure the National Rail live departure boards has Waverley as just
'Edinburgh'. How does Princes Street station sound?

Alasdair
David Marsh
2004-04-21 16:23:20 UTC
Permalink
[Text interleaved/in conversation order: read to end for all comments]
begin quote from Alasdair in free.uk.scotland.transport-railways
about: Re: new name for St Pancras
Post by Alasdair
Post by Ewan
Network Rail seem quite happy with Edinburgh Waverley - they've even
replaced the big signs at either end of the station and they still say
Edinbugh Waverley.
I'm sure the National Rail live departure boards has Waverley as just
'Edinburgh'.
..which is a bit potentially misleading as it's not the only station in
central Edinburgh (which the lack of any suffix inadvertently suggests),
and of course everybody calls it Waverley because for some reason the
name is deeply-embedded (and to differentiate it from Haymarket).
Post by Alasdair
How does Princes Street station sound?
Wasn't that the name of the station at the other end of Princes Street?

(I dare say that if you did want to go to somewhere at the Lothian Road
end of Princes Street, you'd probably be quicker getting off at Haymarket
and walking, than going on to Waverley and walking back, as well, so
that could be quite misleading.)


If the name were to be changed at all, it should be "Edinburgh Central"
to make its status perfectly clear.
--
David Marsh, <reply-to-email is valid at time of writing> |
Edinburgh, Scotland. [en, fr, (de)] | http://web.viewport.co.uk/ |
Post by Alasdair
Please help me by correcting any errors in my foreign language posts!<
Please trim & interleave quotes otherwise your posts will not be read<
Ian McMillan
2004-04-21 16:41:24 UTC
Permalink
Post by David Marsh
[Text interleaved/in conversation order: read to end for all comments]
The end of what?
--
Ian McMillan
***@NOSPAMimcmillan.co.uk
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scotrail - Scotland's online railway group
http://www.railpic.co.uk - My rail photos
Ewan
2004-04-21 17:08:32 UTC
Permalink
Post by David Marsh
[Text interleaved/in conversation order: read to end for all comments]
begin quote from Alasdair in free.uk.scotland.transport-railways
about: Re: new name for St Pancras
Post by Alasdair
Post by Ewan
Network Rail seem quite happy with Edinburgh Waverley - they've even
replaced the big signs at either end of the station and they still say
Edinbugh Waverley.
I'm sure the National Rail live departure boards has Waverley as just
'Edinburgh'.
...which is a bit potentially misleading as it's not the only station in
central Edinburgh (which the lack of any suffix inadvertently suggests),
and of course everybody calls it Waverley because for some reason the
name is deeply-embedded
Possibly because the North British Railway decided to rename North
Bridge Station Waverley Station when they rebuilt it after buying the
Edinburgh & Glasgow Railway
Post by David Marsh
Post by Alasdair
How does Princes Street station sound?
Wasn't that the name of the station at the other end of Princes Street?
Princes Street Station was the Caledonian Railway's Edinburgh terminus.
Post by David Marsh
If the name were to be changed at all, it should be "Edinburgh Central"
to make its status perfectly clear.
Or we could leave it as Edinburgh Waverley.

eat
--
http://photos.eatnet.org.uk | updated 11-Apr-04
scot-rail | http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scot-rail
trainspots | http://www.trainspots.co.uk
Alan J. Flavell
2004-04-21 21:54:12 UTC
Permalink
Post by Ewan
Or we could leave it as Edinburgh Waverley.
Nah, it'll never appeal to the folks who fund this activity. They're
convinced that any change is better than progress.

SCNR.
Bongoboy
2004-04-22 08:44:23 UTC
Permalink
On Wed, 21 Apr 2004 17:23:20 +0100, David Marsh
Post by David Marsh
[Text interleaved/in conversation order: read to end for all comments]
begin quote from Alasdair in free.uk.scotland.transport-railways
about: Re: new name for St Pancras
Post by Alasdair
Post by Ewan
Network Rail seem quite happy with Edinburgh Waverley - they've even
replaced the big signs at either end of the station and they still say
Edinbugh Waverley.
I'm sure the National Rail live departure boards has Waverley as just
'Edinburgh'.
..which is a bit potentially misleading as it's not the only station in
central Edinburgh (which the lack of any suffix inadvertently suggests),
and of course everybody calls it Waverley because for some reason the
name is deeply-embedded (and to differentiate it from Haymarket).
But Haymarket is just Haymarket both in the systems and on the
platforms IIRC, and Wavererly IS in various systems as just Edinburgh.
I think this serves two purposes: 1: it means all the tourists who
don't know which one is better for them get off at the perfect stop to
gawk at the castle. 2: all the people who phone up to go to edin-berg
don't confuse the poor, undertrained nres staff!

