Plans drawn up to rename East Croydon station as Croydon Central

[GodAtum]

Interesting plans. I dont have strong feelings either way but it might make it more obvious to people who are not local. You could argue West Croydon is more central to the shopping and business areas.

Plans have been drawn up to rename East Croydon rail station as Croydon Central.

Croydon Council has held talks with Network Rail and is to push for the switch, which it hopes will reinforce the station's role as the borough's transport hub.

Council bosses believe the new name, alongside existing plans to install two new platforms, could help position Croydon as the economic capital of south-east England.

Council leader Tony Newman told the Croydon Guardian: "It is all part of that wider statement about the borough.

"Croydon Central says we are not at the end of some branch line somewhere, we are right in the middle of the busiest rail network in the country.

"It is about saying that we are not going to be that sleepy suburban borough that takes its share of the cuts and quietly goes away.

"We are a much bigger place - we would be the seventh largest city in the country if it was anywhere else other than the edge of London - and I think it's time we started acting like it."

He added: "We have brought it up and Network Rail seemed quite excited by the idea of it. It would be their call ultimately but we have started discussions and it is something we are very serious about."

Any name change would have to be rubber-stamped by the Department for Transport and would prove expensive.

Plans to rebrand Northampton rail station as Northampton Castle to "reflect its heritage" came under fire in April when it emerged new signs and maps would cost £200,000.

But Nathan Elvery, Croydon Council's chief executive, said East Croydon station's current name "makes no sense whatsoever" and that the switch would boost the borough's economy.

He added: "If you don't start making your mark and being bold about things, it will just carry on and we will be seen as a continued suburb of London rather than the geographical economic hub, which we truly are for London.

"There is more commuter traffic through East Croydon than goes through Paddington and Euston every day combined.

"When you think abouit that, you realise that is major artery for trains. Croydon Central sounds right when you think about it in that sense."

Gavin Barwell, Croydon Central MP, said he did not think the change was necessary.

He added: "I'm not opposed to it but I don't have a strong view for it. It has a pretty high profile as it as and I think people know it's Croydon's main station."

A spokesman for Network Rail said: "Decisions over station namings involve many parties, from operators, to Network Rail and the Department for Transport.

"We're working closely with the council on our plans for the Croydon and we're always happy to talk to them about the name."

Should the change go ahead, it would the second station in the town's history to bear the name Croydon Central. The first opened in Katherine Street in 1868 but closed down three years later.

It reopened in 1886 but last just another four years before shutting for good due to poor usage.

http://www.croydonguardian.co.uk/ne...don_station_could_be_renamed_Croydon_Central/

 

[southern442]

I can't see it happening, and it would just create havoc. Everyone knows it as East Croydon, it is one of the busiest and most important stations in the UK, as long as people know where the station is and how to get there then the name is fine. It's like renaming Clapham Junction as Battersea Junction as it is in fact in Battersea, but that would never happen.

 

[Busaholic]

In many ways West Croydon would have a bigger claim to be called Croydon Central for its geographical position abutting the main shopping area, including two major shopping centres and the bus station, and on the main London to Brighton road, though of course traffic has to find another way round the pedestrianised bit. Also the vast majority of bus services stop within two or three hundred metres of it, unlike East Croydon which is only directly served by a minority of bus services. West Croydon also has the Overground, unlike the East. Personally, I think this is driven by egos and not common sense.

 

[21C101]

Has April fools day come early?

Its called East Croydon because it is in east Croydon. Funnily enough in Central Croydon there is a tram stop called Centrale, which is nearly a mile from East Croydon.

And as the person above points out if you are going shopping you go to West Croydon if you can as its right next to the Whitgift Centre etc. not a tram ride away.

There was of course once a Central Croydon station, it wasn't very successful, closed before Queen Victoria vacated the throne and the town hall is now built there with the cutting in the station throat turned into the town hall gardens.

http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/c/central_croydon/

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

There was of course once a Central Croydon station, it wasn't very successful, closed before Queen Victoria vacated the throne and the town hall is now built there with the cutting in the station throat turned into the town hall gardens.
http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/c/central_croydon/

I love the idea of LNWR services from Willesden Jn via Kensington Olympia and Crystal Palace to the original Croydon Central!
Might be quite popular today as the terminus for the WLL service from Milton Keynes.

