In the Weekly Times, they mentioned that Southern Cross Station will change its name back to Spencer Street Station.
Spencer street St action is back
beanzs27
Assistant Commissioner
Valvegear
Oliver Bullied, CME
Location: Richmond Vic
It's by no means certain yet. The State Gummint is discussing the idea, and I have to say it's one of their brighter ones.( They don't have many, you know. )
"Spencer Street Station" is a three word phrase which tells everyone where it is and what it is.
"Southern Cross" was one of the Bracks Mob's more stupid wastes of time and money. What did it actually achieve in practical terms? Short answer - nothing.
"Spencer Street Station" is a three word phrase which tells everyone where it is and what it is.
"Southern Cross" was one of the Bracks Mob's more stupid wastes of time and money. What did it actually achieve in practical terms? Short answer - nothing.
raudteejaam
Train Controller
Whilst I agree it should never have been changed in the first place, I disagree it should change back. If only from a cost perspective, it's essentially a waste of money that could otherwise be spent on useful infrastructure.
Flygon
Train Controller
Location: Australia
I do think it was not really worth changing it in the first place, but it's quite pointless to change it back. I suspect quite a few are going to beat me with bricks for admitting I actually like the Southern Cross name.
xxxxlbear
Token Booking Clerk
Location: Geelong
Good.
Southern Cross Station sucked from the moment it was announced.
Changing the name back to Spencer Street Station will be at least one positive action that the current government has done since coming to power.
Southern Cross Station sucked from the moment it was announced.
Changing the name back to Spencer Street Station will be at least one positive action that the current government has done since coming to power.
railblogger
Chief Commissioner
Location: At the back of the train, quitely doing exactly what you'd expect.
Good thinking, PTV.
Better to have the station named after its actual location.
Better to have the station named after its actual location.
Chrono Detector
Assistant Commissioner
Location: Tram 57/59
If this is true, renaming Spencer St Station was a waste of time and money. I too, personally never liked the name change and always called it Spencer Street Station.
Bogong
Chief Commissioner
Location: Essendon Aerodrome circa 1980
Last weekend a motion at the Liberal Party state conference to change the name back to Spencer St was carried overwhelmingly. Bizarrely the motion was put by the Young Liberals, most of whom wouldn't remember it operating under it's original name.
But realistically, governments (both Liberal and Labour) are reasonably pragmatic and don't listen much to motions passed at their party conferences. So while a name chance wouldn't be all that pricey, I suspect the transport minister and his staff have better things to do with their time.
But realistically, governments (both Liberal and Labour) are reasonably pragmatic and don't listen much to motions passed at their party conferences. So while a name chance wouldn't be all that pricey, I suspect the transport minister and his staff have better things to do with their time.
Daryl
Junior Train Controller
Location: Carrum Downs
Probably won't happen unless there's overwhelming public support or if there's political mileage such as just before an election.
I think the average punter won't care and would prefer to save the expense.
Personally, Southern Cross never sat well with me, I was delighted when I saw the title but not if it's just a Young Liberal suggestion.
The names will probably say "Formerly Southern Cross" for many years.
I think the average punter won't care and would prefer to save the expense.
Personally, Southern Cross never sat well with me, I was delighted when I saw the title but not if it's just a Young Liberal suggestion.
The names will probably say "Formerly Southern Cross" for many years.
RustyRick
Chief Commissioner
Location: South West Vic
Bizarrely the motion was put by the Young Liberals, most of whom wouldn't remember it operating under it's original name.They must be Very Young Liberals...
Rick
xxxxlbear
Token Booking Clerk
Location: Geelong
They must be Very Young Liberals...
Rick
Some of whom, I would hazard to guess, would not even remember what the former Spencer Street Station even looked like, except through photo's from the 80's and 90's
73LJWhiteSL
Deputy Commissioner
Location: South East Melbourne Surburbs
Did you hear the rumour, they are going to pull down the current station and put the old one back up? Apparently the government heard the gunzels wanted more changed back than just the name... 
railblogger
Chief Commissioner
Location: At the back of the train, quitely doing exactly what you'd expect.