Clive D. W. Feather
2004-04-13 06:08:50 UTC
Permalink
Post by David Marsh
Not invented here?
We do have quite a lot of stations named "Somecity Central" though.
eg, Dumbarton Central/Dumbarton East; Greenock Central/Greenock West.
(also, Ardrossan Town, Prestwick Town, Dunfermline Town)
I've got 33 listed in CORE:

Acton Central
Balloch Central
Birkenhead Central
Burnley Central
Coatbridge Central
Cardiff Central
Dumbarton Central
Exeter Central
Folkestone Central
Greenock Central
Glasgow Central
Gainsborough Central
Hackney Central
Helensburgh Central
Hamilton Central
Hyde Central
Lincoln Central
Liverpool Central
Milton Keynes Central
New Mills Central
Redcar Central
Rotherham Central
Sinfin Central
Salford Central
St Helens Central
Southend Central
Southampton Central
Telford Central
Warrington Central
Walthamstow Central
Wembley Central
Windsor & Eton Central
Wrexham Central

Yes, I know those aren't all cities.
Post by David Marsh
I guess the reason there aren't more is because many towns and cities
(particularly in England) lost all/most other stations and therefore the
Central station was in fact the only station and so the descriptor fell
out of use..
I was going to say "Central means it was the GCR station", but that list
shows the error in that suggestion.
--
Clive D.W. Feather, writing for himself | Home: <***@davros.org>
Tel: +44 20 8495 6138 (work) | Web: <http://www.davros.org>
Fax: +44 870 051 9937 | Work: <***@demon.net>
Written on my laptop; please observe the Reply-To address
Roger T.
2004-04-13 08:17:46 UTC
Permalink
"Clive D. W. Feather"
Post by Clive D. W. Feather
Acton Central
Balloch Central
Birkenhead Central
Burnley Central
Coatbridge Central
Cardiff Central
Dumbarton Central
Exeter Central
Folkestone Central
Greenock Central
Glasgow Central
Gainsborough Central
Hackney Central
Helensburgh Central
Hamilton Central
Hyde Central
Lincoln Central
Liverpool Central
Milton Keynes Central
New Mills Central
Redcar Central
Rotherham Central
Sinfin Central
Salford Central
St Helens Central
Southend Central
Southampton Central
Telford Central
Warrington Central
Walthamstow Central
Wembley Central
Windsor & Eton Central
Wrexham Central
Yes, I know those aren't all cities.
Wasn't there a Worthing Central?


--
Cheers
Roger T.

Home of the Great Eastern Railway
http://www.highspeedplus.com/~rogertra/
Ian McMillan
2004-04-13 09:18:01 UTC
Permalink
Post by Clive D. W. Feather
Balloch Central
This is just called Balloch now, since Balloch Pier was closed in the mid
1980s.
--
Ian McMillan
***@NOSPAMimcmillan.co.uk
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scotrail - Scotland's online railway group
http://www.railpic.co.uk - My rail photos
ANDREW ROBERT BREEN
2004-04-13 09:25:21 UTC
Permalink
Post by Ian McMillan
Post by Clive D. W. Feather
Balloch Central
This is just called Balloch now, since Balloch Pier was closed in the mid
1980s.
You missed Newcastle, which is certainly still signed as "Central Station"
on the Metro at least..

