Arbitrary road name changes
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Arbitrary road name changes
Trying to find examples where at a certain point, the road changes name for no apparent reason.
I'm talking about places where there's no obvious point like a junction or bridge that would explain the name change.
I have some good examples:
- Here, where the road name changes between these two properties.
- Here, same as above
- Here
I'm talking about places where there's no obvious point like a junction or bridge that would explain the name change.
I have some good examples:
- Here, where the road name changes between these two properties.
- Here, same as above
- Here
Re: Arbitrary road name changes
Follow the Great North Road from London north, it will keep changing names between Great North Road, London Road High Street and sometimes something else. Generally from a settlement the road north was Great North Road and south was London Road or <next settlement> Road. Half way to the next settlement the name would change.
Often Arbitrary name changes occurred when there is or was a local authority boundary.
Often Arbitrary name changes occurred when there is or was a local authority boundary.
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Johnny Mo
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Re: Arbitrary road name changes
There are some that seem arbitrary because the reason for the change is no longer visible. In Sheffield, Ecclesall Road turns into Moore St at the pedestrian crossing (not at the roundabout as many people think). There's no junction there now, but there used to be. The front of Waitrose is on the line of Ecclesall Road, and in fact there's a small part the other side (Baan Thai's address is Ecclesall Road).
Re: Arbitrary road name changes
The second of the OP's examples possibly falls in this category as it appears that Sheen Road may be in Richmond and Upper Richmond Road West may be in Sheen.JohnnyMo wrote: ↑Wed Jun 01, 2022 17:53 Follow the Great North Road from London north, it will keep changing names between Great North Road, London Road High Street and sometimes something else. Generally from a settlement the road north was Great North Road and south was London Road or <next settlement> Road. Half way to the next settlement the name would change.
Often Arbitrary name changes occurred when there is or was a local authority boundary.
Re: Arbitrary road name changes
Where the A505 in Letchworth changes from Baldock Road to Hitchin Road here appears somewhat arbitrary.
Re: Arbitrary road name changes
I can give you a few examples where the change is at an administrative boundary - or where a boundary used to be.
Anson Road / Upper Brook Street here.
Claypath / Gilesgate here.
Chapel Bank / High Street here.
Anson Road / Upper Brook Street here.
Claypath / Gilesgate here.
Chapel Bank / High Street here.
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- MotorwayGuy
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Re: Arbitrary road name changes
Park View Road - Welling High Street Welling
The Grove - Sydney Road Bexleyheath
Sherwood Way - Boleyn Gardens West Wickham
London Road - The Brent Dartford
The Grove - Sydney Road Bexleyheath
Sherwood Way - Boleyn Gardens West Wickham
London Road - The Brent Dartford
Re: Arbitrary road name changes
La Rue Carrée becomes Le Mont à la Brune at this bend. The actual hill doesn't start until a little while further east.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/m8YP7CepyZDW2oKr6
Similar at Rue de la Sergenté and Mont de la Pulente. Though now a crossroads, both estates are fairly modern so there's no natural reason for a change here. https://maps.app.goo.gl/MsWL6KtXwLGmSK2z7
Mont de Grouët and Rue du Grouët meet here at a somewhat random point.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/VPMbx4JH8DYTa9tG8
Most often this happens where two parish roads authorities did not agree on a road's name so issued different names for it. E.g.:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/zqjo4yPFu6fTxtGF8
I also don't entirely trust Google's naming of roads on its map as I would guess their attention to detail is lacklustre, so there may be more.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/m8YP7CepyZDW2oKr6
Similar at Rue de la Sergenté and Mont de la Pulente. Though now a crossroads, both estates are fairly modern so there's no natural reason for a change here. https://maps.app.goo.gl/MsWL6KtXwLGmSK2z7
Mont de Grouët and Rue du Grouët meet here at a somewhat random point.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/VPMbx4JH8DYTa9tG8
Most often this happens where two parish roads authorities did not agree on a road's name so issued different names for it. E.g.:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/zqjo4yPFu6fTxtGF8
I also don't entirely trust Google's naming of roads on its map as I would guess their attention to detail is lacklustre, so there may be more.
