Stations not near their names

[A0wen]

Welwyn North is actually in Digswell and is actually about 2 miles south-west of Welwyn village.

And on the Marston Vale line - Bow Brickhill, Ridgmont and Millbrook are all some distance from the villages they are named after.

 

[CarrotPie]

Winchelsea. At least a 20 minute walk from Winchelsea itself.

 

[GrimsbyPacer]

Ludborough is far from the village, if heritage lines are included.
Technically aren't stations like London Victoria in the City of Westminster, and about a mile from the City of London?

 

[mrd269697]

Some near me.

Heswall station is in the town of Heswall, but right on the edge, around a mile and a half to the town centre. Mainly serves Barnston to be honest.

Hooton Station is about a mile from the small village that takes its name, which is near to a crossroads off the A41. But the station equally serves the much larger village of Williston a similar distance away (and acts as a parkway/railhead for large parts of Cheshire and north Wales).

Buckley/Bwcle station is about a mile from the town centre.

Upton station in Birkenhead is about 3/4 of a mile from the centre of upton village, and primarily serves Noctorum and Beechwood.

 

[steamybrian]

Wivelsfield station is actually in Burgess Hill and about a mile and half from Wivelsfield village

 

[ANDREW_D_WEBB]

Harlesden is some distance from Harlesden town centre, which is actaually closer to Willesden Junction, which is itself is not particularly well placed for Willesden.

Further along the line Harrow and Wealdstone is on the edge of the latter town centre, but a fair trek to Harrow town centre. This town centre is well served by Harrow on the Hill, which is towards the bottom of the nearby hill!

 

[GrimsbyPacer]

Long Eaton is not in Long Eaton.

 

[Calthrop]

Heswall station is in the town of Heswall, but right on the edge, around a mile and a half to the town centre. Mainly serves Barnston to be honest.

In bygone days, the above was reflected in station-name differences. The Birkenhead Joint Railway's Hooton -- West Kirby line, which followed the estuary shore and had a Heswall station nearer to the town centre; had that station, named just "Heswall". The present-day Heswall station, on the Bidston -- Wrexham line, was named -- to distinguish it from the "Birkenhead" 's station -- Heswall Hills. With passenger services Hooton -- West Kirby ceasing in 1956 ("distinguishing" no longer a factor); and with the strong trend on Britain's railways in recent decades, to shorten and simplify station names; as from 1973, the one-time Heswall Hills has been plain Heswall.

 

[nw1]

Harlesden is some distance from Harlesden town centre, which is actaually closer to Willesden Junction, which is itself is not particularly well placed for Willesden.

Further along the line Harrow and Wealdstone is on the edge of the latter town centre, but a fair trek to Harrow town centre. This town centre is well served by Harrow on the Hill, which is towards the bottom of the nearby hill!

I think you see Harrow town from the WCML don't you? I definitely remember seeing a tall church spire on a hill to the west of the WCML somewhere in that area, which I have assumed is actual Harrow. It was some way away, maybe 2 miles.

Swanwick station is on the edge of Park Gate and some way from the village of Swanwick, which is across the river from Bursledon station.

Hedge End station is some way from the centre of Hedge End, though still (just) within the built-up area. But it's a new (relatively speaking) station so would have been built on the most convenient site on the line which existed long before it did.

 

[birchesgreen]

Saunderton is quite some way from the actual place.

 

[RPI]

Crewkerne is a bit of a trek and Menheniot too.
I dare say Okehampton if its distance from the actual town centre

 

[ValleyLines142]

Cheltenham, Sandwell & Dudley, Norwich and Bristol all spring to mind!

 

[MadMac]

Thornton with Glenrothes station is 3 miles from Glenrothes.

I think I read somewhere that Markinch (known as Markinch For Glenrothes) was actually nearer.

 

[RPI]

Gunnislake is another!

 

[meepmeep]

Thirsk Station is in Carlton Miniott. About a mile from Thirsk town centre

 

[D6975]

You probably want to specifically exclude stations called Junction or Parkway, or you may find this is a very long list.

Awww - spoilsport.

ps Limerick Jn is 22 miles from Limerick. It is however in walking distance of Tipperary (3 miles), which has its own station but a rather infrequent service.

 

[Ianigsy]

Hooton Station is about a mile from the small village that takes its name, which is near to a crossroads off the A41. But the station equally serves the much larger village of Williston a similar distance away (and acts as a parkway/railhead for large parts of Cheshire and north Wales).

And the station in Willaston was called Hadlow Road.....

Weeton is another one of those ones which is in another village altogether (Huby) and is about a mile away from the village as the crow flies and half as much again on the ground over some twisty country lanes.

 

[mrd269697]

Some near me.

Heswall station is in the town of Heswall, but right on the edge, around a mile and a half to the town centre. Mainly serves Barnston to be honest.

Hooton Station is about a mile from the small village that takes its name, which is near to a crossroads off the A41. But the station equally serves the much larger village of Williston a similar distance away (and acts as a parkway/railhead for large parts of Cheshire and north Wales).

Buckley/Bwcle station is about a mile from the town centre.

Upton station in Birkenhead is about 3/4 of a mile from the centre of upton village, and primarily serves Noctorum and Beechwood.

