The 'Parkway' suffix problem

[bramling]

It basically implies "not in the place concerned, but has a big car park", and is quite well known as such.

Then again...would you go on to rename? Would you, for instance, want "South Bucks Parkway" instead of "Tring"? (It isn't even in the town).

Must admit I'm unconvinced that the meaning of Parkway is well known.

Outside rail forums and perhaps some books aimed at railway enthusiasts/historians, the term isn't really publicised as such.

When I've asked friends if they know what it means, I've never yet had one who actually knows. Most don't have a clue, one said he assumed it meant the station served some kind of dual carriageway main road called parkway.

I can understand the likes of Tiverton Parkway or East Midlands Parkway - they really are in the middle of nowhere, or Warwick Parkway which is almost entirely a park/ride facility. Didcot and Port Talbot seem silly to me, and even Bristol Parkway I have my doubts about. I know someone who was not impressed to find themselves at Bristol Parkway thinking they were going to the main central station in Bristol.

 

[The Planner]

Bear in mind when Bristol Parkway opened in 72 there was nowhere near as much housing or anything else there.

 

[HowardGWR]

What's a better title for East Midlands Parkway? Kegworth North or Castle Donington Airport or Ratcliffe on Soar?

Bristol Parkway should be called Bristol North, IMO.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Bear in mind when Bristol Parkway opened in 72 there was nowhere near as much housing or anything else there.

There isn't much there now except that you would wish to avoid.

 

[bramling]

What's a better title for East Midlands Parkway? Kegworth North or Castle Donington Airport or Ratcliffe on Soar?

Bristol Parkway should be called Bristol North, IMO.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---


There isn't much there now except that you would wish to avoid.

East Midlands Parkway is an awkward one -- along with Warwick Parkway this is one of the few I'd probably keep.

Others I'd prefer to change as follows:

Bristol Parkway > Bristol North, Stoke Gifford or Bristol Stoke Gifford?
Port Talbot Parkway > Port Talbot
Didcot Parkway > Didcot or Didcot Junction
Tiverton Parkway > Tiverton Road
Whittlesford Parkway > Whittlesford
Aylesbury Vale Parkway > Aylesbury Vale
Bodmin Parkway > Bodmin Road
Buckshaw Parkway > Buckshaw
Haddenham & Thame Parkway > Haddenham for Thame
Horwich Parkway > Horwich
Liverpool South Parkway > Garston or Allerton
Luton Airport Parkway > Luton Airport
Southampton Airport Parkway > Southampton Airport
Sutton Parkway > Sutton-in-Ashfield
Tame Bridge Parkway > Tame Bridge

 

[The Planner]

Or just leave things as they are as they generally work and save the cash for something a bit more important? Solutions and problems...

 

[Taunton]

Bristol Parkway was the first one. It was such a success (must be in the top 20 on main line stations on the old Western Region) that the others came in on its coat tails. Invariably known in the local area just as "Parkway", just as the main Bristol station has always been known in the city and surroundings as just "Temple Meads".

 

[Senex]

Or just leave things as they are as they generally work and save the cash for something a bit more important? Solutions and problems...

Indeed ..... but then let's not spread the horrible habit any further.

 

[bramling]

Or just leave things as they are as they generally work and save the cash for something a bit more important? Solutions and problems...

Agree to a point that renaming might not be the best use of funds, however it seems silly using a word that most passengers don't know the meaning of. I've asked about ten non-enthusiast friends what they think Parkway means, none came close.

 

[Taunton]

The original name came from that given to the M32 motorway from the centre of Bristol out to the M4 adjacent to the new station. This link road was known initially, before the station opened and before M32 became the accepted term for it, as "Bristol Parkway".

 

[Bletchleyite]

Aylesbury Vale Parkway > Aylesbury Vale

I'd go Aylesbury North for that.

Buckshaw Parkway > Buckshaw

Buckshaw Village is the name of the development - or Euxton ROF would keep its history.

Horwich Parkway > Horwich

I would go Middlebrook for that. It's too far from Horwich not to have a suffix.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Worcester Parkway is coming too.
Or is it going to be Worcestershire Parkway?

Then there's the International suffix problem.
Have they got a new name for Birmingham International yet?

