"BAC" wrote in message
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"Jim Webster" wrote in message
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"BAC" wrote in message
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wrote in message
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On Sun, 15 Oct 2006 09:05:12 +0100, "Mike" wrote:

"JennyC" wrote in message
...


Just down the road from you - Barendrecht.

given she is 6m below sea level shouldn't that be 'up the road'
;-))
Jim Webster

'Down' in this instance means South of me :~))
Jenny


"Up" North "Down" South. A return journey 'home' for us is always
quicker
because it is 'downhill'.

I have to attend a Funeral "Up North" in Birmingham tomorrow. It will
take
longer to get there and use more petrol as it is "Up"

;-))

Mike


Convention in the past was always "up" to the larger city or Capital.
Although "north" does seem to be more up than south.



That's right, one went 'up to London' regardless of the starting point.



I wonder if that is from a London vantage point, because round here no
one
would think of saying they were going up to London.
From the SW I think they do


As Angus said, it was a past convention. I suspect it arose during the
golden age of rail travel, when the 'up' line was the line which led to
the
main terminus, regardless of either gradient or comparative latitude. On
any
English main line connecting to London, therefore, one travelled 'up' to
London. Nowadays, the convention seems to have fallen into disuse.


On the line that runs around the Cumbrian coast the traditional designation
on the platform which was southbound was "Preston and Beyond"

Where Beyond covered pretty well all eventualities ;-))

Jim Webster