Deansgate station changed to ‘Olivia Deansgate’

[Agent_Squash]

Should point out that, unlike the TfL changes, the name of the station remained at all times...

I can't see any issue.

 

[Gloster]

I think people have reacted to a way over the top PR piece that has appeared in the Manchester Evening News, rather than anything that actually happened. ‘When the legend becomes fact, print the legend.’

 

[Purple Train]

One sign, out of the way, for just long enough to get some publicity photos, does not seem to be a genuine cause for confusion (as opposed to several for multiple days or even hours). It seems that no one has actually seen the changed sign, just reports of it or the publicity photos.

Precisely. It's not the "Burberry Street" mess, for instance (yes, I am still annoyed about that).

 

[D Mylchreest]

What was wrong with "Knott Mill"?

 

[Howardh]

What was wrong with "Knott Mill"?

Nothing. Was it ever called "G-MEX"?

 

[Cymroglan]

I think people have reacted to a way over the top PR piece that has appeared in the Manchester Evening News, rather than anything that actually happened. ‘When the legend becomes fact, print the legend.’

Totally agree with you. There are those who seem to love getting REALLY REALLY ANGRY about stuff that isn’t even true. It’s also worth adding that Olivia Dean is a proper singer with a fabulous voice and sold out a six night residency at the O2.

 

[sprunt]

They did this over at Victoria ten years ago, It was changed to -Manchester Victoria wood station- For the day. Just a bit of fun but could be confusing to out of towners.

Would it actually be confusing though? If someone wants to get off the train at Deansgate, are they going to think "I wanted Deansgate, and the map suggests it's the station after Oxford Road, but that says Olivia Deansgate so I must be somewhere else" or are they going to think "Oh, it says Olivia Deansgate, it must be for a thing"? I think it's pretty obvious which of those is overwhelmingly more likely.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 23 Feb 2026 ==

It’s also worth adding that Olivia Dean is a proper singer with a fabulous voice and sold out a six night residency at the O2.

Yes but I, a person far above the age range of her intended audience haven't heard of her, so grrr.

 

[jfollows]

This particular case seems relatively harmless, but it leads to the nonsense total rebranding as we’ve seen in London, so I’m still against it, for what it’s worth. The idea that we can rename stations for money or “fun” completely ignores the requirement to inform people properly and, especially, foreign travellers.

Yes, I also have no idea who “Olivia Dean” is, either!

 

[Howardh]

Would it actually be confusing though? If someone wants to get off the train at Deansgate, are they going to think "I wanted Deansgate, and the map suggests it's the station after Oxford Road, but that says Olivia Deansgate so I must be somewhere else" or are they going to think "Oh, it says Olivia Deansgate, it must be for a thing"? I think it's pretty obvious which of those is overwhelmingly more likely.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 23 Feb 2026 ==

"The next station after Deansgate is Salford Crescent, or is it Salford Central?" is a good enough reason not to play around with station names.

 

[YorksLad12]

Yes but I, a person far above the age range of her intended audience haven't heard of her, so grrr.

I'm 59 next month, and I've heard of her (as I said upthread). Then again, the first time I heard Taylor Swift was in an acting role, so it might be more that she's not entered your world yet rather than there being an age mismatch.

 

[vic-rijrode]

I'm 59 next month, and I've heard of her (as I said upthread). Then again, the first time I heard Taylor Swift was in an acting role, so it might be more that she's not entered your world yet rather than there being an age mismatch.

Some on here need to listen to their grandsons and granddaughters. I have an 11 year old 'Swifty' and I know who Taylor is, Harry Styles, Olivias Dean and Rodrigo etc. etc.

We can't all only remember the Kinks, Yardbirds, the Crazy World of Arthur Brown and the Searchers.

After all Pete Waterman probably knows all of these Gen Z artistes, as well as the difference between a 4-6-2 and an 0-4-4T...

 

[plugwash]

Nothing. Was it ever called "G-MEX"?

The metrolink station was originally G-MEX before being renamed to deansgate castlefield.

I think the rail station may have sometimes been reffered to as Deansgate G-MEX, but never just as deansgate.

 

[BeijingDave]

What was wrong with "Knott Mill"?

Well, arguably that was a better name, since Deansgate is a very long street and most out-of-towners would be going to the other end (now called 'Central Retail District' on maps), which is closer to Salford Central or Victoria.

