Should Cambridge station be renamed now there's a North?

[Bletchleyite]

Since Cambridge North station has opened, I have heard people refer to "Cambridge Main" a few times, which is not to be confused with the mighty town of "Cambridge, Maine". I doubt the German influence is strong enough to have caused it.

It would be helpful if it gained an official suffix, though Central would be pushing it. Main might work - there is one other, namely Farnborough, or perhaps General.

Other than Farnborough I've never heard it used in the UK but then most of the "main" stations where there's another suffixed one have a suffix anyway.

 

[Chris 76]

Farnborough's 'Main' suffix distinguishes its location on the main south western line in contrast to Farnborough North, on the North Downs Line. That distinction isn't necessary in Cambridge. Keep things as simple as possible-Cambridge, Cambridge North, (sometime) Cambridge South. Main would probably be the best suffix if it was felt necessary to distinguish plain Cambridge from other stations; it's closest to the German 'Hauptbahnhof'. Definitely not 'General', which doesn't indicate anything useful.

 

[Ianno87]

It's fine being named Cambridge. Any other "standard" suffix would just add confusion.

"Main" or "General" just isn't in common enough parlance, "Central" is geographically wrong.

Although, if we were in Germany, it would be Cambridge Hauptbahnhof.

 

[Tobbes]

Keep things as simple as possible-Cambridge, Cambridge North, (sometime) Cambridge South. Main would probably be the best suffix if it was felt necessary to distinguish plain Cambridge from other stations; it's closest to the German 'Hauptbahnhof'. Definitely not 'General', which doesn't indicate anything useful.

It's not clear that "Main" would any anything, and "General" wouldn't either. You'd just end up calling it Cambridge and be done with it.

 

[smsm1]

I'm one of the ones who uses the Cambridge Main term, in part being used to the German Hauptbahnhof, and wanting to be specific about which station it is without any ambiguity.

 

[S&CLER]

It would be helpful if it gained an official suffix, though Central would be pushing it. Main might work - there is one other, namely Farnborough, or perhaps General.

Other than Farnborough I've never heard it used in the UK but then most of the "main" stations where there's another suffixed one have a suffix anyway.

Workington also had a Main (to distinguish it from a Central station)

 

[Verulamius]

Why not call it Cambridge Victoria?.

 

[Helvellyn]

Cambridge City?

 

[30907]

Cambridge City?

It's well out of the city - Cambridge Parkway wouldn't be right but Cambridge Cycleway?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Cambridge City?

That might work. It isn't really in the city centre, but the name doesn't say that.

 

[davetheguard]

Workington also had a Main (to distinguish it from a Central station)

There's also Acton Main Line (to distinguish from all the other Actons on London Overground & Underground).

Getting back to Cambridge, it's odd that there's no direct English equivalent of the German word "Hauptbahnhof"; which removes all ambiguity when travelling in German-speaking lands.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Getting back to Cambridge, it's odd that there's no direct English equivalent of the German word "Hauptbahnhof"; which removes all ambiguity when travelling in German-speaking lands.

It is an interesting one. I think of the terms you do get "General" is probably the closest, but you don't see it used these days very often. Though it is used in that way in Wrexham - General is the Hbf, Central is a local station nearer town.

Mind you the Dutch don't really have one either - they use Centraal when it sometimes actually isn't.

 

[Lucan]

In keeping with other stations which are miles away (metaphorically) from the place they are supposed to serve, how about Cambridge Road ?

 

[Starmill]

Worthing calls for no such distinctions. Does it ever cause confusion?

 

[Aictos]

Should Cambridge be renamed now there's a Cambridge North? Umm no, I can't see any possible reason or advantage to renaming Cambridge at all.

If there was then you might as well rename Luton Airport Parkway to Luton South (For Luton Airport), Luton to Luton Town/Luton Central as it directly serves the town centre and is in the middle of the Luton station group and Leagrave to Luton North as it mostly serves the north of Luton and Leagrave.

