"London..." prefix on station names

[JW16]

Travelling on Thameslink, your train will call at "London St Pancras" and "London Blackfriars" and not at "London Farringdon" but rather just "Farringdon". This seems a bit unusual to me given all three take their names from a geographical area (rather than a street for example that could be in any town).

Is there any reason for this or is it just an anomaly? Once Crossrail is operational (as a National Rail service no less) would Bond Street be shown as "London Bond Street" to follow the same conventions as Cannon Street for example?

 

[Mag_seven]

Is it not based on whether the station is a terminal (or part terminal) or not? But then we have "Moorgate" which would break that rule!

 

[thedbdiboy]

There's nearly 200 years of habit, custom and practice here - don't try looking for logic, that way madness lies!

 

[Bletchleyite]

There's nearly 200 years of habit, custom and practice here - don't try looking for logic, that way madness lies!

Particularly as VTWC like showing trains as for "Euston" which must confuse the hell out of tourists. If there's not room for "London Euston", just "London" would make more sense.

 

[talldave]

The "International " suffix is equally pointless.

 

[swt_passenger]

There's nearly 200 years of habit, custom and practice here - don't try looking for logic, that way madness lies!

Not necessarily, the addition of London to the signage of various “major London Terminals” was comparatively recent in railway historical terms. Someone probably knows when it was done, and who did it.

Farringdon specifically is a London Underground station that mainline trains happen to pass through. London Bridge (obvious really), City Thameslink and Vauxhall (as well as the aforementioned Moorgate) are also part of the London Terminals group that do not include “London”...

 

[si404]

Not necessarily, the addition of London to the signage of various “major London Terminals” was comparatively recent in railway historical terms. Someone probably knows when it was done, and who did it.

IIRC, it was post-privatisation - maybe even this century. And Fenchurch Street and Marylebone were a little bit later, being TOC-run stations.

Farringdon specifically is a London Underground station that mainline trains happen to pass through. London Bridge (obvious really), City Thameslink and Vauxhall (as well as the aforementioned Moorgate) are also part of the London Terminals group that do not include “London”...

And Old Street too!

 

[TRAX]

What about London London Bridge ?

Coat, hat, door.

 

[Western Lord]

Agatha Christie did not write "4.50 From London Paddington"!

 

[etr221]

What about London London Bridge ?

And then there is London Fields...

 

[sTEAM Stewart]

London Stansted (always though that this was stretching the geographical limit a bit too far though!?!)

 

[LeeLivery]

Has to be remembered there is more than one Charing Cross, Victoria and Waterloo. You hear or see "London, Manchester or Birmingham" with a few exceptions, you know it's in Central London, Manchester or Birmingham. If you don't know, Moor Street or Cannon Street could be anywhere really.

I've always assumed there is no London in the Farringdon name because it's not a terminus.

 

[swt_passenger]

Has to be remembered there is more than one Charing Cross, Victoria and Waterloo. You hear or see "London, Manchester or Birmingham" with a few exceptions, you know it's in Central London, Manchester or Birmingham. If you don't know, Moor Street or Cannon Street could be anywhere really.

I've always assumed there is no London in the Farringdon name because it's not a terminus.

It is a London Underground station as I pointed out earlier...

 

[Silver Cobra]

One thing I noticed at Arlesey recently is that the departure boards now seem to omit 'London' for St Pancras and Blackfriars in the calling pattern of the Thameslink services. The audio announcements still seem to name these stations with their 'London' prefix however.

 

[adrock1976]

Stretching things a bit further, how about the various London Road stations that are still open, have closed, or renamed?

Brighton (presently open)
Guildford (presently open)
Leicester (the present day Midland station)
Manchester (Piccadilly, which was renamed from London Road)
Carlisle (closed)
Glasgow (closed)

Unsure if Edinburgh ever had a London Road station, although the main A1 London Road starts just east of Waverley station.

 

[Journeyman]

IIRC, it was post-privatisation - maybe even this century. And Fenchurch Street and Marylebone were a little bit later, being TOC-run stations.
And Old Street too!

Nah, Network SouthEast referred to termini with a London prefix too, and I'm sure the British Rail regions were doing it before that.

