What exactly is a Parkway station?

EM2 · 28th January 2009, 10:57

As per title really...
What the blinkin' flip does 'Parkway' even mean? If you're parked, you're not on your way.
And it's a railway station, so why does parking even come into it?

me123 · 28th January 2009, 11:34

I think it serves a "park and ride" facility rather than a specific town; eg Bristol Parkway is a Park and Ride facility for people living near Bristol, but is not intended to serve Bristol City (that's what Temple Meads does).

John_158 · 28th January 2009, 11:57

Its posh for Interchange a bit Like Liverpool South Parkway should in my view have been called Allerton & Garston Interchange.

Liverpool South Parkway seems to confuse people namely on the out of town route that stop there Such as the London Midland Service from Birmingham as People See Liverpool and think they are in Lime Street.

**Mojo** · 28th January 2009, 12:07

A Parkway is a station, usually on a major route that serves as a point for Park & Ride rather than anything in the vicinity, although its worth pointing out that some locations such as Bristol Parkway have attracted quite interesting commercial development and it is becoming an area in its own right. In fact, some, such as Tame Bridge Parkway aren't for a certain place at all (there is no such place as "Tame Bridge").

It doesn't necessarily represent a station with a Car Park (although a Parkway must have one), and there are some in Greater Manchester and what used to be the West Midlands County which are termed "park and ride," although it's worth mentioning that Manchester and Birmingham don't have bus-based park and rides like many other towns & cities.

It's also been the case where a station does serve the town (eg: Didcot, Port Talbot) but it's also used to encourage people from smaller places nearby to drive there and take the train.

As to John_158, I wouldn't say that it's anything to do with an interchange, I struggle to think what you'd interchange for at Whittlesford Parkway (a recent renaming to a Parkway rather than a new station), Haddenham & Thame Parkway or Tiverton Parkway. Even where multiple services to different destinations & stopping patterns serve, you'd be better interchanging elsewhere.

Mcr Warrior · 28th January 2009, 12:43

In the UK, a "Parkway Station" is an out-of-town railway station with a substantial car park built alongside of it, a longer-distance "park and ride" if you like, the main idea of such stations being to try to encourage passengers to switch from road to rail, in particular for inter-urban journeys of 50 miles or more, and it means that such passengers don't have to first travel into busy town or city centres to catch the train.

175fan · 28th January 2009, 13:30

How many parkways are there I can think of a few but there must be more,

Bristol, Tame Bridge, Port Talbot, luton airport, east midlands and Warick

D306 · 28th January 2009, 13:34

luton airport, east midlands

175fan · 28th January 2009, 13:45

Ah yes them too

D306 · 28th January 2009, 13:48

Coleshill parkway. just thought that one up

(or for mumrar Coleshill Barfway

)

**Mojo** · 28th January 2009, 14:34

Aylesbury Vale Parkway
Bodmin Parkway
Bristol Parkway
Coleshill Parkway
Didcot Parkway
East Midlands Parkway
Ebbw Vale Parkway
Haddenham & Thame Parkway
Horwich Parkway
Liverpool South Parkway
Luton Airport Parkway
Port Talbot Parkway
Southampton Airport Parkway
Sutton Parkway
Tame Bridge Parkway
Tiverton Parkway
Warwick Parkway
Whittlesford Parkway

There are also a few stations designated 'Parkway' on Light Rail systems and a few more that are designated as 'Park and Ride' or which may have been called Parkway if built a few years later (Lelant Saltings was built as a Park & Ride for St Ives).

Sulzer25 · 28th January 2009, 14:34

when opened, Alfreton was called Alfreton & Mansfield Parkway prior to the Robin Hood line being opened (which actually opened 2 stations there - Mansfield and Woodhouse)

heart-of-wessex · 28th January 2009, 15:43

Worle seems to be a parkway maybe for Weston, but it doesn't seem official.

The station signs and literature from FGW read 'Worle', yet you go outside, pass the BR double arrow sign and below reads 'Worle parkway'...

The_Rail_WAy · 28th January 2009, 15:48

Contrary to belief it has nothing to do with 'park & ride' - however they ae usually slightly OOT stations usually accompanied by large car park for large volumes of commuters, or in the case of the airports - passengers.

This new name of station is a relitevly new phenomenon, more and more new build stations are recieving such names, giving them a modern 'glossy' appeal to passengers.

**Mojo** · 28th January 2009, 15:53

Worle Parkway is actually the name of the business park located adjacent to the station, although I think it may have originally intended to be the name of the station.

thefab444 · 28th January 2009, 15:54

"Worle Parkway" is the name of the business/commercial park thing next to Worle railway station? According to Wikipedia anyway.

EDIT: Beaten to it.

If you want to be extremely pedantic, Southampton Airport Parkway is infact named Southampton Airport (Parkway), previously known as just Southampton Parkway. I'm waiting for Southampton International next!

28th January 2009, 10:57	#1
EM2 Established Member Join Date: 16 Nov 2008 Location: Forest Gate, London Posts: 2,316	What exactly is a Parkway station? As per title really... What the blinkin' flip does 'Parkway' even mean? If you're parked, you're not on your way. And it's a railway station, so why does parking even come into it? __________________ *'Captain, this is madness!' 'This is not madness. This is Hassocks!'* 1343 miles in 23h 47m with no repeat mileage. Can you prove you've beaten it?

28th January 2009, 12:43	#5
Mcr Warrior Member Join Date: 8 Jan 2009 Posts: 620	Parkway stations In the UK, a "Parkway Station" is an out-of-town railway station with a substantial car park built alongside of it, a longer-distance "park and ride" if you like, the main idea of such stations being to try to encourage passengers to switch from road to rail, in particular for inter-urban journeys of 50 miles or more, and it means that such passengers don't have to first travel into busy town or city centres to catch the train.

