Bromborough/Eastham Rake

[Saperstein]

Hi,

Why are Bromborough Rake [BMR] and Eastham Rake [ERA] stations on the Wirral line called ‘rake’?

Is it to with coaches?

Thanks

Saperstein.

 

[bramling]

Hi,

Why are Bromborough Rake [BMR] and Eastham Rake [ERA] stations on the Wirral line called ‘rake’?

Is it to with coaches?

Thanks

Saperstein.

My understanding is it’s a Norse word for “lane”. So in other words it’s a local thing.

 

[Djgr]

My understanding is it’s a Norse word for “lane”. So in other words it’s a local thing.

Yes. The Wirral is full of Norse/Viking names e.g. Thingwall, Thurstaston, because of its history, although top of my head I can't think of any other stations.

Oh yes Meols

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

There's even a Rake Lane somewhere*.
The name seems to relate to a drover's road.
When I lived on the Wirral, neither Rake station existed.
It's noticeable that they are still quite weak in passenger numbers compared to, say, Bromborough and Bebington.

* actually the one I meant is in Flintshire, near Hawarden, opposite the Wirral.

 

[Djgr]

There's even a Rake Lane somewhere*.
The name seems to relate to a drover's road.
When I lived on the Wirral, neither Rake station existed.
It's noticeable that they are still quite weak in passenger numbers compared to, say, Bromborough and Bebington.

* actually the one I meant is in Flintshire, near Hawarden, opposite the Wirral.

Yes there's a Rake Lane in Wallasey. Both locations are somewhat secondary, although Eastham Rake has a decent size car park. I think Hooton is the "go to" park and ride for Liverpool in the area.

 

[TheSel]

Others have explained the derivation of the word 'Rake'.

Significantly, in the case of these two railway stations, there is a simple explanation. They are sited on or very near to roads which already existed when these relatively new stations were built. Pedestrian access to Eastham Rake station is from a road called 'Eastham Rake', and Bromborough Rake station is at the end of the road [in Bromborough] called 'The Rake'.

As for why these roads were called 'Rake', rather than 'Avenue', 'Street' etc, the Cambridge Dictionary includes the following definition:

rake noun [ C ] (MAN)
especially one who is rich or with a high social position, who lives in an immoral way, especially having sex with a lot of women​

Perhaps these were (or still are) the areas inhabited by such people?

 

[Djgr]

Others have explained the derivation of the word 'Rake'.

Significantly, in the case of these two railway stations, there is a simple explanation. They are sited on or very near to roads which already existed when these relatively new stations were built. Pedestrian access to Eastham Rake station is from a road called 'Eastham Rake', and Bromborough Rake station is at the end of the road [in Bromborough] called 'The Rake'.

As for why these roads were called 'Rake', rather than 'Avenue', 'Street' etc, the Cambridge Dictionary includes the following definition:

rake noun [ C ] (MAN)
especially one who is rich or with a high social position, who lives in an immoral way, especially having sex with a lot of women​

Perhaps these were (or still are) the areas inhabited by such people?

According to Viking Wirral which you can easily find online, there are over one hundred rakes on the peninsula.

Another Wirral special is a station named .... Village. Any others?

 

[Bletchleyite]

According to Viking Wirral which you can easily find online, there are over one hundred rakes on the peninsula.

Another Wirral special is a station named .... Village. Any others?

Bicester Village, though for a completely different reason (that being the brand name used by the adjacent shopping arcade that for some bizarre reason attracts people from all over the world).

Used to be called Bicester Town which is more accurate, though it's not really any nearer the town centre than North is, it's kind of in the middle of them.

 

[Djgr]

Bicester Village, though for a completely different reason (that being the brand name used by the adjacent shopping arcade that for some bizarre reason attracts people from all over the world).

Used to be called Bicester Town which is more accurate, though it's not really any nearer the town centre than North is, it's kind of in the middle of them.

Good spot. The largely equivalent operation at Cheshire Oaks (which seems to attract a lot of Midlanders but no locals with any sense at the weekend) dropped its orginal (Outlet) village branding sometime ago

 

[pdeaves]

Bicester Village, though for a completely different reason (that being the brand name used by the adjacent shopping arcade that for some bizarre reason attracts people from all over the world).

Oddly (for reasons you state, but it's mildly amusing to me) the station essentially upgraded from a town to a village!

The other 'village' station is Lympstone Village.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

As for why these roads were called 'Rake', rather than 'Avenue', 'Street' etc, the Cambridge Dictionary includes the following definition:

rake noun [ C ] (MAN)
especially one who is rich or with a high social position, who lives in an immoral way, especially having sex with a lot of women​

Perhaps these were (or still are) the areas inhabited by such people?

I think I prefer the Viking origin for the name...
It's also spelled raike in places, some of them quite distant from the Wirral (eg Preston, Batley, Bolton).

 

[Djgr]

And there is Meols Cop near Southport as well as Viking Meols, although I believe they pronounce it differently i.e. not mells (old Wirral saying Meols smells)

 

[Old Yard Dog]

Eastham Rake is the name of the road the station is on while Bromborough Rake is at the end of a road called simply The Rake.

 

[PHILIPE]

The Rakes are extended to Blackpool in so much as there is a Wetherspoon in the Layton area called "The Layton Rakes" and allegedly named after a path there.

 

[185]

Rake is indeed the Old Norse word for track or path. Similarly, in Icelandic Rekja is track (unlike Reykjavic which means Smoky Bay).