Renaming Stations [OTD, 14 Feb 1889 and 2014}

[whole diary]

[grahame]

Station renames - on 14th February 1889, Great Marlow became Marlow and on 14th February 2014, Bicester Town closed to be redone and open the folloeing year as Bicester Village.  There are lots of other renames too - "Bodmin Road" to "Bodmin Parkway" in 1983, and one of what are now 2 stations in Llanrwst has been through 5 names.

What current station would you rename, and why?

[Chris from Nailsea]

Hmm.  Over the years, my local railway station has had its name changed, several times. Nevertheless, it remains (just) within the parish of Backwell village (population 4,800), whilst also serving the town of Nailsea (population 20,000 - I include Wraxall in that figure, simply because they are geographically joined).

So, overall, I'm happy to see our local station called 'Nailsea & Backwell' - NOT Blackwell, Michael Portillo, when you visited us! 

[johnneyw]

You've reminded me that the the very recently reopened Ashley Down station in Bristol was one named Ashley Hill I believe.

Clifton Down Station always struck me as oddly named as the actual Downs are some distance from the station......even (I'm pretty certain) when it was built . 

It's the busiest station on the Severn Beach line and has two working platforms and sits midway along the line's route through the city.....yet "Clifton Grand Central "is probably a bit too grandiose a name for it.....even if it's sometimes how I, tongue in cheek, refer to it.

[Electric train]

Station renames - on 14th February 1889, Great Marlow became Marlow and on 14th February 2014, Bicester Town closed to be redone and open the folloeing year as Bicester Village.  There are lots of other renames too - "Bodmin Road" to "Bodmin Parkway" in 1983, and one of what are now 2 stations in Llanrwst has been through 5 names.

What current station would you rename, and why?

1874, Marlow Road station was renamed Bourne End to avoid any confusion with the newly opened Marlow station.  In 1969 Furze Platt lost its Halt

Maybe stations should regain the Halt in their name

[CyclingSid]

Maybe stations should regain the Halt in their name

... and Platform. Although I am not entirely clear of the definitions of either.

[Chris from Nailsea]

I commend to our readers Dilton Marsh:

The Great Western Railway opened the station as Dilton Marsh Halt on 1 June 1937

Somewhat more tenuously, I'd rather like to see Trouble House Halt reinstated. 

CfN. 

[grahame]

I commend to our readers Dilton Marsh:

The Great Western Railway opened the station as Dilton Marsh Halt on 1 June 1937

Somewhat more tenuously, I'd rather like to see Trouble House Halt reinstated. 

CfN. 

From WikiPedia:

In 1969 the station was renamed as Dilton Marsh, and the platforms were reduced to the length of one coach.

The Station code remains DMH^▸ (Dilton Marsh Halt) though, and it is still a request stop. That latter puzzles us as nearly every train that MIGHT call there actually DOES.  GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) have provided figure that suggest that only a third of the trains call;  I find myself wondering if cancelled and short working trains are counted as not stopping, or even only if people on the platform hail it and but a ticket when they board.

[grahame]

Maybe stations should regain the Halt in their name

... and Platform. Although I am not entirely clear of the definitions of either.

https://branchline.uk/rail_chronology/Halts.html tells us something of the history of the naming "halt" but does not differentiate between "halt" and "platform".  A post 14 years ago on railforum suggested

A halt was an unstaffed station, with no goods facilities. However not all railway companies used this term. A "platform" was staffed but at a minimal level and again with no goods facilities. The term is not officially used now

I took a "halt" as an optional call, and a "platform" as a minimal facility but at least certain specified trains called there.   Places like Dilton Marsh are clearly halts to my mind.   And if the name "platform" issued it should surely be pluralised on double track lines?

[Clan Line]

I commend to our readers Dilton Marsh:

Now that there are couple of Cardiff trains that could stop at Dilton Marsh I'm surprised that they haven't renamed it  to  "Dilton Marsh International" .......

[grahame]

I commend to our readers Dilton Marsh:

Now that there are couple of Cardiff trains that could stop at Dilton Marsh I'm surprised that they haven't renamed it  to  "Dilton Marsh International" .......

There are quite a few "stops on request" stations with trains that cross the international border between England and Wales.

[grahame]

Hmm.  Over the years, my local railway station has had its name changed, several times. Nevertheless, it remains (just) within the parish of Backwell village (population 4,800), whilst also serving the town of Nailsea (population 20,000 - I include Wraxall in that figure, simply because they are geographically joined).

So, overall, I'm happy to see our local station called 'Nailsea & Backwell' - NOT Blackwell, Michael Portillo, when you visited us! 

"Carlton and Netherfield for Gelding and Colwick" has drifted down to just Carlton these days ...

Should Midgham really be "Woolhampton"?

Should "Dilton Marsh" be "Westbury Leigh"

[Electric train]

A halt was an unstaffed station, with no goods facilities. However not all railway companies used this term. A "platform" was staffed but at a minimal level and again with no goods facilities. The term is not officially used now

I took a "halt" as an optional call, and a "platform" as a minimal facility but at least certain specified trains called there.   Places like Dilton Marsh are clearly halts to my mind.   And if the name "platform" issued it should surely be pluralised on double track lines?

Grahame, Furze Platt did not fit into that definition fully, whilst it never had goods it was staffed.   Albeit the staffing was the Crossing Keeper who also sold tickets

[The Tall Controller]

I would certainly remove the 'International' titles from Stratford, Ashford and Ebbsfleet unless Eurostar are serious about reinstating services there.

More locally, Wanborough should be renamed Flexford.

[froome]

Maybe stations should regain the Halt in their name

... and Platform. Although I am not entirely clear of the definitions of either.

https://branchline.uk/rail_chronology/Halts.html tells us something of the history of the naming "halt" but does not differentiate between "halt" and "platform".  A post 14 years ago on railforum suggested

A halt was an unstaffed station, with no goods facilities. However not all railway companies used this term. A "platform" was staffed but at a minimal level and again with no goods facilities. The term is not officially used now

I took a "halt" as an optional call, and a "platform" as a minimal facility but at least certain specified trains called there.   Places like Dilton Marsh are clearly halts to my mind.   And if the name "platform" issued it should surely be pluralised on double track lines?

I thought Halt was a station where so few trains stopped that when one was approaching, passengers would say "Halt, who goes there?" 

[eightonedee]

Should Midgham really be "Woolhampton"?

It was, originally. Presumably the old GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) got fed up with too many boys going to a catholic public school in the Kennet valley ending up in the Black Country, and too many travelling salesmen hoping to sell brewing equipment and requisites for the metal-bashing industries finding themselves at a small Berkshire village!