Is ‘train station’ replacing ‘railway station’ in UK passenger rail terminology?

[philosopher]

Over the past year, I have increasingly noticed that many, perhaps even the majority of the public call stations ‘train stations’ rather than ‘railway stations’. ‘Railway station’ to me always seemed to the more typical way to describe National Rail stations in British English. Is this change in terminology for stations something else others have noticed? Does it vary by region? I live in London, so perhaps the phase ‘train station’ is more common in London than elsewhere in the country.

 

[hexagon789]

Over the past year, I have increasingly noticed that many, perhaps even the majority of the public call stations ‘train stations’ rather than ‘railway stations’. ‘Railway station’ to me always seemed to the more typical way to describe National Rail stations in British English. Is this change in terminology for stations something else others have noticed? Does it vary by region? I live in London, so perhaps the phase ‘train station’ is more common in London than elsewhere in the country.

It's not new previous threads on this matter suggested the term took hold in the 1980s and has only become more prevalent since then.

Also, in Northern Ireland, all official current Translink signs use 'Train Station' now.

 

[PGAT]

Never heard anyone who isn't an enthusiast say 'Railway Station'

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Over the past year, I have increasingly noticed that many, perhaps even the majority of the public call stations ‘train stations’ rather than ‘railway stations’. ‘Railway station’ to me always seemed to the more typical way to describe National Rail stations in British English. Is this change in terminology for stations something else others have noticed? Does it vary by region? I live in London, so perhaps the phase ‘train station’ is more common in London than elsewhere in the country.

Careful, it's a real trigger for many on here I seem to remember Mojo has had to tell me off for saying "train station" before

Never heard anyone who isn't an enthusiast say 'Railway Station'

Train station has become more common in 21st century discourse, even if it might not have been seen as semantically correct a few decades ago, with stations being situated on railways, not trains.

 

[PGAT]

Not just Train Station, but usually just 'The station' pops up more often than not

 

[hexagon789]

According to the Oxford English Dictionary:

'The earliest known use of the noun train station is in the 1850s.

OED's earliest evidence for train station is from 1856, in the Daily News (London).'

So neither new nor an Anericanism.

 

[Gloster]

But it has only become common due to the all pervasive influence of American ‘culture’, i.e. films and TV programmes monopolising people’s leisure hours, which has worsened since the proliferation of extra channels invaded our homes. Previously, you only had a minority of non-British programmes pushing their linguistic styles and vocabulary into our consciousness.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

But it has only become common due to the all pervasive influence of American ‘culture’, i.e. films and TV programmes monopolising people’s leisure hours, which has worsened since the proliferation of extra channels invaded our homes.

Unf'rtunately, semantic and lexical changeth ov'r timeth is only to beest did expect and shall at each moment occureth, much as thee and i may misprise 't! Hadst t not done so ov'r recent decades, the w'rld all wouldst all still speaketh in this discourse!

 

[Mcr Warrior]

So what? Personally consider the terms 'train station' and 'railway station' to be, more-or-less interchangeable.

 

[PGAT]

But it has only become common due to the all pervasive influence of American ‘culture’, i.e. films and TV programmes monopolising people’s leisure hours, which has worsened since the proliferation of extra channels invaded our homes. Previously, you only had a minority of non-British programmes pushing their linguistic styles and vocabulary into our consciousness.

I'm not convinced by that. Train was always going to win over Railway because its monosyllabic and makes more sense in the eyes of average Joe, after all, you’re going to catch a train, not a railway

 

[swt_passenger]

Over the past year, I have increasingly noticed that many, perhaps even the majority of the public call stations ‘train stations’ rather than ‘railway stations’. ‘Railway station’ to me always seemed to the more typical way to describe National Rail stations in British English. Is this change in terminology for stations something else others have noticed? Does it vary by region? I live in London, so perhaps the phase ‘train station’ is more common in London than elsewhere in the country.

There was a thread just like this in 2006, when the forum was fairly new:

'Train Station'

Am I the only one here who hates the phrase 'Train Station'. Can't really say why, just some horrible Americanism. I find using 'Railway Station' commands more respect to the railway as a whole.

www.railforums.co.uk

The discussion has bubbled away on the back burner ever since, but it gets stirred every year or so.

 

[dd1]

There's also 'rail station' (Just googling for 'rail station bridge'...)

 

[duffield]

When I lived down south it was almost always "railway station", but when I moved to the east midlands forty-odd years ago it seemed to be mostly "train station".