- RichardA626
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Re: Arbitrary road name changes
The road between Romiley, Bredbury & Woodley changes it's name from Dooley Lane, Otterspool Road, Hatherlow, Barrack Hill & George Lane in a short distance.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.41843 ... 179776,14z
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.41843 ... 179776,14z
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Re: Arbitrary road name changes
Here are a few
Rectory Park Road/Goldthorne Avenue
https://goo.gl/maps/NSt2ZCexzxY7BhvV8
Rowlands Crescent/Henley Crescent
https://goo.gl/maps/BHCFYAyVJpGPNmpj6
The Avenue/Lincoln Road
https://goo.gl/maps/WsPBJ4hgiYqzVT98A
Rectory Park Road/Goldthorne Avenue
https://goo.gl/maps/NSt2ZCexzxY7BhvV8
Rowlands Crescent/Henley Crescent
https://goo.gl/maps/BHCFYAyVJpGPNmpj6
The Avenue/Lincoln Road
https://goo.gl/maps/WsPBJ4hgiYqzVT98A
Re: Arbitrary road name changes
The A449 through Penkridge morphs seamlessly from Stafford Road to Stone Cross to Clay Street to Wolverhampton Road in something like 200 metres.
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Re: Arbitrary road name changes
In Cambridge (on routes now partly pedestrianised) you have within a few hundred yards
On the former A10, Trumpington Street becomes King's Parade becomes Trinity Street becomes St John's Street;
on the former A604, Hills Road becomes Regent Street becomes St Andrew's Street becomes Sidney Street becomes Bridge Street becomes Magdalene Street becomes Castle Street becomes Huntingdon Road.
Because of pedestrianisation, many current maps omit some of these names, but maps from a few decades ago show them all.
On the former A10, Trumpington Street becomes King's Parade becomes Trinity Street becomes St John's Street;
on the former A604, Hills Road becomes Regent Street becomes St Andrew's Street becomes Sidney Street becomes Bridge Street becomes Magdalene Street becomes Castle Street becomes Huntingdon Road.
Because of pedestrianisation, many current maps omit some of these names, but maps from a few decades ago show them all.
Re: Arbitrary road name changes
Its what happens when villages merge into a larger towns and cities like London. Look at the OS 6 inch maps and you will see where things were 120 years ago.
https://www.sabre-roads.org.uk/maps/ind ... 9,-0.37025,
The A174 heading south from Middlesbrough has road names like Marton Road, Dixons Bank and Stokesley Road.
Middlesbrough, Marton and Nunthorpe were separate entities in the 1960's, now they are all part of Middlesbrough
https://www.sabre-roads.org.uk/maps/ind ... 9,-0.37025,
The A174 heading south from Middlesbrough has road names like Marton Road, Dixons Bank and Stokesley Road.
Middlesbrough, Marton and Nunthorpe were separate entities in the 1960's, now they are all part of Middlesbrough
Re: Arbitrary road name changes
The Salthouse Street/Key Street change in Ipswich was always a bit baffling to me. Now, if you look at this you'd quite rightly say that the dividing line is the gap to the right which is an alleyway down to the river, and I'd agree...but it's only recently been there. Before the street nameplates for both streets were affixed to the wall either side of the lamp post you can see a few yards back on the right hand side.
The switchover at that point was bizarre itself, but I can't fathom why it appears that Salthouse Street has been extended another ten yards or so. The picture shows the rear of the buildings on the right - they all have their frontages, and therefore their postal address on Neptune Quay. There's only one building on the left, and the entrance for that is a little way down into Key Street anyway. Whether it was thought the switchover looks neater if there is a physical gap or not I don't know - so the original position didn't make any sense, and neither does the new one.
