Trivia: Stations where passengers headed for a completely different destination end up on a regular basis

[zwk500]

Really? How many airports does Dublin have?

Only one main airport, but IIRC the terminals are quite far apart. Shannon airport is also quite a big gateway to Ireland (especially from the US) and it has cheaper flights than Dublin so it wouldn't surprise me if plenty of tourists fly in there even if they're staying in Dublin.

 

[BeijingDave]

I was more meaning in terms of how commonly the anglicised version is used. You hear Munich all the time but the only time anyone says "Leghorn" they're talking about an animated rooster.

I think televised sport has a lot to do with which name is commonly used. Any avid follower of Football Italia on Channel 4 will know the football team 'Livorno' who have yo-yo'd in and out of Serie A for years, never referred to as 'Leghorn'. Yet Milan(o) remains 'Milan' on the same football shows.

Peking is still very commonly heard by the older generation in the UK, and indeed the airport's code is still PEK, but I've noticed younger people always say Beijing, probably because that's the name that was universally used on TV for the Summer (2008) and recent winter Olympics.

 

[mmh]

Only one main airport, but IIRC the terminals are quite far apart. Shannon airport is also quite a big gateway to Ireland (especially from the US) and it has cheaper flights than Dublin so it wouldn't surprise me if plenty of tourists fly in there even if they're staying in Dublin.

If someone flew into Shannon to go to Dublin they already know it's the other side of the country and hardly likely to ask for a taxi to "the airport," or even use a taxi at all. They're driving themselves or on an organised tour.

 

[BeijingDave]

I have encountered taxi drivers in Dublin who refuse to start a trip to the airport without having seen your ticket, so as to be certain they are taking you to the right airport. I wonder if this happens with railway stations too.

It has certainly happened to me, but that's in cities with more than one airport, such as Berlin (in the days when Berlin had Tegel, Schoenefeld etc...)

 

[High Dyke]

A bit off topic as not rail related. I do remember many years ago being on holiday in the rather remote small village of Winsford on Exmoor in Somerset. A large lorry, struggling to negotiate the narrow country lanes, arrived in the village looking for a factory to deliver to. He should have been in the town of Winsford in Cheshire. That was years before the days of satnavs

We had similar in Lincolnshire. HGV's arriving in the village of Lenton, near Grantham, when they wanted Lenton in Nottingham.

Back to rail travel. Quite a number of people travelling from Lincoln end up on the wrong train. One of the most common being getting on the Grimsby train when they needed to be on the Sleaford train or vice-versa. Equally, you get people that forget to get off at their stop. Had a few arrive at Heckington instead of getting off at Sleaford.

 

[Deepgreen]

Just a personal instance - and it's almost certainly not a frequent occurrence. My parents moved from New Malden to Ashtead in 1980 and, on her first train journey back home, my mother asked the staff at Clapham Junction which platform for Ashtead. Some mis-hearing must have happened as she was directed to a train for Ash, where she duly ended up!

 

[61653 HTAFC]

I think televised sport has a lot to do with which name is commonly used. Any avid follower of Football Italia on Channel 4 will know the football team 'Livorno' who have yo-yo'd in and out of Serie A for years, never referred to as 'Leghorn'. Yet Milan(o) remains 'Milan' on the same football shows.

In a similar vein, the other team from Milano, "Internazionale" are referred to as "Inter Milan". Then there's "Sporting Club de Portugal" often erroneously called "Sporting Lisbon" which would be like saying "London Arsenal".

 

[urbophile]

In a similar vein, the other team from Milano, "Internazionale" are referred to as "Inter Milan". Then there's "Sporting Club de Portugal" often erroneously called "Sporting Lisbon" which would be like saying "London Arsenal".

Quite a long way from the topic of railway stations, but would the 'Milan' be part of the club's name, arising from its foundation by British immigrants? In the same way it is "Genoa' and not 'Genova'.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Quite a long way from the topic of railway stations, but would the 'Milan' be part of the club's name, arising from its foundation by British immigrants? In the same way it is "Genoa' and not 'Genova'.

Perhaps- I'm not overly versed on the early days of Italian football. But as you rightly point out we're drifting further off topic so I'll leave it at that!

 

[zwk500]

Quite a long way from the topic of railway stations, but would the 'Milan' be part of the club's name, arising from its foundation by British immigrants? In the same way it is "Genoa' and not 'Genova'.

Not in Internazionale, which does not mention the city at all. However the Black-and-Red Striped club based at the same ground is officially AC Milan, no 'o'.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

However the Black-and-Red Striped club based at the same ground is officially AC Milan, no 'o'.

Apparently this reflects the club's English origins, having been founded in late 1899 by an English expat.