Does anyone else think that it's at least partly a regional thing, even if "train station" is maybe becoming more common everywhere?

 

[philosopher]

Not just Train Station, but usually just 'The station' pops up more often than not

Agree, I think most people just call railway or train stations, ’the station’ and add the prefix bus, underground, tube, subway or metro to station to describe stations for non national rail services.

 

[Essan]

I do t think I have ever heard the term railway station used. Always been train station or just station.

The place we go to catch the train...

 

[Lewisham2221]

I really don't buy the argument about "train station" being an Americanism. We all know that Americans fly everywhere and rail travel in the States is as good as non-existent. I can certainly think of precious few examples of "modern" US produced films and TV shows where there's anywhere near enough use of the term "train station" to affect popular usage

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Threads such as this always make me think that railway stations as such would not exist without trains. I am nonetheless an old fogey of 79 who always uses the term "railway stations".

 

[Trackman]

Does it really matter? I call them Railway stations btw.

 

[Ashley Hill]

The term Train Station annoys me. It seems that there is a general trend these days to use the least amount of syllables as possible.

 

[Huntergreed]

It’s certainly an interesting debate. I’m part of the “train station” generation… although I do have relatives who would use “railway station”. Certainly railway station is an exclusively UK/Europe term, as US passengers wouldn’t use the word “Railway”!

Locally, it now seems to just be “the station”, and this is what I mainly hear from kids in school… although I do sometimes hear “train station”.

I suppose the etymological argument would be that stations (where people go to utilise land-based transport) are generally named after the type of vehicle that serves them (train station/bus station/coach station) as opposed to the medium through which it travels - you certainly don’t hear of a road or motorway station!

 

[PGAT]

I really don't buy the argument about "train station" being an Americanism. We all know that Americans fly everywhere and rail travel in the States is as good as non-existent. I can certainly think of precious few examples of "modern" US produced films and TV shows where there's anywhere near enough use of the term "train station" to affect popular usage

Additionally, they’re more commonly referred to as “railroads”

 

[oldman]

The Google Books Ngram viewer shows the use of 'train station' growing rapidly from the 1980s. This is based on use in publications, which includes historical works, and not on contemporary speech.

 

[mrcheek]

It is certainly becoming much more prevalent.

But while it annoys the traditionalists, it's actually a more accurate term.

After all, you dont go to catch a bus from the road station do you?

 

[Turtle]

It is certainly becoming much more prevalent.

But while it annoys the traditionalists, it's actually a more accurate term.

After all, you dont go to catch a bus from the road station do you?

Unfortunately, I think we traditionalists have lost the battle despite the war lingering on. I shall, however, continue to clutch the banner of Railway Station until it is prised from my cold dead hands.

 

[Falcon1200]

Some of my (ex-railway) friends get in a tizzy when they hear or see Train Station, but I am also in the 'so what' category. Would anyone really not understand what a Train Station is but would a Railway Station?

 

[Ken H]

I rarely use either. I say 'Settle Station', 'Gigg Station', 'Hellifield Station' 'Leeds Station' etc. I usually say which bus station too. Maybe growing up in Leeds with 2 railway stations and 3 city centre bus stations ingrained the habit.

 

[geoffk]

So what? Personally consider the terms 'train station' and 'railway station' to be, more-or-less interchangeable.

Not only does Transport for Gtr Manchester use "train station" on their publicity but also "train line" for railway! When I worked there I did suggest that "a public body like ours" should set a good example. Does anyone say "train line"? And yes I regard train station as an Americanism.

 

[bramling]

Never heard anyone who isn't an enthusiast say 'Railway Station'

To be fair I very rarely hear either term. Here it’s just “the station”, which probably reflects the fact that the only other type of station is a bus station which along with bus travel is something that’s a total irrelevance to the vast majority of the population.

I must admit to hating “train station”. It fits in the same category as the ghastly increasingly use of “them ones” in place of “those ones”, “was you…” rather than “were you…”, and perhaps the most awful of all “sit on the chair” in place of “sit on the seat”. One is entitled to wonder what schools actually spend their time doing nowadays, as at times it certainly doesn’t seem to be teaching.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

I'll certainly concede that "train station" looks very similar to "tram station" when referred to in print.

 

[Bletchleyite]

It is certainly becoming much more prevalent.

But while it annoys the traditionalists, it's actually a more accurate term.

After all, you dont go to catch a bus from the road station do you?

Buses stop at a bus station, trains stop at a train station, work stops at...