The switchover at that point was bizarre itself, but I can't fathom why it appears that Salthouse Street has been extended another ten yards or so. The picture shows the rear of the buildings on the right - they all have their frontages, and therefore their postal address on Neptune Quay. There's only one building on the left, and the entrance for that is a little way down into Key Street anyway. Whether it was thought the switchover looks neater if there is a physical gap or not I don't know - so the original position didn't make any sense, and neither does the new one.
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Re: Arbitrary road name changes
Foothouse, 2 Cheriton High Street.
Pilgrims Hospice, 386 Cheriton Road.
Ladywell becomes Park Place becomes Park Street. The B2245 - three names for a very small, unsigned, B-road.
Pilgrims Hospice, 386 Cheriton Road.
Ladywell becomes Park Place becomes Park Street. The B2245 - three names for a very small, unsigned, B-road.
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Re: Arbitrary road name changes
My favourite example of this is just off Parliament Square, where the road heading south along the river passes through what was once a short street leading to an open square and then on to another street. Now it's largely indistinguishable and looks like a single road, but still has four street names in the space of about 250m.
Here you can see pretty much the whole length of St Margaret Street. But at that point you're standing in Old Palace Yard. Turn around 180 degrees and the street in front of you is Abingdon Street, but only as far as the slight bend, at which point it becomes Millbank.
Here you can see pretty much the whole length of St Margaret Street. But at that point you're standing in Old Palace Yard. Turn around 180 degrees and the street in front of you is Abingdon Street, but only as far as the slight bend, at which point it becomes Millbank.
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Re: Arbitrary road name changes
Going out from Blackburn eastwards you go:
Salford
Eanam
Higher Eanam
Copy Nook
Bottomgate
Furthergate
The change points are quite arbitrary but presumably made sense long ago.
Salford
Eanam
Higher Eanam
Copy Nook
Bottomgate
Furthergate
The change points are quite arbitrary but presumably made sense long ago.
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Re: Arbitrary road name changes
I used to live in Gildersome and the main road through the town centre has six or seven different names along its length. It's a hair over 1.5 miles long.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.76113 ... 645,16.35z
Gildesome Lane from the lights:
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.76966 ... 384!8i8192
... to here, then Scott Green onwards:
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.76313 ... 384!8i8192
... to this building, then Church St:
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.76086 ... 384!8i8192
...then Church St onwards to Town St. after the mini roundabout (arguably, a junction, but a minor one at that)
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.75902 ... 384!8i8192
(the junction also has the dubiously named "Street Lane", I mean, pick one guys, not both.)
...then Harthill Parade:
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.75782 ... 384!8i8192
(maybe, Google seems to think so, but then there's a Town Street road-sign further up, so who knows really.)
...then Branch Road, which morphs into Branch End somewhere:
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.75762 ... 384!8i8192
Following through the lights, you'd arguably be able to include Asquith Ave, too, until you reach Morley. That's the longest continuous "name" on that segment of road.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.76113 ... 645,16.35z
Gildesome Lane from the lights:
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.76966 ... 384!8i8192
... to here, then Scott Green onwards:
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.76313 ... 384!8i8192
... to this building, then Church St:
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.76086 ... 384!8i8192
...then Church St onwards to Town St. after the mini roundabout (arguably, a junction, but a minor one at that)
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.75902 ... 384!8i8192
(the junction also has the dubiously named "Street Lane", I mean, pick one guys, not both.)
...then Harthill Parade:
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.75782 ... 384!8i8192
(maybe, Google seems to think so, but then there's a Town Street road-sign further up, so who knows really.)
...then Branch Road, which morphs into Branch End somewhere:
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.75762 ... 384!8i8192
Following through the lights, you'd arguably be able to include Asquith Ave, too, until you reach Morley. That's the longest continuous "name" on that segment of road.