Birmingham International Airport railway station.

[swt class 450]

Does anyone else think that Birmingham International should be renamed to either Birmingham International Airport or even better just simply renamed to Birmingham Airport station? I was just thinking that it seems very strange not to include the word "Airport" at a station which serves a major International Airport. Many foreign tourists and visitors might know the word "Airport" but not the word "International". And "International" doesn't necessarily mean an Airport (it could mean International trains or International ferries). Is there any particular reason why the word "Airport" is not included in the station name?

 

[Dvorak]

Wasn't it originally primarily built for the NEC? Birmingham Airport is hardly a major international airport even now and in 1976 would have been a bit of a backwater. Perhaps "Birmingham International" was rather more an aspirational naming than a descriptive one?

 

[55003]

Dvorak, Paul Keogh who runs the airport would be very upset to hear you saying that. He desperately wants HS2 to come to the airport because he thinks that people will flock to his airport because it is now ten minutes closer to London, so would probably go for the airport title.
The station does serve two very distictive client bases and I really cannot think what word could be used as a catchall to describe the function it performs to both entities

 

[MidnightFlyer]

This comes up rather often. I think the two main problems are firstly the cost (into six figures I believe) and the fact that if you go for 'Airport' the NEC will kick off, and if you go for any other title the Airport will kick off...

 

[dk1]

This comes up rather often. I think the two main problems are firstly the cost (into six figures I believe) and the fact that if you go for 'Airport' the NEC will kick off, and if you go for any other title the Airport will kick off...

Agreed. Leave well alone I say. It's not worth the grief or expense.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

This comes up rather often. I think the two main problems are firstly the cost (into six figures I believe) and the fact that if you go for 'Airport' the NEC will kick off, and if you go for any other title the Airport will kick off...

I hope they don't put it to a joint committee because we will then end up with Birmingham NECport as a compromise...

 

[CyrusWuff]

Solihull Parkway? It's got over 2000 parking spaces after all...

 

[class26]

Wasn't it originally primarily built for the NEC? Birmingham Airport is hardly a major international airport even now and in 1976 would have been a bit of a backwater. Perhaps "Birmingham International" was rather more an aspirational naming than a descriptive one?

I must take issue with your statement.
You are right in the sense that it was perhaps aspirational in the 1980`s but now it IS a major departure point and by the way, "International" was dropped several years ago.
I suggest you take a look at destinations and flights available. Emirates now fly 3 times daily, Turkish twice daily plus Qatar and Air India daily making 7 flights a day east bound not to mention Pakistan and Turkmenistan Airways. New carriers in the last 12 months are Wizz, Czech airlines, Norwegian, Iberia express, Qatar, to mention just a few. I don`t think an airport with over 11,000,000 pax annually is insignificant and in destination terms far more important than Luton or Stansted who are largely limited to European destinations.

 

[birchesgreen]

Birmingham Airport for the NEC

or you could just leave it as it is

 

[route:oxford]

Many foreign tourists and visitors might know the word "Airport" but not the word "International". And "International" doesn't necessarily mean an Airport (it could mean International trains or International ferries).

Aren't you severely underestimating the intellectual capacity of international visitors?

If someone has managed to get themselves half-way around the world, surely they'll manage to check Google transit options? It's not as if there is a language barrier, if you want your browser to translate - it'll translate web pages automatically for you.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I've long thought it should be called

Birmingham Airport
for the NEC and Genting Resorts World

But I agree it would be a faff.

 

[DarloRich]

agree - just leave it be.

Wasn't it originally primarily built for the NEC? Birmingham Airport is hardly a major international airport even now and in 1976 would have been a bit of a backwater. Perhaps "Birmingham International" was rather more an aspirational naming than a descriptive one?

It most certainly is an international airport. I flew to Scotland from there

As Class26 says there are services to wide varieties of destination and lots of carriers using Brum these days.

 

[fireftrm]

I've long thought it should be called

Birmingham Airport
for the NEC and Genting Resorts World

But I agree it would be a faff.

Perhaps :
Birmingham Airport
For the NEC, Genting Arena, Resorts World, Crowne Plaza, Premier Inn, Ibis, Novotel, Regus Express etc

or maybe Birmingham International, which covers a nicely grey description?

Yes I am being facetious

 

[GatwickDepress]

Birmingham International works fine as it is. There seems to be a trend recently for airports to drop the "International" suffix - both Bristol and Birmingham chose to drop it in 2010 - so Birmingham International Airport would be at odds with the airport's brand.

 

[Butts]

agree - just leave it be.



