Fight to name Birmingham station recommences

[edwin_m]

Simple solution: tell NEC and the Airport that whoever covers the cost for the renaming gets the name.

And if both of them offer to cover it, hold an auction.

 

[southern442]

Solihull North for the NEC & Airport ?

Why not bloody call it West Midlands Parkway

 

[Geezertronic]

How about Bickenhill for the existing BHI (which could retain the BHI code as a result) and Bickenhill International for the HS2 station

 

[Cherry_Picker]

It's not in Solihull proper though (although it's in the borough, that's actually quite large and includes a lot of rural areas and suburbs).

This, this and this again. Every time a conversation about Birmingham Airport and/or the NEC is struck up it's not long before somebody drops in the amazing bit of trivia that the site is in Solihull.

This is a map of the borough of Solihull, the blue shaded area is everything "in Solihull" and geographically it makes no sense at all, I mean Castle Brom is "in Solihull" despite clearly being significantly further from Solihull town centre than it is from Birmingham.

If you don't know the area then the airport and NEC are pretty much where the words "Coventry Road" are written (along the green east-west A45 road just over half way up the map) and to me everything north of that road, and all the stuff between it and the A41 has always felt like part of the city of Birmingham, including the airport.

 

[HowardGWR]

Why not bloody call it West Midlands Parkway

A sanguine suggestion.

 

[59CosG95]

As far as naming is concerned, I think a station on a high-speed (non-Victorian) rail line with connections to the continent has a right to be called "International". Just call it "Birmingham Airport Parkway" and follow the Sotonian example. That or Solihull North.

 

[Waverley125]

To be fair, it would be handy if there were guidelines for naming stations on the network. I'd suggest the following. I'll use Birmingham as the example:

'Birmingham'

The only station in the community / suburb it serves.

'Birmingham New Street'

One of many stations in the community. If used to refer to a large place (e.g. London, Manchester) it indicates being within the city centre. Suffixes can also be added for historic reasons. e.g. 'Carlisle Citadel' instead of 'Carlisle'. Stations within a large urban area that do not serve the city centre should take a name from the locality they happen to be in (e.g. 'Jewellery Quarter' not 'Birmingham Vyse St').

This can be replicated in smaller suburbs e.g. 'Armley Canal Road', 'Armley Moor'

'Birmingham Airport'

A station serving a particular facility within a community and not the city centre e.g. Airport / Seaport / University / Hospital

'Birmingham Parkway'

A station serving no particular urban centre, and acting mainly as a park & ride hub. Can be amended with 'North' between the placename & function to identify from other stations serving a similar purpose.

 

[oglord]

The station is now rather oddly named now that the airport is no longer called international and no international rail services operate from it (ignoring those to Scotland and Wales)

Since when are services from one part of the UK to another "international"? :roll:

 

[D365]

Since when are services from one part of the UK to another "international"? :roll:

Does that mean that Kings Cross and Euston will have to be renamed if Scotland goes independent

(even if technically still part of the UK - I don't know the ins and outs!)

 

[OuterDistant]

They need to recreate the Birmingham area in OpenTTD, place all the current stations (with International being placed last), and rename International to whatever the game chooses.

"Birmingham Transfer" would be a laugh!

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Birmingham outer south.

Birmingham not the town centre.

Birmingham nowhere nearby.

Birmingham? Should have gone to...



I could go on with similar suggestions....!!

I'd agree with those saying "leave it as it is".

 

[stut]

Brum Exhibitionists' Station (for Brum Airport)
Brum Big Station
Brum Old Station
Brum Multi-Storey Car Park Station

At the same time, they can change the "Way Out" signs to "Tara-a-Bit".

Bostin'.

 

[rebmcr]

If it ends up being a HS2 station as well, "Birmingham Interchange" would seem a very smart choice. Especially as you can interchange between High Speed rail, conventional rail, and air transport.

 

[cle]

Aren't the current Birmingham International and the HS2 Birmingham Interchange a few miles apart?

Hardly one complex. But they could copy the Stratford model of Regional and International?

I think West Midlands Parkway is a good suggestion. Like the EM version, it features an airport, some politically tricky boundaries and lots of roads/parking. It's nice and ambiguous and nobody heading to Birmingham city centre would get off there.

 

[anti-pacer]

"Birmingham Airport & NEC".

To me it has to start with the word 'Birmingham' for ease of use when looking up train times on websites, booking tickets, or even knowing where in the country the NEC is.

