Name the town...

[Ivo]

[N.B. - My Corby idea has be weakened by virtue of me remembering the company/product in question - Smoby. But I have also found out that there is a phone-type thing called a Corby ayway, so the idea is still valid. Whether it is right remains to be seen...]

I kinda figured you had lived Newbury, Mike. But from there you could surely have answered number 1 as well?

 

[Mike Redding]

Don't know for sure, But i think it might be Bracknell? Stations being Bracknell and Martins Heron?

Failing that, Basingstoke, but that depends on if you count Hook or Micheldever

 

[Ivo]

Bracknell it is. Like I said - dead easy. How many other new towns begin with "B"? One? Which formed my very first poser? [Basingstoke is an extended town.]

 

[Waddon]

this town has two stations carrying its name, the main station has two more platforms than the other station, which carries a suffix. Both stations once had electric services powered by overhead lines, but now neither does. The main station also has a regular freight service to its sidings

 

[Daimler]

[N.B. - My Corby idea has be weakened by virtue of me remembering the company/product in question - Smoby. But I have also found out that there is a phone-type thing called a Corby ayway, so the idea is still valid. Whether it is right remains to be seen...]

May I present the inimitable Corby Trouser Press!

It's what I always associate with Corby, anyway

 

[Lampshade]

Are any products named after Corby?

Have you never heard of a Corby Trouser Press?

EDIT: GRRR, beaten to it

 

[90019]

The Corby trouser press has nothing to do with the town though, it was manufactured by John Corby Limited in Windsor

 

[4SRKT]

Answer (3) in the Super Quiz is Bridgend (I think).
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Super Quiz 1

Five questions. Can you name 'em all? (They get progressively harder; 1 is frankly a "joke", 2, 3 and 4 are "so-so", and 5 is deliberately "evil".)

1. A new town whose name begins with "B". Has two stations, both managed by South West Trains, one of which has the same name.

2. Known in sporting circles, this town has two stations, both of which bear its name. One is occasionally served by HSTs, the other (which, unlike the larger one, has a suffix) has only a basic service unless the sporting venue is likely to be busy. Somewhere in the former NSE area, so it's up to someone else to get this one.

3. A town with two stations. One is almost immeasurably busier than the other, and has an hourly HST service. It is served by two of the larger TOCs in existence, one of which has its core area a few miles to the east in a waterfront city.

4. Easily the busiest station on its branch. It has a very limited HST service, to the point that some parliamentary services are more frequent. Even though the local TOC operates HSTs, it does not run the HST in question. The branch's junction station shares its name with a sporting term.

5. Another branch station. This branch is single-track throughout, and is not electrified. It once extended long beyond its current terminus, merging with a different line a few miles from one of the more well-known University cities. One of the stations on the former route shares its name with a name. The town I require is, according to DafT, a "Primary Destination" [i.e. its name is shown in atlases in yellow with a green background].

Is 'shares its name with a name' a typo? I think (5) might be Matlock (university city is Manchester), but this part of the clue is confusing me. Now, 'shares its name with a cake'.........
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Inspiration time! No 5 is definitely Sudbury!. The 'name-town' is Clare. Good clue BTW. I'm stumped by No 4 tho. I know which TOCs use trams, but aside from EC, GC and FGW I'm unsure as to which services they use them on.

 

[Capybara]

Have we had an answer to Ivo's question yet? I can't see it.

 

[4SRKT]

Have we had an answer to Ivo's question yet? I can't see it.

Which one? There are too many questions in play IYAM. Four of the five in his Super Quiz have been answered, but I'm going to need another clus to have a chance with the last one (no 4).

 

[Ivo]

You're not supposed to get Sudbury! That was supposed to be very, very difficult! But still unsure on number 4, hey?

Bridgend was also correct.

 

[Donny Dave]

Super Quiz 1

Five questions. Can you name 'em all? (They get progressively harder; 1 is frankly a "joke", 2, 3 and 4 are "so-so", and 5 is deliberately "evil".)

1. A new town whose name begins with "B". Has two stations, both managed by South West Trains, one of which has the same name.

Bracknell

2. Known in sporting circles, this town has two stations, both of which bear its name. One is occasionally served by HSTs, the other (which, unlike the larger one, has a suffix) has only a basic service unless the sporting venue is likely to be busy. Somewhere in the former NSE area.

Newbury

3. A town with two stations. One is almost immeasurably busier than the other, and has an hourly HST service. It is served by two of the larger TOCs in existence, one of which has its core area a few miles to the east in a waterfront city.

I'll go with 4SRKT with this one and say Bridgend

4. Easily the busiest station on its branch. It has a very limited HST service, to the point that some parliamentary services are more frequent. Even though the local TOC operates HSTs, it does not run the HST in question. The branch's junction station shares its name with a sporting term.

The only station which is managed by a ToC, but doesn't have any any of it's HSTs call there is Burton (managed by EMT, if this is what you mean), but the clue about the junction name has left me bamboozled.

5. Another branch station. This branch is single-track throughout, and is not electrified. It once extended long beyond its current terminus, merging with a different line a few miles from one of the more well-known University cities. One of the stations on the former route shares its name with a name. The town I require is, according to DafT, a "Primary Destination" [i.e. its name is shown in atlases in yellow with a green background].

