Former station names still in use today

[Farigiraf]

Recently I found out that the forum's ticket site (and Trainsplit) still shows Deansgate station as Deansgate G-Mex.

Names like Lincoln Central, Bedford/Derby/Sheffield Midland or even London St Pancras without the International are commonly used today, even though they have not been official for a while now.
Colchester station is often referred to as Colchester North (I don't think that name was ever even used officially!)

Any other instances from around the country?

 

[75A]

In the City of Portsmouth the locals still call Portsmouth & Southsea the 'Town' station.

 

[Taunton]

"Edinburgh" station is still universally known as Waverley, even in some official documents..

 

[LAX54]

Recently I found out that the forum's ticket site (and Trainsplit) still shows Deansgate station as Deansgate G-Mex.

Names like Lincoln Central, Bedford/Derby/Sheffield Midland or even London St Pancras without the International are commonly used today, even though they have not been official for a while now.
Colchester station is often referred to as Colchester North (I don't think that name was ever even used officially!)

Any other instances from around the country?
View attachment 145837

Colchester Town Station still refered to as St Botolphs by many. (although 'formerly St Bots' still appears on the sign outside the Station

 

[30907]

Colchester Town Station still refered to as St Botolphs by many. (although 'formerly St Bots' still appears on the sign outside the Station

Are there any others where the actual name (not the suffix or prefix) has changed?

E.g. do people still use "Lyndhurst Road"?

 

[gg1]

I still occasionally hear Sandwell & Dudley referred to as Oldbury, it was rebuilt and renamed in 1984.

 

[Farigiraf]

Are there any others where the actual name (not the suffix or prefix) has changed?

E.g. do people still use "Lyndhurst Road"?

Long-time users of Coulsdon Town station would still call it Smitham

Some locals probably still call Harwich International by its old name, Harwich Parkeston Quay

 

[AlterEgo]

"Edinburgh" station is still universally known as Waverley, even in some official documents..

But its name is Edinburgh Waverley, not just Edinburgh.

Waverley on its own isn’t a former name either; that station has never been officially known as just Waverley.

However “Edinburgh” is a former name! So work that out

 

[trebor79]

But its name is Edinburgh Waverley, not just Edinburgh.

Waverley on its own isn’t a former name either; that station has never been officially known as just Waverley.

However “Edinburgh” is a former name! So work that out

I've never really understood why the dropped "Edinburgh" from the other station that is now simply called "Haymarket".

 

[DunsBus]

"Edinburgh" station is still universally known as Waverley, even in some official documents..

I remember a proposal in the early eighties to rename Edinburgh Waverley as just plain Edinburgh. It went down with the public like a lead balloon and was quickly dropped.

 

[Farigiraf]

I've never really understood why the dropped "Edinburgh" from the other station that is now simply called "Haymarket".

Especially since there's a Haymarket station in Newcastle, right in the city centre

 

[norbitonflyer]

And confusingly there will soon be another Waverley station, near Sheffield.

(There will also be two Northumberland Parks when the Ashington branch opens)

 

[Magdalia]

Some locals probably still call Harwich International by its old name, Harwich Parkeston Quay

For that, it isn't necessary to be local!

 

[Farigiraf]

And confusingly there will soon be another Waverley station, near Sheffield.

(There will also be two Northumberland Parks when the Ashington branch opens)

Thorpe Park station, if/when it opens, will undoubtedly be called Leeds Thorpe Park by most people

 

[Ashley Hill]

Plymouth is still often referred to as North Road.

 

[Gaelan]

But its name is Edinburgh Waverley, not just Edinburgh.

Waverley on its own isn’t a former name either; that station has never been officially known as just Waverley.

However “Edinburgh” is a former name! So work that out

It's all over the place.

Edinburgh: RTT, BRtimes/fares, TrainSplit, LNER/Avanti/CS/TPE journey planners, LNER/Avanti station information pages, station departure boards (I think?), ScotRail website "train status" page
Edinburgh Waverley: Trainline journey planner (including ScotRail), ScotRail station information page, Network Rail station information page

Pretty sure there's also some disagreement in on-train and at-station announcements, but don't remember well enough to say which is which.

 

[Farigiraf]

It's all over the place.

Edinburgh: RTT, BRtimes/fares, TrainSplit, LNER/Avanti/CS/TPE journey planners, LNER/Avanti station information pages, station departure boards (I think?), ScotRail website "train status" page
Edinburgh Waverley: Trainline journey planner (including ScotRail), ScotRail station information page, Network Rail station information page

Pretty sure there's also some disagreement in on-train and at-station announcements, but don't remember well enough to say which is which.

LNER stations show Edinburgh on departure boards, but Edinburgh Waverley in annoucements

 

[SargeNpton]

It's all over the place.

Edinburgh: RTT, BRtimes/fares, TrainSplit, LNER/Avanti/CS/TPE journey planners, LNER/Avanti station information pages, station departure boards (I think?), ScotRail website "train status" page
Edinburgh Waverley: Trainline journey planner (including ScotRail), ScotRail station information page, Network Rail station information page

Pretty sure there's also some disagreement in on-train and at-station announcements, but don't remember well enough to say which is which.

Whether it's "Edinburgh" or "Edinburgh Waverley" depends on which source data is being used for location names. Unfortunately, when some station names are changed as a local initiative what should be the definitive database of location is often not updated - which causes no end of problems.

In addition to those previously mentioned there are also discrepancies at Newark as to whether it's "Northgate" or "North Gate"; and south of the Thames: "Boxhill" or "Box Hill".