 

[onlinespotting]

(London) Liverpool Street was mixed up with Liverpool Lime Street (and I believe still is by tourists)

 

[scragend]

(London) Liverpool Street was mixed up with Liverpool Lime Street (and I believe still is by tourists)

And also by StenaLine!



https://www.stenaline.co.uk/ferry-to-holland/rail-and-sail

 

[xotGD]

Should stations have a 'London' prefix? What about Derry?

 

[adrock1976]

Should stations have a 'London' prefix? What about Derry?

Is that station Derry Waterside?

 

[Metroman62]

In the late 70s early 80s I can remember trains st Coventry being announce for London Euston and London Paddington. Most went to Euston so I assume putting London E or P helped passengers get the right train. Saying just London or just the station name might have been confusing for some and made sure they got the right train

 

[randyrippley]

Waterloo needs a "London" prefix just to stop any French or Belgians getting confused

 

[EssexGonzo]

Well I reckon the example set by London Southend Airport should be followed. London Southend Victoria anyone?

 

[Wilts Wanderer]

Farringdon opened as Farringdon Street and remained that way well into the 20th Century. The Widened Lines - todays Thameslink route - were built and owned by the Metropolitan Railway, and other companies operated over them with running powers. I’m not sure what date the ownership officially passed to British Rail - does anyone know?

 

[W-on-Sea]

Farringdon opened as Farringdon Street and remained that way well into the 20th Century. The Widened Lines - todays Thameslink route - were built and owned by the Metropolitan Railway, and other companies operated over them with running powers. I’m not sure what date the ownership officially passed to British Rail - does anyone know?

I'm not certain, but I *think* it might have been as recently as the 1970s. In as much as the old Kings Cross Metropolitan (later Kings Cross Midland, then Kings Cross Thameslink) station still had LT roundels up until that point (despite the adjacent platforms on the Met Line itself having closed as long ago as the 1940s). (This is partly by analogy with the line from Wimbledon to East Putney: the standard BR signs at Wimbledon Park, Southfields and East Putney were only removed after ownership of the line was transferred to the Underground in 1994).

 

[Wilts Wanderer]

I'm not certain, but I *think* it might have been as recently as the 1970s. In as much as the old Kings Cross Metropolitan (later Kings Cross Midland, then Kings Cross Thameslink) station still had LT roundels up until that point (despite the adjacent platforms on the Met Line itself having closed as long ago as the 1940s). (This is partly by analogy with the line from Wimbledon to East Putney: the standard BR signs at Wimbledon Park, Southfields and East Putney were only removed after ownership of the line was transferred to the Underground in 1994).

Thank you -that’s very interesting! I know it’s off-topic, but I find it fascinating how many different companies were running trains to Moorgate (Met) in the late 19th Century, prior to completion of the Inner Circle. The Metropolitan must have made a fortune in running fees.

 

[thenorthern]

In the National Rail timetable I think London Bridge and London Fields were the only two stations where the "London prefix" was used in all cases, I presume this is because "Bridge" and "Fields" could mean many things. One thing to remember that most London stations have unique names so if a train is going to "Euston" most people will know its going to London and to many people the "Euston" is more important than the "London" as it its a specific part of London, also there isn't another station named Euston so people won't confuse it with other things. London Road (Brighton) and London Road (Guildford) also always have the London prefix but they aren't within Greater London.

Regarding Stansted Airport station there is no London Prefix and there never has been since the station opened in 1999, I don't think any of the London Airport stations have a London prefix. Regarding Londonderry the station's official name is Londonderry as the "Waterside" suffix has become redundant.

 

[JW16]

London Stansted (always though that this was stretching the geographical limit a bit too far though!?!)

Oxford airport is officially "London Oxford"!

 

[ert47]

In as much as the old Kings Cross Metropolitan (later Kings Cross Midland, then Kings Cross Thameslink) station still had LT roundels up until that point (despite the adjacent platforms on the Met Line itself having closed as long ago as the 1940s).

Its now known as London Do Not Alight Here

 

[FlippyFF]

Has to be remembered there is more than one Charing Cross, Victoria and Waterloo. You hear or see "London, Manchester or Birmingham" with a few exceptions, you know it's in Central London, Manchester or Birmingham. If you don't know, Moor Street or Cannon Street could be anywhere really.

I've always assumed there is no London in the Farringdon name because it's not a terminus.

There's a thread around somewhere about Snow Hill, the first time I saw it I thought it was referring to the area between Farringdon and City Thameslink.

Simon