Trivia: Station nicknames

[Clansman]

But aren’t these the nicknames of the towns themselves? It follows that you would use the same for the station...

See Wolves, Cov, Toon, Boro’, etc.

Perhaps.

But if it is used to apply to the railway station then it would count just as much.

I’ve heard people at Barry asking for tickets to “The General” meaning Cardiff Central, referring to its old name of Cardiff General.

I've heard Barry used for Barry Links once or twice over the years. Like Broughty Ferry (The Ferry), it's more of a Dundee thing.

 

[Class800]

Exeter St Davids often called St Davids locally - that sort of thing is common -might confuse ticket offices if used too far afield

 

[75A]

Pompey as a collective for Portsmouth services, Southsea for Portsmouth & Southsea. High level and low level would likely be recognised as well.

Have also heard Basingstoke called Blazing Smoke, as well as Chi regularly referred to for Chichester. Similarly Winch for Winchester.

People like myself born and brought up in Bognor also call Chichester, Chitter.

Nothing to do with station names, but the areas between Bexhill & Eastbourne and Worthing and Chichester are both known as the costa del geriatrica.

 

[Flange Squeal]

Chessington South and Shepperton are often referred to by staff as 'Chessie' and 'Sheppy' respectively. With both also being at the end of branch lines, you can often hear someone say they've "got a Chessie", or the dreaded "double Sheppy".

It's also not all that uncommon to hear Aldershot have its 'o' replaced with an 'i'.

I've heard in the past Brockenhurst shortened to 'Brock' but not sure if it's widespread, however the branch line from it to Lymington Pier is often referred to as "the Lymmy branch".

 

[D6130]

A few more Yorkshire examples:

Micklefield = Mickey

Church Fenton = Fenton

Castleford = Cass (or Cas Vegas)

Skipton = Skippy

Woodlesford = Woody

 

[Class800]

Slawit - but it's more of a very local pronunication - of Slathwaite

Some people call Shrewsbury station Salop

Totnes - usually just gets an exagerated rhotic vowel on the 'o' to make it sound very west country, but can have all sorts of nicknames! But it's more than town that the station per se. But one of the nicknames for Totnes is 'Narnia' given its wiccan / new agey feel.

Tiverton Parkway - Tivvy Porkway

Barnstaple - Barny (not the dutch darts player)

Okehampton = Okey, could lead to some jokes about the Okey Cokey!

The silly nicknames people give to Devon towns and villages

The light-hearted map is one of a series being created for the whole country - but Devon has really taken it to its heart

www.devonlive.com

Not a station but Holsworthy town often gets called Hosiery!

 

[johntea]

What I find interesting is you have Barnsley Interchange, Meadowhall Interchange, probably plenty of others but the only rail station I can think of that keeps the 'Interchange' in the actual station name is Bradford Interchange!

 

[Peter0124]

Wishaw - Wishy
Cambuslang - Camby

 

[Class800]

Thing is how many of these are actually used, e.g. in asking for a ticket? Maybe very few. Maybe Tivvy Parkway would be said if at Exeter St Davids

Drifting off a bit maybe, but there's a place Launceston in Cornwall that's often called Lanson - can through people off, as can many Norfolk places and ones in Scotland - the Scotrail service to Mull Guy (Milngavie)

 

[341o2]

Thing is how many of these are actually used, e.g. in asking for a ticket? Maybe very few. Maybe Tivvy Parkway would be said if at Exeter St Davids

Drifting off a bit maybe, but there's a place Launceston in Cornwall that's often called Lanson - can through people off, as can many Norfolk places and ones in Scotland - the Scotrail service to Mull Guy (Milngavie)

Well, don't pronounce it Lawnn-cess-ton. More like lawn-stuhn

 

[Class800]

Lawn stuhn or Lanson - heard both, but not Lawn Cess Ton!

 

[341o2]

Not a station but Holsworthy town often gets called Hosiery!

