What would you rename Stratford International to?

[NorthKent1989]

I like New Stratford, it’s simple and it is the newer of the two Stratford stations.

I also like Stratford Highspeed, it’s similar to West Hampstead Thameslink.

Stratford International would only work if International trains actually called there.

 

[zwk500]

Stratford International would only work if International trains actually called there.

When you say 'work', the implication is that the name currently isn't working. Are people routinely saying 'I'm not travelling internationally, therefore my train to St Pancras must be going from the normal Stratford station'?

The point of the suffix is to differentiate it from the normal Stratford Station. To that end it could be called 'Stratford Gloria Estefan' and it would still 'work' as being two distinct stations.

 

[alholmes]

More sensibly, perhaps the HS terminal could be known as 'low level', or similar. The tracks & platforms are definitely lower than any at the domestic station, with even the Central line coming up for air.

The former platforms to/from North Woolwich, now platforms 16 & 17, used to be known as Stratford Low Level. I believe the signal box at the end of the platform had that name too. I still regard platforms 13-17 as the low level.

 

[NorthKent1989]

When you say 'work', the implication is that the name currently isn't working. Are people routinely saying 'I'm not travelling internationally, therefore my train to St Pancras must be going from the normal Stratford station'?

The point of the suffix is to differentiate it from the normal Stratford Station. To that end it could be called 'Stratford Gloria Estefan' and it would still 'work' as being two distinct stations.

I know why there is a suffix but the suffix in Stratford’s case makes zero sense seeing as no international trains have ever called there.

 

[stuu]

I know why there is a suffix but the suffix in Stratford’s case makes zero sense seeing as no international trains have ever called there.

Does it bother you that you can't get a train to Waterloo from Waterloo station?

 

[Bletchleyite]

I like the idea of Stratford Olympic though the International Olympic Committee tend to want a piece of the pie for that. Westfield would be a pain if the shopping centre rebranded. Stratford Park might work if we need to leave Olympic out.

Stratford North and South would work.

Does it bother you that you can't get a train to Waterloo from Waterloo station?

Also the other obvious station with an International suffix bar the Eurostar ones (Birmingham) only has international services by air!

 

[zwk500]

I know why there is a suffix but the suffix in Stratford’s case makes zero sense seeing as no international trains have ever called there.

Making sense and functioning are two different things though. The suffix, while inaccurate, fulfills the function of differentiating the stations.

I like the idea of Stratford Olympic though the International Olympic Committee tend to want a piece of the pie for that. Westfield would be a pain if the shopping centre rebranded. Stratford Park might work if we need to leave Olympic out.

The IOC don't have a monopoly on the word 'Olympic' though. Sydney has an Olympic Park station I'm fairly sure, I'd be surprised if they were paying the IOC a fee for it.

Stratford North and South would work.

Makes it sound quite regional. I'd call the main Stratford station either Central or General (as presumably Hbf won't be allowed ).

Also the other obvious station with an International suffix bar the Eurostar ones (Birmingham) only has international services by air!

Named for Birmingham International Airport, so the Int'l suffix is rather justified there! Maybe one day there'll be a regional Eurostar that calls at Birmingham International and Stratford International on it's way to Calais.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Named for Birmingham International Airport, so the Int'l suffix is rather justified there! Maybe one day there'll be a regional Eurostar that calls at Birmingham International and Stratford International on it's way to Calais.

Ironically if there ever is (unlikely) it'll probably call at Birmingham Interchange (the HS2 station) instead!

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Does it bother you that you can't get a train to Waterloo from Waterloo station?

I see the valid point you're making here, but Waterloo maybe isn't the best example as you can in fact get a train to Waterloo from there, in the form of the Kingston and Hounslow rounders!

 

[Bletchleyite]

I see the valid point you're making here, but Waterloo maybe isn't the best example as you can in fact get a train to Waterloo from there, in the form of the Kingston and Hounslow rounders!

I suspect the station under discussion was Waterloo (Merseyside)...

 

[stuu]

I see the valid point you're making here, but Waterloo maybe isn't the best example as you can in fact get a train to Waterloo from there, in the form of the Kingston and Hounslow rounders!

 

[61653 HTAFC]

I suspect the station under discussion was Waterloo (Merseyside)...

Or the site of the actual battle in Belgium, whether or not it has a station!

 

[cool110]

Not sure if anyone else has had the pleasure of Philly airport rail station, but a single very long platform (walkable) is designated at multiple stations at each end. Nuts, but a precedent.

An idea they took from us, from 1929 until it closed in 1969 Manchester Exchange platform 3 was extended over the bridge to merge into Manchester Victoria platform 11.

 

[vuzzeho]

Stratford East? After East Village. Maybe Stratford Olympic would be better.

 

[NorthKent1989]

Does it bother you that you can't get a train to Waterloo from Waterloo station?

Via the Kingston or Richmond/Hounslow loop you can do that, not quite sure what this has to do with Stratford

 

[MarkyT]

Another suggestion: Stratford South Eastern.

