Marketing "Line" names -- ingenious, awful, or both?

[Calthrop]

Names-dreaming-up, continues. Per general thread consensus: such names should really have imaginable relevance (actual, or "might come about") to something, for a fair segment of the population -- otherwise "the wooing of punters" is a lost cause (fun though it is to think up highly-obscure, daft references for "Line" names).

Thoughts of Rudyard Kipling references for the Tunbridge Wells -- Hastings route entered mind, but rejected. Kipling lived for the second half of his quite long life, at Burwash near Etchingham, in a house which he greatly loved, and where he wrote some of his most prominent works; including the Puck of Pook's Hill stories about England through the ages (set chiefly in East Sussex, in the area in which he dwelt). However; in the current social climate anyway. the "Kipling Line" would not do: Kipling is decidedly non-PC. This attitude is, I feel, a rather tunnel-vision-beset one: Kipling was a complex guy, and a lot more than just a thuggish Empire-booster and whipper-into-line of lesser breeds -- however, name a "no go". And the "Puck Line" is ruled out by the way in which the yahoos would inevitably adapt it...

(Of course for any route involving Tunbridge Wells, the "Disgusted Line" is a possibility .)

Further west: the Didcot, Newbury & Southampton (especially south of Newbury) would do well as the "Watership Line".

And way up north: the Chevington -- Amble branch, as the "Rosies Line". The small Coquet Island, a little way off Amble, is a birdwatchers' heaven -- particularly renowned as the only breeding-spot in the UK, of the rare roseate tern (these birds affectionately known to the fraternity, as "Rosies"). A little over a hundred pairs of Rosies nest on Coquet, in the early-summer breeding season (along with huge numbers of other species of tern, and puffins). The public are not allowed to land on the island; but local boatmen run trips to sail visitors round the island, for them to revel in the spectacle of the birds. Branding the branch line in this way, would likely intrigue visitors; finding why the name was thus, would entice them to go to Amble and sail out to see the birdies -- everyone would win !

 

[Journeyman]

I don't doubt that for a second.

Just reduces the tourist experience of beautiful western Scotland to something akin to visiting Disneyland with a selfie stick.

It has to be said that parts of the Highlands are now getting seriously overcrowded and there is some fairly idiotic behaviour on display. I tend to focus my exploring efforts on some of the less-discovered bits of Scotland now (there's still quite a few of those).

 

[yorksrob]

Perhaps the line through Bourneville could be called the Cadbury Line !

 

[DackandBlecker]

I don't doubt that for a second.

Just reduces the tourist experience of beautiful western Scotland to something akin to visiting Disneyland with a selfie stick.

Welcome to every tourist attraction in the world!

 

[Calthrop]

Fetching this thread back up: have just discovered by chance on these Forums, an instance of why this practice on the part of present-day publicists often makes me cringe. I learn that the rail route Peterborough -- Spalding -- Sleaford -- Lincoln, is nowadays branded as the "Redwing Line". Initial reaction: "what has that name got to do with anything?" After a little pondering: a species of thrush called the redwing (Turdus iliacus), essentially an inhabitant of northern Europe, often visits Britain in flocks in the winter, in search of more clement weather. I suppose that the geography of the business means that these creatures would tend to show up in particular strength, in regions close to England's east coast. All the same -- I had to feel, "is this scraping the barrel, or what?"

If i had been required (under threat of GBH, though with generous granting of time to think) to come up with a "so-and-so Line" marketing name for this stretch of railway: I reckon that I could guarantee to furnish something which was, at least, less abstruse and / or wet, than this "Redwing" thing.

 

[Dr Hoo]

Fetching this thread back up: have just discovered by chance on these Forums, an instance of why this practice on the part of present-day publicists often makes me cringe. I learn that the rail route Peterborough -- Spalding -- Sleaford -- Lincoln, is nowadays branded as the "Redwing Line". Initial reaction: "what has that name got to do with anything?" After a little pondering: a species of thrush called the redwing (Turdus iliacus), essentially an inhabitant of northern Europe, often visits Britain in flocks in the winter, in search of more clement weather. I suppose that the geography of the business means that these creatures would tend to show up in particular strength, in regions close to England's east coast. All the same -- I had to feel, "is this scraping the barrel, or what?"

If i had been required (under threat of GBH, though with generous granting of time to think) to come up with a "so-and-so Line" marketing name for this stretch of railway: I reckon that I could guarantee to furnish something which was, at least, less abstruse and / or wet, than this "Redwing" thing.

"Flat Line" has got to be the most appropriate for anything around Spalding.

 

[Calthrop]

"Flat Line" has got to be the most appropriate for anything around Spalding.

That area -- where I spent my early childhood -- has its own peculiar charm; but it sure is flat.

 

[Calthrop]

Something happened on by chance yesterday, rather "out of the same stable" as the "*** Line" stuff: it appears that the long-closed Lincoln -- Boston via Langrick rail route, has been made into a long-distance walkway / cycleway which is afflicted with the title of the "Water Rail Way". It's a pun of sorts -- a one-time railway paralleled by a waterway, the River Witham; and there's a bird, the water rail -- relative of the moorhen -- which presumably is abundant in the area. I for one, wish that the people who have the power to bestow names in this way, would stop with the feeble, twee attempts at witty wordplay...

 

[RichJF]

My two local lines (East Grinstead/Uckfield) should be changed to something reflecting the local area.

Uckfield Line - The Ashdown LIne (as the southern end goes through the Forest). You could just go the whole hog & rename it the Wealden LIne.
East Grinstead LIne - The Racecourse LIne bearing in mind that it goes right past Lingfield Racecourse.