I'm sure we all know, but I bet there's plenty who don't.

 

[The Planner]

That is the bit where NR can sit back and watch the NEC and Airport have a big bun fight over who gets on the sign first, the Airport or NEC.

 

[Eagle]

Aren't the current Birmingham International and the HS2 Birmingham Interchange a few miles apart?

No, it's more like 500 metres apart.

 

[D365]

Aren't the current Birmingham International and the HS2 Birmingham Interchange a few miles apart?

Hardly that much, but anyway a transit will be provided between the stations (directly opposite to the existing airport shuttle), thereby avoiding problems à la East Midland Parkway/Toton. Same goes for Curzon Street/New Street and potentially Euston/St Pancras.

"Birmingham Airport & NEC"

What do you suggest for the HS2 station then If served by 'Chunnel' trains, maybe it can take over the 'International' name :P

That is the bit where NR can sit back and watch the NEC and Airport have a big bun fight over who gets on the sign first, the Airport or NEC.

Make sure somebody brings the snacks

 

[Southwest]

8 miles pah!

Try flying to some of Ryanair's destinations and you'll be happy it is only 8 miles!!

 

[Trog]

Simple solution: tell NEC and the Airport that whoever covers the cost for the renaming gets the name.

P-Way Engineers solution: tell NEC and the Airport that whoever covers the £2 million cost of the renaming gets the name.

 

[edwin_m]

P-Way Engineers solution: tell NEC and the Airport that whoever covers the £2 million cost of the renaming gets the name.

Project Manager's solution: tell NEC and the Airport that whoever covers the £10 million cost of the renaming gets the name.

DfT solution: tell NEC and the Airport that whoever covers the £10 million cost of the renaming, plus the 66% markup for optimism bias, gets the name.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

No, it's more like 500 metres apart.

A lot closer than East Midlands Airport is to East Midlands Parkway "for East Midlands Airport", with no connecting transport other than taxis.

 

[southern442]

Does that mean that Kings Cross and Euston will have to be renamed if Scotland goes independent

(even if technically still part of the UK - I don't know the ins and outs!)

can you imagine:

Kings cross international
Euston International
Watford international
Warrington international
Wigan international

and of course the unforgettable

Oxenholme international

...to name a few

 

[Eagle]

Prudhoe International? Newton Abbot International? Heald Green International?

 

[Eng274]

What about an amalgamation of the existing Birmingham stations. Moor street + New street + snow hill = manewre hill

 

[southern442]

Prudhoe International? Newton Abbot International? Heald Green International?

Manchester airport international

 

[Eagle]

What about an amalgamation of the existing Birmingham stations. Moor street + New street + shrub hill = manewre hill

So first we're saying Birmingham Airport is in Birmingham, now we're saying Worcester Shrub Hill is in Birmingham?

 

[southern442]

So first we're saying Birmingham Airport is in Birmingham, now we're saying Worcester Shrub Hill is in Birmingham?

I think he means snow hill.

 

[jon0844]

Given the huge cost of changing all the things mentioned early on in this thread, I'm not sure anything needs to change at all.

Most people check the station they need to go to before travel, and it has never been easier with the likes of Google Maps or having a mobile data connection that's live all the time so you can check the 'nearest station' to your hotel, event venue etc before or during your travel.

But if it must change name, then just call it Birmingham Airport and either add '& NEC' or just have signs saying Birmingham Airport with a 'for NEC' underneath. On train announcements can easily add this in (like you hear on the tube for places available from a station) and so on.

To be honest, I can't see why the NEC needs to be mentioned at all. For any event or exhibition at the NEC, you'd just say you're next to the airport and to travel to Birmingham Airport.

So simple!

 

[route:oxford]

Does the same often happen at Prestwick International?

I just think it's a bit of a shame that the new station at Water Eaton isn't called:-

London Oxford International Parkway.

 

[Taunton]

Passengers getting out at the wrong station is never going to go away. Every time I get out at Ebbsfleet returning on Eurostar there is someone getting off thinking they are in London (especially at night in the dark), regardless of signage and announcements in multiple languages. Getting off at Birmingham International is straightforward to recover, just put them back on the next frequent departure and its 10 minutes further on.

Not like back in the 1980s when the North London DC Line trains from Watford Junction were diverted to Liverpool Street, after Broad St closed, and trains for Liverpool Street, and for Liverpool Lime Street, left from opposite sides of the same platform. There were errors both ways ......