Trains were brought to India by the British and even though over the years it has grown to become one of the most convenient modes of transportation, what remains a matter of inconvenience is the name of a few railway stations. Across the world there are a few railway stations that are based on lengthy words, names and leave passengers baffled. It is not just in India that railway stations have long names but abroad as well.
The title of lengthiest name of a railway station in the world is held by Wales’ ‘Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch’ railway station. The name contains 58 alphabets and had beaten Chennai’s railway station with just one extra letter in 2019. However, the Welsh town that currently holds the title is also called Llanfairpwll, or Llanfair PG for short.
It is located on the island of Anglesey in Wales and its name actually only has 51 letters in Welsh, as “ch” and “ll” are considered single letters in the language. The name is considered to be quite descriptive as it basically tells the person the town’s exact location, standing for Saint Mary’s Church in the hollow of the white hazel near a rapid whirlpool and the Church of St. Tysilio of the red cave.
According to Business Insider, breaking down the 58-letter Welsh word to translate it into English this is what it means: Parish [church] of [St.] Mary (Llanfair) [in] Hollow (pwll) of the White Hazel [township] (gwyn gyll) near (go ger) the rapid whirlpool (y chwyrn drobwll) [and] the parish [church] of [St.] Tysilio (Llantysilio) with a red cave ([a]gogo[f] goch).
Before Wales, the title of the lengthiest name of a railway station was Puratchi Thalaivar Dr MG Ramachandran Central Railway Station in Tamil Nadu, with 57 letters. Puratchi Thalaivar Dr MG Ramachandran was the name of the former Chief Minister and actor from Tamil Nadu who passed away in 1987.
The Chennai Central station was renamed to honour the former politician on April 5, 2019. Prior to Chennai Central, Andhra Pradesh’s Venkatanarasimharajuvaripeta Railway Station had held the title of having the longest name.
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