 

[AM9]

Unless there is an established name for a line, most marketing names are pretty naff.

 

[Calthrop]

Unless there is an established name for a line, most marketing names are pretty naff.

Amen ! I wish marketing names were not such a firmly-established -- seemingly "compulsory" -- feature of the way we live nowadays.

 

[JBuchananGB]

My two local lines (East Grinstead/Uckfield) should be changed to something reflecting the local area.

Uckfield Line - The Ashdown LIne (as the southern end goes through the Forest). You could just go the whole hog & rename it the Wealden LIne.
East Grinstead LIne - The Racecourse LIne bearing in mind that it goes right past Lingfield Racecourse.

Who could forget the “Cuckoo” line, Eridge to Polegate via Heathfield?

 

[30907]

East Grinstead LIne - The Racecourse LIne bearing in mind that it goes right past Lingfield Racecourse.

Unfortunately, many other lines pass or serve racecourses...

 

[DavidGrain]

The Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway has a station at Cheltenham Racecourse so would be more entitled to call itself the Racecourse Line

 

[Smethwickian]

Something happened on by chance yesterday, rather "out of the same stable" as the "*** Line" stuff: it appears that the long-closed Lincoln -- Boston via Langrick rail route, has been made into a long-distance walkway / cycleway which is afflicted with the title of the "Water Rail Way". It's a pun of sorts -- a one-time railway paralleled by a waterway, the River Witham; and there's a bird, the water rail -- relative of the moorhen -- which presumably is abundant in the area. I for one, wish that the people who have the power to bestow names in this way, would stop with the feeble, twee attempts at witty wordplay...

As a keen walker I do so agree. After all, "THE FORMER LINCOLN TO BOSTON VIA LANGRICK RAILWAY ROUTE PATH AND CYCLEWAY" would fit on signposts, maps and waymarkers so much more easily than some silly three-word name.

 

[Calthrop]

I don't object to succinct names -- just to ones which lamely try to be witty, but fail.

 

[Calthrop]

Who could forget the “Cuckoo” line, Eridge to Polegate via Heathfield?

I understand that that line was so-called, from the centuries-old tradition that at Heathfield Fair, held annually in late April, a character called the Old Woman releases a cuckoo from her basket; after which spring is deemed to have "officially" begun. A Googled item makes a remark that cuckoos can be hard to find when you need one -- so visitors should not be surprised if the released bird looks very pigeon-like. Unsurprising -- it's gathered that cuckoos are getting ever rarer in Britain: the species is in trouble; plus, one sees the animal-welfare people being unhappy about such treatment being inflicted on a wild bird. ("Heathfield Cuckoo Fair" supposedly has a website; but I couldn't successfully log onto it.)

 

[AM9]

I don't object to succinct names -- just to ones which lamely try to be witty, but fail.

Maybe the 'unofficial' names that some lines have inherited from locals would be more appropriate, for example 'Abbey Flyer' for the Watford- St Albans Abbey line or even less flattering (but more memorable) names such as the Wickham to Southminster branches services locally called the 'vomit comet'. I think that there have been other services called that though.

 

[Calthrop]

I like local folks' names for their rail lines -- something spontaneous, hit on by ordinary people just for fun, and "because"; a far cry from the artificiality of hip wiseasses thinking up would-be snappy or appealing names and attempting to get them into general use: essential purpose, to try and get money out of people.

Some of the local names for lines, were seriously strange: one wonders how and from where, the people dreamed them up. Such as "Tiddley Dyke" for the Midland & South-Western Junction; the "Skimpot Flyer" for the Leighton Buzzard -- Dunstable branch; and "Bulliver" for Totnes -- Ashburton. And I have a weakness for the -- usually uncomplimentary -- parodies on railways' initials. The Midland & Great Northern Joint was the "Muddle and Get Nowhere"; the Stratford-on-Avon & Midland Junction, the "Slow, Mouldy and Jolting". And in Ireland -- Sligo, Leitrim & Northern Counties Railway = "Slow, Late, and Never Coming".

 

[Calthrop]

A recent few days in north-west England, revealed a to me hitherto unknown example of my "pet hate", of IMO unnecessary and pointless publicity / marketing gimmicks involving "branding" rail routes -- usually at the more-rural end of the spectrum -- as "The [Such-and-Such] Line". I learn that we are now being encouraged to call the Leeds -- Hellifield -- Carnforth -- Lancaster route, "The Bentham Line". While High Bentham, where Bentham station is situated, looked during recent visit to be a thoroughly charming large village / tiny town (and I'm sure that nearby Low Bentham is equally charming); the name strikes me as a feeble and unimaginative one -- the Benthams would appear to be only random places on the route, with no significance to the populace at large. As I have mused about other brand-namings: if this annoying practice has to exist, then let the names at least be striking, rather than bland / borderline meaningless -- I'm sure that if forced to, I could think of something better to call this stretch of the network, than "The Bentham Line !"

A non-railway instance observed on this same trip, of what strikes me as frantic barrel-scraping to come up with unnecessary and "naff" branding names for items of the country's geography -- off the A595 road in the Gosforth / Calder Bridge area: "The Energy Coast Business Park". One feels bemused / alarmed at the sheer add-men's desperation hinted at -- searching for a "buzzy" name to affix to what is generally perceived as a not very inviting coastal area (though I personally found "Cumbria due west of the Lake District National Park" more agreeable than I'd been expecting), and having to resort to an attempted positive "take" on the ugly, sinister-connotations-haunted Sellafield nuclear installation -- with a thoroughly fatuous result. Why do the publicity bods bother with this kind of nonsense?