28th January 2009, 13:30	#6
175fan Banned Join Date: 9 Feb 2008 Location: Tamworth Posts: 187	How many parkways are there I can think of a few but there must be more, Bristol, Tame Bridge, Port Talbot, luton airport, east midlands and Warick Last edited by 175fan; 28th January 2009 at 13:46.

28th January 2009, 14:34	#10
Mojo Muffin head Administrator Join Date: 7 Aug 2005 Location: London W12 Posts: 11,545	Aylesbury Vale Parkway Bodmin Parkway Bristol Parkway Coleshill Parkway Didcot Parkway East Midlands Parkway Ebbw Vale Parkway Haddenham & Thame Parkway Horwich Parkway Liverpool South Parkway Luton Airport Parkway Port Talbot Parkway Southampton Airport Parkway Sutton Parkway Tame Bridge Parkway Tiverton Parkway Warwick Parkway Whittlesford Parkway There are also a few stations designated 'Parkway' on Light Rail systems and a few more that are designated as 'Park and Ride' or which may have been called Parkway if built a few years later (Lelant Saltings was built as a Park & Ride for St Ives).

28th January 2009, 14:34	#11
Sulzer25 any hellfire unit gen? Established Member Join Date: 26 Nov 2007 Location: Nottingham Posts: 4,127	when opened, Alfreton was called Alfreton & Mansfield Parkway prior to the Robin Hood line being opened (which actually opened 2 stations there - Mansfield and Woodhouse) __________________

28th January 2009, 11:34	#2
me123 Established Member Join Date: 9 Jul 2007 Location: Coatbridge Posts: 5,970	I think it serves a "park and ride" facility rather than a specific town; eg Bristol Parkway is a Park and Ride facility for people living near Bristol, but is not intended to serve Bristol City (that's what Temple Meads does).

28th January 2009, 11:57	#3
John_158 Member Join Date: 10 Dec 2008 Posts: 354	Its posh for Interchange a bit Like Liverpool South Parkway should in my view have been called Allerton & Garston Interchange. Liverpool South Parkway seems to confuse people namely on the out of town route that stop there Such as the London Midland Service from Birmingham as People See Liverpool and think they are in Lime Street.

28th January 2009, 12:07	#4
Mojo Muffin head Administrator Join Date: 7 Aug 2005 Location: London W12 Posts: 11,545	A Parkway is a station, usually on a major route that serves as a point for Park & Ride rather than anything in the vicinity, although its worth pointing out that some locations such as Bristol Parkway have attracted quite interesting commercial development and it is becoming an area in its own right. In fact, some, such as Tame Bridge Parkway aren't for a certain place at all (there is no such place as "Tame Bridge"). It doesn't necessarily represent a station with a Car Park (although a Parkway must have one), and there are some in Greater Manchester and what used to be the West Midlands County which are termed "park and ride," although it's worth mentioning that Manchester and Birmingham don't have bus-based park and rides like many other towns & cities. It's also been the case where a station does serve the town (eg: Didcot, Port Talbot) but it's also used to encourage people from smaller places nearby to drive there and take the train. As to John_158, I wouldn't say that it's anything to do with an interchange, I struggle to think what you'd interchange for at Whittlesford Parkway (a recent renaming to a Parkway rather than a new station), Haddenham & Thame Parkway or Tiverton Parkway. Even where multiple services to different destinations & stopping patterns serve, you'd be better interchanging elsewhere.

28th January 2009, 13:34	#7
D306 Established Member Join Date: 9 Apr 2007 Location: somewhere concrete Posts: 2,239	luton airport, east midlands

28th January 2009, 13:45	#8
175fan Banned Join Date: 9 Feb 2008 Location: Tamworth Posts: 187	Ah yes them too

28th January 2009, 13:48	#9
D306 Established Member Join Date: 9 Apr 2007 Location: somewhere concrete Posts: 2,239	Coleshill parkway. just thought that one up (or for mumrar Coleshill Barfway )

28th January 2009, 15:43	#12
heart-of-wessex 319 ned! Established Member Join Date: 11 Jun 2005 Location: Trowbridge Posts: 1,703	Worle seems to be a parkway maybe for Weston, but it doesn't seem official. The station signs and literature from FGW read 'Worle', yet you go outside, pass the BR double arrow sign and below reads 'Worle parkway'... __________________

28th January 2009, 15:48	#13
The_Rail_WAy Member Join Date: 19 Jul 2008 Posts: 413	Contrary to belief it has nothing to do with 'park & ride' - however they ae usually slightly OOT stations usually accompanied by large car park for large volumes of commuters, or in the case of the airports - passengers. This new name of station is a relitevly new phenomenon, more and more new build stations are recieving such names, giving them a modern 'glossy' appeal to passengers.

28th January 2009, 15:53	#14
Mojo Muffin head Administrator Join Date: 7 Aug 2005 Location: London W12 Posts: 11,545	Worle Parkway is actually the name of the business park located adjacent to the station, although I think it may have originally intended to be the name of the station.

28th January 2009, 15:54	#15
thefab444 Established Member Join Date: 27 Oct 2006 Location: The New Forest Posts: 3,693	"Worle Parkway" is the name of the business/commercial park thing next to Worle railway station? According to Wikipedia anyway. EDIT: Beaten to it. If you want to be extremely pedantic, Southampton Airport Parkway is infact named Southampton Airport (Parkway), previously known as just Southampton Parkway. I'm waiting for Southampton International next!