 

[stuu]

Via the Kingston or Richmond/Hounslow loop you can do that, not quite sure what this has to do with Stratford

Can you get to Victoria from Victoria, or Paddington from Paddington? Worrying about a suffix which may or may not ever be appropriate seems very unimportant in the grand scheme of things, it's been called that for 15 years with no obvious evidence of people getting confused. There are vastly more important things that need money spent on them

 

[NorthKent1989]

Can you get to Victoria from Victoria, or Paddington from Paddington? Worrying about a suffix which may or may not ever be appropriate seems very unimportant in the grand scheme of things, it's been called that for 15 years with no obvious evidence of people getting confused. There are vastly more important things that need money spent on them

So nothing should change even if it makes zero sense? I’m really not sure why you’re so hung up on “Victoria to Victoria” services since it has nothing to do with this subject and clearly not relevant, but as I have said no international trains have ever called at Stratford an none ever will, it’s utterly redundant to for it to keep it as an “international” station, so therefore something more practical would be worth it.

 

[stuu]

Because the whole question is based on a misconception about how British railway stations are suffixed. They are generally geographic (or named after Victoria), so Paddington station is called that because it's in Paddington, not because that's where you catch trains to, otherwise it would be called the Bristol station. Stratford International is the station in Stratford on the international line so is entirely sensibly named, in line with 200 years of British railway practice

 

[Doctor Fegg]

"Stratford Channelsea", after the nearby, mostly culverted, river. Has the advantage that if international services ever do start, you can point out that it's where you catch a train to go under the Channel/sea.

 

[NorthKent1989]

Because the whole question is based on a misconception about how British railway stations are suffixed. They are generally geographic (or named after Victoria), so Paddington station is called that because it's in Paddington, not because that's where you catch trains to, otherwise it would be called the Bristol station. Stratford International is the station in Stratford on the international line so is entirely sensibly named, in line with 200 years of British railway practice

Every station between Clapham High Street and Ashford prior to 2007 was on a international line on a former route of the Eurostar from Waterloo, and historically this was the main route to the boat trains to France, should those intermediate stations have had international suffix added on? They were no more international than Stratford “International” is, just because something is in practice for 200 years doesn’t make it right in every case

 

[Mgameing123]

A question that's been done to death, sure, but reading the recent thread about the station it seems highly unlikely that its name will ever be accurate. So what would you rename it to?
My amateur thoughts:
Stratford High Speed (similar to stations in France with 'TGV' at the end of the name)
Stratford North, potentially, although it might lead those unfamiliar with the network to think it's just a smaller local station
Stratford Gateway - as the station is London's high speed gateway to the southeast (and the name sounds quite cool).

Stratford HS1, Stratford High Speed, Stratford Kent Line, Stratford Southeastern.

 

[stuu]

Every station between Clapham High Street and Ashford prior to 2007 was on a international line on a former route of the Eurostar from Waterloo, and historically this was the main route to the boat trains to France, should those intermediate stations have had international suffix added on? They were no more international than Stratford “International” is, just because something is in practice for 200 years doesn’t make it right in every case

They already existed and didn't need an identifying suffix added, so not relevant

 

[The exile]

I like New Stratford, it’s simple and it is the newer of the two Stratford stations.

I also like Stratford Highspeed, it’s similar to West Hampstead Thameslink.

Stratford International would only work if International trains actually called there.

Stratford New - to maintain the general principle that suffix words tends to apply to the station itself whereas prefixes are either part of a local place name or more widely geographically correct (ie “ North Anytown” serves the north of Anytown, “Anytown North” just places it in relation to the other station in Anytiwn, or is a nod to a historical owner). Cue the long list of exceptions….

 

[NorthKent1989]

They already existed and didn't need an identifying suffix added, so not relevant

It is relevant actually, Ashford never had international trains until 1996, and rightly gained the suffix because guess what ? International trains actually stopped there, and most likely will do so again, meanwhile Stratford won’t get International trains and therefore name makes no sense and is frankly redundant, it’s served predominantly by Highspeed trains so Stratford Highspeed it should be renamed to, doing something for 200 years doesn’t make it correct nor should we keep doing something because xyz has always been the way so that’s actually not relevant now is it

 

[MTR380A]

Stratford Intranational, a change small enough that you just need a few post-it

 

[duffield]

Can you get to Victoria from Victoria, or Paddington from Paddington? Worrying about a suffix which may or may not ever be appropriate seems very unimportant in the grand scheme of things, it's been called that for 15 years with no obvious evidence of people getting confused. There are vastly more important things that need money spent on them

I'd qualify that by saying it *is* worth changing the name if the shopping centre pays a big wodge to get it renamed "Stratford Westfield". Big enough to cover all the renaming costs upfront, plus an annual naming fee, plus a reversion fee for early exit from (say) a ten year contract. In that case it would be profitable for the railway and the money could be spent on other railway improvements.

But it's probably not worth that much to the Westfield owners, so in that case, definitely a waste of money to change the name.

 

[NorthKent1989]

Stratford New - to maintain the general principle that suffix words tends to apply to the station itself whereas prefixes are either part of a local place name or more widely geographically correct (ie “ North Anytown” serves the north of Anytown, “Anytown North” just places it in relation to the other station in Anytiwn, or is a nod to a historical owner). Cue the long list of exceptions….

That would also work

 

[Yorkshireguy]

The station is located on International Way. Perhaps the name is more accurate than we think!

 

[alholmes]

Stratford Westfield would be rather pointless, as far more people arrive at Westfield from Stratford station than from Stratford International.