Falkirk Grahamston to become Falkirk Central

[ScotsRail]

STV reporting this morning that Falkirk has received government funding for 11 major infrastructure projects and hidden away in the story is the following,

Multi-million pound Falkirk Growth Deal set to be signed - STV News

The £21m transport hub at Falkirk Grahamston – which will be renamed Falkirk Central – will be part of a ‘green corridor’, including the new Westfield Crossing, that will connect Falkirk and Grangemouth for cyclists and pedestrians.

So how easy is it to change a station name? Does someone in ScotGov or Falkirk Council just phone up and ask or is there a consultation period? I do note that the story does not mention when any name change will happen, I would assume it would be at the same time as the opening of this new transport hub.

 

[d9009alycidon]

It has happened often enough in the past without any big carry on, for example Finnieston became Exhibition Centre overnight.

 

[pdeaves]

STV reporting this morning that Falkirk has received government funding for 11 major infrastructure projects and hidden away in the story is the following,

Multi-million pound Falkirk Growth Deal set to be signed - STV News

The £21m transport hub at Falkirk Grahamston – which will be renamed Falkirk Central – will be part of a ‘green corridor’, including the new Westfield Crossing, that will connect Falkirk and Grangemouth for cyclists and pedestrians.

So how easy is it to change a station name? Does someone in ScotGov or Falkirk Council just phone up and ask or is there a consultation period? I do note that the story does not mention when any name change will happen, I would assume it would be at the same time as the opening of this new transport hub.

As I read that, there is sufficient ambiguity that Falkirk Grahamston station, still named as such, could be a part of the overall Falkirk Central scheme. But yes, if there is a change it is relatively straightforward if someone provides the funding to change the systems that need changing.

 

[InOban]

Certainly much more central than Falkirk High!

 

[MadMac]

Just from the signalling side, multiple drawings and displays/panels would need updated. It’s a costly exercise.

 

[mmh]

Just from the signalling side, multiple drawings and displays/panels would need updated. It’s a costly exercise.

Hmm. Perfectly possible for stations to have public names different from ones that are used internally, sometimes multiple ones for the same place.

Why should what somewhere's called on a signalling system matter?

 

[Deepgreen]

It has happened often enough in the past without any big carry on, for example Finnieston became Exhibition Centre overnight.

All name changes happen "overnight" - the question is with how much consultation? It is interesting to note that following Smitham's renaming to Coulsdon Town, some trains' destination blinds had the addendum, at least until recently, "formerly Smitham". The on line OS map option of 'Bing' maps still shows it as Smitham too!

 

[mmh]

All name changes happen "overnight" - the question is with how much consultation? It is interesting to note that following Smitham's renaming to Coulsdon Town, some trains' destination blinds had the addendum, at least until recently, "formerly Smitham". The on line OS map option of 'Bing' maps still shows it as Smitham too!

The on-board displays on Southern trains included "(formerly Smitham)" for a year or so after it was renamed. Renaming things is not difficult. We've managed to rename whole towns with less difficulty than some here would suggest renaming just a station causes!

 

[Railwaysceptic]

The on-board displays on Southern trains included "(formerly Smitham)" for a year or so after it was renamed. Renaming things is not difficult. We've managed to rename whole towns with less difficulty than some here would suggest renaming just a station causes!

Exactly; which is why I have a bee in my bonnet about the refusal to rename the wrongly labelled Dudding Hill signal box Dudden Hill, the area of London in which it's situated.

 

[InOban]

Going back to the topic, surely in this computer age changing the name in the system is little more than conducting a Search and Replace?

But I'm sure that the public would continue to call it Grahamston for several decades.

Interestingly, I believe that the area of Glasgow flattened to build Central was called Grahamston.

 

[Acfb]

It's interesting that they're changing the name as I don't see Falkirk Grahamston as much of a destination station. Camelon for example is closer to the Falkirk wheel.

 

[matchmaker]

It's interesting that they're changing the name as I don't see Falkirk Grahamston as much of a destination station. Camelon for example is closer to the Falkirk wheel.

Grahamston is however in the centre of the town, and is also near to a large retail park.

 

[Clansman]

Crikey, what is the point? Everybody knows it as Grahamston. For who's benefit would it be in calling it Central other than a marketing department?

 

[The exile]

Crikey, what is the point? Everybody knows it as Grahamston. For who's benefit would it be in calling it Central other than a marketing department?

I suppose the point is that, with Falkirk High being the stop on the "flagship" Edinburgh - Glasgow service, it would be easy to assume that it is the "main" Falkirk station - especially since the other one doesn't have a name indicating that it is more central. Indeed, with no disrespect to "Grahamston", it sounds far more like "somewhere that isn't really in Falkirk but we've added the name because it's the nearest this line gets to the town" - which is not the case. Despite having spent my formative years only about 20 miles away, it's a mistake I would have made.

 

[XAM2175]

it's a mistake I would have made.

It was my presumption too until I actually looked at a map.

 

[greyman42]

I suppose the point is that, with Falkirk High being the stop on the "flagship" Edinburgh - Glasgow service, it would be easy to assume that it is the "main" Falkirk station - especially since the other one doesn't have a name indicating that it is more central. Indeed, with no disrespect to "Grahamston", it sounds far more like "somewhere that isn't really in Falkirk but we've added the name because it's the nearest this line gets to the town" - which is not the case. Despite having spent my formative years only about 20 miles away, it's a mistake I would have made.

