I’m wondering why the suffix of “Parkway” is placed in brackets on the station signs at Southampton Airport Parkway? It’s the only one of the Parkway railway stations that does this. The similar named Luton Airport Parkway station doesn’t do this, so why Southampton Airport Parkway? When the station is mentioned in timetables or shown on maps there are no brackets. Perhaps someone in the know could explain this?
-
Our booking engine at tickets.railforums.co.uk (powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!
Southampton Airport Parkway - why the brackets ?
- Thread starter Upton
- Start date
- Status
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R
RailUK Forums
paul1609
Established Member
I think its because the station is actually at the airport and is also used as a parkway station (its just off Junction 4 of the M27).I think its the shortest walk from the platform to check in at the terminal in the Uk. Luton Airport Parkway on the other hand requires a bus link or a half mile walk to the terminal.
![[.n]](/data/avatars/m/34/34036.jpg?1532861033){kind=avatar}
[.n]
Member
- Joined
- 8 Apr 2016
- Messages
- 708
"less than 100 paces from station to terminal" according to some of their advertising blurb a few years ago. I did try this out of curiosity and did just make it!
Wychwood93
Member
As former guard Gerry Masters used to say Southampton Airport Parkway 'International' - other guards I have known had similar individual variations on what may have been not expected from their Managers. Bomo based 'Spike' who was XC from early 90's used to do a laid back City of Winchester when coming into said city, probably prefaced with 'we are now approaching the'. Touches that customers quite like. Apology for drifting off-thread.
It's because the station was called Southampton Parkway between 1986 and 1994, and the locals got used to calling it "Parkway". It used to appear as "Southampton Airport (Parkway)" on the timetable from 1994, but eventually the brackets got dropped.
Thanks MikePJ. Does that mean that an individual somewhere decided to put brackets in the station name to compensate for this initially? Then they seem to have forgotten to remove them? It seems to be a bit of an anachronism if this is the case. I’m not sure if there are any other station names that have brackets, if any?
I think the brackets were intended as a temporary measure - essentially to mean "Southampton Airport (the station formerly known as Parkway)" but then people started saying it as a single phrase and the brackets got gradually removed. I would not be surprised if the station name still formally has brackets in it, hence the signage on the platforms. I have some recollection that the publicity around the change of name said that it was partly because so many people asked staff which station served the airport.
How does that compare to London City (DLR not NR) which is the shortest I have done. Wheels down to train moving in under 15 mins...
[.n]
Member
- Joined
- 8 Apr 2016
- Messages
- 708
I've done City airport as well, and I think it would be fair to say that the shortest distance (measured by amount of steps required) between what an average person might recognise as "platform" and the "terminal building" is probably still shorter as Southampton.
Its also possible to do less than 15 minutes from plane to train in terms of time.
pdeaves
Established Member
What is the official name? If you take what's on National Rail journey planner, for example, there are loads of stations with brackets, usually for similarly-named places to distinguish them (e.g. Chapelton (Devon) and Chapeltown (South Yorkshire)). I don't know whether Maesteg (Ewenny Road) carries parentheses on the actual signs.
stu
Member
I've got lucky at Soton before and been on a train in about 10 mins from the plane (hand luggage only).
A Challenge
Established Member
- Joined
- 24 Sep 2016
- Messages
- 2,823
That's lucky with train times as well, given its not as frequent as at London City and you could have doubled your transfer time whilst on the platform!
py_megapixel
Established Member
It's lucky that was before automated announcements.
"Calling at Basingstoke, Winchester, Southampton Parkway for Southampton Eastleigh Airport, Southampton Central, Brockenhurst and Bournemouth."
[.n]
Member
- Joined
- 8 Apr 2016
- Messages
- 708
You missed out Eastleigh
"Calling at Basingstoke, Winchester, Eastleigh, Southampton Parkway for Southampton Eastleigh Airport, Southampton Central, Brockenhurst and Bournemouth."
- Status