Trivia: Potentially confusing journeys between two stations sounding the same

[IanD]

What really matters is if it's possible to buy a ticket between them (or be sold a ticket to either), rather than the physical network they're on.

Not disputing that, just clarifying where we've heard 99% of them before came from and why Southgate to New Southgate wasn't included in the 99%.

For example Bangor to Bangor exists, so it's possible to end up at one when you wanted the other.

Only if you're stupid. You don't have to go to Bangor in Northern Ireland just because someone didn't sell you a ticket to Bangor in Wales.

Having said that, in your example if you're starting in Bangor and ask for a ticket to Bangor, where else are you likely to be going other than the Bangor you're not already at?

 

[Calthrop]

For example Bangor to Bangor exists, so it's possible to end up at one when you wanted the other.

Only if you're stupid. You don't have to go to Bangor in Northern Ireland just because someone didn't sell you a ticket to Bangor in Wales.

Having said that, in your example if you're starting in Bangor and ask for a ticket to Bangor, where else are you likely to be going other than the Bangor you're not already at?

And let's refrain from going back to 1962 or previously, when Bangor-on-Dee (Flintshire) might also have got in on the act ...

 

[richard1976]

Chapelton - Chapeltown

 

[Andyjs247]

Walton on Thames (Surrey)
Walton on the Naze (Essex)
Walton (Liverpool)

 

[richard1976]

Heaton chapel - Holmes chapel

 

[jacksonbang]

Three Oaks to Four Oaks

(via Sevenoaks of course)

 

[Kendalian]

Preston and Long Preston
Narborough and Scarborough

 

[unlevel42]

Sheffield to Shenfield via Enfield

(is this really about stations that rhyme with one another?)

I actually did set my online booking machine to collect my Doncaster London tickets at Shenfield instead of Sheffield.

 

[DaveNewcastle]

Kings Cross and Liverpool Street should be preceded by London unless it's on a departure display at a station within London.

But so often it's the context that gives an unterrance its intended meaning :-

"A single from Victoria to Piccadilly, please" will appear in two contexts which make the request absolutely clear, though the words themselves give us no clue as to whether it is one of two local journeys or one of two long distance journeys.

. . . .

Only if you're stupid. You don't have to go to Bangor in Northern Ireland just because someone didn't sell you a ticket to Bangor in Wales.

Is the unfortunate outcome explained by 'stupidity'?
There must be many passengers who are unfamilair with UK's geography and scale (and disregarding any complexities in the rail network), or the prices charged for rail travel, who would accept the ticket sold as the ticket wished for.

In fact, it seems very hard for anyone to reach the position of knowing that there are two Bangors, two Victorias, two Piccadillys. two Berwicks, two Newcastles, etc, etc without passing through a state of knowledge which includes just one of each of these. That's not stupidity. It's cognitive development! . . . . just learning about the UK.

 

[James H]

Oban and Holborn.

I was once in Scotland with a group of young people from Holborn and this did cause confusion, with people expressing surprise that our accents didn't sound like we were from Oban.

 

[Doctor Fegg]

When I was a callow youth I once boarded the wrong train at Coventry. I heard "mumble mumble mumble yoost mumble". I presumed that it was Birmingham New Street. It turned out it was London Euston. Cost a fair amount as an excess as I was heading down to Devon...

 

[richard1976]

Wellington - Wellingborough

All places in Wales beginning with Llan

 

[IanD]

"A single from Victoria to Piccadilly, please" will appear in two contexts which make the request absolutely clear, though the words themselves give us no clue as to whether it is one of two local journeys or one of two long distance journeys. Is the unfortunate outcome explained by 'stupidity'?
There must be many passengers who are unfamilair with UK's geography and scale (and disregarding any complexities in the rail network), or the prices charged for rail travel, who would accept the ticket sold as the ticket wished for.

In fact, it seems very hard for anyone to reach the position of knowing that there are two Bangors, two Victorias, two Piccadillys. two Berwicks, two Newcastles, etc, etc without passing through a state of knowledge which includes just one of each of these. That's not stupidity. It's cognitive development! . . . . just learning about the UK.

Yes, I agree, standing at the ticket counter in Bangor and asking for a ticket to Bangor when you really want to stay in the Bangor you're in is an entirely rational act.

 

[CaptainHaddock]

I remember that from a previous thread.

As old forummers leave and new ones join, you can normally do the same gag every couple of years without anyone noticing....

 

[EbbwJunction1]

Heath High Level and Heath Low Level, although the problem would be minor as they're virtually next door to each other and, in fact, on the same street (Heath Halt Road).

