Train or Railway Station?

[Llanigraham]

Railway Station. Any decent Englishman knows that to be true. No further discussion is required.

Good job we're not all English then.

 

[Techniquest]

Gotta say I don't agree with DarloRich's analysis of it being a big deal. It's about as big a deal as my left foot's big toe's nail. That is, not a big deal at all!

As for my own preferences on the topic at hand, it depends. If I'm in the presence of railway friends, I'd probably use 'station', in the company of most normal people, train station. If I wished to sound ever so slightly posh, I'd use railway station. And yes, people DO call you posh if you use railway station!

Quite frankly, at the end of the day, so long as the person/people you're conversing with know what you're on about then that's all that matters.

 

[DynamicSpirit]

It's only recently I've heard the term "Train Station". "Station" on its own always referred to the railway station.

At least in the UK. I've been to at least one place in the US where the 'Station' actually meant the local bus station - which confused me no end until I figured what people were talking about.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

At least we're not speaking German- being a terminal pedant, the term Busbahnhof which literally translates as 'bus-train-station' really gets my goat!

 

[jopsuk]

Isn't "depot" commonly used in some parts of the US to refer to a station? Meanwhile the french gare maritime could be a railway station at a port, or could be a ferry terminal (with no railway whatsoever)

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

Isn't "depot" commonly used in some parts of the US to refer to a station? Meanwhile the french gare maritime could be a railway station at a port, or could be a ferry terminal (with no railway whatsoever)

I Prefer Railway Station. The above comment about France is interesting as they use the word "Gare" for a mainline SNCF railway station, but in Paris they use the word "station" for a metro station. (I was given lines at school when making that error in a french essay!)(and I mean 100 lines, not railway lines.)

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

As would be expected by those who know of me on RailUK, I have cast my vote for the use of "railway station".

 

[D841 Roebuck]

It's a railway station.

Particularly applies to Brighthelmstone, Twynham, Brokenbridge Monkhill and Brokenbridge Baghill.

Oh, and Recedham...

 

[Strat-tastic]

I liken it to people who write to supermarkets to tell them that "Five items or less" should really be "Five items or fewer" - even though absolutely nobody could ever misunderstand that.

I'll think you'll find it's ten items or fewer...

Sorry, sorry, I'll get me coat

 

[tractakid]

"Train station" just sounds completely daft.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

May I intercede with an example that I came across this morning as I went onto Google and entered "Eccles station" and amongst the options offered were the following two entries...

Wikipedia..........Eccles railway station

www.192.com... Eccles train station

Make of this as you will...:roll:

 

[duffield]

When specified it was pretty much always 'Railway Station' when I lived 'darn sarth' (Berkshire) but in the Midlands (Notts) "Train Station" seems to be more common.
I don't think it's an Americanisation, my wife remembers people in Notts using "Train Station" in the 1960's.

However, in my experience most people don't use either. Most people in Reading or Nottingham just say "The Station" (or in Nottingham, older folks who remember Nottingham Victoria etc. may say "Midland Station").

 

[cle]

Well first and foremost, it's 'the station'.

Anyone adding in 'railway' is being contrivedly wistful and archaic. Steam is gone. The GWR is over.

And getting annoyed about 'train station' - far more common for the man on the street and therefore victorious in the constant evolution of language - is wasted energy.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Do any of our elderly forum members (as I) still make reference to an omnibus station, when listening to their gramophones playing music in the background...

I must confess to using the word occasionally in more flamboyant moments in postings on "The Transport Game" quiz..

 

[paddington]

It's a railway train station stop.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

It's a railway train station stop.

You have just brought to mind the use of the phrase "station stop" in on-train announcements that was part of a thread discussion some months ago.

 

[Crossover]

Railway station from me. Train station doesn't quite have the same ring to it IMO

 

[HowardGWR]

At least we're not speaking German- being a terminal pedant, the term Busbahnhof which literally translates as 'bus-train-station' really gets my goat!

