Liverpool Central might not be a 'ridiculous' name, but most people from outside would imagine it to be the city's main station. Geographically it is no more and no less central than Lime Street; it was of course named after the former mainline station which had, I suppose, pretensions to being 'the' main station. Now that no longer exists Liverpool Central is solely a station (admittedly the busiest) on the Merseyrail metro network. And of course could be confused (I don't know how often it is) with Birkenhead Central only a few stops away. It would be wonderful if the currently empty but stunning Lyceum building next to it could be incorporated into the complex and the station renamed Lyceum.
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Trivia: Most ridiculously named station in UK
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That was just a coincidence. The first, and undoubtedly most successful, was Bristol Parkway, and the name came from the adjacent new road which was called The Parkway before it became better known as the M32. The value of a main line station there was because as the Bristol suburbs expanded in the 1960s, they overran the South Wales Main Line, which had a regular service of trains to London, and the new road gave better access for much of the Bristol urban area than Temple Meads.
Locally the stations are both known without their "Bristol" prefix. Temple Meads, a unique name, has always been such.
Dr_Paul
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When I was young, none of them had the 'London' prefix, there was just Waterloo, Paddington, Victoria, etc. Does anyone know why the prefix was added?
Emphasis on the word "former" there.
...well there is a Waterloo on Merseyside (and in Belgium), Victoria in Manchester, Southend and (formerly) Sheffield...
Merrily wheeling out stereotypes -- possibly an instance of what people from further south, see as the "blunt and matter-of-fact" tendency of North of England folk: "Mumps is what the area is called; so that's what we'll call the station -- to hell with fancy-dandy gentrifying-and-prettifying stuff".
steamybrian
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When Ebbsfleet International first opened I thought it was an odd name as there is no place called Ebbsfleet.
Since the station opened the area around the station (including former chalk pits) is being redeveloped creating a new town called Ebbsfleet.
Since the station opened the area around the station (including former chalk pits) is being redeveloped creating a new town called Ebbsfleet.
Spartacus
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Technically the first Parkway, although BR had built a number of stations specifically to cater for commuting motorists in the 60s, I think the Parkway idea was just taking this a step further. New Pudsey is one of these, and it's name is one of the anomalies. Rather than being a station for a place called New Pudsey (there isn't one), it's called as such as the 'New station for Pudsey', although both previous Pudsey stations had closed before it was built, and it's in Farsley, not Pudsey!
Ebbsfleet did actually exist as an ancient local name; it was the point at which the Fleet river (which also gave its name to Northfleet and Southfleet) ceased to be tidal, and the name presumably comes from the ebb of a receding tide. Although not a modern settlement there is archaeological evidence that prehistoric humans lived there.
Re: Upwey (can't locate the original post): this was originally called Upwey Junction as it is where the branch line for Upwey (and on to Portesham and Abbotsbury) diverged from the main line. It was later named Upwey & Broadwey to reflect its proximity to the latter settlement, but the Broadwey fell victim to the later trend to simplify such station names.
LNW-GW Joint
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And Leamington Spa, and Droitwich Spa.
Not Buxton, oddly, despite being famous for its waters.
LNW-GW Joint
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Many stations called Central (and Midland) only got those formal suffices in BR days when they wanted to distinguish Great Central stations from Midland or other companies, not because they were particularly "central".
Previous owners didn't distinguish their stations, unless they owned another station in the same town.
There were at least 6 "Centrals" on the GC main line (probably would have been 8 but for the two "Victorias"), and got as far as Wigan and Wrexham, with a whole lot round Sheffield.
Not many pre-grouping company names left now, but Wigan North Western is one of them, and is the only station-name reminder of the LNWR.
Rugby Midland was an odd one, to distinguish it from Rugby Central, but it wasn't really a Midland station.
Mitch in Notts
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Carlton Station in Nottinghamshire is right on the edge of Netherfield Town Centre. Netherfield Station is on the edge of the place bordering Colwick.
Netherfield & Carlton and Colwick & Netherfield would make more sense. Oh wait they were (almost) called that prior to 1974....
Netherfield & Carlton and Colwick & Netherfield would make more sense. Oh wait they were (almost) called that prior to 1974....
backontrack
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How about Netherfield and South Netherfield?
VauxhallandI
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The town of Nokia is to the west (could even be a suburb) of Tampere?
Busaholic
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Until the latter moved to Chatham, where they can still be found.
In my defence, I am a Man of Kent by birth, so feel entitled to make the observation.Doesn't that depend on whether you lived in London or not? If you were travelling from outside the city you would surely ask for a ticket to "London", not a particular station.
Maurice3000
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I've always thought it smacked of arrogance to expect the rest of the country to know that 'Euston' (for instance) is a station in London. I live in London and know what Euston is, I don't automatically expect someone living in Exeter to know what Euston is.
I therefore think it makes sense to preface them with London (just like I think it make sense to call the station 'Bristol Temple Meads').
fairysdad
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But somebody living in Exeter would likely know what Paddington or Waterloo are whereas somebody in Crewe might not.
Surely the stations in London have always been shown in the timetable as London Paddington, London Euston, etc. And tickets have always said the same. In casual speech, the lack of any generic names there such as "Central" or "High Level" helps.
Within Scotland is the same, with Waverley and Queen Street commonly being used on their own, without difficulty. Dublin is likewise within Ireland.
Within Scotland is the same, with Waverley and Queen Street commonly being used on their own, without difficulty. Dublin is likewise within Ireland.
EM2
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Heuston or Connolly? Or maybe Pearse?
james60059
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I remember a few years back, I travelled from Reading to London Waterloo on the SouthWest Trains service, and one of the stations we called at was Martin's Heron. I wouldn't say it was a ridiculously named station, more of an intriguingly named station 
Maurice3000
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That is why I deliberately chose Exeter as an example as people coming to London from Exeter would not normally arrive at Euston.
It's not that strange for people to know "their" London station just like I know "my" Manchester station but I think that is not an excuse to leave the place name off the station.
Whereas of course it is part of Liverpool.
(non-rail-related but another one that gets up my nose is "St Paul's Cathedral")
DynamicSpirit
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Perhaps you could rename it Stratford Silly-Location-Shouldve-Been-Part-Of-Stratford-Main
randyrippley
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for American tourists to know where to get off
Mikey C
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One in North London I would nominate is Turkey Street, simply as it does sound a bit silly!
The road is named after the Turkey Creek which runs next to it, whose name has nothing to do with the bird we enjoy on Christmas Day
The road is named after the Turkey Creek which runs next to it, whose name has nothing to do with the bird we enjoy on Christmas Day
Perhaps you could rename it Stratford Silly-Location-Shouldve-Been-Part-Of-Stratford-Main
"Stratford-in-the-Hole" is the best alternative name I've heard
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