World Notes Wales

The railway station on the Isle of Anglesey off the north coast of Wales is rundown and shabby, graced only by a small gift shop. Why then do thousands of tourists flock there each year? And why did James Pringle Ltd. of Scotland, parent company of Pringle Sweaters, just pay British Rail more than $210,000 for it? Well, because the station is called Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysili ogogogoch.

That is not the work of some typewriter gone wild. It is the name of the place. Of course, the locals are smart. They call it Llanfair P.G. for short. In Welsh it means "The Church of St. Mary in a hollow of white hazel, near a rapid whirlpool and near St. Tysilio's Church close to a red cave." And soon to be near Sweater Baron Hamish Pringle's shopping center. Pringle says he hated to see the famous station "so broken down," though he might also have been influenced by the hordes who pose for photos standing under its 19-ft. sign. Villagers are relieved that the old station house will be given back to the town so that it can be restored--and, perhaps, attract even more tourists.