Home of Station 'Boards'

[cooldog]

Hi,

Have been told that my work are having 'Home of X company' erected at the 2 stations in the town.

Just wondering if this a common thing? I remember when I was a kid seeing a few stations with these, bit have not seen any for years.

 

[Eagle]

I'd say it's fairly common, particularly in the south.

Might have changed recently but for years Poole was "Home of Bournemouth University" and Bournemouth was "Home of Liverpool Victoria".

The joke being that a) both of those institutions actually straddle the boundary between the two boroughs, and b) the closest station to both is Branksome.

 

[oliMw]

They used to have them at Norwich Station on the board in the concourse, it would say 'X business welcomes you to Norwich' or something similar to that

 

[MidnightFlyer]

FGW have actually taken to their station nameplates being sponsored, such as Plymouth's are done by the city's university in their style, Taunton's are navy and gold in accordance with a local college, and Bristol Parkway's I think are done by a lawyer's firm. Other standard examples as per the OP's request are Reading and IGN Direct, Stockport and Stockport College and I'm certain Doncaster and Peterborough have similar set ups.

 

[Eagle]

Reading not any more, it seems, since all the signs are now in Network Rail style.

 

[plastictaffy]

Northampton's says "Home of The Saints".
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
And Birmingham's should say "Home of the Pleb.

 

[noddingdonkey]

Dewsbury has Home of the Dewsbury Reporter. Fairly redundant as their building is the first thing you see as you come out of the station.

 

[Gwenllian2001]

I think that used to be:

Newport. Home of the Mole Wrench.

 

[trentside]

Nottingham was the 'Home of Capital One'.

More recently, it had signs promoting Nottingham University - though given the current reconstruction works I don't think there are that many signs left around the place.

 

[High Dyke]

Northampton's says "Home of The Saints".

Perhaps that should be changed to "Home of the second best club team in Rugby Union".

I'm not certain if Guildford hasn't got similar 'sponsorship' signage.

 

[TheEdge]

Best one in the country by far.

"Cambridge. Home of Anglia Ruskin University"

Makes me laugh every time

 

[David57]

Oi, less of the Northampton Saints knocking!!

Taunton, in the early 1970's had signs up on the centre platformd, 'Welcome to Taunton, home of Taunton Cider, a company name painted out, and Van Huesson shirts'

I have wondered for years what the blanked out firm was!

 

[Jordy]

Nottingham was the 'Home of Capital One'.

More recently, it had signs promoting Nottingham University - though given the current reconstruction works I don't think there are that many signs left around the place.

It seems to have gone back to being the home of Regional Railways again now! Sadly I doubt that will last much longer.

Doncaster certainly had some sponsor at some point, some kind of housing organisation I believe.

 

[W-on-Sea]

That one at Cambridge is hilarious!

I noticed yesterday that Kemble has signs like this, sponsored by a local business, and entirely in their own style.....can I remember what business it was? Afraid not...and I can't find anything on Google to jog my memory...

Newbury has had signs promoting Vodafone too, but slightly less obtrusively than some of the others mentioned.

 

[trentside]

It seems to have gone back to being the home of Regional Railways again now! Sadly I doubt that will last much longer.

Somehow I doubt it, shame!

Lincoln now has some signs in the booking hall along the lines of 'The University of Lincoln Welcomes You' with both the Uni and EMT logos on them - there's no platform signage though.

 

[PermitToTravel]

FGW's West Ealing station has "Home of The Positive Internet Company", a completely unnotable company that has not been present in West Ealing for many years

 

[Mugby]

I really don't see the point of any of them unless they are a source of revenue for the station operator.
Most of them don't mean anything at all to anyone. What is that Keepmoat thing at Doncaster all about?

 

[Eagle]

I really don't see the point of any of them unless they are a source of revenue for the station operator.

It is exactly that. Sponsorship (i.e. advertising space).

 

[Darren R]

And Birmingham's should say "Home of the Pleb.

To be fair there are an awful lot of stations that could say that...

Bolton is, according to the signs on the platforms, the home of Bolton University. Not sure where else is likely to be the home of Bolton University though.

Judging by this thread there are a lot of educational establishments with money to burn on pointless signs at railway stations. Thought they were all supposed to be skint?

 

[Eagle]

Not sure where else is likely to be the home of Bolton University though.

You've seen my example in post #2, of which station claims to be the home of Bournemouth University? :P The address of the university is Fern Barrow, Poole BH12 5BB

Also I wouldn't say it's burning money. Generally the point of advertising (which this clearly is) is to bring in more money than it costs. Otherwise it's not doing its job.

 

[ATW Alex 101]

Another university example...Barnes home of University of Roehampton

 

[Peter Mugridge]

I would suggest that the station at the worst bottleneck on the railway ( wherever that may be ) should carry "Home of Baxter's Pills".

( You need to be a certain age or above to get the joke here - I fear it may be before the time of most of the membership...!! )

 

[Muzer]

Winchester, Home of University of Southampton (in tiny letters: Winchester School of Art).

Thankfully, they do also have UoS boards up at Airport Parkway and IIRC perhaps Central too.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

First was Basingstoke (one of the insurance companies) - then Godalming (Friary Meux beer) - some money put into station refurbs. NSE in the 1980's.

In Germany also "Heimat de Poggenpohl" - Munster perhaps ? (cant remember now)

 

[bicbasher]

Forest Hill had "Alight here for Horniman Museum" along with a fascia for another company on Platform 1, but all of this was scrapped when London Overground took over managing the station.

 

[ert47]

I find he funniest one at the moment is Vauxhall station in South London.

Great big signage proclaiming it to be the home of the Kia Oval! While the Oval is nearby, its odd to see a non-Vauxhall car logo on the signs

 

[dvboy]

Wolverhampton's used to be sponsored by the University of Wolverhampton. They're now sponsored by Birmingham City University, which makes no sense.

 

[flymo]

I'm sure Peterborough used to have 'Home of Perkins Engines' or something like that not too long ago*

*Of course it may have been 20 years ago....the memory does fade....sorry.

 

[SS4]

In sporting news Aston (and I suspect Witton) mentions Villa Park, home of Aston Villa FC

 

[t o m]

I think Woking, or a station around that area says 'The Home of BAE Systems'.