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Historic station name changes

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Brush 4

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History sometimes causes an about turn. When the WR took over SR lines in the west, Exeter Central was renamed Exeter General, in line with many other 'Generals' in the WR of the 60's. Later the WR decided to drop all the Generals but, as Exeter had 2 main stations, it had to revert to Central.

Soutrhampton lost its Central after the end of steam but it was later reinstated, because of passenger confusion over Airport Parkway, due to that being the first Southampton station from London.
 
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Western Lord

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History sometimes causes an about turn. When the WR took over SR lines in the west, Exeter Central was renamed Exeter General, in line with many other 'Generals' in the WR of the 60's. Later the WR decided to drop all the Generals but, as Exeter had 2 main stations, it had to revert to Central.
Soutrhampton lost its Central after the end of steam but it was later reinstated, because of passenger confusion over Airport Parkway, due to that being the first Southampton station from London.
I've never heard of Exeter Central being renamed "General".
 

Brush 4

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It would have been 1963 to circa early 70's approx or whenever Corporate image white signs were fitted.. I saw it in about 1968.
 

pdeaves

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It would have been 1963 to circa early 70's approx or whenever Corporate image white signs were fitted.. I saw it in about 1968.
Michael Quick's book 'Railway Passenger Stations in Great Britain' has no mention of an Exeter General name. Perhaps confusing with somewhere else or a fading memory? (Not an accusation but more a sympathy as we all head in that general direction!).
 

Western Sunset

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Re-Exeter Central becoming Exeter General, I think someone's having a laugh... If anything, the WR was getting rid of "Generals", eg Cardiff General becoming Cardiff Central.
 
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Brush 4

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WR did get rid of Generals, much later but not in 1963 when they took over the SR lines. Could be a fading memory but, the signs were brown, not green or white. There may or may not, be photos from the 63-70ish period that have the totem sign in the background. I was in Rougemont/Northernhay Gardens looking down at the Exmouth bay.
 
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The exile

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Re-Exeter Central becoming Exeter General, I think someone's having a laugh... If anything, the WR was getting rid of "Generals", eg Cardiff General becoming Cardiff Central.
Would also have been odd, as St Davids would still been the “general” ( ie main) station, along the lines ( sorry) of Reading, Cardiff, Wrexham and (just to put the fly in the GWR ointment) Perth.
 

Quakers Yard

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Which stations had an official "for" in its official name? Llandaf was "for Whitchurch" for example whilst Quakers Yard is known locally and unofficially "for Edwardsville and Treharris" as it is in the former.
 
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I still find it difficult to think of the main station in St Helens as “Central”. I was brought up with it as “Shaw Street”, and instinctively think of it as such. The new name doesn’t annoy me at all, but it may never seem correct.
The suffixes seemed to add a local feel to stations - Barr’s Court at Hereford, for instance, and Chapel Street at Southport. Oh well, all history now.
 
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BR went through a phase in the 1970s of tidying-up station names (and making them less user friendly) by dropping redundant suffixes (e.g. Stockport Edgeley), dropping the 'fors' (e.g. Gatley for Cheadle, Newton for Hyde) and simplifying the '&s' (e.g. Heaton Chapel & Heaton Moor, East Didsbury & Parr's Wood). For the '&s' usually the first name was chosen (which wasn't necessarily the nearest geographically), but there were exceptions (e.g. Knott Mill & Deansgate). Some stations have subsequently regained their full title (e.g. Dore & Totley), perhaps in the realisation that as much information as possible should be provided to an intending passenger. One of the biggest changes I guess was Manchester London Road to Piccadilly in 1960 to present a new image for electrification, but the old name of course is more accurate geographically.
 

507020

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I still find it difficult to think of the main station in St Helens as “Central”. I was brought up with it as “Shaw Street”, and instinctively think of it as such. The new name doesn’t annoy me at all, but it may never seem correct.
The suffixes seemed to add a local feel to stations - Barr’s Court at Hereford, for instance, and Chapel Street at Southport. Oh well, all history now.
I find most “Centrals” were historically stations of the Great Central Railway and joint lines including the Cheshire Lines Committee, including Brackley, Rugby, Leicester, Loughborough, Hucknall, Mansfield, Tuxford, Lincoln, Gainsborough, Swinton, Wath, Chesterfield, Staveley, Renishaw, Killamarsh, Rotherham, Manchester, Wigan, St Helens, Warrington, Liverpool and Wrexham, regardless of whether or not they were the most centrally located. I’m surprised Marylebone didn’t end up as London Central. Watkin mustn’t quite have been able to get away with that. Many stations retain names based entirely on original company and not geographic in places such as Dorchester (GWR and SR) and Hertford (GNR and GER) but these are the opposite of the thread topic.

