What would you rename Stratford International to?

[sprunt]

So nothing should change even if it makes zero sense?

Not if it isn't causing any practical problems to anyone, and nobody has yet produced any evidence that it is. it may be a slight misnomer, but so what? Nobody is turning up there expecting to catch an international train and being surprised when they can't, are they? It's a non-problem.

Stratford Westfield would be rather pointless, as far more people arrive at Westfield from Stratford station than from Stratford International.

Perhaps, but I'd also suggest that the majority of people - probably a significant majority - using the station are doing so to visit Westfield, so it makes sense from that perspective.

 

[Transilien]

Or the site of the actual battle in Belgium, whether or not it has a station!

It does!

Gare de Waterloo (Belgique) — Wikipédia

fr.m.wikipedia.org

 

[dk1]

Stratford White Elephant?

2.5million annual entries/exits isn’t too shabby in my book.

Stratford (Westfield)?

Probably best not to use names of shopping centre owners they can change at anytime.

 

[Sprigibax]

How about Stratford Not International? Or rename Stratford Anglia to Stratford Interchange and rename International to Stratford Not-So-Much-Interchange?

 

[gravitystorm]

Not if it isn't causing any practical problems to anyone, and nobody has yet produced any evidence that it is. it may be a slight misnomer, but so what? Nobody is turning up there expecting to catch an international train and being surprised when they can't, are they? It's a non-problem.

I mean this is a thread about alternative names, not whether it should be renamed or whether renaming is worth the cost.

But I'm surprised at how many people defend the status quo, despite it being a completely daft and misleading name. If you stand at ground level and look down into the station box, you can see international trains that don't stop at this station. If you look up, you can also see planes that don't stop at this station. So calling it "Stratford Airport" might not cause 'any practical problems' and 'may be a slight misnomer' - but would be equally silly.

(And I do think that, among wider the general public, there must be a few people every month who are thinking about getting a train to Paris and spend some amount of time trying to figure out which ones stop at Stratford International, since that station might be more convenient for them.)

 

[NorthKent1989]

Not if it isn't causing any practical problems to anyone, and nobody has yet produced any evidence that it is. it may be a slight misnomer, but so what? Nobody is turning up there expecting to catch an international train and being surprised when they can't, are they? It's a non-proble

For you it may not be a “non problem” but for those unfamiliar with London it would be misleading.

The fact is no international trains have ever or will ever stop there therefore the name is utterly redundant.

 

[sprunt]

(And I do think that, among wider the general public, there must be a few people every month who are thinking about getting a train to Paris and spend some amount of time trying to figure out which ones stop at Stratford International, since that station might be more convenient for them.)

So we should spend the money required to rename the station to stop a few people who may or may not exist going to the Eurostar website, observing that they don't run trains from Stratford and booking from St Pancras instead?

For you it may not be a “non problem” but for those unfamiliar with London it would be misleading.

With what detriment being caused to them? Is anyone turning up there expecting to catch an international train?

 

[NorthKent1989]

So we should spend the money required to rename the station to stop a few people who may or may not exist going to the Eurostar website, observing that they don't run trains from Stratford and booking from St Pancras instead?



With what detriment being caused to them? Is anyone turning up there expecting to catch an international train?

Again, take yourselves out of the situation and consider those unfamiliar with London, they would see Stratford International and assume International trains stop there when they fly by without stopping, so some could expect international trains to stop there because it says it on the proverbial tin.

I see no harm in changing the name to Stratford Highspeed it still distinguishes itself from Stratford Regional and Highspeed trains actually stop there.

I mean this is a thread about alternative names, not whether it should be renamed or whether renaming is worth the cost.

But I'm surprised at how many people defend the status quo, despite it being a completely daft and misleading name. If you stand at ground level and look down into the station box, you can see international trains that don't stop at this station. If you look up, you can also see planes that don't stop at this station. So calling it "Stratford Airport" might not cause 'any practical problems' and 'may be a slight misnomer' - but would be equally silly.