 

[Scouseinmanc]

Halton to Alton
Blyth to Blythe Bridge
Kings Lynn to Kings Langley
Leigh (Lancs) to Leigh on Sea
Harwich to Horwich

 

[Ianno87]

Halton to Alton
Blyth to Blythe Bridge
Kings Lynn to Kings Langley
Leigh (Lancs) to Leigh on Sea
Harwich to Horwich

Leigh (Lancs) doesn't have a station.

However, someone may still rock up to a ticket office asking to go there, and be directed to Leigh-on-Sea (or Leigh* [Kent]) instead.

*Actually pronounced 'Lye' I believe

Horwich/Norwich may be confused sometimes too...

 

[Scouseinmanc]

Leigh (Lancs) doesn't have a station.

However, someone may still rock up to a ticket office asking to go there, and be directed to Leigh-on-Sea (or Leigh* [Kent]) instead.

*Actually pronounced 'Lye' I believe

Horwich/Norwich may be confused sometimes too...

Yes, I'm aware of that! Same goes for Blyth, Halton & Horwich - they all used to have stations up until the sixties.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Leigh (Lancs) doesn't have a station.

However, someone may still rock up to a ticket office asking to go there, and be directed to Leigh-on-Sea (or Leigh* [Kent]) instead.

*Actually pronounced 'Lye' I believe

Horwich/Norwich may be confused sometimes too...

Isn't there a Lye somewhere in the Midlands?

 

[DarloRich]

Berwick (Sussex) - North Berwick ( Via Berwick upon Tweed)

Richmond and Ridgmont

Or Fenny Stratford and Stratford ( if you work on the gate line at Euston!)

 

[AndyNLondon]

A friend of mine fairly recently did Bradford to Bradford-on-Avon (her intended journey, not an expensive & time-consuming error!) Apparently, during a ticket check the guard on one of the trains commented something like "ohh, I've been looking out for one of these for ages!"

 

[QueensCurve]

So this is my first ever trivia quiz I've created, if I remember!

I wondered how many journeys there are between two stations that sound similar. For example:

Cottingham to Nottingham or Mottingham
Olton (Solihull) to Alton
Shoreham-by-Sea to Shoreham (Kent)
Ashford (Surrey) to Ashford International
Clapham Junction to Clapham (North Yorkshire)
Whitchurch (Hampshire) to Whitchurch (Shropshire) or Whitchurch (Cardiff)
Brighton to New Brighton
London Liverpool Street to Liverpool Lime Street
Kings Lynn to Kings Langley
Kirkby to West Kirby
Port Glasgow to Glasgow Central
Buxton to Buxted
Ilford to Ifield
Newport (South Wales) to Newport (Essex)
St Margarets (London) to St Margarets (Hertfordshire)
Cottingley to Knottingley
Oxford to Manchester Oxford Road

There are probably thousands!

Stone and Stirling, apparently.

I didn't think they were confusing until i asked at Penrith for a ticket to Stone and received one to Stirling.

 

[Envy123]

That is covered by "stations that are not part of the UK rail network".

I haven't seen such a thread.

As old forummers leave and new ones join, you can normally do the same gag every couple of years without anyone noticing....

Except for those who came across random old threads.

 

[Ianno87]

Yes, I'm aware of that! Same goes for Blyth, Halton & Horwich - they all used to have stations up until the sixties.

Horwich is now served by Horwich Parkway, opened in 1999.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Isn't there a Lye somewhere in the Midlands?

Yes, on the Snow Hill lines towards Stourbridge.

 

[Scouseinmanc]

Horwich is now served by Horwich Parkway, opened in 1999.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
.

Aware of this also. Actually Blackrod is still closer to Horwich, than the Parkway station is!

 

[QueensCurve]

Similar to that I've seen posts on here before that EMT services at Norwich are advertised as going to "Lime Street. Liverpool" rather than the usual "Liverpool Lime Street" so people don't misread the departure display as "Liverpool Street"

Obvious scope for confusion between Liverpool Lime St and London Liverpool St.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Hamilton-Hamilton Square

Never really undersood why the Birkenhead was dropped fro Birkenhead Hamilton Square.

 

[najaB]

Never really undersood why the Birkenhead was dropped fro Birkenhead Hamilton Square.

Has it been dropped? It still shows up as Birkenhead Hamilton Square when you search on NRE.

 

[pitdiver]

Not quite railway orientated but similar. When working NX Coaches at Milton Keynes old Coachway a couple got off a coach and asked if they were anywhere near the castle? When I asked which castle the man replied " Leeds Castle". They had got on the the coach to Leeds assuming that's where the castle is and assumed MK was in fact Leeds . As everybody knows Leeds Castle is in Kent 5 miles SE of Maidstone. Well I assume everybody knew that!

 

[jacksonbang]

Iver to Ore (or Ore to Iver)

 

[iain-j]

Penrith to Penarth. Also wonder how many tourists turn up at Abbey Road DLR wanting to see the studios!

Apparently, a fair few it would seem!