--
Andy Breen ~ Not speaking on behalf of the University of Wales....
Nieveler's law: "Any USENET thread, if sufficiently prolonged and not
Godwinated, will eventually turn into a discussion about
alcoholic drinks."
Clive D. W. Feather
2004-04-13 16:37:06 UTC
Permalink
Post by ANDREW ROBERT BREEN
Post by Ian McMillan
Post by Clive D. W. Feather
Balloch Central
This is just called Balloch now, since Balloch Pier was closed in the mid
1980s.
You missed Newcastle, which is certainly still signed as "Central Station"
on the Metro at least..
My list is taken from the Routeing Guide plus the older list of three
letter codes to be found on the net.
--
Clive D.W. Feather, writing for himself | Home: <***@davros.org>
Tel: +44 20 8495 6138 (work) | Web: <http://www.davros.org>
Fax: +44 870 051 9937 | Work: <***@demon.net>
Written on my laptop; please observe the Reply-To address
ANDREW ROBERT BREEN
2004-04-14 08:28:11 UTC
Permalink
Post by Clive D. W. Feather
Post by ANDREW ROBERT BREEN
on the Metro at least..
My list is taken from the Routeing Guide plus the older list of three
letter codes to be found on the net.
Interesting. Presumably the station is simply signed as "Newcastle" now
(in all my comings and goings through it lately I can't recall noticing
one way or another) and the metro station under it is "Central Station".
I guess the main-line station must have become just plain "Newcastle" when
Manors closed, or am I well off-beam there?
--
Andy Breen ~ Interplanetary Scintillation Research Group
http://users.aber.ac.uk/azb/
"Time has stopped, says the Black Lion clock
and eternity has begun" (Dylan Thomas)
Peter Masson
2004-04-14 08:40:23 UTC
Permalink
Post by ANDREW ROBERT BREEN
I guess the main-line station must have become just plain "Newcastle" when
Manors closed, or am I well off-beam there?
In the 1938 Bradshaw, the main station is named Newcastle Central, and the
two parts of Manors as Newcastle Manors North and Newcastle Manors East. By
the 1960s, BR timetables referred simply to Newcastle and Manors. Manors
(National Rail) station is still open, but only 3 trains each way a day call
there.
Peter
Bill Borland
2004-04-15 16:43:23 UTC
Permalink
In article <407bb049$0$3307$***@news-text.dial.pipex.com>, Ian
McMillan <***@NOSPAMimcmillan.co.uk> writes
<snip>
Post by Ian McMillan
Balloch Pier was closed in the mid
1980s.
I have seen this mentioned before and have been meaning to ask -
Does this mean that there are no longer steamers on Loch Lomond?
There were three real coal-burning steamers up until nationalisation,
thereafter only one motor-vessel. (I used to live in Alexandria
fifty years ago and have fond memories).
--
Bill Borland
ANDREW ROBERT BREEN
2004-04-16 09:39:33 UTC
Permalink
<snip>
Post by Ian McMillan
Balloch Pier was closed in the mid
1980s.
I have seen this mentioned before and have been meaning to ask -
Does this mean that there are no longer steamers on Loch Lomond?
There were three real coal-burning steamers up until nationalisation,
thereafter only one motor-vessel. (I used to live in Alexandria
fifty years ago and have fond memories).
One new steamer built in the 1950s to replace two (IIRC) of the old
ones - _Maid of the Loch_. She was something of a turkey, being rather too
large for the traffic but nonetheless continued on (alone from the end
of the 50s?) until the mid-70s (again IIRC), after which she lay alongside
at Balloch for many years. Things seem to be happening and she's been
prettied up a bit lately, but I doubt if she'll ever see service
again. Plenty of motor launches running, though.
Bit of trivia: Maid of the Loch must surely have been the last ship built
with compound-expansion engines, something which was getting old-fashioned
fifty years before she was built..
--
Andy Breen ~ Interplanetary Scintillation Research Group
http://users.aber.ac.uk/azb/
"Time has stopped, says the Black Lion clock
and eternity has begun" (Dylan Thomas)
James Christie
2004-04-16 11:15:50 UTC
Permalink
Post by ANDREW ROBERT BREEN
<snip>
Post by Ian McMillan
Balloch Pier was closed in the mid
1980s.
I have seen this mentioned before and have been meaning to ask -
Does this mean that there are no longer steamers on Loch Lomond?
There were three real coal-burning steamers up until nationalisation,
thereafter only one motor-vessel. (I used to live in Alexandria
fifty years ago and have fond memories).
One new steamer built in the 1950s to replace two (IIRC) of the old
ones - _Maid of the Loch_. She was something of a turkey, being rather too
large for the traffic but nonetheless continued on (alone from the end
of the 50s?) until the mid-70s (again IIRC), after which she lay alongside
at Balloch for many years. Things seem to be happening and she's been
prettied up a bit lately, but I doubt if she'll ever see service
again. Plenty of motor launches running, though.
Bit of trivia: Maid of the Loch must surely have been the last ship built
with compound-expansion engines, something which was getting old-fashioned
fifty years before she was built..
Maid of the Loch finally finished in 1981 when the council withdrew
their subsidy. She's now being worked on a by a preservation group who
have carried out significant restoration on her, especially internally.
I believe they're now raising funds to rebuild the slipway so they can
haul her up to get her hull painted. Her engines are supposed to be in
very good order, but they require a new boiler for her to steam again,
which they hope will be in about 5 years.
--
James Christie