It most certainly is an international airport. I flew to Scotland from there

As Class26 says there are services to wide varieties of destination and lots of carriers using Brum these days.

How did you get back when you were deported

 

[adrock1976]

Another take if the present naming is not left alone:

Bickenhill Parkway for Birmingham Airport, NEC, and National Motorcycle Museum

No requirement to also change the three letter code for the station (BHI).

 

[The Planner]

Which would be daft as it means nothing as Bickenhill is just a hamlet about a mile away.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

A potential name change was written in to the current VT franchise agreement.
It was supposed to be led by the "stakeholders" ie NEC and BHX.

The airport used to be called Elmdon (like Ringway for Manchester or Speke for Liverpool, and er, Heathrow for London).
As long as they don't name it after an inconsequential pop-singer...
James Watt International would do. Is there a more famous Brummie?

While they are at it, they should also rename University station to something a bit more specific.

 

[Butts]

A potential name change was written in to the current VT franchise agreement.
It was supposed to be led by the "stakeholders" ie NEC and BHX.

The airport used to be called Elmdon (like Ringway for Manchester or Speke for Liverpool, and er, Heathrow for London).
As long as they don't name it after an inconsequential pop-singer...
James Watt International would do. Is there a more famous Brummie?

While they are at it, they should also rename University station to something a bit more specific.

Brummie ????? - from Greenock - next you'll be suggesting Cardiff Airport is renamed Marquess of Bute Airport with your love of displaced Scots !!

 

[HowardGWR]

Brummie ????? - from Greenock - next you'll be suggesting Cardiff Airport is renamed Marquess of Bute Airport with your love of displaced Scots !!

Indeed, the expression 'Scottish engineer' is almost tautological. From the foregoing about HS2, I imagine there will be a move to call it London (Brum) Airport. Or, perhaps for a new ploy, how about Bicester Village (Brum) Airport?

 

[Butts]

Indeed, the expression 'Scottish engineer' is almost tautological. From the foregoing about HS2, I imagine there will be a move to call it London (Brum) Airport. Or, perhaps for a new ploy, how about Bicester Village (Brum) Airport?

The poor deluded chap is from Mold which is virtually in England anyway so getting his Countries mixed up is understandable

He probably hasn't forgiven us Scots for invading his Welsh "manor" in AD 430 (although we did lose !!)

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Brummie ????? - from Greenock - next you'll be suggesting Cardiff Airport is renamed Marquess of Bute Airport with your love of displaced Scots !!

Better be Matthew Boulton then, the real Brummie who turned Watts' invention to gold for them both.
We'll leave James Watt for Glasgow Airport (if and when it gets a station!).
There's a statue of him in the façade of Budapest Keleti station (flanked by one of George Stephenson).

There was of course a Cardiff Bute Road station (now Cardiff Bay), the road being named after the Marquess of Bute since he owned everything in sight!

 

[Butts]

There was of course a Cardiff Bute Road station (now Cardiff Bay), the road being named after the Marquess of Bute since he owned everything in sight!

Indeed , that was a more successful invasion by the Scots than the one I referred to in AD430

 

[HowardGWR]

I tried to think of a renowned Brum figure but I just could not come up with one, pop or otherwise. Could 'Chamberlain Airport' perhaps strike a chord?

 

[sheff1]

I tried to think of a renowned Brum figure but I just could not come up with one, pop or otherwise.

You do not think Ozzy Osbourne is renowned ?

 

[edwin_m]

Bickenhill Parkway for Birmingham Airport, NEC, and National Motorcycle Museum

I think you'd be in breach of the Trade Descriptions Act or worse by claiming the National Motorcycle Museum was accessible from the station. Unless it's changed recently, there is no way to access it on foot without a dangerous (and probably illegal) trudge round the M6-A45 roundabout.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

I tried to think of a renowned Brum figure but I just could not come up with one, pop or otherwise. Could 'Chamberlain Airport' perhaps strike a chord?

What about: Jasper Carrott International Airport?

 

[HowardGWR]

You do not think Ozzy Osbourne is renowned ?

I'll be honest, I thought he was from the yam-yam lot crowd, but I am shamefully ignorant.

Undoubtedly he would honour the airport and station by agreeing for his name to be used.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Which would be daft as it means nothing as Bickenhill is just a hamlet about a mile away.

Isn't "X Parkway" just the modern version of "X Road" but with a car park? That is, "nowhere near X but vaguely serving it"?



The one I never got was Horwich Parkway, which should in my mind have been called Middlebrook for the area/retail park it is located in.

 

[HowardGWR]

What about: Jasper Carrott International Airport?

Well he too.