 

[edwin_m]

Isn't the whole area around the station known as East Croydon, as with Clapham Junction? Describing East Croydon as Central implies that West Croydon is "not central", which is hardly likely to encourage people on that line to visit Croydon by train.

 

[21C101]

Isn't the whole area around the station known as East Croydon, as with Clapham Junction? Describing East Croydon as Central implies that West Croydon is "not central", which is hardly likely to encourage people on that line to visit Croydon by train.

Yes, that is why it is East Croydon not Croydon East

Ironic that there were no regular direct trains from Clapham Junction to Clapham (high street) until 149 years after it opened in 2012 when the Overground service started.

It was called Clapham Junction because when it opened in 1863 Battersea was a crap area and Clapham posh, which is still to a limited extent the case, but less so since 1980s gentrification. If it opened now it would presumably be called South Chelsea Interchange....

 

[Busaholic]

Has April fools day come early?

Its called East Croydon because it is in east Croydon. Funnily enough in Central Croydon there is a tram stop called Centrale, which is nearly a mile from East Croydon.

And as the person above points out if you are going shopping you go to West Croydon if you can as its right next to the Whitgift Centre etc. not a tram ride away.

There was of course once a Central Croydon station, it wasn't very successful, closed before Queen Victoria vacated the throne and the town hall is now built there with the cutting in the station throat turned into the town hall gardens.

http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/c/central_croydon/

The tram stop is named Centrale after the rather white elephant shopping centre which set up in opposition to the Whitgift, but it too is about 300 yards max from West Croydon station.

 

[Diplodicus]

You know it's an ego trip the moment you read: "the council..."!

 

[satisnek]

Croydon Central says we are not at the end of some branch line somewhere, we are right in the middle of the busiest rail network in the country.

Nothing like Sinfin Central then

 

[Chrisgr31]

I have always wondered why the station is called East Croydon, and where the centre of Crpydon is, after all its hardly a long way from the Whitgift. Presumably once the new development along Dingwall Road is built it East Croydon station with the exit to Dingwall Road is nearer the centre particularly if they can get a direct link to the Whitgift.

These two new platforms, presumably are the Dingwall Road side and would they be staggered for the existing ones to avoid the need to widen the bridge the station building sits on?

 

[ianhr]

Ironically there once WAS a Croydon Central, in LBSCR days. It was a terminus on a west facing spur just south of East Croydon. I am not sure when it closed to passengers, but certainly a very long time ago, I think it may have survived for goods until early 1920s.

I agree with almost everyone on here, leave the present name alone, it is well established, geographically accurate and no more 'central' than West Croydon.

 

[sarahj]

Perhaps its more of calling the what the Germans would call, the Hauptbahnhof. Main Station. Some HBF's are not in the center, but they are the station where most trains call. A good example is Solingen, where the HBF is miles away, and infact used to have another name. But its the main long distance stopping point with the most trains.

Back in the day I remember when Newcastle was called Newcastle Central. Not sure when it lost the Central, though the Metro still calls it that.

Perhaps in another way, we could call Brighton, Brighton Central, then London Rd.....Brighton, London Rd......(though it should be called, Ditchling Rd)

 

[southern442]

Nothing like Sinfin Central then

And tecnically, Gatwick Airport is in the 'middle,' as it is almost exactly in the middle of the BML!

 

[Clip]

"There is more commuter traffic through East Croydon than goes through Paddington and Euston every day combined.

Well there we have it! We must change it because lots of people pass through it!


What a weird argument

 

[NSE]

Yeah I agree with people on here, its not needed. I use the station frequently, its not in Central Croydon granted, but its hardly difficult to get to the shops. Sides, a lot of people interchange at the station and thats irrelevant of the name of the station.

 

[21C101]

Perhaps its more of calling the what the Germans would call, the Hauptbahnhof. Main Station. Some HBF's are not in the center, but they are the station where most trains call. A good example is Solingen, where the HBF is miles away, and infact used to have another name. But its the main long distance stopping point with the most trains.

