If stations were named after heroes...

[LNW-GW Joint]

How about Southampton Mitchell, instead Southampton Airport Parkway, after the designer of the Spitfire, which first flew from what is now Southampton Airport in 1936?

They'd have to fight it out with Kidsgrove Mitchell for naming rights - he was born there. We had a Spitfire fly-past over his junior school in the 60s.

 

[43106]

The Paris Metro names a lot of its stations after historical people, heroes or otherwise. I think it's an idiotic idea, as there's no geographical reference in the station name to suggest WHERE it is. So long as there's geography in the name, then I suppose it's OK, such as...

Whitehaven, John Paul Jones (the one from Kirkcudbright, not from Led Zeppelin!)

 

[trainophile]

If they had to show the geographical location as well as the "hero's" name, it would make for some extremely long signage boards!

Incidentally, I wish station buildings showed the station name on the sides as well as on the platform, so that when we whizz through them we'd have time to see which they are.

 

[12CSVT]

If London Underground stations are within the scope of this thread how about

Westminster Brian Haw

 

[scotsman]

The Irish stations were named after Republican 'heroes'. Could you imagine the British doing the same.

London Cromwell perhaps? It would get attacked on a daily basis by the IRA

Erm, we have Fort William - named after the one referred to by some sections of Glasgow as "King Billy" with more than a little affection...

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Plymouth Drake

 

[37 418]

I also think we should keep this quiet from the SNP otherwise they'll be renaming Waverley; Edinburgh Salmond!!!!!

Our First Minister wouldn't be as vain as that, plus he isn't from Edinburgh!

That said, it would be a damn sight better than Grantham Thatcher

How about we make it Grantham Thatcher - alight here for "Lets finish what Beeching started"

 

[dickdarlington]

Our First Minister wouldn't be as vain as that

Are you sure about that?

Whilst I am fundamentally for a devolved control away from Westminster whilst still retain the nation of the United Kingdom (in my mind it is beneficial for all four dominions), the man is loopy and only seems to say things that he thinks is going to win him votes (as for most MPs). But most don't claim to be the voice of a nation.

Back on the subject...how about Southampton Le Tissier? And have it as a station halt next to St Mary's?

 

[MidnightFlyer]

I think Paul Sidorczuk is the only one taking this seriously. What about the greats of our nation - Churchill, Brunel, Drake, Nelson? I'm not talking small stations, just the larger ones like in the Rep. Plymouth Drake is good, as is Cambridge Hawking...

 

[Welshman]

Eden Park - Jehovah?

 

[stut]

The Paris Metro names a lot of its stations after historical people, heroes or otherwise. I think it's an idiotic idea, as there's no geographical reference in the station name to suggest WHERE it is.

Not quite. Paris names its streets after historical people (not least thanks to Haussman's rebuilding projects), and the Metro names most of its stations after the streets, or combination of streets, where they're located - but omits the "rue", "place", "boulevard" in most cases (there are exceptions, like "rue Montmartre", which would just be confusing if they omitted it.

 

[tbtc]

I think that there need to be some rules, if we take it seriously like Peter does. Like, I think you'd need to be dead in order to qualify? Uncontraversial (e.g. no Holyhead Cromwell), which may rule out certain political figures.

(but if a railway is ever extended north of Aberdeen up the coast, I'd like a tribute to the former Sunderland manager: "Peterhead Peter Reid" - given the way the Blue Toon is pronounced)

 

[MidnightFlyer]

I think that there need to be some rules, if we take it seriously like Peter does. Like, I think you'd need to be dead in order to qualify? Uncontraversial (e.g. no Holyhead Cromwell), which may rule out certain political figures.

(but if a railway is ever extended north of Aberdeen up the coast, I'd like a tribute to the former Sunderland manager: "Peterhead Peter Reid" - given the way the Blue Toon is pronounced)

Thanks for taking it seriously. It doesn't really matter if they are dead or not, Hawking and Cambridge for example. No politics either please. Drake and Hawking are both good, maybe Nelson too, and Churchill as an exception.

 

[4SRKT]

What if the 'hero' in question turns out to be the opposite? A good example being Hudson Street in York, named for the Railway King, but renamed 'Railway Street' following his exposure as somewhat less than pure as the driven snow. It was renamed 'George Hudson Street' on the centenary of his death in case anyone's wondering where Railway Street is in York.

Imagine the problems had Banbury been renamed 'Banbury Glitter' a few years ago.....