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Others I'd prefer to change as follows:
Buckshaw Parkway > Buckshaw

There was a large new homes development in this area and I am sure that Buckshaw Village was an early suggestion for the name of the new station.

 

[DarloRich]

Or just leave things as they are as they generally work and save the cash for something a bit more important? Solutions and problems...

This !

When i lived in Barnstaple I used Tiverton Parkway. Most people called it Tiverton anyway. It really isn't an issue.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Worcester Parkway is coming too.
Or is it going to be Worcestershire Parkway?

Then there's the International suffix problem.
Have they got a new name for Birmingham International yet?

why?????????? it serves Birmingham Airport which is still known to many as Birmingham INTERNATIONAL airport. it doesn't need to change! (yes pedants i KNOW Birmingham Airport has dropped the word "International")

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

why?????????? it serves Birmingham Airport which is still known to many as Birmingham INTERNATIONAL airport. it doesn't need to change! (yes pedants i KNOW Birmingham Airport has dropped the word "International")

This is an old piece but the airport and NEC (the reason the station exists) wanted a name change. Unfortunately they can't agree what it should be:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/u...ational-station-should-be-called-8891808.html

Birmingham Airport chief executive Paul Kehoe has been leading the campaign to rename Birmingham International, arguing that he is in charge of the "best rail-connected airport in the country, but you wouldn't know it".
Mr Kehoe's neighbours at the NEC have snubbed his proposal to rename the station Birmingham Airport/NEC, while other opposition has left him baffled. "You would think I'm being heretical," he said. "You've got to put yourself in the consumer's shoes."
Yesterday, in yet another twist in the tale, the NEC said it might support a new name but only if it came first. The NEC's chief executive, Paul Thandi, said: "Should a new name need to be agreed, our preference would be for NEC/ Birmingham Airport."

It did figure in the aborted ICWC 2012 franchise (to support a name change if it was agreed).

 

[Tetchytyke]

My rule of thumb would be that in the absence of a separate station called Didcot, or Didcot Central, or some other alternative, then the station would not be of the 'park and ride for incoming passengers' type.

In which case you'd have a bit of a shock if you ended up at Bodmin Parkway...

This is an old piece but the airport and NEC (the reason the station exists) wanted a name change. Unfortunately they can't agree what it should be

Sounds about right.

 

[CyrusWuff]

I also think that Kidlington Parkway or Kidlington Oxford Parkway would be a better name for the new station at Water Eaton.

Given that it's adjacent to the Water Eaton Park & Ride site, I would've preferred the originally proposed "Water Eaton Parkway", though I can see the reasoning behind calling it "Oxford Parkway" instead (i.e. indicating it's near Oxford as opposed to getting people going "Where the fudge is Water Eaton?") It also avoids confusion with Water Eaton near Bletchley.

 

[backontrack]

Kidlington, on the other hand, can't be confused with anywhere else, and is better known. So 'Kidlington Oxford Parkway' could work.

I'm surprised the original station at Kidlington (on the Cherwell Valley Line) hasn't been reopened; unfortunately, it doesn't look like it ever will now.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Given that it's adjacent to the Water Eaton Park & Ride site, I would've preferred the originally proposed "Water Eaton Parkway", though I can see the reasoning behind calling it "Oxford Parkway" instead (i.e. indicating it's near Oxford as opposed to getting people going "Where the fudge is Water Eaton?") It also avoids confusion with Water Eaton near Bletchley.

Would there be all that many who would be confused by the two Water Eaton locations that you have mentioned? What distance separates these two settlements?

 

[swt_passenger]

Southampton Airport Parkway > Southampton Airport

It has an absolutely massive car park, not because it is next to an airport (which has its own parking), but because it is the railhead for hundreds of passengers who start in their cars, drive along the M27, then park and carry on up the line towards London.

Leave well alone, I'd say.

 

[backontrack]

Would there be all that many who would be confused by the two Water Eaton locations that you have mentioned? What distance separates these two settlements?

Don't forget that they're both on the Varsity Line.

 

[67018]

Don't forget that they're both on the Varsity Line.

Yes, they are about 30 miles apart and if and when East West rail opens they would be two stops from each other on a semi-fast service.

 

[backontrack]

Yes, they are about 30 miles apart and if and when East West rail opens they would be two stops from each other on a semi-fast service.

