Couple of observations from my travels

[VideozVideoz]

I noticed 2 things this week on my rail sale travels into South Wales.

1) Fishguard Harbour station does not say Fishguard Harbour on any sign at the station. Has this always been the case or was there a sign many years ago? Just says port of Fishguard now (see pic)

2) Sign on the approach to Whitland station spells Haverfordwest incorrectly. Looks fairly old to me this one (see pic)

 

[Starmill]

The station isn't owned by Network Rail, but the port operator Stena Line. That probably explains why it's got that name. Perhaps Network Rail should rename it!

 

[VideozVideoz]

The station isn't owned by Network Rail, but the port operator Stena Line. That probably explains why it's got that name. Perhaps Network Rail should rename it!

Yep, I did know that but surprised the name Fishguard Harbour didn’t appear anywhere!

 

[Gathursty]

Indeed, I recall when taking photos of stations, I had to settle for the timetable poster which had Fishguard Harbour highlighted. See also Gilfach Fargoed. I'd like to think it doesn't cost the earth to put a metal sign up making the station name clear to all but nothing surprises me these days with regards to prices.

 

[VideozVideoz]

Indeed, I recall when taking photos of stations, I had to settle for the timetable poster which had Fishguard Harbour highlighted. See also Gilfach Fargoed. I'd like to think it doesn't cost the earth to put a metal sign up making the station name clear to all but nothing surprises me these days with regards to prices.

They must’ve removed the sign then when replacing the shelter! Never been to that station, but I have travelled that line!

 

[All platforms]

I too was quite puzzled that there was no station sign up at Fishguard Harbour when i visited last October. I am approx 25% through my journey to use all timetabled platforms at all stations and so far this is the only one not to have a sign. I have yet to visit Gilfach Fargoed however so i will be sure to have a good look when i do.

There are many examples of stations where there are no platform numbers shown however..... though i can forgive single line stations in this regard.

 

[The exile]

I too was quite puzzled that there was no station sign up at Fishguard Harbour when i visited last October. I am approx 25% through my journey to use all timetabled platforms at all stations and so far this is the only one not to have a sign. I have yet to visit Gilfach Fargoed however so i will be sure to have a good look when i do.

There are many examples of stations where there are no platform numbers shown however..... though i can forgive single line stations in this regard.

The only reason most 2 platform stations would need platform numbers is in connection with audio announcements and / or “all platform “ departure screens - both of which are relatively recent phenomena at most.

 

[uglymonkey]

Haverford West, Must be a Haverford East therefore Like at Canterbury!

 

[All platforms]

Haverford West, Must be a Haverford East therefore Like at Canterbury!

Does this mean there will be a new new station at Warrington called Warrington East then?

 

[WesternBiker]

Haverford West, Must be a Haverford East therefore Like at Canterbury!

There is: it's called Hereford!

The local pronunciation is "Harford" and there's a map showing it as "Herfordwest" in the 16th century. According to the Dictionary of British Place Names, the "west" got added added in the 15th century to avoid confusion with Hereford. (The origin of Haverfordwest is a "ford for cattle" - heifer-ford.)

 

[vlad]

I thought it was Hertford that was traditionally pronounced with a silent T. Hertford East station does exist....

 

[Ediswan]

I thought it was Hertford that was traditionally pronounced with a silent T. Hertford East station does exist....

Not that I have ever noticed, and I suspect I would have by now. Silent H maybe. The derivation is different 'deer crossing'.

 

[snowball]

Not that I have ever noticed, and I suspect I would have by now. Silent H maybe. The derivation is different 'deer crossing'.

A lot of people on the BBC, for example, pronounce the H in Hertford but not the T.

Similarly, the late Cliff Michelmore used to pronounce Scotland as Scolland.

And a lot (including BBC and politicians) pronounce Northern ireland as Norn Iron.

 

[Mordac]

A lot of people on the BBC, for example, pronounce the H in Hertford but not the T.

Similarly, the late Cliff Michelmore used to pronounce Scotland as Scolland.

And a lot (including BBC and politicians) pronounce Northern ireland as Norn Iron.

To be fair to the latter, that's how the Northern Irish say it too.

 

[Flying Snail]

A lot of people on the BBC, for example, pronounce the H in Hertford but not the T.

Similarly, the late Cliff Michelmore used to pronounce Scotland as Scolland.

And a lot (including BBC and politicians) pronounce Northern ireland as Norn Iron.

That is still better than referring to it as Ulster.

 

[vic-rijrode]

That is still better than referring to it as Ulster.

... which is of course the 9 counties - not 6. Cavan, Monaghan and Donegal which the Unionists in the 1922 partition did not want to include in NI because they all had a Catholic majority are also historically in Ulster although now in the Republic.

 

[uglymonkey]

Never understood why so "attached" to NI, Britain withdrew from loads of places around the globe whilst shedding the empire - some times against the will of a proportion of the population. Why not NI ? Why is it so "special" ?

 

[vic-rijrode]

Never understood why so "attached" to NI, Britain withdrew from loads of places around the globe whilst shedding the empire - some times against the will of a proportion of the population. Why not NI ? Why is it so "special" ?

It is "special" because the negotistions to end the war of independance between the IRA and the British in 1921 resulted in the partition of Ireland. The Unionists under General Carson who had the majoprity in the 6 counties were vehement in their desire to stay in the UK and threatened violence if they were made to join in the Irish Free State (which ultimately became the Republic).

The Irish under Michael Collins at the negotiation in London to end the war accepted the partition which De Valera (the de facto Irish leader) back in Dublin did not. This resulted in the Civil War between a breakaway IRA and a newly constituted Irish Army which only ended in 1923 with assassination of Collins by the IRA and then the defeat of the IRA.

That's a very simplified account of a complicated and turbulent time in our history.

It is "special" because the negotistions to end the war of independance between the IRA and the British in 1921 resulted in the partition of Ireland. The Unionists under General Carson who had the majoprity in the 6 counties were vehement in their desire to stay in the UK and threatened violence if they were made to join in the Irish Free State (which ultimately became the Republic).

The Irish under Michael Collins at the negotiation in London to end the war accepted the partition which De Valera (the de facto Irish leader) back in Dublin did not. This resulted in the Civil War between a breakaway IRA and a newly constituted Irish Army which only ended in 1923 with assassination of Collins by the IRA and then the defeat of the IRA.

That's a very simplified account of a complicated and turbulent time in our history.

To get back to the railway topic, the Ulster Government was very bus oriented and closed most of the railways in the 6 counties in the 1950s - including most of the cross-border lines.

 

[camperdown9]

Never understood why so "attached" to NI, Britain withdrew from loads of places around the globe whilst shedding the empire - some times against the will of a proportion of the population. Why not NI ? Why is it so "special" ?

Big subject and difficult to understand unless you have lived in Northern Ireland.

Britain isn't a country its the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. So its a bit like saying I don't understand why Britain didn't withdraw from Wales or Scotland or even England!

I grew up in Belfast in the 1970's and 80's and then you had two communities with pretty much zero immigration from anywhere else. One community, Nationalist wanted Ireland to be one country. The other, Unionists were maybe more British than the English, Scottish or Welsh. The unionist community at the time was by far the largest.

Unionist never referred to themselves as Irish they were British. Nationalist community, considered themselves Irish and not British.Now of course like all these things and what's never really reported is that a lot of people just didn't care.

Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland play ruby internationally as one team, but not football. If you are a senior citizen in Northern Ireland you can travel on public transport for free anywhere on the island of Ireland. If you are born in Northern Ireland you can have a British passport, an Irish Passport or both.

As I said this is a big subject and difficult to understand.

Alex