 

[Flying Snail]

Only one main airport, but IIRC the terminals are quite far apart. Shannon airport is also quite a big gateway to Ireland (especially from the US) and it has cheaper flights than Dublin so it wouldn't surprise me if plenty of tourists fly in there even if they're staying in Dublin.

Dublin airport's terminals are right beside each other, there are walkways between them both landside and airside. There is no good reason for a taxi driver in Dublin to need to look at a passenger's ticket.

I have taken people very far out of their way on Irish buses mind, the record was dropping two passengers at Carrick-on-Suir who actually wanted Carrick-on-Shannon, a good 6 hours back by bus. It was far from unknown for people to get as far as boarding the wrong bus, usually due to dropping the suffix of the town name but this unlucky pair managed to make it all the way. I only realised it when one asked me where the river was, an odd question for the Suir, less so the Shannon.

One of the bizarrely common ones was people asking for destinations by county not town, fine when their destination was the town of the same name, not so much when it wasn't.

 

[T-Karmel]

I have encountered taxi drivers in Dublin who refuse to start a trip to the airport without having seen your ticket, so as to be certain they are taking you to the right airport. I wonder if this happens with railway stations too.

Only one main airport, but IIRC the terminals are quite far apart. Shannon airport is also quite a big gateway to Ireland (especially from the US) and it has cheaper flights than Dublin so it wouldn't surprise me if plenty of tourists fly in there even if they're staying in Dublin.

I can certainly imagine Americans not even realising the distance from Shannon to Dublin after taking taxi one way and still be thinking that's their local airport.
Worth remembering States is more like entire Europe as continent and a state is of a size of a country.

One of the bizarrely common ones was people asking for destinations by county not town, fine when their destination was the town of the same name, not so much when it wasn't.

As it goes in the famous urban legend about a person asking for a ticket to Wales.

 

[snowball]

As it goes in the famous urban legend about a person asking for a ticket to Wales.

Kiveton Bridge would be a reasonable approximation.

 

[berneyarms]

I have encountered taxi drivers in Dublin who refuse to start a trip to the airport without having seen your ticket, so as to be certain they are taking you to the right airport. I wonder if this happens with railway stations too.

Only one main airport, but IIRC the terminals are quite far apart. Shannon airport is also quite a big gateway to Ireland (especially from the US) and it has cheaper flights than Dublin so it wouldn't surprise me if plenty of tourists fly in there even if they're staying in Dublin.

As above there is only one airport in Dublin with two terminals that are no more than a five minute walk apart from one another, so let’s not exaggerate this.

I can imagine taxi drivers asking which airline you’re using alright to drop you at the right terminal, but demanding to see your ticket as well I’m afraid is pushing credibility.

As for Shannon, it’s on the other side of the country and it has a grand total of 16 departing flights today, with three of them being narrow body flights to the USA. Hardly “a big gateway” compared to Dublin.

 

[LRV3004]

More likely to be incorrect ticket than actually travelling to the wrong place, especially if the customer mispronounces the station at ticket office, Sudbury and Sunbury another awkward pair for tickets - I had to get a ticket withdrawn as the clerk had not listened carefully

Yes, that can be an issue. I went to the ticket window at Chester once back in 1996 and asked for “a return to Crewe please” and was given a return to Shrewsbury…….!

 

[nw1]

There were quite a few strange coincidences about the two London Roads (Guildford and Brighton).

Not enough to confuse the two, but:

Both were the first station out from the "main" station of their town
Both were on a line which diverged sharply to the east off the mainline
Both were served (during slam-door days) by trains with headcode 42.

 

[Requeststop]

Not read every entry here but has anyone heading for Hayle (Cornwall) ended up in Hale (Greater Manchester)?

 

[Purple Train]

We had similar in Lincolnshire. HGV's arriving in the village of Lenton, near Grantham, when they wanted Lenton in Nottingham.

Back to rail travel. Quite a number of people travelling from Lincoln end up on the wrong train. One of the most common being getting on the Grimsby train when they needed to be on the Sleaford train or vice-versa. Equally, you get people that forget to get off at their stop. Had a few arrive at Heckington instead of getting off at Sleaford.

I did once hear a story about a lorry driver who needed to deliver a consignment of cars to Coral Road in Gibraltar, but inadvertently set his satellite navigation system for Gibraltar Point nature reserve near Skegness.

I wonder if anyone's ever confused Northwich and Norwich?

 

[Bald Rick]

Just a personal instance - and it's almost certainly not a frequent occurrence. My parents moved from New Malden to Ashtead in 1980 and, on her first train journey back home, my mother asked the staff at Clapham Junction which platform for Ashtead. Some mis-hearing must have happened as she was directed to a train for Ash, where she duly ended up!