EMAIL: ***@christie.demon.co.uk
HOTMAIL: ***@hotmail.com
ICQ: 24864465
Keith J Chesworth
2004-04-17 18:46:41 UTC
Permalink
Post by ANDREW ROBERT BREEN
<snip>
Post by Ian McMillan
Balloch Pier was closed in the mid
1980s.
I have seen this mentioned before and have been meaning to ask -
Does this mean that there are no longer steamers on Loch Lomond?
There were three real coal-burning steamers up until nationalisation,
thereafter only one motor-vessel. (I used to live in Alexandria
fifty years ago and have fond memories).
One new steamer built in the 1950s to replace two (IIRC) of the old
ones - _Maid of the Loch_. She was something of a turkey, being rather too
large for the traffic but nonetheless continued on (alone from the end
of the 50s?) until the mid-70s (again IIRC), after which she lay alongside
at Balloch for many years. Things seem to be happening and she's been
prettied up a bit lately, but I doubt if she'll ever see service
again. Plenty of motor launches running, though.
Bit of trivia: Maid of the Loch must surely have been the last ship built
with compound-expansion engines, something which was getting old-fashioned
fifty years before she was built..
Maybe not, ISTR that the RN were building 2x and 3x Landing craft into
the 1960's at least.

Seem to remember reading a list (Maybe Janes) about then with a couple
noted as being on order.

Not compound recip but Nigeria Shipping used 3x well into the 60's and
if you accept the windmills, all the merchant deep sea steam boats I
worked were compound turbines.

Keith J Chesworth

www.unseenlondon.co.uk
www.blackpooltram.co.uk
www.happysnapper.com
www.boilerbill.com - main site
www.amerseyferry.co.uk
ANDREW ROBERT BREEN
2004-04-17 19:29:51 UTC
Permalink
Post by Keith J Chesworth
Post by ANDREW ROBERT BREEN
Bit of trivia: Maid of the Loch must surely have been the last ship built
with compound-expansion engines, something which was getting old-fashioned
fifty years before she was built..
Maybe not, ISTR that the RN were building 2x and 3x Landing craft into
the 1960's at least.
I'd thought the only steam-powered landing craft that the RN built were
the LST(3) group in the 40s which had VTE. The VICs, based on the Clyde
Puffer, had compond engines, but the last of them was built ~1946?
VTE was another matter, and IIRC the last RN (not aux.) ship which them
was _Plover_, which went in the early 1970s.
Post by Keith J Chesworth
Seem to remember reading a list (Maybe Janes) about then with a couple
noted as being on order.
Not compound recip but Nigeria Shipping used 3x well into the 60's and
if you accept the windmills, all the merchant deep sea steam boats I
worked were compound turbines.
Windmills is different, I'd say ;)
Triple-exp. would have been quite reasonable for Maid of the Loch, given
that the _Windsor Castle_ had introduced triple-expansion diagonal recips
to Clyde Paddle boats in 1890 or so and the Caledonian had pretty-much
standardised on (four-cylinder, two-crank, tandem) triple-exp. engines
before the outbreak of Big Mistake One. Even the L&NE had standardised on
(three-crank) triples by the 30s (excepting always _Talisman_, with
diesel-ewlectric drive via a big motor on the paddle shaft..), so going
for diagonal two-crank compounds in 1953 was - quaint.
--
Andy Breen ~ Interplanetary Scintillation Research Group
http://users.aber.ac.uk/azb/
"Time has stopped, says the Black Lion clock
and eternity has begun" (Dylan Thomas)
James Christie
2004-04-17 19:23:04 UTC
Permalink
Post by Keith J Chesworth
Post by ANDREW ROBERT BREEN
<snip>
Post by Ian McMillan
Balloch Pier was closed in the mid
1980s.
I have seen this mentioned before and have been meaning to ask -
Does this mean that there are no longer steamers on Loch Lomond?
There were three real coal-burning steamers up until nationalisation,
thereafter only one motor-vessel. (I used to live in Alexandria
fifty years ago and have fond memories).
One new steamer built in the 1950s to replace two (IIRC) of the old
ones - _Maid of the Loch_. She was something of a turkey, being rather too
large for the traffic but nonetheless continued on (alone from the end
of the 50s?) until the mid-70s (again IIRC), after which she lay alongside
at Balloch for many years. Things seem to be happening and she's been
prettied up a bit lately, but I doubt if she'll ever see service
again. Plenty of motor launches running, though.
Bit of trivia: Maid of the Loch must surely have been the last ship built
with compound-expansion engines, something which was getting old-fashioned
fifty years before she was built..
Maybe not, ISTR that the RN were building 2x and 3x Landing craft into
the 1960's at least.
Seem to remember reading a list (Maybe Janes) about then with a couple
noted as being on order.
Not compound recip but Nigeria Shipping used 3x well into the 60's and
if you accept the windmills, all the merchant deep sea steam boats I
worked were compound turbines.
Keith J Chesworth
In follow up as well, in the 60's Fairfields of Glasgow built a set of
ferries for the Bosphorous that were all compound expansion.
--
James Christie