 

[Lampshade]

Preston Flintoff

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Blackburn Wainwright is another, as well as Grantham Newton.

 

[gg1]

Morecambe Morecambe

 

[37 418]

Are you sure about that?

Whilst I am fundamentally for a devolved control away from Westminster whilst still retain the nation of the United Kingdom (in my mind it is beneficial for all four dominions), the man is loopy and only seems to say things that he thinks is going to win him votes (as for most MPs). But most don't claim to be the voice of a nation.

Back on the subject...how about Southampton Le Tissier? And have it as a station halt next to St Mary's?

Not as vain an Mr "Calm down dear" Cameron!

 

[martinsh]

Here's a few. Some serious, some less so - you decide !

Alderley Edge Alan Garner
Aylesbury John Otway
Banbury Adrian Shooter
Basingstoke Arlott
Billericay Ian Dury
Bristol Brunel
Broad Green KJen Dodd (nearest station to Knotty Ash !!)
Brockholes Nora Batty
Cheam Tony Hancock
Coventry Godiva
Cromford Arkwright
Darlington George Stephenson
Derby Brian Clough
Dumfries Rabbie Burns
Hereford Sally Morris
Ipswich Bobby Robson
Keighley Bronte
Leicester Lineker
Lichfield Samuel Johnson
Ludlow TOGBT (That Other Guy Back There)
Luton Eric Morecambe
Nantwich Keith Shell
Newcastle St Keegan
Newton-le-Willows Huskisson
Nottingham Robin Hood
Oxford Morse
Rochester Dickens
Rugby Webb Ellis
Rugeley Ian Poole
Sheffield Jarvis Cocker
Shrewsbury Housman
Slough Betjeman (NOT !)
Southport Red Rum
Sunderland Stokoe
Swansea Dylan Thomas
Templecombe Ivo Peters
Watford Elton
Worcester Elgar

 

[tbtc]

It doesn't really matter if they are dead or not

I know that you have to be dead to have a street in Edinburgh named after you (there was suggestion of one for Gaving Hastings, the Rugby player a few years ago),I think the same is true of Airports

 

[martinsh]

I know that you have to be dead to have a street in Edinburgh named after you (there was suggestion of one for Gaving Hastings, the Rugby player a few years ago),I think the same is true of Airports

So how come there is a Houston George Bush ?!

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I think Paul Sidorczuk is the only one taking this seriously. What about the greats of our nation - Churchill, Brunel, Drake, Nelson? I'm not talking small stations, just the larger ones like in the Rep. Plymouth Drake is good, as is Cambridge Hawking...

Thank you, Matt. I did have another one that would recall Captain Cook, a great sea explorer:-

Whitby Cook....I know it is not a major station, but Whitby does have an important part in his life memory.

 

[tbtc]

So how come there is a Houston George Bush ?!

Maybe the rules are different in the US...

 

[dickdarlington]

There is no point adding suffixes to names where the town only has one station.

And if you're going to be serious with this idea of naming stations you can't do it for existing stations. There would be mayhem, and a lot of discontent. So lets focus on the HS2 stations which will be built. Any idea for names for those? ...

London Wren anyone?



37 418 - I agree with you on the DC thing. He is arguable worse than AS.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

There is no point adding suffixes to names where the town only has one station. So lets focus on the HS2 stations which will be built. Any idea for names for those? ...

Manchester Turing....after the World War II codebreaker.

 

[37 418]

Manchester Curtis after Ian Curtis from Joy Division

London Wellington sounds good to me but I think folks across the channel might not like it given we already have Waterloo!

Or, as we have many Victorias, how about London Elizabeth II ???

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

From the wording on the thread, it did ask for "heroes" and many posters have not been putting the correct emphasis on this word. Can we try again and come up with some examples that reflect the true meaning of the thread.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

From the wording on the thread, it did ask for "heroes" and many posters have not been putting the correct emphasis on this word. Can we try again and come up with some examples that reflect the true meaning of the thread.

Thanks Paul.

Plymouth Drake
Grantham Newton
Portsmouth Brunel (in place of '& Southsea')
Oxford Hawking
Kings Lynn Nelson

 

[Bedpan]

How about naming some after Queen Victoria, that would be a novel idea!! (Bearing in mind that she reigned throughout the golden age of railways).

 

[Welshman]

Sorry, Martinsh, but St Pancras International would have to be "St Pancras International Betjeman" after all he did to stop the station closing in the 1970s, and his magnificent stature, holding on to his hat, amazed at the transformation of "his" station.