(And I do think that, among wider the general public, there must be a few people every month who are thinking about getting a train to Paris and spend some amount of time trying to figure out which ones stop at Stratford International, since that station might be more convenient for them.)

This.

The name is utterly redundant and smacks of the many failings of over ambitious neoliberal policies.

 

[sprunt]

Again, take yourselves out of the situation and consider those unfamiliar with London, they would see Stratford International and assume International trains stop there when they fly by without stopping, so some could expect international trains to stop there because it says it on the proverbial tin.

And they'd be wrong. So what? Are they then turning up there expecting to catch one of these international trains they - not unreasonably - assume will stop there? If not - and I don't see any evidence that this is a thing that happens - then there is no harm being done.

 

[greatkingrat]

I bet there are more tourists turning up at Stratford looking for Shakespeare's birthplace than for trains to Paris.

 

[Vespa]

I would say

"Stratford Main Line" has a nice ring to it

 

[sprunt]

I bet there are more tourists turning up at Stratford looking for Shakespeare's birthplace than for trains to Paris.

Well, you can get there so easily from Abbey Road studio so you may as well stop off for a look.

 

[NorthKent1989]

And they'd be wrong. So what? Are they then turning up there expecting to catch one of these international trains they - not unreasonably - assume will stop there? If not - and I don't see any evidence that this is a thing that happens - then there is no harm being done.

How would they be wrong in thinking that international trains would stop at a station with International in its name? Its not a case of so what and being dismissive because you have no issues with it.

You go to West Hampstead Thameslink and expect Thameslink trains to service do you not?

 

[The exile]

How would they be wrong in thinking that international trains would stop at a station with International in its name? Its not a case of so what and being dismissive because you have no issues with it.

You go to West Hampstead Thameslink and expect Thameslink trains to service do you not?

The main difference being that the number of people who would turn up at a London station (whichever…) to travel to Paris / Brussels on a turn up and go basis is vanishingly small, so they’d have already found out. Yes - it’s a stupid name, but whether it’s worth the cost of renaming is another matter. After all, you can’t make Eurostar journeys from a certain station near Birmingham either….

 

[HSTEd]

I think of the obvious choices "Stratford High Speed" is probably the best.

 

[The exile]

I think of the obvious choices "Stratford High Speed" is probably the best.

As already mentioned upthread - the similarity to Stratford High Street is likely to cause more problems than the current situation - albeit probably smaller ones.

 

[stuu]

How would they be wrong in thinking that international trains would stop at a station with International in its name? Its not a case of so what and being dismissive because you have no issues with it.

You go to West Hampstead Thameslink and expect Thameslink trains to service do you not?

Why does it bother you so much? It's an entirely theoretical problem which I'm willing to bet has never, ever caused anyone any actual issues

 

[NorthKent1989]

Why does it bother you so much? It's an entirely theoretical problem which I'm willing to bet has never, ever caused anyone any actual issues

I’m just adding my opinion that the name is redundant, nothing wrong with that? I don’t have to agree with you, you said I didn’t know if people were confused by the name, well you don’t know for certain people haven’t been either, for an international station to be an international station one would assume international trains called there, just because it’s on a international line doesn’t make it a station for onward international travel anymore than Vauxhall when the Eurostar used to pass through there.

After all, you can’t make Eurostar journeys from a certain station near Birmingham either….

No you can’t get a Eurostar train from a certain Birmingham station, but you can travel internationally from a certain airport that’s next to said certain Birmingham station.

 

[AlastairFraser]

Stratford Olympia sounds good, it references the Olympic Park (without risking any IOC issues) and it fits in with an established station name suffix.

 

[HSTEd]

We could always just go for Stratford Kent Station, after all that is where the station serves!

Or just rename International Boulevard to Kent Road......