Did you hear the rumour, they are going to pull down the current station and put the old one back up? Apparently the government heard the gunzels wanted more changed back than just the name...
Bogong
Chief Commissioner
Location: Essendon Aerodrome circa 1980
Well, how many times has the railway station been rebuilt in almost 160 years? Four that I know of and probably a few that I don't know about. 
Each time, it kept it's original name... except for the latest version.
We all know that changing the station's name was just a political stunt and nothing more. So returning to the proper name isn't a stunt, it's just getting rid of a silly name that some daft politician or slick spin doctor dreamt up.
Anyway, the name Southern Cross is already taken, it's a town west of Kal in Western Australia.
Each time, it kept it's original name... except for the latest version. We all know that changing the station's name was just a political stunt and nothing more. So returning to the proper name isn't a stunt, it's just getting rid of a silly name that some daft politician or slick spin doctor dreamt up.
Anyway, the name Southern Cross is already taken, it's a town west of Kal in Western Australia.
railblogger
Chief Commissioner
Location: At the back of the train, quitely doing exactly what you'd expect.
Well, how many times has the railway station been rebuilt in almost 160 years? Four that I know of and probably a few that I don't know about.I don't think it was a political stunt at all. I think it was an excuse for somebody to make a million bucks.
We all know that changing the station's name was just a political stunt and nothing more. So returning to the proper name isn't a stunt, it's just getting rid of a silly name that some daft politician or slick spin doctor dreamt up.
Anyway, the name Southern Cross is already taken, it's a town west of Kal in Western Australia.
ChoooChoo
Chief Train Controller
I would have thought there would be difficulties in achieving this because of the private consortium of Southern Cross Station Pty Ltd.
They would have spent thousands on marketing and building up a brand image, so that is something the government would be considering if any decision is to be made/carried through.
They would have spent thousands on marketing and building up a brand image, so that is something the government would be considering if any decision is to be made/carried through.
comet4
Station Master
Just leave it as Southern Cross please. Sure it was a Bracks ego trip at the time, but what is a reversion going to achieve now?
Apart from a lot of foaming gunzels, the rest of the population has got used to the name now, and many folk out there wouldn't even remember it as Spencer Street.
Hasn't the Napthine mob got more important and urgent things to fix on it's plate ?
Apart from a lot of foaming gunzels, the rest of the population has got used to the name now, and many folk out there wouldn't even remember it as Spencer Street.
Hasn't the Napthine mob got more important and urgent things to fix on it's plate ?
trainbrain
Chief Commissioner
I see the usual knuckleheads (gunzels/foamers) are getting excited that Southern Cross may revert back to Spencer St, but really the travelling public do not care, Get over it and keep your hand of it.........................
Calgully
Deputy Commissioner
Location:
I see the usual knuckleheads (gunzels/foamers) are getting excited that Southern Cross may revert back to Spencer St, but really the travelling public do not care, Get over it and keep your hand of it.........................
Agree 100% - leave it alone. Anything else would be political pettyness.
It's an established practice to name stations other than the locality - Sydney Central, Gare de Lyon, Hull Paragon, Bristol Temple Meads, Penn station NY, Roma Termini, LA Union etc etc
What was wrong with Batman's Hill anyway?
Actually I don't give a damn. Sell the name to a sponsor. How about Vodafone terminal?
speedemon08
Mary
Location: I think by now you should have figured it out
I see the usual knuckleheads (gunzels/foamers) are getting excited that Southern Cross may revert back to Spencer St, but really the travelling public do not care, Get over it and keep your hand of it.........................The name for Southern Cross probably gets rid of the connotations of the Spencer Street. From pictures I have seen, doesn't look like a pleasant station to stand at or be at.
Daryl
Junior Train Controller
Location: Carrum Downs
Maybe the names could be LCD panels and whoever buys the naming rights can put up whatever name they like for the period of the contract.
But the trains would keep displaying the wrong names.
How would you like Ethiad Station?