 

[edwin_m]

(There will also be two Northumberland Parks when the Ashington branch opens)

Which will presumably be disambiguated to "Northumberland Park (Tyne & Wear)", as it's not actually in Northumberland.

 

[Peterthegreat]

Recently I found out that the forum's ticket site (and Trainsplit) still shows Deansgate station as Deansgate G-Mex.

Names like Lincoln Central, Bedford/Derby/Sheffield Midland or even London St Pancras without the International are commonly used today, even though they have not been official for a while now.
Colchester station is often referred to as Colchester North (I don't think that name was ever even used officially!)

Any other instances from around the country?
View attachment 145837

At least it's not Knott Mill!

 

[Carlisle]

In the City of Portsmouth the locals still call Portsmouth & Southsea the 'Town' station.

Southampton’s use of Central was abolished presumably after Terminus closed then reintroduced some years later.presumably to avoid confusion with the enlarged Airport parkway station.

 

[The exile]

Especially since there's a Haymarket station in Newcastle, right in the city centre

Though not on National Rail, of course. Dropping “Edinburgh” from Haymarket seems reasonable (didn’t realise it ever had the prefix, tbh). Waverley is very much THE station for the city and there is nothing (under normal circumstances) that serves Haymarket that doesn’t serve Waverley. People whose knowledge of where they are going doesn’t extend beyond “Edinburgh” are far better served by going through - rather than getting off at Haymarket.

 

[mike57]

Dont forget about 'Paragon' station in Hull, a lot of locals still refer to it by that name, or 'Hull Paragon', and of course the signal box on the approach has it in large letters. The other Hull passenger station Cannon Street closed to passengers 100 years ago, but the old names hang on and are no doubt passed down.

 

[Western 52]

In Swansea we often refer to the station as "High Street Station " even though that part of the name went many years ago.

When I lived in Cardiff, we often referred to Heath High Level as "Heath Halt".

 

[izvor]

Dont forget about 'Paragon' station in Hull, a lot of locals still refer to it by that name, or 'Hull Paragon', and of course the signal box on the approach has it in large letters. The other Hull passenger station Cannon Street closed to passengers 100 years ago, but the old names hang on and are no doubt passed down

It always seems odd to me that long-term names like Hull Paragon have been officially deleted (un-qualified perhaps?), even though there is an adjacent Paragon transport interchange; yet Dover Priory remains as such even though it has been the only station in Dover for many years (since Western Docks station closed).

Another odd one is Sevenoaks which some older folk still refer to as "Tubs Hill" station, long since deleted officially.

 

[Taunton]

Waverley on its own isn’t a former name either; that station has never been officially known as just Waverley.

I'm afraid it has. I was living in Edinburgh in the 1970s-80s (long after Princes Street and other contenders had closed) and the large sign at the top of the vehicle and pedestrian access ramps boldly stated "Waverley Station", with the BR logo. No mention of Edinburgh at all.

It's currently just "Edinburgh" in the national timetables, which is where I take the 'official' name from. Entrance signage says "Edinburgh Waverley".

It does seem that stations with distinctive names (Waverley, Paragon, Temple Meads etc) stick in the public mind far more straightforwardly than generic ones, to the extent that even 'station' is unnecessary, and yet they are not districts of the city, just railway terms.

 

[snowball]

I'm afraid it has. I was living in Edinburgh in the 1970s-80s (long after Princes Street and other contenders had closed) and the large sign at the top of the vehicle and pedestrian access ramps boldly stated "Waverley Station", with the BR logo. No mention of Edinburgh at all.

I lived in Edinburgh 1972-5 and the station announcement said

"This is Edinburgh, Waverley Station,
This is Waverley Station, Edinburgh."

If I remember correctly it was shown in timetables as just Edinburgh.

 

[mike57]

It does seem that stations with distinctive names (Waverley, Paragon, Temple Meads etc) stick in the public mind far more straightforwardly than generic ones, to the extent that even 'station' is unnecessary, and yet they are not districts of the city, just railway terms.

Its interesting because taking the case of Hull, no one alive would remember the time when both stations were open for passengers, but it seems to get passed down, and used in other ways as well, my wife is from Hull, and her accent has been described as "Must have been born within 3 miles of Paragon Station" on more than one occasion. Even young people talk about it. Of course it trips people up who are not local, directions given to someone asking about a particular shop, "Its on the left just after Paragon station" blank looks from person asking for directions.

I still think of Edinburgh as "Edinburgh Waverley", mainly to differentiate it from Haymarket.

 

[AlterEgo]

I'm afraid it has. I was living in Edinburgh in the 1970s-80s (long after Princes Street and other contenders had closed) and the large sign at the top of the vehicle and pedestrian access ramps boldly stated "Waverley Station", with the BR logo. No mention of Edinburgh at all.

It isn’t uncommon for signage to show unofficial station names though - “Leeds” is actually properly known as Leeds City: https://www.networkrail.co.uk/communities/passengers/our-stations/leeds-station/

It's currently just "Edinburgh" in the national timetables, which is where I take the 'official' name from. Entrance signage says "Edinburgh Waverley".

It’s an interesting question therefore as to what an “official” station name is!

 

[alistairlees]

It isn’t uncommon for signage to show unofficial station names though - “Leeds” is actually properly known as Leeds City: https://www.networkrail.co.uk/communities/passengers/our-stations/leeds-station/

Although other Network Rail website pages just say "Leeds" e.g. https://www.networkrail.co.uk/runni...plan/key-projects/transpennine-route-upgrade/. Neetwork Rail themselves are not consistent.