Holsworthy used to have a station. An old story is that locally Elfords Town sounded like Yelverton, hence the station name

Lawn stuhn or Lanson - heard both, but not Lawn Cess Ton!

That is not the way to say it, like the tourists who want to go to Mouse-hole. they say it slowly and clearly so the yokel will understand as I heard on the bus from Penzance

 

[D6130]

Kiddie = Kidderminster

Rammy = Ramsbottom (now ELR)

Tod = Todmorden

 

[61653 HTAFC]

What I find interesting is you have Barnsley Interchange, Meadowhall Interchange, probably plenty of others but the only rail station I can think of that keeps the 'Interchange' in the actual station name is Bradford Interchange!

I've heard BDI referred to as "Bradford Intercourse" before...

 

[SuspectUsual]

Mytholmroyd is known just as Royd, both the station and the village

 

[xotGD]

London King's Cross = The Blocks

I guess this could be applied to other terminus stations, but from the north east, it only meant one thing.

 

[Ianno87]

Platforms 8-11 at Euston are known as "The Wood".

 

[Grecian 1998]

Apparently the Dorset halts on the Heart of Wessex line are known locally as Chetnole Interchange, Yetminster Parkway and Thornford International (I think - I'm fairly sure on the last one anyway). A joke based on the fact that Chetnole and Thornford are two small slabs of concrete in the middle of the Dorset countryside, with no population immediately nearby, and no onwards connections. Yetminster is at least in the village it serves.

 

[75A]

Platforms 8-11 at Euston are known as "The Wood".

Why?

 

[Ianno87]

Why?

In the pre-1960s Station they were quite literally made from wood.

 

[75A]

In the pre-1960s Station they were quite literally made from wood.

Thanks, being a southern man not very familiar with the other railways.

 

[NorthWestRover]

I pronounce Crewe "Cree Wee" - only in my head nowadays. I probably used to be very annoying as a teenage spotter/basher when I said it out loud.

 

[Class800]

The next station is PENIS TOWN, giggles. OK I know it's not meant to be said like that

 

[GrimsbyPacer]

A lot of it is just town nicknames, like Darlo for Darlington, Brido for Bridlington, etc. Hull station actually uses the city nickname Hull rather than the formal name Kingston-upon-Hull, which is interesting.... Some people do give Penistone station the nickname of PENIS TOWN pronounced how it looks, well it's funnier!

Bridlington is often called Brid, never heard Brido. Pennystone is how the town needs to be spelt I think. Nearby Wombwell also had it's name corrupted to sound like an organ.

Only time I heard staff use an unusual nickname was a guard talking about "Fitzbilly".

 

[Class800]

Brid vs Brido - I think it varies. My northern family all say Brido. Like Darlo. But it will vary as it's a local thing. Pennystone would be a nice name actually

 

[Taunton]

Bristol TM is locally known as "Temps". Actually "Bristol TM" in itself is effectively another nickname.

Lot of doubt about Edinburgh. The timetable, which one would have thought was official, just says Edinburgh, whereas universally in the city, and indeed on railway signage, it just calls it Waverley. If you asked a taxi driver for Edinburgh Station they would be sure to clarify Waverley or Haymarket.

 

[Class800]

Agree about Waverley - even heard it more like Wavy at times. The station Goole - when I was a teenager, I pronounced it Goolie like the slang word for the male anatomy

 

[GrimsbyPacer]

Hold on, I just remembered one time the train driver announced we were approaching Derby (not said like Darbe but Derbe). Everyone laughed.

 

[bramling]

Golders???? Used to live there but never heard it shortened

May not be used locally, but certainly very much used by staff.

 

[quattromatt]

A few more Yorkshire examples:

Micklefield = Mickey

Church Fenton = Fenton

Castleford = Cass (or Cas Vegas)

Skipton = Skippy

Woodlesford = Woody

Pontefract = ponte Carlo

Anyone guess where st awful is?