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

[geoffk]

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.

or police station......

 

[swt_passenger]

Does “train station“ use possibly just follow on from the current use of “trainline”, which itself was driven into mainstream use by the ticket seller?

 

[Peter0124]

If we are talking buses, most small 'stops' are called bus stops. Therefore why not call small stations 'train stops'

Only kidding. In all seriousness, I'd say railway station, rail station, train station, the station, or just [insert placename] station etc, are all interchangeable.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Here's one to ponder upon.....should the correct terminology be "train services" or "railway services".

 

[bramling]

If we are talking buses, most small 'stops' are called bus stops. Therefore why not call small stations 'train stops'

Only kidding. In all seriousness, I'd say railway station, rail station, train station, the station etc, are all interchangeable.

It’s one thing being interchangeable for informal speak, however one does reasonably expect that public institutions make some effort to set an example and get things correct.

Unfortunately this isn’t always the case, in fact on the contrary in many cases they seem to want to follow rather than set an example and lead. Another example is announcements where at one point there was always an attempt to find a voice that spoke correctly and with some authority. Now it seems trendy to try and find a voice that sounds like your average rebellious teenager, and then there’s ones who can’t even bother to get pronouncing place names right, ATOS Anne being a particular example of the latter.

Isn’t there a saying along the lines of the problem with this world is that stupid people are full of confidence whilst intelligent ones are always doubting?

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

If we are talking buses, most small 'stops' are called bus stops. Therefore why not call small stations 'train stops'

Only kidding. In all seriousness, I'd say railway station, rail station, train station, the station, or just [insert placename] station etc, are all interchangeable.

There are those travelling passengers who deeply dislike the term "station stop" when either announced by a member of the train staff or by the automated voice announcement.

 

[oldman]

It’s one thing being interchangeable for informal speak, however one does reasonably expect that public institutions make some effort to set an example and get things correct..

Correct? Correctness in practice means acceptability to well-educated people. Some well-educated people actively dislike 'train station'; some notice it but don't care; some don't even notice. I suspect the first group is getting smaller and the last bigger.

 

[Russel]

Train Station, Railway Station... It doesn't matter either way, people will know what you're referring to.

 

[muddythefish]

Train station, which I've always considered an Americanism, annoys me intensely. I dislike hearing it and reading it. For me it was and always will be a railway station

 

[Irascible]

I'm not sure anyone round here uses station at all... usually it's "going to get the train from [insert town]", or "get the [place] train". Or, at most, [place] station rather than any mention of railways or trains.

 

[yorksrob]

In my experience, most people don't call it a "train" or a "railway" station. They just call it "the station" or "[place name] station".

Other stations such as fire, bus or lifeboat etc have to differentiate with the prefix.

 

[Turtle]

There are those travelling passengers who deeply dislike the term "station stop" when either announced by a member of the train staff or by the automated voice announcement.

Agreed. Superfluous use of language.

 

[CharlieSpotted]

In my experience, most people don't call it a "train" or a "railway" station. They just call it "the station" or "[place name] station".

Or, in the case of some particularly well-known stations of course, the name without "railway station" or "train station" or indeed "station" at all. If I'm talking about travelling to "New Street" most would understand (from context, if nothing else) that's Birmingham New Street Station and not to the street from which it takes its name. Likewise Euston, Lime Street, Waverley, etc. etc. etc.

 

[Grumpy Git]

For me I catch (or leave) the train at a Railway Station. The single word Station also suffices.

I detest the term Train Station (probably because it sounds dreadful).

 

[yorksrob]

Or, in the case of some particularly well-known stations of course, the name without "railway station" or "train station" or indeed "station" at all. If I'm talking about travelling to "New Street" most would understand (from context, if nothing else) that's Birmingham New Street Station and not to the street from which it takes its name. Likewise Euston, Lime Street, Waverley, etc. etc. etc.

Even Victoria (albeit with geographical context).

 

[Sorcerer]

I would never consider the term "train station" to be an Americanism, maybe in part because I have used it interchangeably with "railway station" all my life, and I say this as someone who finds the term "railroad" quite irritating for some bizarre reason. I think either works fine but these days I do prefer to use the term railway station.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I would never consider the term "train station" to be an Americanism, maybe in part because I have used it interchangeably with "railway station" all my life, and I say this as someone who finds the term "railroad" quite irritating for some bizarre reason. I think either works fine but these days I do prefer to use the term railway station.

The literal English translation of "Chemin de Fer" is.....?

 

[Mcr Warrior]

The literal English translation of "Chemin de Fer" is.....?

Path of iron?

 

[Dr Hoo]

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

Your work might stop at your workstation.

I've always thought of journeys starting at the bus station or train station; similarly (in times when I had a 'desk job' with a computer) my work started when I reached my workstation.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I've always thought of journeys starting at the bus station or train station; similarly (in times when I had a 'desk job' with a computer) my work started when I reached my workstation.

It's called "a joke"

 

[billio]

Here's one to ponder upon.....should the correct terminology be "train services" or "railway services".

Train services as you catch a train, railway station because the rails are always there even if there are no trains.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Train services as you catch a train, railway station because the rails are always there even if there are no trains.

I did not make mention of "railway station" but "railway services" in my posting.

 

[Mike Machin]

My local newspaper referred to delays problems on the ‘train tracks’ rather than the railway lines the other day.

 

[Meerkat]

My local newspaper referred to delays problems on the ‘train tracks’ rather than the railway lines the other day.

train tracks is clearer. A railway track could be a vehicle track owned by the railway for access.
I really don't understand the dislike of train station, and I don't like the decline of our language and its mutation by managers/consultants (see my seething at uptick, action as a verb, etc etc). Its the station where you catch the train.

 

[bramling]

train tracks is clearer. A railway track could be a vehicle track owned by the railway for access.
I really don't understand the dislike of train station, and I don't like the decline of our language and its mutation by managers/consultants (see my seething at uptick, action as a verb, etc etc). Its the station where you catch the train.

“Train track” is a term normally used by young children who know no different. I agree there may be some logic to the term, but grammatically it certainly isn’t the norm.

 

[The exile]

“Train track” is a term normally used by young children who know no different. I agree there may be some logic to the term, but grammatically it certainly isn’t the norm.

I was under the impression that “train tracks” were to be found on some teenagers’ teeth.

 

[oldman]

“Train track” is a term normally used by young children who know no different. I agree there may be some logic to the term, but grammatically it certainly isn’t the norm.

'Train tracks' seems to be a common American usage. The price of inventing the world's favourite language is that the world messes around with it.

 

[Purple Train]

"Railway station" is the only acceptable version for me. I know at least one person who calls it a "train stop". I don't talk to them about railways any more In all seriousness I think whoever said that it was about the fewest number of syllables is right on point - convenience trumps clarity, which is a shame.

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!

Careful now, young man. I can accept "changeth" in such context if you are Violet Elizabeth, but the "-eth" suffix, as in "cometh", is only properly used as modern man may use "comes", and therefore "timeth" be but a vulgar appropriation, and "speaketh" be a malapropism. The gasman cometh, thou comest, and I come, to distil the linguistic terminology with which I am acquainted without (hopefully) belying my complete lack of expertise beyond!

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

'Train tracks' seems to be a common American usage. The price of inventing the world's favourite language is that the world messes around with it.

In "Return to Sender" by Elvis Presley, I am sure that the phrase "rode a ledder" is used and I often used to wonder what type of animal was being ridden.

 

[Irascible]

Down here ( doun yer! ) in the southwest we often pronounce t sounds as d. Similar rhoticity to ametican accents too, so blaming the US for everythjng isn't necessarily right.