please empty your brain below
I utterly despair at how many places and things (big and small) will be named 'Queen Elizabeth' by any sycophants in a position of presumed power when the Queen dies. And Crossrail will always be Crossrail - if it has to be named after someone pick one of the hard working engineers actually involved on the project.

TomH | 21.04.20 - 7:48 a.m. | #

Queen's Gardens Croydon; otherwise known as Spice Park. Certainly faded glory (I seem to remember it being quite nice in the 1980s).

As with the old (still standing) 2nd Croydon Town Hall, built on the site of Croydon Central Station. The station was never a success and closed in the late 19th century.

Robert Butlin | 21.04.20 - 8:27 a.m. | #

I work in an office called Queen Elizabeth II court. Always feels a mouthful to say and for the first week working there I thought it was called Qell Court pronounced quell...

Flare | 21.04.20 - 8:42 a.m. | #

Expect a similar flood of “King’s” and “King Charles/Philip/Arthur/George/William/whatever” things after the unfortunate (but ultimately inevitable) event, but I doubt we will recapture the post-war optimism of the new Elizabethan age, with a youthful new monarch in the 1950s and 1960s.

At least three hospitals in England are named after our current Queen, in Welwyn, Nottingham, and Burton on Trent. And one in Glasgow. None that I can find in Wales or Northern Ireland. None in London. There seem to be more named after her mother: Woolwich, Margate, King’s Lynn, Birmingham, Gateshead.

A smattering of hospitals in England are named after other royals (queens Victoria, Charlotte, Alexandra and Mary, even Diana; and kings Edward VI and George VI). Wales has ones named after Victoria, but also princes Philip and Charles and the Princess of Wales but not the Queen. Scotland has more Victoria and also Queen Margaret and the Princess Royal. Northern Ireland has a couple for Victoria, including a Royal Jubilee Hospital.

Andrew | 21.04.20 - 9:17 a.m. | #

I was in Margate the other week and kept seeing signs for the QEQM Hospital.

Thinking why would anyone give a hospital such a weird name I eventually saw the full length version.

The Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Hospital. That is a mouthful.

ap | 21.04.20 - 10:00 a.m. | #

The bridge was never going to be named in connection with Tilbury, an unrelated town with it's own transport link. The Wikiedia entry relies on a BBC interview with a construction worker, many years later.

The local MP (Tim Janman) suggested it be called the Thurrock Bridge based on talks with his constituents.

dg writes: updated, thanks.

fred | 21.04.20 - 10:01 a.m. | #

The QEII Bridge is a ridiculous name, when it's clearly the Dartford bridge to go with the Dartford tunnels.

It will be interesting what the Lower Thames crossing will be called. Another Royal presumably...

Mikey C | 21.04.20 - 10:08 a.m. | #

Donkey Lane takes me back to my refereeing days. Told the referees secretary that I never really enjoyed going there but ee aw ee aw ee always used to send me back.

PiccDriver | 21.04.20 - 10:15 a.m. | #

Good Morning DG.
Yet another informative and entertaining blog.

strawbrick | 21.04.20 - 10:58 a.m. | #

The tunnels and bridge are collectively known as the Dartford Crossing, and the website for paying to use it calls it the "Dart Charge". But it would be sort of logical, as the tunnels are named after Dartford and you use them to cross from Dartford, to name the thing you use to cross from Thurrock as the Thurrock Bridge.

timbo | 21.04.20 - 11:52 a.m. | #

Happy birthday Mrs Queen.

Cornish Cockney | 21.04.20 - 4:10 p.m. | #

At least, unlike many of her predecessors, there are no large cities or states named after the present Queen.

cjw714 | 21.04.20 - 4:16 p.m. | #

Of course there's the Queen Elizabeth 2, which isn't named after Queen Elizabeth II but was named by her.

The road signs in Southampton that say "QEII terminal" instead of "QE2 terminal" always annoyed me, even before the ship they were referring to left for good.

Gregg | 21.04.20 - 5:33 p.m. | #

When the first tunnel was opened it was called the Dartford - Purfleet Tunnel: what's wrong with that?

Queen's Gardens in Croydon include the cutting that led into Croydin Central station, and I think the wall retaining Katharine St is a relic of the railway.

Betterbee | 22.04.20 - 5:25 a.m. | #

Must I thank DG for tidying up the prolix prose of my comments again? (Although I occasionally can't remember quite what I wrote originally, and there is a feeling of disconnection as though my memory has been edited.)

Andrew | 22.04.20 - 4:15 p.m. | #











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