Is 'South Central' a better name than 'Southern'?

[Transilien]

This name change has always interested me because 'Southern' is a rather overgeneralisation of the area of operation.

 

[LLivery]

South Central made more sense for their network geographically. Southern will always be the region to me

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

I think to a lay person South Central sounds quite confusing, to be honest.

 

[yorksrob]

South central is logical because its the middle bit of the Southern Region.

To call it "Southern" is a bit confusing because it's all Southern.

 

[JonathanH]

Southern's network extends from Southampton to Ashford along the coast. Southern is not an unreasonable name for its network, and just sounds more sensible than South Central. Going back to the early 2000s, something other than South Central was needed.

 

[The exile]

London, Brighton and South Central Railway should tick a lot of boxes!

 

[swt_passenger]

Under BR wasn’t it just the “central division” of the Southern Region, so neither South or Southern…

 

[yorksrob]

London, Brighton and South Central Railway should tick a lot of boxes!

I do think they should add the "Chatham" back into South Eastern Railway - for accuracy.

 

[Kilopylae]

South Central sounds to me like it should cover roughly the same area as London Midland/LNWR. Southern is clearer and also more memorable and elegant.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Wasn't the "South Central" name irreparably tarnished back in the late 1990s/early 2000s when Connex were operating the area's franchise for five years or so (and somewhat poorly at that)?

 

[Helvellyn]

London & South Coast would have been a good name, especially if it was between London & South Eastern and London & South Western.

Mind you, I'm disappointed Greater Anglia and c2c, plus Network Rail Anglia seem to have come together as GBR | Anglia rather than the more accurate GBR | East Anglia.

 

[Sun Chariot]

Southern's network extends from Southampton to Ashford along the coast. Southern is not an unreasonable name for its network, and just sounds more sensible than South Central. Going back to the early 2000s, something other than South Central was needed.

+1 to this.

South Central Electrostars in West Hampshire and along the West Coastway? It's plain wrong, @Transilien

 

[ScottGallagher]

London & South Coast would have been a good name, especially if it was between London & South Eastern and London & South Western.

Mind you, I'm disappointed Greater Anglia and c2c, plus Network Rail Anglia seem to have come together as GBR | Anglia rather than the more accurate GBR | East Anglia.

In regard to the Anglia ref , as none of c2c is actually in Anglia wouldnt it be better ato have called it all Great Eastern or just Eastern?

 

[William3000]

This name change has always interested me because 'Southern' is a rather overgeneralisation of the area of operation.

I understand why you’re suggesting this as historically the Southern region stretched from Kent to Devon (maybe even Cornwall) but South Central sounds clunky. I think South Eastern should be trains running out of London Charing Cross, London Cannon Street and those heading that way from London Bridge. Southern should be trains from London Victoria and some from London Bridge, and South Western should be trains from London Waterloo.

 

[JamesT]

The first thing that comes to mind hearing ‘South Central’ is the area of Los Angeles of that name. Do Southern trains travel through crime-ridden, gang controlled areas?

 

[Gloster]

Just go for nostalgia: call it the London, Brighton & South Coast Railway.

 

[yorksrob]

Just go for nostalgia: call it the London, Brighton & South Coast Railway.

Does what it says on the tin.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Just go for nostalgia: call it the London, Brighton & South Coast Railway.

Better option that, than what the two poll choices offered!

 

[NCT]

Southern rolls off the tongue better.

 

[Dr Day]

‘South Central’ to me describes that central bit of southern England that sits between ‘London & the South East’, ‘The South Coast’, ‘The West Country’, Wales and ‘the West Midlands’. So maybe Gloucestershire, Warwickshire, Oxfordshire, Wiltshire, West Berkshire and Buckinghamshire?

Would Hertfordshire be described as ‘North Central’ ?

It is surprisingly how many people in Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and Somerset don’t think they are going to get any trains when they hear ‘South Western Trains’ are on strike, when they are actually in areas served solely by GWR and XC.

 

[PeterC]

‘South Central’ to me describes that central bit of southern England that sits between ‘London & the South East’, ‘The South Coast’, ‘The West Country’, Wales and ‘the West Midlands’. So maybe Gloucestershire, Warwickshire, Oxfordshire, Wiltshire, West Berkshire and Buckinghamshire?

We could argue over the boundaries but definitely not the former LB&SCR area.

 

[Recessio]

Under BR wasn’t it just the “central division” of the Southern Region, so neither South or Southern…

It was, and the shadow franchise during privatisation from 1994 to 1996 was branded Network SouthCentral, before Connex South Central took over and rebranded.

 

[eldomtom2]

"Hampshire Surrey & Sussex" has a ring to it, though the "Metro" services wouldn't fit as they don't go outside Greater London.

 

[Helvellyn]

In regard to the Anglia ref , as none of c2c is actually in Anglia wouldnt it be better ato have called it all Great Eastern or just Eastern?

Great Eastern would have worked, given we're likely to have GBR | Great Western. No doubt someone would have said it needed to be Greater Eastern though.

 

[yorksrob]

Let's just bring back Network SouthEast and have done with it.

 

[dorsetdesiro]

Does it matter as it will be all GBR soon anyway? Unless GBR gets sectorised like a new form of NSE in a way for that part, whether the name will be LSE, Greater Southern, SouthCentral, SouthEastern etc.

 

[DelW]

I understand why you’re suggesting this as historically the Southern region stretched from Kent to Devon (maybe even Cornwall) but South Central sounds clunky. I think South Eastern should be trains running out of London Charing Cross, London Cannon Street and those heading that way from London Bridge. Southern should be trains from London Victoria and some from London Bridge, and South Western should be trains from London Waterloo.

Remember though that a third of Victoria is a South Eastern station, having originally been a London Chatham and Dover station.

(Edited for factual correction)

 

[Farnborough]

Given that there are three operators, for the three sub-regions:

• South Eastern
• Southern
• South Western

It does look odd, IMHO

 

[Zomboid]

Does it matter as it will be all GBR soon anyway? Unless GBR gets sectorised like a new form of NSE in a way for that part, whether the name will be LSE, Greater Southern, SouthCentral, SouthEastern etc.

Isn't the GBR flagged 378/387 branded GBR Southern?

Might not be the final brand, but in the south at least it makes sense to have business units that match the TOCs.

 

[contrex]

South Central made more sense for their network geographically. Southern will always be the region to me

Quite. I can't see what's wrong with 'London, Brighton, and South Coast' myself. Not snappy enough for the Tik-Tok generation?