Yes, there'd be stops at Bicester Village and Winslow (probably not Islip).

 

[swt_passenger]

Given that Oxford Parkway is still physically next to Water Eaton, whatever the station is called, you can probably present a reasonable case to rename the existing Water Eaton to differentiate further...

 

[backontrack]

I don't think that there's a station called Water Eaton at Bletchley, I was referring to the area. There might be one, though. It could get confused with Water Orton if direct services ever happened (Long Eaton is unlikely to be confused, however).

 

[TheNewNo2]

Must admit I'm unconvinced that the meaning of Parkway is well known.

Outside rail forums and perhaps some books aimed at railway enthusiasts/historians, the term isn't really publicised as such.

When I've asked friends if they know what it means, I've never yet had one who actually knows. Most don't have a clue, one said he assumed it meant the station served some kind of dual carriageway main road called parkway.

I can understand the likes of Tiverton Parkway or East Midlands Parkway - they really are in the middle of nowhere, or Warwick Parkway which is almost entirely a park/ride facility. Didcot and Port Talbot seem silly to me, and even Bristol Parkway I have my doubts about. I know someone who was not impressed to find themselves at Bristol Parkway thinking they were going to the main central station in Bristol.

Bear in mind when Bristol Parkway opened in 72 there was nowhere near as much housing or anything else there.

Bristol Parkway was the first one. It was such a success (must be in the top 20 on main line stations on the old Western Region) that the others came in on its coat tails. Invariably known in the local area just as "Parkway", just as the main Bristol station has always been known in the city and surroundings as just "Temple Meads".

Bristol Parkway is still a long way from the centre of Bristol, and still pretty close to the edge of the city, with good access links. It's not as rural as it once was, but not so bad.

Oddly, as a Bristolian I have never heard anyone describe the M32 as the Bristol Parkway, it's always just been the M32 or "ugh".
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Oh, and to quote Wikipedia:

The station's development was seen as a response to the potential growth of housing and commercial developments in north Bristol, with proximity to the M4 and M5 motorway interchange at Almondsbury also important.[12] The name "Parkway" came from proximity to the M32 motorway, known as the Bristol Parkway,[2] although the term Parkway has since been applied to park and ride stations throughout the United Kingdom.[4] When the station was built it was outside the developed urban area, but the growth of housing and commercial development in adjoining areas of the North Fringe has brought it within the conurbation, with many large office complexes opened nearby.[1][14][30][31]

 

[swt_passenger]

I don't think that there's a station called Water Eaton at Bletchley, I was referring to the area. T

Ah, sorry for confusing the issue. I did think you were talking about a station, but if not then there's no real problem.

 

[Bletchleyite]

There was a large new homes development in this area and I am sure that Buckshaw Village was an early suggestion for the name of the new station.

And is what it is called. (I know someone who lives there)
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

why?????????? it serves Birmingham Airport which is still known to many as Birmingham INTERNATIONAL airport. it doesn't need to change! (yes pedants i KNOW Birmingham Airport has dropped the word "International")

It is actively confusing, and I have on a number of occasions heard people asking about whether it is the centre or not. The issue is "St Pancras International", "Waterloo International" etc.

It should in my view be renamed "Birmingham Airport for the NEC". I believe this was under active consideration as a priced option in the failed WCML franchise.

 

[backontrack]

I think that Parkway stations have gone too far TBH. Soon we'll have Llanbister Parkway (it's a considerable distance from the place it serves and is on a main road, the A483) and Builth Parkway (it serves a town with a population of 2,352 which is far from the rail line and is on a main road, the A470)!

 

[The Planner]

This is an old piece but the airport and NEC (the reason the station exists) wanted a name change. Unfortunately they can't agree what it .

No, no one wanted to pay for it when NR asked them to so the data and ancillary changes could be made.

 

[DarloRich]

It is actively confusing, and I have on a number of occasions heard people asking about whether it is the centre or not. The issue is "St Pancras International", "Waterloo International" etc.

It should in my view be renamed "Birmingham Airport for the NEC". I believe this was under active consideration as a priced option in the failed WCML franchise.

It is only confusing if you are soft of brain! it has been called Birmingham International for about 40 years! It is marketed as an airport stop. It is obvious. by that rationale passengers will never be able to cope with towns having more than one station with the name of the town in it