Old school stations from a Virgin Conductor

[Welshman]

I do wonder why Penistone wasn't known as Penistone Junction, what with it being a former junction for Woodhead services.

Could it be because it isn't the place where you changed trains for Penistone [unlike Llandudno Junction, change for Llandudno, etc], rather it is at Penistone?

The GC through Woodhead was the main line, so it you want "junction" in the title, then it should have been "Huddersfield Junction" [as I think the signalbox on the GC line was].

 

[Chris M]

Swansea Victoria is long gone, but the locals (and iirc bus timetables) still refer to the remaining heavy rail terminus as High Street station. I've not heard that on the railway though.

 

[tango602]

That would confuse people surely as it is changing the name of the present Parkway station altogether isn’t it?

There was still a road sign in Cardinham which had Bodmin Road on it until either last year or this year, I only noticed a new sign saying Bodmin Parkway had been put up there this year which does seem odd to me as Bodmin Road has been on that sign my whole life. Can be seen on streetview though the last picture was in 2010.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@50.4...okDS37Y42mZG4aIoAXZg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en

 

[Mintona]

This annoys me. I’m fairly up on railway geography but a lot of people aren’t, and just want to be told exactly where the train is stopping, as per their ticket/web search/timetable. Carlisle Citadel or Stockport Edgeley could make people think there is more than one station in the town/city, and remain on the train to get off at the ‘next stop’ a couple of minutes later.

One of the biggest customer hates on the railway is the lack of communication. The communication provided should be accurate and eloquent.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

It also bugs me. I have no problem with staff qualifying or making lighthearted comments about places (e.g. saying 'Moor Street for the Bullring' or 'Sheffield, the Steel City') but not before it is made absolutely clear where the train is actually calling at in 2017. Very, very few people will care if Manchester Piccadilly used to be London Road, or Darlington was once Bank Top; what they need to know is that they are now arriving at the station they bought their ticket to or have been told to change at.

 

[ooo]

Also anything but the necessary information can become rather irritating for frequent travellers

 

[chris_in_salop]

Some Virgin West Coast train managers to be "funny" have been known to refer to Sadwell and Dudley, with Dudley in a "Lenny Henry" style. It's generally not appreciated by the local passengers. Still waiting for one to refer to Wolverhampton High Level.

I heard "Wolverhampton High Level" a few months ago on a Salop to Brum stopper. I don't wish to be unkind, but the person making the announcement gave the distinct impression that he was fascinated with the sound of his own voice, given how long-winded his announcements were after every little station. However I've not heard him since!

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Preston is always shown on PIS displays and tickets as Preston (Lancs).
I'm not aware of any other Preston on the network, though there are other stations with Preston in their name (Long Preston, Preston Park, Prestonpans).
Meanwhile it's apparently OK to have Reading (unqualified) even though Reading West is just round the corner.
Bangor (Gwynedd) is another. Where's the other Bangor?

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Well, if a punter buys a ticket or boards a train to Reading [General] when they really want Reading West, then the remedy to that is rather simple. The same applies to people wanting Warwick [town] and ending up at Warwick Parkway.

People buying tickets or boarding trains to towns hundreds of miles apart is something of a bigger issue - see Preston and its Scottish or Sussex variants; or Salfords being labelled as Salfords Surrey on tickets, presumably to stop people buying tickets to Greater Manchester instead. I presume similar provisions are also taken to distinguish between Sudbury in Suffolk and the two stations bearing that name on Chiltern. For the complete lack of harm such distinguishing does, then I don't see what the issue is.

(I suspect Bangor is to differentiate it from Bangor in County Down, Northern Ireland, for those perhaps not familiar with UK geography or railway ticketing.)

 

[sheff1]

Bangor (Gwynedd) is another. Where's the other Bangor?

Northern Ireland. I once travelled using a ticket from Bangor to Bangor.

 

[GW43125]

People buying tickets or boarding trains to towns hundreds of miles apart is something of a bigger issue - see Preston and its Scottish or Sussex variants; or Salfords being labelled as Salfords Surrey on tickets, presumably to stop people buying tickets to Greater Manchester instead. I presume similar provisions are also taken to distinguish between Sudbury in Suffolk and the two stations bearing that name on Chiltern. For the complete lack of harm such distinguishing does, then I don't see what the issue is.