It shouldn't IMO. Bahnhof is literally 'way house'. in other words the Germans use the word as we would use 'station' to mean railway station, because when they started with trains there were no other types of station, the same as here, so the method of transport did not need to be added.

 

[Lockwood]

Whichever I feel like at the time.
I do remember having a lot of fun a while back in London trying to get directions to the nearest NR station (I think I had my bike with me). Asking people who's primary language for the nearest "National Rail" station, "surface" station, "big train" station, "not tube" station.
Drawing the arrows of confusion got an "I don't recognise sorry"
I should have done more variants with the "train" and "railway" station to add even more confusion!


Still, this is something for me to ponder next time I'm sat at a road stop for the next bus.

"Station" alone has a lot of room for confusion, Havant has 5 that I can think of off the top of my head: Bus station, fire station, ambulance station, police station and place where people get on and off trains. Meeting at "The station" will probably eliminate 3 of those, though I have worked with people who will use "Fareham station" to refer to the ambulance station and not the one with rail services, to some confusion

 

[davetheguard]

It shouldn't IMO. Bahnhof is literally 'way house'. in other words the Germans use the word as we would use 'station' to mean railway station, because when they started with trains there were no other types of station, the same as here, so the method of transport did not need to be added.

I'd have said that Bahnhof literally means "Road Yard" as Bahn is a shortening of Eisenbahn which means Iron Road. But I could be wrong, perhaps a native speaker could assist?

In any event, I'd always say "Railway Station" or just plain "Station". Never the American-sounding "Train Station". Whatever next: Plane Ports instead of Airports?

 

[SS4]

I use them interchangeably depend on which mood I'm in

 

[RPM]

"Train station" has always grated with me, and probably always will. However to rail against it (excuse pun) is to flog a dead horse. It has become completely normalised in the UK like a lot of other Americanisations. Might as well try and get used to it.

 

[jopsuk]

Whatever next: Plane Ports instead of Airports?

Come now, aerodrome surely?

 

[davetheguard]

Come now, aerodrome surely?

And airliners rather than planes?

But aerodrome does imply something different in my mind, more akin to airfield than airport.

But railway station is not archaic, as some people under a certain age would have you believe; although in about twenty or thirty years it probably will be.

I suppose the fact that that the English language is constantly changing, adapting, adopting and growing is a good thing; but that doesn't stop me preferring English English to the American version!

 

[6Gman]

And airliners rather than planes?

But aerodrome does imply something different in my mind, more akin to airfield than airport.

But railway station is not archaic, as some people under a certain age would have you believe; although in about twenty or thirty years it probably will be.

I suppose the fact that that the English language is constantly changing, adapting, adopting and growing is a good thing; but that doesn't stop me preferring English English to the American version!

On his Liberal England Blog the estimable Jonathan Calder traced the recorded us of the two variants. From memory he found that the prevalence of Train Station had increased markedly over the past 20 years and had reached the point of overtaking Railway Station in the last 2 or 3 years. Curiously it appears that Railway Station has since revived slightly.

There is a clear age difference - younger people use Train; older people Railway.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

And airliners rather than planes?

There are three planes amongst the woodworking tools that are in one of our paddock outhouses that were there when we bought the property.

 

[davetheguard]

There are three planes amongst the woodworking tools that are in one of our paddock outhouses that were there when we bought the property.

I stand, very gently, corrected!

Thanks Paul.

 

[RogerB]

Simon & Garfunkel (Americans) mention "railway station" in their song "Homeward Bound".

 

[EM2]

There are three planes amongst the woodworking tools that are in one of our paddock outhouses that were there when we bought the property.

And hundreds planted all over London.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Simon & Garfunkel (Americans) mention "railway station" in their song "Homeward Bound".

They may be American, but Paul Simon was inspired to write the song by a wait at Widnes.

 

[Railsigns]

Well first and foremost, it's 'the station'.

Anyone adding in 'railway' is being contrivedly wistful and archaic. Steam is gone. The GWR is over.

Steam may be gone and the GWR may be over, but the railway is still the railway.