In bygone days, the above was reflected in station-name differences. The Birkenhead Joint Railway's Hooton -- West Kirby line, which followed the estuary shore and had a Heswall station nearer to the town centre; had that station, named just "Heswall". The present-day Heswall station, on the Bidston -- Wrexham line, was named -- to distinguish it from the "Birkenhead" 's station -- Heswall Hills. With passenger services Hooton -- West Kirby ceasing in 1956 ("distinguishing" no longer a factor); and with the strong trend on Britain's railways in recent decades, to shorten and simplify station names; as from 1973, the one-time Heswall Hills has been plain Heswall.

The irony being Heswall Hills station was near no hills, with the surrounding topography rather flat. Having said that, Heswall town centre is the highest land on the Wirral, averaging about 90m above mean sea level.

Reminds me of the greatly named Shippea Hill, on the fens in Cambridgeshire!

 

[Calthrop]

And the station in Willaston was called Hadlow Road.....

Given that name because another village called Willaston, much further east in Cheshire, already had a station on the Crewe -- Shrewsbury line. Hadlow Road was / is the name of the road, only, in the Wirral village: there's been no corresponding settlement of Hadlow, for about a millennium !

Reminds me of the greatly named Shippea Hill, on the fens in Cambridgeshire!

There's been much discourse on the Forums, as I recall -- sometimes getting quite acrimonious -- as to how this station came by this particular name.

 

[pj13]

Overton - top of the hill just under a mile to the town
Andover - Station about half mile from town centre

 

[D6130]

Andover - Station about half mile from town centre

Yes....of course the current station was originally called Andover Junction, with Andover Town station on the line to Romsey - closed in 1964 - being slap bang in the town centre, with a busy level crossing.

 

[nw1]

Overton - top of the hill just under a mile to the town
Andover - Station about half mile from town centre

That line seems particularly prone to this. Whitchurch too is north of the town and up the hill.

Yes....of course the current station was originally called Andover Junction, with Andover Town station on the line to Romsey - closed in 1964 - being slap bang in the town centre, with a busy level crossing.

The LSWR line to the South West seemed to be particularly prone to having Junction stations a little way out of town (though Andover isn't too bad, at least it's well within the urban area and not in the sticks) and now-closed Town stations, Yeovil Junction/Town is another one (Yeovil Junction being basically in the middle of some fields, or at least it was in 1994 when I was last there), as well as Barnstaple Junction/Town (not sure how far out the Junction station is).

Awww - spoilsport.

ps Limerick Jn is 22 miles from Limerick. It is however in walking distance of Tipperary (3 miles), which has its own station but a rather infrequent service.

Though Limerick of course has its own station a good deal nearer than the Junction! (Rather a small one for a city of its size, though that's a topic for another thread..)

 

[birchesgreen]

Cheltenham Spa mentioned above is in Cheltenham, its not that central maybe but i think its a stretch to include it here.

 

[Y Ddraig Coch]

Dolgarrog , 6.9 miles via car

 

[BeijingDave]

Chester station is a fair walk from the centre of Chester iirc.

Chester's not too bad, you can either walk along City Road or Brook Street, both of which have many shops, cafes, some hotels, to the city centre. It is in the city and feels like it is in the city (just not the exact centre).

Of major towns in the north west, Widnes and Warrington Bank Quay are much lengthier walks from the station to something resembling a retail area.

However the airport was Birmingham International, BHX. Which is also the IATA code for the station.

Birmingham New Street is a much better example for Birmingham, as the station has never been located on New Street, and I don't think it's ever had an entrance/exit directly on to New Street.

 

[The exile]

That line seems particularly prone to this. Whitchurch too is north of the town and up the hill.



The LSWR line to the South West seemed to be particularly prone to having Junction stations a little way out of town (though Andover isn't too bad, at least it's well within the urban area and not in the sticks) and now-closed Town stations, Yeovil Junction/Town is another one (Yeovil Junction being basically in the middle of some fields, or at least it was in 1994 when I was last there), as well as Barnstaple Junction/Town (not sure how far out the Junction station is).



Though Limerick of course has its own station a good deal nearer than the Junction! (Rather a small one for a city of its size, though that's a topic for another thread..)

In general of course, “ xyz junction” as a station name usually meant “this is a station in the middle of nowhere where you change for xyz” ( Loughborough junction being the exception that proves the rule). In the cases of Andover and Yeovil, they were close enough to either have got swallowed by urban spread or to leave us thinking “this is a long way out of town”. In the cases of Chard, Seaton and Sidmouth Junction, it was slightly more obvious that it was “ change her for branch train to place several miles away” while “Lyme Regis Junction” wasn’t in the middle of nowhere ( unless you want to be very disrespectful to Axminster!)

 

[Bill57p9]

Annbank station (now just a junction) was in the next village, Mossblown about a mile from Annbank. Meanwhile Annbank had a station called "Weston Bridge Halt/Platform"

 

[mrd269697]

Given that name because another village called Willaston, much further east in Cheshire, already had a station on the Crewe -- Shrewsbury line. Hadlow Road was / is the name of the road, only, in the Wirral village: there's been no corresponding settlement of Hadlow, for about a millennium !




There's been much discourse on the Forums, as I recall -- sometimes getting quite acrimonious -- as to how this station came by this particular name.

Hadlow Road is wonderfully preserved. It’s a shame as it would of been a beautiful heritage railway offering views of the Flintshire hills and Dee estuary. And with rail access either end and close to a motorway, it would be a popular one I think. Still, it’s a nice cycle path now.

 

[Furrysquid]

Earlswood isn't in Earlswood, and if you want to go to Earlswood then The Lakes is closer.

 

[Grumpy Git]

If closed lines count, Hartington on the old LNWR Buxton-Uttoxeter line is at least a 40 minute hike from the village