Trivia: Potentially confusing journeys between two stations sounding the same

[pne]

I saw a thread a while ago about "Queens Park", looked for it on my trusty Project Mapping map but it was nowhere near where it made sense for the story.

Turns out the one near Glasgow (QPK) is "Queens Park" on that map while the one near London (QPW) is "Queen’s Park" on there.

 

[JBuchananGB]

No-one seems to have mentioned Bethnal Green (London Overground) to Bethnal Green (London Underground).

Or Stansted Airport to Southend Airport. I was once on a GA train towards the latter (calling at Romford) when an Australian couple with very large suitcases asked whether this train would take them to the former. I advised them to alight at Romford and seek assistance.

 

[mirodo]

I know that station names obviously have to reflect the area that they are in, but wouldn't the reopening of Apperley Bridge been a good opportunity to give it a new name which was less likely to be confused with Appley Bridge?

 

[Great_Western]

Has anyone had Wilnecote & Wilmecote yet? Being in roughly the same direction if heading from the West, Its lucky they arent more prominent stations

 

[AFC440]

Poole to Goole

 

[Silver Cobra]

Here's one I'm surprised hasn't been mentioned yet:

Retford to Thetford

 

[Trackman]

Salford / Salfords
Bolton / Poulton. I once bought a ticket to Bolton from Blackpool North, booking clerk said 'le fylde?' So they must have been tripped up a few times.

 

[ScottParko]

Here's one I'm surprised hasn't been mentioned yet:

Retford to Thetford

I was just about to say this one myself!

I was on a southbound Grand Central a while back when a Spanish family boarded. Turns out they got it extremely wrong, they thought they were on an East Coast stopping at Retford where they were completing their journey, when they were actually on a Grand Central non stop to KGX with tickets to Thetford not via London!

 

[Old Yard Dog]

I wonder how many out-of-town football fans mistakenly head for Tottenham Court Road, Queens Park or Crystal Palace (not to mention the obvious confusion with Fulham Broadway)?

 

[bradford758]

I know that station names obviously have to reflect the area that they are in, but wouldn't the reopening of Apperley Bridge been a good opportunity to give it a new name which was less likely to be confused with Appley Bridge?

No thanks

Sent from my 4009X using Tapatalk

 

[Joe Paxton]

Kennington and Kensington (High St, South or Olympia)

 

[Thebaz]

Lytham and Witham is two stations I've had NRES get confused with.

No worries, I can help out with that. Next time tell them Witham is pronounced "Wittam".

 

[causton]

No worries, I can help out with that. Next time tell them Witham is pronounced "Wittam".

Witton???


Today I confused "Wilmslow" and "Wimbledon" but I was quite tired...

 

[Thebaz]

Witton???


Today I confused "Wilmslow" and "Wimbledon" but I was quite tired...

Yes, I suppose that just changes one confusion to another.

 

[pne]

Witton???

Not to be confused with Whitton.

 

[fairysdad]

It was embarrassingly recent that I realised that Tonbridge and Tunbridge (Wells) were different places...

 

[Dr Hoo]

On the Sheffield-Lincoln train today an astute Northern guard was careful to confirm with an intending passenger whether they were heading for Woodhouse [Sheffield] or Mansfield Woodhouse (via Worksop).

Many years ago, when working in the booking office at Euston, I mis-sold a ticket to "Willesden" (Junction) to a passenger who had asked for "Wealdstone", without bothering with the "Harrow and" bit.:cry:

 

[Joe Paxton]

It was embarrassingly recent that I realised that Tonbridge and Tunbridge (Wells) were different places...

An understandable confusion. The latter took its name from the former.

 

[AshlawnCutting]

My father-in-law was trying to buy a ticket to Folkestone once only to be handed a ticket to Foxton.

 

[xotGD]

I have booked a ticket from Darlington to (Hayes &) Harlington.

Passengers in West Yorkshire travel to Ponte, while those in South Wales travel to Ponty.

 

[swt class 450]

Lee / Leigh / Leigh On Sea / Lye can be especially confusing due to the different pronounciations.

Lee is prounounced as "lee"
Leigh is pronounced as "lie"
Leigh On See is pronounced as "lee"
Lye is pronounced is "lie"

Most people who are not from the area however think that Leigh is pronounced as "lee" when it is actually pronounced as "lie". So if a passenger goes to a ticket office in another part of the UK and says they want to go to Leigh (and pronounces it correctly) they could easily be sold a ticket to Lye instead.

I also imagine that the huge amount of ATW stations in Wales that begin with "llan" probably cause lots of confusion.

 

[Parallel]

I also imagine that the huge amount of ATW stations in Wales that begin with "llan" probably cause lots of confusion.

Llanbedr and Llanaber definitely. I also wonder if any Aberystwyth uni students have asked for a ticket to "Aber" and have been sold one to Aber in Caerphilly.

On the Cambrian Coast line, a group of us once asked for tickets from Pensarn to Talybont onboard... and were sold tickets to Talsarnau! (For that matter I think Talsarnau sounds more like Tonfanau on the same line... )

 

[Andyjs247]

Wilmslow and Winslow might become a problem when East West Rail opens in 2022.

 

[swt class 450]

Llanbedr and Llanaber definitely. I also wonder if any Aberystwyth uni students have asked for a ticket to "Aber" and have been sold one to Aber in Caerphilly.

On the Cambrian Coast line, a group of us once asked for tickets from Pensarn to Talybont onboard... and were sold tickets to Talsarnau! (For that matter I think Talsarnau sounds more like Tonfanau on the same line... )

I imagine that Tywyn and Tygwyn also cause a lot of confusion! Especially as they are on the same line and served by the same trains!

 

[Ianno87]

Lee / Leigh / Leigh On Sea / Lye can be especially confusing due to the different pronounciations.

Lee is prounounced as "lee"
Leigh is pronounced as "lie"
Leigh On See is pronounced as "lee"
Lye is pronounced is "lie"

Most people who are not from the area however think that Leigh is pronounced as "lee" when it is actually pronounced as "lie". So if a passenger goes to a ticket office in another part of the UK and says they want to go to Leigh (and pronounces it correctly) they could easily be sold a ticket to Lye instead.

I also imagine that the huge amount of ATW stations in Wales that begin with "llan" probably cause lots of confusion.

For further confusion, Leigh (Greater Manchester) has no railway station, but is pronounced 'Lee'. Will catch a few people out who are unfamiliar with the rail network!

 

[urbophile]

Merseyrail has several such confusions. West Kirby (posh) with Kirkby (pronounced with second K silent, not so posh). Birkdale and Kirkdale. (Liverpool) Central with (Birkenhead) Central. If the long derelict St James station is ever re-opened (as is on the cards), it had better be renamed to avoid confusion with James Street.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Merseyrail has several such confusions. West Kirby (posh) with Kirkby (pronounced with second K silent, not so posh). Birkdale and Kirkdale. (Liverpool) Central with (Birkenhead) Central. If the long derelict St James station is ever re-opened (as is on the cards), it had better be renamed to avoid confusion with James Street.

Not to mention Meols Cop in Southport on the Wigan line (pronounced "Meals") and Meols on the Wirral (pronounced "Mells"). A Merseyside issue rather than strictly Merseyrail, but still...

 

[adrock1976]

Not to mention Meols Cop in Southport on the Wigan line (pronounced "Meals") and Meols on the Wirral (pronounced "Mells"). A Merseyside issue rather than strictly Merseyrail, but still...

May the different pronunciations of the two Meols be down to the Lancashire (Southport) and Cheshire (Wirral) methods of pronouncing words?