EMAIL: ***@christie.demon.co.uk
HOTMAIL: ***@hotmail.com
ICQ: 24864465
David Marsh
2004-04-21 16:27:04 UTC
Permalink
[Text interleaved/in conversation order: read to end for all comments]
begin quote from Ian McMillan in free.uk.scotland.transport-railways
about: Re: new name for St Pancras
Post by Ian McMillan
Post by Clive D. W. Feather
Balloch Central
This is just called Balloch now, since Balloch Pier was closed in the mid
1980s.
It's a shame they eventually removed the track and OHL to Balloch Pier, which
did remain for quite some years afterwards, now that the Loch Lomond National
Park visitor centre has been opened just metres from Balloch Pier Station.

It would have been a good way to encourage tourists to arrive by
sustainable transport to have the station immediately adjacent.
Even better if they could transfer from train to steamer again for loch
cruises as they did in days gone by.
--
David Marsh, <reply-to-email is valid at time of writing> |
Edinburgh, Scotland. [en, fr, (de)] | http://web.viewport.co.uk/ |
Post by Ian McMillan
Please help me by correcting any errors in my foreign language posts!<
Please trim & interleave quotes otherwise your posts will not be read<
Neil Williams
2004-04-13 09:20:14 UTC
Permalink
Post by Clive D. W. Feather
Post by David Marsh
I guess the reason there aren't more is because many towns and cities
(particularly in England) lost all/most other stations and therefore the
Central station was in fact the only station and so the descriptor fell
out of use..
I was going to say "Central means it was the GCR station", but that list
shows the error in that suggestion.
Hmm. Milton Keynes Central has the suffix (despite VT's attempts to kill
it) despite the fact that there is not, nor has there ever been, another
station with the prefix "Milton Keynes". I expect the reason is to do
with the fact that the area in which it is located is called "Central
Milton Keynes".

There are, however, several other stations in the area, but none carry the
MK name.

Neil
--
Neil Williams in Milton Keynes, UK
Mail me on neil at the above domain; mail to the above address is NOT read
Jonathan Stott
2004-04-13 09:42:10 UTC
Permalink
There are 14 in my list which was pulled from the National Rail website
(so there's no reason to believe it's incorrect!):

Milton Keynes Central
New Mills Central
Redcar Central
Rotherham Central
Salford Central
Southampton Central
Southend Central
St Helens Central
Telford Central
Walthamstow Central
Warrington Central
Wembley Central
Windsor & Eton Central
Wrexham Central

Jonathan
Neil Williams
2004-04-13 09:42:43 UTC
Permalink
Post by Jonathan Stott
There are 14 in my list which was pulled from the National Rail website
You've missed A to L, I think. Clive's list looks correct to me.

Neil
--
Neil Williams in Milton Keynes, UK
Mail me on neil at the above domain; mail to the above address is NOT read
Jonathan Stott
2004-04-13 10:39:43 UTC
Permalink
Post by Neil Williams
Post by Jonathan Stott
There are 14 in my list which was pulled from the National Rail website
You've missed A to L, I think. Clive's list looks correct to me.
I realised this after I posted it and cancelled the message. You were
obviously quick off the mark!

Jonathan
Jonathan Stott
2004-04-13 09:49:16 UTC
Permalink
<snip>
Sinfin Central
Wasn't this closed in 1998 together with Sinfin North?