(I suspect Bangor is to differentiate it from Bangor in County Down, Northern Ireland, for those perhaps not familiar with UK geography or railway ticketing.)

Gillingham (Dorset) and Gillingham (Kent) is the usual one round here. They often make it west of Salisbury before they realise!
Straight on the next train back, escort them to Waterloo east when they get there...

 

[rebmcr]

Gillingham (Dorset) and Gillingham (Kent) is the usual one round here. They often make it west of Salisbury before they realise!
Straight on the next train back, escort them to Waterloo east when they get there...

Rainham (Essex) and Rainham (Kent) are even closer!

 

[Mojo]

Rainham (Essex) and Rainham (Kent) are even closer!

And Rainham (Essex) hasn't even been in Essex since 1965!

I've seen Ashford (Middlesex) in a few places recently although it appears to be called Ashford (Surrey) on both National Rail Enquiries and tickets. Similarly Hayes (Kent) often appears as Hayes (Middlesex) even though the county of Middlesex was abolished in 1965, and also the fact Hayes isn't even in Kent, it's in Greater London. The suffix presumably exists to avoid confusion with Hayes & Harlington also in Greater London, which should also not be confused with Harlington (Beds)

 

[trains2064]

The 2 good ones on the Snow Hill lines I hear are Acocks Green and South Yardley also Knowle and Dorridge.

 

[sarahj]

I sometimes say Worthing Central. Someone did tell me that was once it's name,. and there is a East Worthing and West Working.

Asking for tickets from 'Chi' is often done.

A few years ago there was a campaign to re-name Ore as East Hastings, so I did a few, We are now arriving at East Hastings or Ore, all change.

You get the odd tourist jumping off at London Road..Brighton. by mistake, as that's what the PIS says. I just say London Rd, after all, if you want the one in Guildford, you are wayyyy off course.

 

[MG11]

There is a certain TPE conductor (Lime Street based) who announces "This is the xx:12 service to" Newcastle Central" and also says "Leeds City"!

One Northern conductor I've noticed announces "St Helens Shaw Street", "Bolton Trinity Street" and "Southport Chapel Street"!

Doncaster station dot matrix screens still said Newcastle Central when I was there a few years ago. It also adds Waverley to Edinburgh, whereas Derby and Sheffield leave it out.

 

[MG11]

Have had a guard on an EMT service announce Chesterfield as "Ches-Vegas" and "The Village of Chesterfield" in the same announcement.

And a Northern guard going through the carriage asking for "tickets from Meadowhell" ...

If that is who I think it is, they do that often, they also call Derby Derbados. They attracted the attention of a local BBC news report, it was all shown on EMT Twitter.

 

[daodao]

People buying tickets or boarding trains to towns hundreds of miles apart is something of a bigger issue - see Preston and its Scottish or Sussex variants; or Salfords being labelled as Salfords Surrey on tickets, presumably to stop people buying tickets to Greater Manchester instead. I presume similar provisions are also taken to distinguish between Sudbury in Suffolk and the two stations bearing that name on Chiltern. For the complete lack of harm such distinguishing does, then I don't see what the issue is.

When living in Cardiff, the booking clerk at Cardiff (Central) once tried to sell me an expensive single ticket to Whitchurch (Salop) when all I wanted to do was to travel home to Whitchurch (Glam), a mere 4 miles away.

 

[JohnR]

One ScotRail guard always refers to Dundee as "Dundee Tay Bridge", while a couple of others call Haymarket "Edinburgh Haymarket" and Edinburgh "Edinburgh Waverley"....

 

[rebmcr]

You get the odd tourist jumping off at London Road..Brighton. by mistake, as that's what the PIS says. I just say London Rd, after all, if you want the one in Guildford, you are wayyyy off course.

Nearly did that in Czechia recently — wanting to change at České Budějovice, we saw it on the PIS and got up. Luckily the guard was on the ball and she stopped us getting off at České Budějovice jižní zastávka ("... South Station")!

 

[BestWestern]

And Rainham (Essex) hasn't even been in Essex since 1965!

