Overground???

[davegr]

Does anyone know why the extension to the old East London line was renamed the Overground? A more confusing name they couldn't have chosen. Sydenham along with other stations has an overground service which makes it doubly confusing. Just because some of the Overground is indeed over ground rather than under ground doesn't make sense because huge chunks of the underground are also above ground.

We are constantly saying to friends, go down to Sydenham station and catch the Overground. Not the overground train but the underground line that is called Overground.

It defies sense!!

Apologies if this odd naming decision has been discussed before

[Rachael]

Conversation with guest last weekend:
Guest: Hi, I just got on the overground train. Be with you soon.
Me: Cool. Where did you get on? Canada Water?
Guest: Er, no. London Bridge. You know, overground. Not the Underground.
Me: Ah, that's mainline, not Overground, although it is overground.
Guest: Whevs.

[Parker1970]

Conversation with guest last weekend:
Guest: Hi, I just got on the overground train. Be with you soon.
Me: Cool. Where did you get on? Canada Water?
Guest: Er, no. London Bridge. You know, overground. Not the Underground.
Me: Ah, that's mainline, not Overground, although it is overground.
Guest: Whevs.

Yup, had this conversation a few times

Honestly I also think it is daft calling it the Overground line. I get the part about renaming it from the East London line as it is not just East London anymore, but why "London Overground" I can only assume it is because it is run under franchise by TFL and it differentiates it from the London Underground lines.. confusing for us, easier for them probably

I refer to it as "London Overground - The orange line" when describing it to friends visiting me now, it tends to make more sense to them.

[Robin Orton]

I wish we had weekend guests who said 'whevs.'

[davegr]

I like 'The Orange Line'.

I'll be using that name from now on. Maybe it will catch on.

[Rachael]

I wish we had weekend guests who said 'whevs.'

That was my sister-in-law, coming down to celebrate her 50th birthday.

[Psi]

I like 'The Orange Line'.

I'll be using that name from now on. Maybe it will catch on.

Ex-colleagues of mine refer to it as the “hipster express”

The more important problem is that “the overground” is a network but when disruption is reported it just says “delays on the overground” which is useless, often the disruption is a problem at Richmond which can in no way disrupt Sydenham services. It should have retained the “East London Line” title. No one objects to the Victoria or Piccadilly linestitles as they go a long way from those stations.

[Robin Orton]

I wish we had weekend guests who said 'whevs.'

That was my sister-in-law, coming down to celebrate her 50th birthday.

Yes indeed, I'd guessed you were referring to some hip young woman.

[somerandombloke]

I wish we had weekend guests who said 'whevs.'

As an unattractive straight fat bloke in his 50s I like to say 'Wha'evs girlfriend' when one of my crew says somethign stupid. It throws them the first time they hear it and makes them laiugh after that.

[markylon]

The best bit about the overground is at Whitechapel Station

The overground is under the underground and the underground is over the overground.

[rbmartin]

My mother refers to the London Overground service as "the Overground" while Southern are the "green trains"

[markylon]

Simplest way is

underground
overground
national rail

[sparticus]

According to local news last night in a feature about TfL taking over suburban routes into Liverpool St, SE London is next on Boris' wish-list, so maybe soon all surface trains stopping at Sydenham will be "Overground"

[El Cid]

I seem to recall The Wombles mentioning this: "Underground, overground, wombling free..."