Where’s the centre of a city?

[Pietro Paolo Virdis]

Mate and I having discussed this…

I claim it’s always where the (central) train station is. He claims some sort of insane geometrical version with plotting the edges of the city etc. Insane because most cities, you can’t even know which suburbs are part of the city, or are slightly outside.

However, one slight flaw in my theory. What if the city doesn’t have a train station? Is there such a thing, a city without a train station?

[Pinback]

Where’s the centre of a city?

It's the town hall isn't it?

That's how odd and even house numbering is determined I think.

[Mitch]

Where’s the centre of a city?

Well, for one, Stoke train station isn't in (or anywhere near) the centre of Stoke-On-Trent.

[Ek weet nie]

Where’s the centre of a city?

I'm not sure about any city that doesn't have a train station but there are numerous cities that have train stations a good distance away from what people would call the city centre.

[Andy C]

Where’s the centre of a city?

Distances from London are measured from Charing Cross.

[EIM]

Where’s the centre of a city?

Oh jesus. Don't get me started on this crap. I spent two years worth of my life studying this crapness. You can map it though, Runwank. You need to cross reference business property rates, volume of pedestrians, cost of parking, and then colour in a map accordingly. The most colourful part of the map is the centre of your city.

[EIM]

Where’s the centre of a city?

I forgot, types of business are important too.

there's no reason why you should want to read this, but if you do, here's a wiki page on it

[Gangster Octopus]

Where’s the centre of a city?

Nil a fhios agam wrote:

there are numerous cities that have train stations a good distance away from what people would call the city centre.

When we were in Luxembourg City, the guide told us that the station was built away from the centre because of worries about invasion. This seemed very strange to us, because the whole of the Britain's railway network was built without any thought of invasion or local warfare.

[Pietro Paolo Virdis]

Where’s the centre of a city?

Cheers all, but none of you are helping. I'm loosing a heap of beer here. Just say that I was right.

[EIM]

Where’s the centre of a city?

But you're not.

[EIM]

Where’s the centre of a city?

Ok. You're right. Certainly the centre of London surrounds lots of Underground Train stations. And the centre of Lancaster is a short walk from a train station. And Manchester has some train stations surrounding the centre of the city. And the whole of Tokyo is inside a giant train station so big, you can't even tell what it is.

[Guest]

Where’s the centre of a city?

If you're talking about where the road signs measure distance from I think it's the major post office traditionally. I say traditionally but obviously mile posts pre-date that (and railway stations for that matter). Presumably it would have been measured to the town hall or the church door or some such before that.

[ursus arctos]

Where’s the centre of a city?

There are literally thousands of US cities without a train station.

[Pietro Paolo Virdis]

Where’s the centre of a city?

If beer will be lost on this issue, help me break even on a follow-up bet. Where's the centre of the central train station? Or give me another one I can kick his smug butt with.

[garcia]

Where’s the centre of a city?

the main intercity train station in dublin is more than a mile from the city centre, which i reckon is college green. the secondary station is about half a mile.

[Pietro Paolo Virdis]

Where’s the centre of a city?

Why do people build cities off centre!?

[NHH]

Where’s the centre of a city?

Most early british stations are on the edge of town because the land values were high and the city fathers were sceptical of the dangers of train travel. The later waves had greater investment (so could afford to buy the land) and favourable support from local authorities.

I always wondered whereabouts in a city mileage was measured to, like when you see a sign on the motorway saying so many miles to a place, whereabouts in that place the miles went too.

[Pietro Paolo Virdis]

Where’s the centre of a city?

Slightly related, but not at all (surprise!).

What's the "centre" of a home?
The kitchen?
The living room?
Bedroom?
Garage?
Loo?

I'd say it's where you can best combine eating, sleeping, shagging and entertainment.

[Gangster Octopus]

Where’s the centre of a city?

ursus arctos wrote:

There are literally thousands of US cities without a train station.

Ah, but most US cities are actually towns.

[EIM]

Where’s the centre of a city?

Runwank in the Park wrote:

Slightly related, but not at all (surprise!).

What's the "centre" of a home?
The kitchen?
The living room?
Bedroom?
Garage?
Loo?

I'd say it's where you can best combine eating, sleeping, shagging and entertainment.

The loo, then.

[Pietro Paolo Virdis]

Where’s the centre of a city?

Even more off topic, just came to think of the time when I had sex with a Cuban girl while she was cooking paella.

[Pietro Paolo Virdis]

Where’s the centre of a city?

EIM, please don't tell me you've eaten in the loo?

It's one of the weirdest, sickest things I've ever seen, I walking in to the backroom at a place I worked at ages ago, a mate, door wide open, having a shit while eating a hamburger.

[Pietro Paolo Virdis]

Where’s the centre of a city?

This thread is dead now, no?

[WOM]

Where’s the centre of a city?

Yeah, the phrase "having a shit while eating a hamburger" is, I believe, just off-putting enough to kill a thread.

[Reed John]

Where’s the centre of a city?

The centre of the city is where all the roads meet and I'm waiting for you.