I have never been to Falkirk but have passed through countless times. I never knew that High was no where near the centre of Falkirk and would have alighted there if i had been visiting.

 

[Pigeon]

I would look at a map before I bought my ticket.

 

[backontrack]

I suppose the point is that, with Falkirk High being the stop on the "flagship" Edinburgh - Glasgow service, it would be easy to assume that it is the "main" Falkirk station - especially since the other one doesn't have a name indicating that it is more central. Indeed, with no disrespect to "Grahamston", it sounds far more like "somewhere that isn't really in Falkirk but we've added the name because it's the nearest this line gets to the town" - which is not the case. Despite having spent my formative years only about 20 miles away, it's a mistake I would have made.

That's exactly the impression the name gives!

 

[Falcon1200]

I never knew that High was no where near the centre of Falkirk and would have alighted there if i had been visiting.

That's understandable, given that for most of history High has benefitted from both more frequent and faster services from both Edinburgh and Glasgow than Grahamston.

 

[adrock1976]

I suppose the point is that, with Falkirk High being the stop on the "flagship" Edinburgh - Glasgow service, it would be easy to assume that it is the "main" Falkirk station - especially since the other one doesn't have a name indicating that it is more central. Indeed, with no disrespect to "Grahamston", it sounds far more like "somewhere that isn't really in Falkirk but we've added the name because it's the nearest this line gets to the town" - which is not the case. Despite having spent my formative years only about 20 miles away, it's a mistake I would have made.

I do get High being the "main" station for Falkirk, as it is assigned the three letter code of FKK.

Grahamston is presently assigned FKG. Should if Grahamston is renamed to Central, would the last letter have to change from G to C?

 

[Butts]

I do get High being the "main" station for Falkirk, as it is assigned the three letter code of FKK.

Grahamston is presently assigned FKG. Should if Grahamston is renamed to Central, would the last letter have to change from G to C?

Absolutely outrageous we don't want any name changes !!

Why not conncentrate on reletting the Old Paper Shop Inside which has been empty for two years since the lady who manned it for decades retired.

They have recently wasted money on installing LNER Coach Indicator Signage that looks hideous.

There was a short lived bus service that connected High and Grahamston at one time - it is quite a walk a large part of it uphill form FKG to FKK

 

[backontrack]

I do get High being the "main" station for Falkirk, as it is assigned the three letter code of FKK.

Grahamston is presently assigned FKG. Should if Grahamston is renamed to Central, would the last letter have to change from G to C?

I imagine it won't change. After all, Kirkby Stephen is still KSW, and it hasn't been called Kirkby Stephen West for a long time.

 

[adrock1976]

Absolutely outrageous we don't want any name changes !!

Why not conncentrate on reletting the Old Paper Shop Inside which has been empty for two years since the lady who manned it for decades retired.

They have recently wasted money on installing LNER Coach Indicator Signage that looks hideous.

There was a short lived bus service that connected High and Grahamston at one time - it is quite a walk a large part of it uphill form FKG to FKK

I would like to mention that I am not advocating any name changes at all. The only ones I have suggested in other threads previously (if it can really be classed as a name change as it is simply reinstating the suffix) are Oxford to Oxford General (since the opening of Parkway), and Reading to Reading General (as there is West, the recent Green Park, and I have heard proposals for another Reading something station on the London Waterloo route). Reinstating the "General suffix to Reading would also fit in with the three letter code as it is RDG.*

Regarding the LNER signage, there is also the Caledonian Sleeper screen at Grahamston that I have noticed the last couple of times I have picked up the overnight sleeper train there when travelling to Crewe. That also seems a waste of time, although it is against the wall of the booking office on the Edinburgh bound platform from how I remember it.

When I used to reside in Springburn and when the Queen Street - Edinburgh used to depart at xx00 and xx30 during late evening, it was still possible to pick up the overnight sleeper at Grahamston as there was sufficient walking time between High and Grahamston (minimum 25 minutes interchange time). Since the late evening (pre pandemic) departure times from both Queen Street and Waverley were moved to xx15 and xx45, it is not possible to depart on the 23:45 ex Queen Street to High and walk to Grahamston, as it is less than the minimum interchange time of 25 minutes (the sleeper departs circa 00:28).

When I was visiting my mum back in August/September, although I could have picked up the Edinburgh train (23:45 ex Queen Street) at Croy (due 23:56), I would not be confident in running between High and Grahamston stations even at that time of night due to my cardiac health (mild angina), which I am prescribed medication for (simvastatin to reduce cholesterol, and dispersible aspirin to reduce blood pressure, which also thins it as well). I got a taxi to Cumbernauld station along South Carbrain Road and picked up the last Queen Street - Grahamston train (due 23:3x, arriving Grahamston around midnight). Fortunately, it was pleasant weather wise and not raining at all.

*PS: As I am originally from the West Midlands, Cradley Heath was my local station which was on the ex Stourbridge Railway (connecting the ex Oxford, Worcester, & Wolverhampton to the ex Shrewsbury & Birmingham). This eventually amalgamated with other railways and became part of the mighty Great Western Railway, hence how I tend to be a traditionalist in some aspects regarding the former GWR/BR Western Region.