Northern changes pronunciation of 34 stations in train announcements

One of the stations being renamed is being changed to be pronounced Burneside. Credit: Northern

If it winds you up when people pronounce place names wrong, you'll approve of the train operator Northern who have re-recorded the on-board announcements for 34 stations.

It follows a public appeal by the company to ensure local pronunciation was respected.

They received 47 formal requests to re-record announcements, with multiple submissions for Aspatria in Cumbria (to be pronounced as ‘As-spay-tria), Kirkham and Wesham in Lancashire (to be pronounced Kirkham and Wess-am).

Requests also included Ilkeston in Derbyshire (to be pronounced Il-kes-ton) and Sowerby Bridge in West Yorkshire (to be pronounced Sowby Bridge).

The pronunciation of Mossley Hill Station in Liverpool has proven to be controversial. Credit: Google Street View

One station that has proved to be particularly controversial is Mossley Hill in Liverpool.

The old pronunciation was Mozzley-ill, the new pronunciation will be Mose-ley Hill but some locals say is should be Moss-lee Hill.

Laura Palmer and Pete Corley re-recorded the station announcements Credit: Northern

Tricia Williams, Chief Operating Officer at Northern, said: “This has been such an interesting process and proof if ever it were needed of the passion our customers have for the North.

“Some of the stations on our network are pronounced very differently to how they appear in writing – it’s important to get these things right.

“I’d like to thank Pete Corley and Laura Palmer and all of the on-board systems team for their persistence with this project - and to everyone that took the time to get involved and speak-up for their hometown.”

The full list of stations:

  • Accrington

  • Ardwick

  • Ashburys

  • Aspatria

  • Barnsley

  • Barrow-in-Furness

  • Bentham

  • Burneside

  • Cark-in-Cartmel

  • Chesterfield

  • Dodworth

  • Doncaster

  • Dore & Totley

  • Elsecar

  • Euxton Balshaw Lane

  • Gathurst

  • Hall i' th' Wood

  • Handforth

  • Heighington

  • Hessle

  • Ilkeston

  • Kirkham and Wesham

  • Langwathby

  • Lazonby & Kirkoswald

  • Lostock Gralam

  • Mossley Hill

  • Redcar

  • Roose

  • Slaithwaite

  • South Elmsall

  • Sowerby Bridge

  • Thurnscoe

  • Todmorden

  • Wombwell

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