Jonathan
James
2004-04-14 16:51:07 UTC
Permalink
Post by Clive D. W. Feather
Post by David Marsh
We do have quite a lot of stations named "Somecity Central" though.
eg, Dumbarton Central/Dumbarton East; Greenock Central/Greenock West.
(also, Ardrossan Town, Prestwick Town, Dunfermline Town)
Acton Central
Balloch Central
Birkenhead Central
Burnley Central
Coatbridge Central
Cardiff Central
Dumbarton Central
Exeter Central
Folkestone Central
Greenock Central
Glasgow Central
Gainsborough Central
Hackney Central
Helensburgh Central
Hamilton Central
Hyde Central
Lincoln Central
Liverpool Central
Milton Keynes Central
New Mills Central
Redcar Central
Rotherham Central
Sinfin Central
Salford Central
St Helens Central
Southend Central
Southampton Central
Telford Central
Warrington Central
Walthamstow Central
Wembley Central
Windsor & Eton Central
Wrexham Central
Plus of course Loughborough Central, if preservationists' efforts
count. Isn't the T123 station on the Heathrow Airport Line called
Heathrow Central too?

Sinfin Central is no more. Off the top of my head, I can think of
several more former Central Stations:
Birmingham Central (Goods) - plus New Street was once to be called
Grand Central (thank Gox they rethought that one!)
Brackley Central
Chesterfield Central (which interestingly wasn't the GCR's only
Chesterfield station)
? Leeds Central (rings a bell, but I can't quite place it)
Leicester Central
Manchester Central
Rugby Central

Of course, if those count, Cardiff General would still exist, so a
Central would go that way! (In fact General was a better name as the
main street of Cardiff is of course Queen St).

A number of the stations you name are unnecessary Centrals, namely
Balloch, Lincoln, MKC (as already discussed), Rotherham, St. Helen's,
Southampton, and Telford. In most of these cases familiarity is the
main argument against removing the superfluous words. When I was last
in Leeds, I was horrified that the huge sign on the front of City
Station had been replaced with one omitting the word "City". Changing
all the signs seems to be a low priority job. Until last year, there
were still a few Leicester London Road signs around if you knew where
to look (and indeed the fire safety notices there still read London
Road Station), despite Central and Belgrave Gate having perished in
the 60s!
Post by Clive D. W. Feather
I was going to say "Central means it was the GCR station", but that list
shows the error in that suggestion.
Mainly because the GCR is mainly closed.
Neil Williams
2004-04-14 22:03:15 UTC
Permalink
Post by James
St. Helen's,
That one's not superfluous, as there is also a St. Helen's Junction which
is a fair way away and on a different line. In fact, it was only renamed
to that in the 1980s, its former name being St. Helen's Shaw Street.

Telford's an odd one, as it does have a few other stations in the area,
but none prefixed with Telford, just like MK. Perhaps it's a new town
thing...

Neil
--
Neil Williams in Milton Keynes, UK
Mail me on neil at the above domain; mail to the above address is NOT read
Alan J. Flavell
2004-04-14 22:17:37 UTC
Permalink
Post by Neil Williams
Telford's an odd one, as it does have a few other stations in the area,
but none prefixed with Telford, just like MK. Perhaps it's a new town
thing...
"Harlow Town". Well, it was a "new town" when I lived there in the
1960's.

(OK, it does have another station with Harlow in its name, unlike MK
or Teflo^W Telford).
David H Wild
2004-04-15 21:01:59 UTC
Permalink
Post by Clive D. W. Feather
Acton Central
Balloch Central
Birkenhead Central
Burnley Central
Coatbridge Central
Cardiff Central
Dumbarton Central
Exeter Central
Folkestone Central
Greenock Central
Glasgow Central
Gainsborough Central
Hackney Central
Helensburgh Central
Hamilton Central
Hyde Central
Lincoln Central
Liverpool Central
Milton Keynes Central
New Mills Central
Redcar Central
Rotherham Central
Sinfin Central
Salford Central
St Helens Central
Southend Central
Southampton Central
Telford Central
Warrington Central
Walthamstow Central
Wembley Central
Windsor & Eton Central
Wrexham Central
Yes, I know those aren't all cities.
Post by David Marsh
I guess the reason there aren't more is because many towns and cities
(particularly in England) lost all/most other stations and therefore the
Central station was in fact the only station and so the descriptor fell
out of use..
I was going to say "Central means it was the GCR station", but that list
shows the error in that suggestion.
There was, of course, Crowle Central which was only three miles from the
centre of Crowle which, at the time the GC station was named, had a
station, on the Axholme Joint, right in the centre of the village.
--
__ __ __ __ __ ___ _____________________________________________
|__||__)/ __/ \|\ ||_ | / Acorn StrongArm Risc_PC
| || \\__/\__/| \||__ | /...Internet access for all Acorn RISC machines
___________________________/ ***@argonet.co.uk
Loading...