Presumably the platform staff member she asked was named ‘Ted’.

 

[Tester]

Presumably the platform staff member she asked was named ‘Ted’.

 

[stuu]

Back on topic. The Italian name for Munich is Monaco. In the past there were places in northern Italy with direct trains to both Monaco and Munich. I've often wondered...

I nearly missed a train in Verona once because I didn't know that Monaco was actually in Bavaria

 

[BeijingDave]

I did once hear a story about a lorry driver who needed to deliver a consignment of cars to Coral Road in Gibraltar, but inadvertently set his satellite navigation system for Gibraltar Point nature reserve near Skegness.

I wonder if anyone's ever confused Northwich and Norwich?

Growing up in the north-west, I knew someone who long thought they were the same place and that Norwich was just a shorter way of saying Northwich. It was only when he told us he was going to "Nor'wich" (Northwich) the next day and someone said "It's a long drive" that we figured it out.

 

[nottsnurse]

How about Gillingham in Kent and in Dorset, both with Stations.

When I was in the military we once had a tasking to set up a FARP (forward arming and refueling point) at Brompton Barracks for an exercise. Tasking order had the location as "Brompton Barracks, Gillingham".

Rest of convoy packet arrived at Gillingham, Kent.

Fuel tanker driver (who had to pick up fuel on the way, so was travelling alone) travelled to Gillingham, Dorset. It was likely compounded by the fact he was from the West Country, so had heard of that one.

Phone call from driver to detachment commander..."so where about is the barracks?"...before the realisation hit. Much egg on face.

 

[miklcct]

I wonder how can people really end up at places hundreds of km away from their intended destination even if they have no knowledge of how the railway system works.

Sure that if a train travels in a wrong direction, or unexpected stations are announced on the train, passengers will know they have travelled on the wrong train, especially in the era of GPS, right?

 

[Volvictof]

I wonder how can people really end up at places hundreds of km away from their intended destination even if they have no knowledge of how the railway system works.

Sure that if a train travels in a wrong direction, or unexpected stations are announced on the train, passengers will know they have travelled on the wrong train, especially in the era of GPS, right?

You’re making the assumption that people have at least a similar level of cognitive ability as oneself. Having worked on the railway for a while now I have come to terms with the fact that some people have very little reasoning skills, and they lose even them When they get near a train.
But also to be fair, some people may have been given half arsed instructions from a relative or colleague and gotten straight on the train and put their earphones in. Some people I guess are probably afraid to ask too, incase they look silly or get fined for having the wrong ticket.

 

[Dr Hoo]

I wonder how can people really end up at places hundreds of km away from their intended destination even if they have no knowledge of how the railway system works.

Sure that if a train travels in a wrong direction, or unexpected stations are announced on the train, passengers will know they have travelled on the wrong train, especially in the era of GPS, right?

Given the minimal understanding of geography that many people have, the whole concept of 'wrong direction' doesn't exist for some.

Plenty of people will suddenly need to make an unfamiliar journey - to a funeral, conference, job interview, etc., often under stressful circumstances. I can accept that by car most folk these days would use a satnav with a postcode (although even there only one character out can give some 'interesting' results - HR for Hereford as against HS for Hebrides, for example). But if someone goes on the internet (or to a booking office) to book a train ticket to (say) "Swanwick" or "Castleton" they can instantly get sent to somewhere miles from where they want to go.
Why would many people want to take in any interest in places that they will be going 'through'?

I don't know anybody who routinely 'uses GPS' directly as a check on their position. In any event, if it shows that you are in Ullapool, happily en route to your Hebridean postcode, why would you be concerned (even if you were actually trying to get to an engagement party in Ledbury)?

 

[TC7]

One I've seen was someone getting on a train at London Bridge getting on a train to Hastings when they needed to go to Hayes. Matters were made worse as there were engineering works that day and the Hastings train was going via the Hayes line before heading around the chord at Beckenham and the poor fellow didn't realise his mistake until we went non-stop through Bromley South and was stuck before the train finally stopped at Sevenoaks.

 

[Recessio]

One I've seen was someone getting on a train at London Bridge getting on a train to Hastings when they needed to go to Hayes. Matters were made worse as there were engineering works that day and the Hastings train was going via the Hayes line before heading around the chord at Beckenham and the poor fellow didn't realise his mistake until we went non-stop through Bromley South and was stuck before the train finally stopped at Sevenoaks.

Could be worse, could have ended up at Hayes & Harlington!

 

[AM9]

Could be worse, could have ended up at Hayes & Harlington!

That might be 'Schrodingers station', i.e. Hayes in Bromley or Hayes in Hillingdon and Harlington Bedfordshire -at the same time!