Stations with local names, e.g. Southport Chapel Street, St Helens Shaw Street, Bury Bolton Street, Bolton Trinity Street, Burnley Manchester Road have all but lost them, but Centrals in Blackpool, Burnley and Birkenhead were nothing to do with the GCR. St Helens L&NW station definitely shouldn’t be “Central” especially when it has no trains to Liverpool Central.
 

eastwestdivide

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When was it that 'London' was prefixed to the major stations in London? Late 70s I think - my 1978-79 all line timetable has the prefix, but I remember earlier in the 70s being on my local trains "calling at... London Bridge, Waterloo and Charing Cross".
 

RT4038

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West End Lane station on the North London line was re-named West Hampstead in the 70s. Aldersgate station was re-named Barbican. Wood Green (ER) station renamed to Alexandra Palace. Harringay Stadium to Green Lanes.
 

507020

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When was it that 'London' was prefixed to the major stations in London? Late 70s I think - my 1978-79 all line timetable has the prefix, but I remember earlier in the 70s being on my local trains "calling at... London Bridge, Waterloo and Charing Cross".
I’m not sure that it entirely has. St Pancras is not London St Pancras. It is however St Pancras International. This may also mean that Waterloo International was not London Waterloo, which it needs to be to distinguish itself from the much larger Merseyrail station. London Bridge also hasn’t become London London Bridge and neither have London Heathrow, London Gatwick or London Stansted Airports.
 

eastwestdivide

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I’m not sure that it entirely has. St Pancras is not London St Pancras. It is however St Pancras International. This may also mean that Waterloo International was not London Waterloo, which it needs to be to distinguish itself from the much larger Merseyrail station. London Bridge also hasn’t become London London Bridge and neither have London Heathrow, London Gatwick or London Stansted Airports.
OK, central London major stations to be slightly more precise.
That 1978-79 timetable certainly lists 'London St Pancras', plus all the other termini are prefixed with 'London', also 'London Waterloo (East)'. The only exception being 'London Bridge' as 'London London Bridge' falls down at the 'too silly' hurdle!
 

Lloyds siding

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I find most “Centrals” were historically stations of the Great Central Railway and joint lines including the Cheshire Lines Committee, including Brackley, Rugby, Leicester, Loughborough, Hucknall, Mansfield, Tuxford, Lincoln, Gainsborough, Swinton, Wath, Chesterfield, Staveley, Renishaw, Killamarsh, Rotherham, Manchester, Wigan, St Helens, Warrington, Liverpool and Wrexham, regardless of whether or not they were the most centrally located. I’m surprised Marylebone didn’t end up as London Central. Watkin mustn’t quite have been able to get away with that. Many stations retain names based entirely on original company and not geographic in places such as Dorchester (GWR and SR) and Hertford (GNR and GER) but these are the opposite of the thread topic.

Stations with local names, e.g. Southport Chapel Street, St Helens Shaw Street, Bury Bolton Street, Bolton Trinity Street, Burnley Manchester Road have all but lost them, but Centrals in Blackpool, Burnley and Birkenhead were nothing to do with the GCR. St Helens L&NW station definitely shouldn’t be “Central” especially when it has no trains to Liverpool Central.
Southport Central was opened in 1882, and (at that time) had nothing to do with the Cheshire Lines, but was the terminus of the West Lancashire Railway, and was named to distinguish it from the existing L&Y Southport Chapel Street. Shortly after the Cheshire Lines did arrive in Southport with a terminus at Southport Lord Street opening in 1884. However, to complicate matters the Cheshire Lines then completed a branch from Altcar and Hillhouse, connecting with the WLR, allowing services to Southport Central. For a few years the Cheshire Lines had two termini in Southport!

I’m not sure that it entirely has. St Pancras is not London St Pancras. It is however St Pancras International. This may also mean that Waterloo International was not London Waterloo, which it needs to be to distinguish itself from the much larger Merseyrail station. London Bridge also hasn’t become London London Bridge and neither have London Heathrow, London Gatwick or London Stansted Airports.
Are you sure that Waterloo (Merseyrail) is much larger than Waterloo International/London Waterloo?
 