But the trains would keep displaying the wrong names.
How would you like Ethiad Station?
XAM2175
Assistant Commissioner
Location: Glasgow
It's an established practice to name stations other than the locality - Sydney Central, Gare de Lyon, Hull Paragon, Bristol Temple Meads, Penn station NY, Roma Termini, LA Union etc etc
Well, in most of those cases the names still involve an amount of description as to their services or location - Penn Station in NY being short for Pennsylvania Station, as it was built and operated by the Pennsylvania Railroad; Union Terminal in LA because it was the terminal station for Union Pacific (and ATSF and SP) services; Gare de Lyon because it serves trains to Lyon; and Paris' other main stations, Gare du Nord because it serves trains to the north, Gare de l'Est for trains to the east, and Gare Montparnasse because it's in Montparnasse - but it opened as Gare de l'Ouest because it served trains to the west.
Hull Paragon opened as Hull Paragon St Station, was officially shortened to Hull Paragon, and is now referred to on timetables simply as Hull.
Bristol Temple Meads is a bit more of fanciful name though, being derived "from the nearby Temple Church, which was built gutted by bombing during World War II. The word "mæds" is an Old English derivation of meadow, referring to the water meadows alongside the River Avon that were part of Temple parish."
Berlin also has a Southern Cross, or more literally "South Cross", with Südkreuz (fully: Bahnhof Berlin Südkreuz) serving as a major interchange between the S-Bahn Ringbahn line and the intercity Anhalter Bahn and Dresdner Bahn lines. The station was originally opened as Papestraße, in reference to a nearby street, but was renamed in 2006 after extensive upgrades to reach interchange station in order to match the existing Ostkreuz and Westkreuz interchanges.
So really it's a all a bit of a waste of time and money either way, seeing as the big problem with station names in Melbourne is that Melbourne's Central station is a shopping centre.
don_dunstan
Dr Beeching
Location: Adelaide proud
The name "Spencer Street" seems to pair well with "Flinders Street". It was easy to explain to visitors that one was the country terminus and the other the suburban terminus.
There seems to be some confusion about the origin of the new name. As I recall, "Southern Cross" was actually a bright idea that Peter Bachelor had whist on holidays during the new station planning ten years ago. Yes, that's right, the talented and hard-working minister who signed such wonderful contracts as 'Smart' Meters and myki. I never forget Peter Bachelor. He's the one I thank every time my myki overcharges me because all the validators are broken/off-line at my destination station... what a wonderful system myki is, so user-friendly.
For that reason alone we should change the name back to Spencer Street.
There seems to be some confusion about the origin of the new name. As I recall, "Southern Cross" was actually a bright idea that Peter Bachelor had whist on holidays during the new station planning ten years ago. Yes, that's right, the talented and hard-working minister who signed such wonderful contracts as 'Smart' Meters and myki. I never forget Peter Bachelor. He's the one I thank every time my myki overcharges me because all the validators are broken/off-line at my destination station... what a wonderful system myki is, so user-friendly.
For that reason alone we should change the name back to Spencer Street.
Black Hoppers
Chief Train Controller
Location: Banned
Whilst I agree it should never have been changed in the first place, I disagree it should change back. If only from a cost perspective, it's essentially a waste of money that could otherwise be spent on useful infrastructure.
Oh yes and just what major infrastructure projects will you fund with the little amount it will cost to change over some signage.
Think before making yourself look silly.
MelbourneCity
Chief Commissioner
Last weekend a motion at the Liberal Party state conference to change the name back to Spencer St was carried overwhelmingly. Bizarrely the motion was put by the Young Liberals, most of whom wouldn't remember it operating under it's original name.
But realistically, governments (both Liberal and Labour) are reasonably pragmatic and don't listen much to motions passed at their party conferences. So while a name chance wouldn't be all that pricey, I suspect the transport minister and his staff have better things to do with their time.
Yes, the Liberal party endorsed the motion, but renaming the station is not government policy. The transport minister said following the conference that there are better things to spend the money on.
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