Equally, you could also take the time to rename Bletchley to Miton Keynes South all are a pointless exercise and a waste of resources and funds.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I certainly would rename Luton to Luton Town, as that actually does cause confusion. I'd similarly rename Birmingham International to Birmingham Airport (for the NEC) - that was actually on the cards at one point but seems to have been abandoned. I don't care about points of the compass, but to me it does make sense to use a clear qualifier where the same name appears on more than one station in a town - hence Cambridge. I do like the idea of "Cambridge City" of the options given so far.

As a slight OT aside, Wolverton as MK North and Bletchley as MK South were on the cards in the 1970s I believe, but met with significant local opposition.

 

[arb]

If we assume that one day a station might re-open somewhere near Cherry Hinton/Fulbourn, that could be Cambridge East. Which leaves Cambridge West for the main station

 

[Bletchleyite]

If we assume that one day a station might re-open somewhere near Cherry Hinton/Fulbourn, that could be Cambridge East. Which leaves Cambridge West for the main station

It's south east of the city centre, so Cambridge South East[1] would be accurate, but that doesn't convey that you want to get off there for the city centre.

[1] Wigan North Western is south-south-east of Wigan town centre/Wallgate station. I bet most people have not noticed that fact nor know why it's actually called that!

 

[Gareth]

Maybe rename Cambridge North? Chesterton perhaps, although maps suggest it's actually just outside the city limits in Milton.

 

[ashkeba]

It's fine being named Cambridge. Any other "standard" suffix would just add confusion.

"Main" or "General" just isn't in common enough parlance, "Central" is geographically wrong.

Although, if we were in Germany, it would be Cambridge Hauptbahnhof.

Say what you like but it seems people do feel it necessary to identify that they don't mean Cambridge North. When Cambridge South opens, it may increase. They also know Central is inaccurate, so most say "Main" or less often I've heard "City" or "Old station".

 

[Esker-pades]

Perhaps it's time to bring back the 'General' suffix?

 

[alistairlees]

[1] Wigan North Western is south-south-east of Wigan town centre/Wallgate station.

Or south west, in fact.

 

[gingerheid]

People getting on the D bus (which serves both stations) seem to differentiate by saying central (I agree; not correct) or something like "the main station" or "the big station"

Really though, as things stand Cambridge North is irrelevant to most of Cambridge as a station. Most people are going to refer to not-North as "the station".

 

[PG]

If we assume that one day a station might re-open somewhere near Cherry Hinton/Fulbourn, that could be Cambridge East. Which leaves Cambridge West for the main station

Despite the fact that it certainly not on the west side of Cambridge!

Maybe rename Cambridge North? Chesterton perhaps, although maps suggest it's actually just outside the city limits Milton.

IIRC before and during the building process it was called Chesterton. If they'd stuck with that name I doubt this thread would exist

 

[HSTEd]

Cambridge Botanic Gardens?

 

[alxndr]

Could keep it straightforward and go for Cambridge Old in the style of Lennoxtown.

 

[Ianno87]

In keeping with other stations which are miles away (metaphorically) from the place they are supposed to serve, how about Cambridge Road ?

That requires there to be a road called "Cambridge Road" in the vicinity, which there isn't. "Cambridge Hills Road" would be the closest possibility.

Maybe rename Cambridge North? Chesterton perhaps, although maps suggest it's actually just outside the city limits in Milton.

Just makes it sound like a suburban station, when it is (or will be) a mini-hub for the north of the city. It is in fact not too bad a station to reach certain parts of the city centre via the cycleway/path alongside the river.

Say what you like but it seems people do feel it necessary to identify that they don't mean Cambridge North. When Cambridge South opens, it may increase. They also know Central is inaccurate, so most say "Main" or less often I've heard "City" or "Old station".

Plain "Cambridge" makes it clear to tourists which one they need to travel to.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Plain "Cambridge" makes it clear to tourists which one they need to travel to.

So does "Cambridge City".

 

[Bletchleyite]

Or south west, in fact.

A bit OT, but no, it's just SSE (SSSE if there is such a thing ) - though this is using the OS's marking which seems generally to be the main building position.

Or if you're taking extreme platform ends, probably due south *or* a little bit SSSW. But anyway, the point relevant to this thread was that a station name containing a compass direction doesn't have to mean location


OS 1:25000 extract showing both stations

 

[83A]

I propose it’s renamed “Cambridge Awkward” in account of its location !