I'll have to bow to 4SRKT's superior knowledge here.

 

[gordonthemoron]

Surely 4 is Newquay

 

[Ivo]

What? Newquay? Who said anything about the following being accurate?

Easily the busiest station on its branch. It has a very limited HST service, to the point that some parliamentary services are more frequent. Even though the local TOC operates HSTs, it does not run the HST in question. The branch's junction station shares its name with a sporting term.

Oh. Wait. That's the point. Grr. The Super Quiz is beaten. Must... Do... Better.

 

[4SRKT]

I thought of Newquay and looked in the current timetable, as it seemed to fit operations I remember from holidays in the South West as a child. Couldn't see any trains that weren't operated by FGW or looked as though they might be operated by trams.

 

[Ivo]

You missed the trick then. CrossCountry operate services on summer weekends.

 

[4SRKT]

You missed the trick then. CrossCountry operate services on summer weekends.

Indeed, but it's not summer. Who's to say they'll operate through workings again this year? Or that they won't be odious Voyagers instead? If you're going to set difficult questions (which you do pretty well BTW), you've got to be 100% certain that the clues are accurate, and this one isn't. If something isn't current, then it exists only in the past. You might as well use the following as a clue to the answer Aberystwyth; 'In addition to my normal service of DMUs, I sometimes have trains formed of Mk Is and double-headed 37s'.

 

[Ivo]

Criticism noted, but the route is still advertised on XC route maps, so one can only assume that the services still exist. And thank you for the compliment!

I shall have a second Super Quiz for you shortly, but first, I have this poser.

I am an English city whose name has more consonants than vowels in it, with one consonant appearing twice. I have only one station in my built up area; however, my district or borough area has at least one other. My station is known for being the last call before a major transition of some kind, and for having a little-known and unique suffix.

 

[Jonfun]

Carlisle (Citadel)?

 

[Ivo]

Carlisle (Citadel)?

Waaah. This one's too easy.

Super Quiz 2 will challenge y'all...

 

[Jonfun]

In the meantime....

I am a town which has had five different railway stations serving it in the past. One is now considered outside the town boundaries, and three of the other ones are closed. Only one station now bears the town's name. One of the stations was on a line which has since been lifted, which linked this town with a larger settlement nearby which once had a similar number of railway stations. The town we're looking for is somewhere north of the Watford Gap.

Good Luck

 

[Ivo]

I have tried and double-tried this one, with no result [If I get it I'll edit this post.] I also believe that one was lost at the end of last month [the Corby one?].

Anyway, at this stage, I would like to present...

Super Quiz 2

[1] I am an outer suburb of one of England's major cities. I have three stations, only one of which is served by National Rail. Of the other two, one was served by main-line trains once upon a time, and the other was built by the main-line company for local service operation. My National Rail station sees only two trains an hour each way, and is around a mile south of the inner example of the other two.

[2] I am a Welsh town with several local stations. Three of these bear my name, including one which has no suffix, and two which do. Of these two, one relates to industry; the other, to physical geography.

[3] I am a town of two notable stations, on routes which form a cross through me. Both stations bear my name, and both have suffixes, only one of which is common. All kinds of trains can be found here, with anything ranging from HSTs (though not Class 43s) to Pacers often sighted.

[4] I have only one station, but also a busy freight terminal. Much of my branch is single-track, and has only two intermediate stations before its first merger. I have three syllables in my name, all of which contain a letter that in the game of Scrabble would be worth at least four points.

[5] I am at the end of one solitary electrified route. However, I used to be an important four-way interchange, before one of the locals had "his" gnarly way.

 

[Mike Redding]

Is number 3 Warrington? (HST's being the Pendolino's + Stations being Central and Bank Quay?)

I'll take a guess at #1 while i'm here, Sheffield or Nottingham?

 

[clagmonster]

3 could be Wigan.
4 Felixstowe (assuming f, x and w are all worth at least 4 points in Scabble). Trimley and Derby Road the intermediate stations on the branch.
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2 Barry

 

[Lampshade]

3 says only one of which is common, which rules out Wallgate and North Western as they're unique to Wigan stations. Bank Quay is also unique but Central is very common, so it's more than likely Warrington.

 

[Ivo]

Okay, I get the idea. SQ2 is easier than SQ1. Barry, Warrington and Felixstowe are all correct. However, (1) requires the suburb, not the city [Sheffield and Nottingham are not the correct cities anyway], and no-one has attempted [5] yet.

 

[Waddon]

5 is East Grinstead - soon to have trains in more than one direction, hopefully...

 

[Ivo]

5 is East Grinstead - soon to have trains in more than one direction, hopefully...

"Hopefully" is correct... Still, however, [1] remains a dud. For all the problems the first caused, SQ2 seems... a bit weak. I don't think that I will ever top that Sudbury clue.

 

[Waddon]

"Hopefully" is correct...

I heard that the Bluebell are planning to take some of their spoil heap out by train via East Grinstead- this was rumoured a long time ago, but now its come back, on their website, and it sounds quite imminent, with track works beginning soon (passenger services still a long way off, though)

 

[clagmonster]

Is number 1 Morden? The BR station being Morden South, and the others being Morden (LUL Northern Line) and some former BR tram shack.