Railway station or Train station?

[hellywelly4]

It's curious how names change. I asked two young teenagers where the railway station was yesterday, as I'd taken a wrong turn. Blank looks. Then I asked where the train station was, 'It's over there'.


Is it me?? When did it stop being a railway station?

[dotty.]

they were probably aliens on a reci you should always check.

[jno]

I think train station is American. Not that Americans take trains all that often, but they probably picked it up along with other Americanisms via TV or films.

[milly143]

They probably looked at you blankly as you hadn't noticed the railway station was only 'over there'.

[joggerjayne]

This sounds suspicious.

I think these were foreign baddies for whom English was not their first language.

They are probably plotting to overthrow us.

I bet they came from Russia, or Afghanistan, or maybe Scotland.

[woofgang]

well its slightly logical...after all a bus station is a bus station, not a road station, ditto a coach station, so why not "train station"

[dotty.]

they wouldn't be scottish, helly understood what they said

[Sqad]

<<<<jno
I think train station is American. <<<

No...it was called the "Train Station" when I was a kid..........years ago

[joggerjayne]

LOL, dotty.

I was wondering just how close the station was if the onlt directions needed were ...

... "It's over there!"

Did helly turn round, and think ... "Oh, THEEERE it is!!!"

Or maybe it was a very small, and hard to spot, railway (sorry, "train") station.

[jno]

oh, ok, Sqad. It was always railway station for me. I think that's on historical grounds, as that's what they were called when the railways were invented; but train station is fine on grounds of logic, as woofgang says.

[jno]

here's a piece from the Telegraph in 2006

http://blogs.telegrap...versus_train_station/

Pretty much says what woofgang says.

[LoftyLottie]

Well, it has always been Railway Stations for me, but seeing I haven't been on a train, other than a steam train on a private line, for over 30 years, things may have changed!!

[dotty.]

well, the railway doesn't stop at the station, the train does, but the train needs a railway and a station, it's a tough one for a Monday morning, I may have to find a song to help explain it

[LoftyLottie]

I suspect Garth Brooks will be here soon to sing a suitable song ;o) eh, Dotty?

[jno]

but of course, Lottie, one would nevah go on a PUBLIC railway, just too too infra dig! I only evah take private trains on the estates of landed gentry - usually just out to see the summer house or the orangerie at the far end of the estates, often in the next country but one.

[jno]

next *county*, of course, very few of my friends own more than one country.

[hellywelly4]

Oh dear, what have I started!!

Thank you all. I read the Telegraph article, thanks very much jno. So it isn't ALL me!

I have just always called them railway stations. But then, I am getting on a bit!

[McMouse]

<<No...it was called the "Train Station" when I was a kid..........years ago >> Would have thought it was called the Stagecoach Station or Coaching Inn that long ago......sqad.

[LoftyLottie]

It might be nice if a public railway came anywhere near here jno!! LOL by the way. I have to travel 25 miles to get to the nearest one!!

Actually, I have just remembered I did go on a train about 10 years ago down to London and then on lots of tube trains too.

[mrs_overall]

If I go to the railway station, I travel there by charabanc. There are no porters anymore so I have to carry my own portmanteau and reticule