Filton - time to drop Abbey Wood

[whole diary]

[super tm]

Do you think it is time the Abbey Wood suffix was dropped from the Filton station name.  There is only one Filton station so I dont really see the need to keep it. 

We have had fares simplification so how about station simplification 

Leicester station used to be know as Leicester London Road and Plymouth was Plymouth North Road.  Both these changed when there was only one station left. I would also add that there is a station in the London area called Abbey Wood and I have seen a couple of people travelling to Filton with tickets to Abbey Wood.

So lets have plain Filton unless there is some really good reason to keep the Abbey Wood suffix I dont know about.

[moonrakerz]

It was named for the MoD site which supplies the vast majority of its  traffic. It was all part of the "spin" when this site was planned, "it will even have its own railway station" !

I totally agree that the name is confusing with the "other" Abbey Wood.

[Jez]

I agree - another thing, why is Port Talbot Parkway called that - there is only one station with Port Talbot in the name!   Ebbw Vale Parkway I can understand because that station isnt in the town itself but the Port Talbot station is.

[Phil]

I agree - another thing, why is Port Talbot Parkway called that - there is only one station with Port Talbot in the name!   Ebbw Vale Parkway I can understand because that station isnt in the town itself but the Port Talbot station is.

Ditto Didcot

[moonrakerz]

Of course we have Tiverton Parkway, which replaced Tiverton Junct, which replaced Tiverton Road.

None of them were anywhere near Tiverton.  It should be called Willand.

[Btline]

Sometimes Parkway is added as advertising that the station has a large car park.

[Super Guard]

I would also add that there is a station in the London area called Abbey Wood and I have seen a couple of people travelling to Filton with tickets to Abbey Wood.

I was at EXD^» (Exeter St Davids - next trains) once, someone had arrived from Edinburgh, and asked for the train to Portsmouth Arms (Barnstaple line)... when he asked how far it was from Fratton... well enough said...   

[inspector_blakey]

Ditto Didcot

You're right, Didcot station is pretty close to the town centre; I think the Parkway suffix in this case was added to indicate that it has huge car parks and is used as a rail-head for people across a wide area who drive to the station and then take the train forward.

As far as I know, the original "Parkway" station was Bristol - was the term parkway station also invented at the time or borrowed from somewhere else?

[Jez]

Sometimes Parkway is added as advertising that the station has a large car park.

Hmm thats certainly not the case in Port Talbot! Both Neath and Bridgend have larger car parks.

[Brucey]

Filton could better be called Filton Bristol, or simply just Filton.

There are a couple of other stations whose named I'd like to cut short:
Rhoose Cardiff International Airport
Southampton Airport Parkway

Even Portsmouth & Southsea could have the Southsea cut - especially as it is a fair distance from Southsea.

[Jez]

Filton could better be called Filton Bristol, or simply just Filton.

There are a couple of other stations whose named I'd like to cut short:
Rhoose Cardiff International Airport
Southampton Airport Parkway

Even Portsmouth & Southsea could have the Southsea cut - especially as it is a fair distance from Southsea.

I think Portsmouth and Southsea isnt just called Portsmouth because there are other stations in Portsmouth e.g Portsmouth Harbour.

[Tim]

As far as I know, the original "Parkway" station was Bristol - was the term parkway station also invented at the time or borrowed from somewhere else?

IIRC^▸ (if I recall/remember/read correctly), Bristol Parkway was the first parkway station.  It was named after the, then new, M32, which at the time was called the "Bristol Parkway" following the american trend to call roads "Parkways".  "Parkway" has come to be used to designate a station, perhaps but not always out of town, with a large carpark suitable for railheading, but that was not the original reason for naming Bristol Parkway.  It was however built for car users, "a station for motorists" was how BR^▸ (British Rail(ways)) described it in one of the annual "Rail Report" films that British Transport Films made at the time.

[signalandtelegraph]

Of course we have Tiverton Parkway, which replaced Tiverton Junct, which replaced Tiverton Road.

None of them were anywhere near Tiverton.  It should be called Willand.

Samford Peverell surely

[JayMac]

Of course we have Tiverton Parkway, which replaced Tiverton Junct, which replaced Tiverton Road.

None of them were anywhere near Tiverton.  It should be called Willand.

Samford Peverell surely

Or even Sampford Peverell 

[Graz]

Well if you go to Filton Abbey Wood you'll see lots of signs to the MOD buildings, and the station itself is a good 5 mins walk up from the main Filton road. But I agree, there's really no need for it. It makes the name too long and confusing with other places (The amount of times I've heard it called Filton ABBOTT wood...)