Indeed. I know it would be southernly incorrect to say so but perhaps the nearest British equivalent to Croydon Hauptbahnhof would be Croydon General?

 

[Muzer]

I can think of a lot better names that Croydon Central that imply "lots of trains call here":

* Croydon Junction
* Croydon Main
* Croydon General (as mentioned above)

But I dislike any of these because they'll all spell the end for "East Croydon, this is, East Croydon"

 

[61653 HTAFC]

The only reason to change the name of East Croydon is for image or presentation...

In which case, the word "Croydon" is more problematic than the word "East"!

 

[Haydn1971]

Don't see a problem with this at all - in Sheffield we had Midland and Victoria, we now have Sheffield Midland that is called Sheffield by everyone I know - may be interesting once we have Meadowhall HS2

Countless stations have been renamed.

 

[Clip]

Don't see a problem with this at all - in Sheffield we had Midland and Victoria, we now have Sheffield Midland that is called Sheffield by everyone I know - may be interesting once we have Meadowhall HS2

Countless stations have been renamed.

There may have been but theres no need to do this for East Croydon. Remember this is the council that wants to change Norwood Junction to 'South Norwood' all in the name of tarting up the borough due to it being a bit of a hole.

 

[Bushy]

Ironically there once WAS a Croydon Central, in LBSCR days. It was a terminus on a west facing spur just south of East Croydon. I am not sure when it closed to passengers, but certainly a very long time ago, I think it may have survived for goods until early 1920s.

And, quoting 'disused-stations', look what was built on the site:

Today, Croydon Town Hall stands on the site of Central Croydon station but the cutting to the east of the town hall with its high brick retaining wall on the south side of Katherine Street survives as a sunken garden, part of the Queens Gardens. A pedestrian subway follows the course of the line under Park Lane and through the underground car park between the Ashcroft Theatre and the College of Art. A plaque commemorating Central Croydon Station can be seen on the retaining wall in Queens Gardens.

Regards

Bushy

 

[21C101]

Don't see a problem with this at all - in Sheffield we had Midland and Victoria, we now have Sheffield Midland that is called Sheffield by everyone I know - may be interesting once we have Meadowhall HS2

Countless stations have been renamed.

Sheffield Midland was originally officially called Sheffield Pond Street lol

How does "Croydon Elizabeth" or "Elizabeth Station, Croydon" sound?

I still think Croydon General is better but given its Croydon "Croydon Mayday" might be best.

 

[Bald Rick]

Croydon Common?

 

[21C101]

Croydon Common?

Subsequently renamed Crystal Palace after they stopped playing matches at "The Nest" aka Selhurst Depot

Of course if the rumours are true that prince charles will take his grandfathers name if and when he becomes king then calling it after the street it is on would be apt ie Croydon George Street.

 

[LLivery]

First Norwood Junction, now East Croydon. I use East Croydon almost everyday and this just seems incredibly pointless. As said before, West Croydon is more Central however, it must be said with all the developments planned, East Croydon will be just as Central in a few years. I'd rather Croydon Main, even Croydon Thameslink than Central.

General means nothing to a lot of people, I bet most people would think it refers to a General Hospital!

East Croydon is here to stay, as is Norwood Junction. The only sensible name change in London would be West Drayton back to West Drayton & Yiewsley. Also you could reasonably change Mitcham Junction to Mitcham Common, as its no longer a junction.

 

[NSE]

Oh I love the 'East Croydon, this is, East Croydon'. Is any other station like it?

 

[anme]

Perhaps its more of calling the what the Germans would call, the Hauptbahnhof. Main Station. Some HBF's are not in the center, but they are the station where most trains call. A good example is Solingen, where the HBF is miles away, and infact used to have another name. But its the main long distance stopping point with the most trains.

It should definitely be called Croydon Hauptbahnhof! That's a great idea!

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Oh I love the 'East Croydon, this is, East Croydon'. Is any other station like it?

In late BR days there were loads that had those announcements: Basingstoke and Wakefield Westgate to name but two.

 

[Busaholic]

As there is no train service between West Croydon and East Croydon there is no chance of passenger confusion. As for Mayday, the Health Authority may have given the hospital a fancy new name, but the locals will still be referring to it as Mayday twenty years hence.