 

[Merle Haggard]

An observation I'll make about the possibility of confusion by the name; it was only very recently that I realised if I wanted to travel on the G.E. main line from North of London (into Euston or St. P/KX) it's very easy to walk to St Pancras then Stratford International (in 7 minutes) and a short walk past the shops to Stratford. Much quicker & more pleasant than the Underground/Tube. Perhaps others have been put off by the name, too.

Hardest bit is finding the G.E.platforms when you're on Stratford TfL station ...

 

[duffield]

An observation I'll make about the possibility of confusion by the name; it was only very recently that I realised if I wanted to travel on the G.E. main line from North of London (into Euston or St. P/KX) it's very easy to walk to St Pancras then Stratford International (in 7 minutes) and a short walk past the shops to Stratford. Much quicker & more pleasant than the Underground/Tube. Perhaps others have been put off by the name, too.

Hardest bit is finding the G.E.platforms when you're on Stratford TfL station ...

As a very occasional user of Stratford-not-international, I just remember that any assumptions you might make about where particular numbered platforms would be in relation to the other platforms, and how to get to them via the subways, are quite likely to be very wrong!

 

[Egg Centric]

The station is located on International Way. Perhaps the name is more accurate than we think!

My personal view is this disposes of the question. We aren't worrying about Bat & Ball, despite that being a ridiculous name.

 

[HSTEd]

The station is located on International Way. Perhaps the name is more accurate than we think!

In that case we should rename the station Stratford International Way.

 

[Mikey C]

An observation I'll make about the possibility of confusion by the name; it was only very recently that I realised if I wanted to travel on the G.E. main line from North of London (into Euston or St. P/KX) it's very easy to walk to St Pancras then Stratford International (in 7 minutes) and a short walk past the shops to Stratford. Much quicker & more pleasant than the Underground/Tube. Perhaps others have been put off by the name, too.

Hardest bit is finding the G.E.platforms when you're on Stratford TfL station ...

The HS1 service does charge a surcharge though, plus it isn't covered by Oyster/Contactless Caps.

I prefer Stratford High Speed, but to avoid confusion with Stratford High Street it could be shortened to Stratford HS1 or just Stratford HS? With its premium pricing it's worth reminding passengers that it isn't just a regular London station.

 

[zwk500]

The HS1 service does charge a surcharge though, plus it isn't covered by Oyster/Contactless Caps.

I prefer Stratford High Speed, but to avoid confusion with Stratford High Street it could be shortened to Stratford HS1 or just Stratford HS? With its premium pricing it's worth reminding passengers that it isn't just a regular London station.

I really don't think there's much chance of confusion of thinking it's a local overground intermediate station. The services and position of the station is well known enough.
This isn't like confusion between London Liverpool St and Liverpool Lime St, or the fact that London Road (Brighton) doesn't have trains to London.

 

[MarkyT]

We could always just go for Stratford Kent Station, after all that is where the station serves!

I like the concept, but prefer Stratford South Eastern.

 

[sprunt]

My personal view is this disposes of the question. We aren't worrying about Bat & Ball, despite that being a ridiculous name.

Heh. "Someone might think there's a cricket match happening there, change the name!"

 

[MarkyT]

My personal view is this disposes of the question. We aren't worrying about Bat & Ball, despite that being a ridiculous name.

This was named after a local pub, long since closed. The building survives, however, and the current auction business there has a sign above the door clearly stating 'The Old Bat and Ball'. Other businesses in the vicinity also use the name so it must be a well-known term for the immediate local area. Prior to 1950 the station was officially titled Sevenoaks Bat and Ball. Nationwide, many railway features were named after pubs that have often ceased trading or are now known by another name.

 

[Farigiraf]

My personal view is this disposes of the question. We aren't worrying about Bat & Ball, despite that being a ridiculous name.

The only change Bat & Ball really needs to its name is to rename it to Sevenoaks Bat & Ball. The area round there has most likely adapted to being known as Bat & Ball. See: Craven Arms, Old Roan