Snow1964

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Walthamstow became Walthamstow Queens Road in 1968 (even though it isn’t located there). Hoe Street station then became Walthamstow Central. (The geographic centre of Walthamstow is further north, near Lloyd Park, and suffix central is not very accurate).

Blackhorse Road station in Walthamstow was resited other side of the road of same name
 

John Hunt

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Leicester orginally had 4 main stations -
West Bridge (closed to passengers in 1928) Leicester & Swannington
Leicester Belgrave Road (closed to passengers in 1962) Great Northern
Leicester Central (closed in 1969) Great Central
The present station was originally known simply as Leicester (Midland Counties ) becoming Leicester Campbell Street on 1 June 1867, and Leicester London Road from 12 June 1892. This was replaced in 1894 by a new station, also called Leicester London Road (Midland). Following the closure of Central on 5 May 1969, this station was renamed Leicester.
 

davetheguard

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Michael Quick's book 'Railway Passenger Stations in Great Britain' has no mention of an Exeter General name. Perhaps confusing with somewhere else or a fading memory? (Not an accusation but more a sympathy as we all head in that general direction!).

I've just been looking through "Main Line to the West part three Yeovil to Exeter" published by Irwell Press. It's a weighty tome of over 400 pages with a lot of black & white illustrations. It too makes no mention of Exeter General I'm afraid.

The only relevant picture in the book that shows a station nameboard in the 1963 - 1968 timeband you mention is taken of the station frontage in Queen Street in 1964, with large sign "Exeter Central Station". As it's a black & white photograph obviously it's impossible to tell if it's green sign or a brown one. Sorry I haven't found anything to back up your memory.

Perhaps the station name shown in timetables may be key to this one; maybe those wlth access to timetables of the period, or those who find a certain old timetable website easy to use, could help.
 
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daveo

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I find most “Centrals” were historically stations of the Great Central Railway and joint lines including the Cheshire Lines Committee, including Brackley, Rugby, Leicester, Loughborough, Hucknall, Mansfield, Tuxford, Lincoln, Gainsborough, Swinton, Wath, Chesterfield, Staveley, Renishaw, Killamarsh, Rotherham, Manchester, Wigan, St Helens, Warrington, Liverpool and Wrexham, regardless of whether or not they were the most centrally located. I’m surprised Marylebone didn’t end up as London Central. Watkin mustn’t quite have been able to get away with that. Many stations retain names based entirely on original company and not geographic in places such as Dorchester (GWR and SR) and Hertford (GNR and GER) but these are the opposite of the thread topic.

Stations with local names, e.g. Southport Chapel Street, St Helens Shaw Street, Bury Bolton Street, Bolton Trinity Street, Burnley Manchester Road have all but lost them, but Centrals in Blackpool, Burnley and Birkenhead were nothing to do with the GCR. St Helens L&NW station definitely shouldn’t be “Central” especially when it has no trains to Liverpool Central.
Bury Bolton Street retains its suffix, albeit in preservation
 

6Gman

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A number of Welsh stations have had their spellings altered (corrected some would say). Memorably it is said that Dolgellau once featured three different versions on different nameboards shortly before closure.

But have any actually lost their English versions in favour of the Welsh form (by which I mean a different name, rather than a spelling change)?
 

32475

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I find most “Centrals” were historically stations of the Great Central Railway and joint lines including the Cheshire Lines Committee, including Brackley, Rugby, Leicester, Loughborough, Hucknall, Mansfield, Tuxford, Lincoln, Gainsborough, Swinton, Wath, Chesterfield, Staveley, Renishaw, Killamarsh, Rotherham, Manchester, Wigan, St Helens, Warrington, Liverpool and Wrexham, regardless of whether or not they were the most centrally located. I’m surprised Marylebone didn’t end up as London Central. Watkin mustn’t quite have been able to get away with that. Many stations retain names based entirely on original company and not geographic in places such as Dorchester (GWR and SR) and Hertford (GNR and GER) but these are the opposite of the thread topic.

Stations with local names, e.g. Southport Chapel Street, St Helens Shaw Street, Bury Bolton Street, Bolton Trinity Street, Burnley Manchester Road have all but lost them, but Centrals in Blackpool, Burnley and Birkenhead were nothing to do with the GCR. St Helens L&NW station definitely shouldn’t be “Central” especially when it has no trains to Liverpool Central.
This got me wondering specifically about Glossop Central. Was it so called, being a GCR station or because the station is right in the centre of the town? I presume it is the former but it works both ways.
 
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