Trivia - Cities and large towns visible from lines which don't serve them

[kevconnor]

The Stalyvegas flyer doesn't stop at any stations within the city of Manchester but it is certainly visible.

 

[PHILIPE]

The Cambridge English Dictionary defines 'city' as 'a large town' or 'any town in the UK which has a cathedral'.

The Cathedral Church of the Holy Spirit, Guildford is the Anglican cathedral at Guildford.

It's a city.

There have been several new cities created over recent times which don't have cathedrals.

 

[Bevan Price]

See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_status_in_the_United_Kingdom

Although traditionally the presence of a cathedral (Anglican) usually made a town into a city, the award of city status is now granted by the monarch (consulting her advisers) . A few towns have cathedrals, but are not cities. Guildford Cathedral was only completed in 1961, after the policy had changed.

 

[70014IronDuke]

Blackburn with Darwen has a pop of 120,000 plus and has a much better claim to be a city than Guildford.

Apparently HM QE2 was upset when she heard that there were 2,000 holes in [the roads] in Blackburn, Lancashire some time in 1967. "How can it possibly be a city with all those 'oles? They had better fix 'em!" or words to that effect.

 

[Cherry_Picker]

4000 holes, surely? :P

 

[70014IronDuke]

4000 holes, surely? :P

you beat me to it ...... i suddenly had to check

 

[muddythefish]

you beat me to it ...... i suddenly had to check

4,000 Holes is the title of the BRFC fanzine.

 

[Paul180]

Guildford Cathedral is visible from the SWML between Brookwood and Pirbright Junction (wintertime, when the trees aren't in leaf)

Is Guildford a City?

Yes you can see it and a very nice view it is but Guildford is not a most Certainly not a city just because it has a cathedral doesn't make it a city.

 

[godfreycomplex]

Yes you can see it and a very nice view it is but Guildford is not a most Certainly not a city just because it has a cathedral doesn't make it a city.

No; but the 137,000 people living there puts it above many other cities

 

[Old Yard Dog]

Oldham no longer has a heavy rail service but parts of it are visible from the Manchester Victoria - Rochdale line.

 

[duncanp]

In London, City Airport is visible from the Beckton branch of the Docklands Light Railway, even though the Beckton branch does not serve the airport (which is served by the Woolwich Arsenal branch instead)

 

[backontrack]

Not really, other non city cathedral towns include:
St Edmundsbury, Southwell, Southwark, Blackburn, Middlesbrough, Arundel, Northampton, and most of Scotland. Ofcourse many cities don't contain a cathedral, namely Hull, Brighton and Hove, Bath etc.

I know Rotherham can be seen on the avoiding line through the old Masborough station.

IMO if it has a cathedral it's a city. There's no need for a completely arbitrary treaty that the Queen has to give. If it has a cathedral, it's a city. End of.

 

[najaB]

If it has a cathedral, it's a city. End of.

Stirling.

 

[Doctor Fegg]

I never understand the slogan on the Cathedral City Cheddar lorries you sometimes see making their way up and down the motorways: http://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-da...r-cheese-advertised-on-trailer-103753803.html . Falkirk, Falmouth, and Runcorn neither have cathedrals nor are they cities...

 

[Clansman]

I never understand the slogan on the Cathedral City Cheddar lorries you sometimes see making their way up and down the motorways: http://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-da...r-cheese-advertised-on-trailer-103753803.html . Falkirk, Falmouth, and Runcorn neither have cathedrals nor are they cities...

Perth had a stint of being one as well until our city was reinstated as part of the Queen's Jubilee Celebrations.

 

[PHILIPE]

IMO if it has a cathedral it's a city. There's no need for a completely arbitrary treaty that the Queen has to give. If it has a cathedral, it's a city. End of.

Not in Wales. Brecon has a cathedral but is not a city. It is the cathedral serving the Swansea and Brecon Diocese which contains Swansea but which has no cathedral.

 

[AlterEgo]

IMO if it has a cathedral it's a city. There's no need for a completely arbitrary treaty that the Queen has to give. If it has a cathedral, it's a city. End of.

So, you replace one arbiter with another. It doesn't seem likely any new cathedrals will be created whereas human geography changes all the time.

 

[kieron]

So, you replace one arbiter with another. It doesn't seem likely any new cathedrals will be created whereas human geography changes all the time.

Buildings are turned into cathedrals from time to time. This one in East Acton was designated as such in 2010.

 

[IanD]

Buildings are turned into cathedrals from time to time. This one in East Acton was designated as such in 2010.

Any obscure branch of any religion could declare any of its buildings as a cathedral. It doesn't make the area it's in a city.

 

[kieron]

Any obscure branch of any religion could declare any of its buildings as a cathedral. It doesn't make the area it's in a city.

Bevan Price said as much in post 63.

 

[jfisher21]

I suppose a cathedral built by the state religion for the area (Church of England, Scotland, Wales) is the only cathedral that ever counted towards city status.

 

[Ianno87]

Not in Wales. Brecon has a cathedral but is not a city. It is the cathedral serving the Swansea and Brecon Diocese which contains Swansea but which has no cathedral.

In England, Blackburn is an example of having a cathedral, but not being a city.

 

[unlevel42]

City of Brechin and District Community Council.
City of Brechin and Area Partnership.
City of Brechin Civic Trust.
City of Brechin Pipe Band
Brechin City Football Club.
Brechin Cathedral.

Brechin is not a city

 

[Taunton]

Back to the original question of cities and large towns visible from lines which don't serve them.

The one with the largest number visible has to be the Snaefell Mountain Railway in the Isle of Man, as it approaches the summit, from which you can see Liverpool, Llandudno, Blackpool, Barrow, Whitehaven, Workington, and Dublin. And maybe more

On a clear day of course ...... which applies to all the answers here.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Any obscure branch of any religion could declare any of its buildings as a cathedral. It doesn't make the area it's in a city.

Indeed, a huge warehouse-like building called "Cathedral House" was opened in the Folly Hall area of Huddersfield a few years ago. There are no plans to rename the local football team who are universally referred to as "Town".
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Bringing us vaguely back on topic (but rather stretching the definition of large or significant town) Dewsbury (which has a Minster but not a Cathedral) is visible from but not served by the former L&Y main line between Ravensthorpe and Healey Mills.

 

[matchmaker]

IMO if it has a cathedral it's a city. There's no need for a completely arbitrary treaty that the Queen has to give. If it has a cathedral, it's a city. End of.

Millport (pop 1280) has a cathedral (smallest one in the UK) but by no stretch of the imagination can be described as a city!

 

[Mag_seven]

I suppose a cathedral built by the state religion for the area (Church of England, Scotland, Wales) is the only cathedral that ever counted towards city status.

Scotland does not have a "state religion". The Church of Scotland is not an "established church" is the same way that the Church of England is in England.

 

[reb0118]

That said the Church of Scotland is the Established church in Scotland. The Church of Scotland doesn't do Cathedrals though as it has no bishops (arch or otherwise).

Therefore explain St. Gile's Cathedral in Edinburgh or St. Kentigern's in Glasgow?

High Kirk anyone?.....

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