 

[Leyland Bus]

Didn’t notice anything at all at Deansgate yesterday so it obviously failed to work. Though I think it’s a pretty harmless/fun thing to do, whoever Olivia Deansgate is.

There is atleast 1, saw it on my way to Oxford Rd last night, only twigged at the last minute because it was white, in RA2 with a red double arrow.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 24 Feb 2026 ==

There is atleast 1, saw it on my way to Oxford Rd last night, only twigged at the last minute because it was white, in RA2 with a red double arrow.

Scratch that, just been through this morning, they've done the lot

 

[Mcr Warrior]

I think the rail station may have sometimes been reffered to as Deansgate G-MEX, but never just as deansgate.

AFAIK, Deansgate (railway station) has been officially referred to / named as 'Deansgate' ever since May 1971, hasn't it?

 

[plugwash]

Sorry, brainfart, I meant to say never just as g-mex.

 

[jfollows]

AFAIK, Deansgate (railway station) has been officially referred to / named as 'Deansgate' ever since May 1971, hasn't it?

Before which it was Knott Mill & Deansgate.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Before which it was Knott Mill & Deansgate.

Originally opening as 'Knot Mill and Deansgate' back in July 1849.

 

[KNN]

Originally opening as 'Knot Mill and Deansgate' back in July 1849.

Slipknot Mill?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Unsurprisingly there is a mixed response. What do you make of it?

This should never, ever be done. If it confuses one person it's one too many.

By all means put "sponsored by" stuff under signage, but never, ever change it. Nor the CIS displays, e.g. that puerile "St Pancake" thing.

 

[Tetchytyke]

Notorious clickbait website issues clickbait article with no evidence that all the station signs were changed (the sign in the photo looks manipulated to my untrained eye) or that anyone was confused.

Meh.

 

[pdeaves]

Notorious clickbait website issues clickbait article with no evidence that the station signs were changed (the sign in the photo looks manipulated to my untrained eye) or that anyone was confused.

Meh.

There is evidence that it's real now appearing elsewhere online. One example at https://www.linkedin.com/posts/nina...ely-love-this-share-7430939557598162944-_CgZ/ (linkedin use commends Northern, plus reaction from someone else who saw it).
I agree about the 'or that anyone was confused' bit.

 

[Tetchytyke]

There is evidence that it's real now appearing elsewhere online.

Thanks, I see its the exact same sign as in the MEN article so it will be real, I'll amend accordingly.

I suspect they only changed the one sign.

 

[BurtonM]

This is never acceptable.

The only reason I can see for this getting approved that isn't sheer complacency is that it's done to intentionally annoy people and polarise as a form of guerilla marketing, as the scope for publicity is a lot wider that way through people sharing it on social media etc.
Doesn't help that the gutter press/Reach Media will probably blow it out of proportion, like articles how Martin Lewis can only speak in 'urgent warnings' and Putin is constantly considering nuking Swindon.
Incredibly cynical.
The Heineken ones on the Tube were utterly stupid, mind.

 

[JordR]

Er... isn't the only reason it gets approved... money?

 

[KNN]

Er... isn't the only reason it gets approved... money?

It seems more likely it's done to deliberately annoy users of a niche internet forum.

 

[nr758123]

I think people have reacted to a way over the top PR piece that has appeared in the Manchester Evening News, rather than anything that actually happened. ‘When the legend becomes fact, print the legend.’

PR pieces, in preference to anything that actually happened, are what we have come to expect from the former news outlets that Reach plcs so-called regional newspapers have turned into.

Who is this Olivia Deansgate anyway?

 

[Tetchytyke]

Who is this Olivia Deansgate anyway?

She's Olivia Dean, a Grammy award-winning singer.

 

[BG2024]

The sign was definitely up yesterday. I saw it on the eastern end of the westbound platform.

Taking a station with a reputation for being unable to cope with large events and giving it a confusing name change specifically for a large event: what could possibly go wrong.

 

[pokemonsuper9]

The sign was definitely up yesterday. I saw it on the eastern end of the westbound platform.

Taking a station with a reputation for being unable to cope with large events and giving it a confusing name change specifically for a large event: what could possibly go wrong.

fortunately the large event is on the other side of the city (upthread somewhere it was said that it's at the CO-OP arena, which is nearest Piccadilly station (and Ethiad Campus tram stop)
so hopefully too many people won't get off there