I've seen Ashford (Middlesex) in a few places recently although it appears to be called Ashford (Surrey) on both National Rail Enquiries and tickets. Similarly Hayes (Kent) often appears as Hayes (Middlesex) even though the county of Middlesex was abolished in 1965, and also the fact Hayes isn't even in Kent, it's in Greater London. The suffix presumably exists to avoid confusion with Hayes & Harlington also in Greater London, which should also not be confused with Harlington (Beds)

Newport (Gwent) pops up sometimes. Why not just Newport Wales? Or Newport! Bramley (Hants) I presume also has a twin somewhere else?

 

[bigfoote]

I've too heard Worthing Central from staff, I guess due to local working etc, it's become a clear definer between East, West and...well, central.
Also, Chi(chester), Pompey (I guess with most tickets being issued to Portsmouth Stns, it's not an issue), and overheard recently: "Hello mate, return to Gunwharf" - which would refer to Portsmouth Harbour, Gunwharf Quays being the retail park next door.

EDIT: To clarify Gunwharf.

 

[onlinespotting]

Newport (Gwent) pops up sometimes. Why not just Newport Wales? Or Newport! Bramley (Hants) I presume also has a twin somewhere else?

There's Bramley in Leeds, but it's simply known as 'Bramley' without suffix I think (though it may be advertised on ticket machines as Bramley (W Yorks) ...

 

[Mojo]

Newport (Gwent) pops up sometimes. Why not just Newport Wales? Or Newport! Bramley (Hants) I presume also has a twin somewhere else?

I have a ticket from 2006 which refers to it as Newport (Gwent) but more recent tickets which say Newport S.Wales, so I assume the change was not done that long ago.

 

[stut]

Nearly did that in Czechia recently — wanting to change at České Budějovice, we saw it on the PIS and got up. Luckily the guard was on the ball and she stopped us getting off at České Budějovice jižní zastávka ("... South Station")!

It works both ways, mind... I used to travel regularly to Amsterdam, and kept a bike there. Depending on the time of year, I'd either leave it at Schiphol (summer) or Amsterdam-Zuid (winter) and then would ride it to wherever I was staying, usually south of the canal belt anyway.

The ever-helpful Dutch do like to make sure you're on the right train, and do tend to assume that, as a foreigner, you're headed to CS. So, apart from the red lettering on the departure screen warning you it doesn't go to Amsterdam CS, the announcement warning you of the same, you do get told by all and sundry that hey, you know, this train doesn't go to Centraal. I appreciate the sentiment...

The same thing used to happen on the Thameslink Moorgate branch. I used to work near Moorgate. It was a very casual office, and I'd often return off a flight in the morning (whether overnight or just early) and head into the office from Gatwick or Luton. So it was quite convenient to hop on an empty Moorgate Thameslink rather than a crowded (and they were quite awful at that stage) Circle/Met train. But everybody assumed I was departing and would tell me I was on the wrong train...

 

[eastwestdivide]

Hull Paragon seems to crop up frequently as an earlier post pointed out. What is surprising is that the other Hull terminus, Cannon Street closed to passengers in 1924, so there are probably very few living people who would remember it, although I think it became a goods station. A lot of people in Hull actually say "Paragon station"

They even had "Paragon" on the scrolling destination indicator on a Hull Trains service I was on recently:

 

[daodao]

I have a ticket from 2006 which refers to it as Newport (Gwent) but more recent tickets which say Newport S.Wales, so I assume the change was not done that long ago.

Newport should be defined as Newport (Gwent), as there is another (much smaller) Newport in South Wales, between Fishguard and Cardigan.

 

[Spartacus]

As mentioned before, there's places that still retain their historic name, even though it might not be printed on the tickets any more, I think Bedford can still be correctly referred to as Bedford Midland, and even Hull as Hull Paragon, they're in TRUST anyway.

 

[AlterEgo]

Newport should be defined as Newport (Gwent), as there is another (much smaller) Newport in South Wales, between Fishguard and Cardigan.

Does that have a station?

 

[BestWestern]

Newport should be defined as Newport (Gwent), as there is another (much smaller) Newport in South Wales, between Fishguard and Cardigan.

That is very interesting, I had no idea that was the case!