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Peterborough and the Smells of Pollution, Etc...
Peterborough, UK - Colin James Watling - Friday, January 6th, 2006 : goo
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I used to be a trainspotter, hanging out on the platforms of Peterborough station, looking at the Inter City 125s, DMUs and the Fletton fly ash freight trains go by, then whipping off down to March Motive Power depot to have a look at the Class 20s and 30s taking shortcuts across the track to get there, then off down to Cambridge to have a look at the DMU sheds, etc.
I remember one thing about it though that sticks in my memory: the smells. You either loved them or loathed them. It was from the train wheel brake friction sparks, fly ash from Stamford blowing all round the platforms or the thick black smut from the brickwork chimneys that absolutely stuck to your skin or bag of chips you had just bought for your lunch. You could not eat anything cause you stood there choking to death. It was either that or the brand new smell of {Queensgate) shopping center that had just opened around that time... really posh... even the football yobs did not stop over to wreck that one. They wrecked everything else though. I can remember the one that fell off an IC 125 train and got himself killed and the one who stood in front of an IC 125, although i do not think he was a yob or anything.
Yeah, Peterborough was a funny ol' place back then it was ok apart from the air and the deaths on the line.
This article has been viewed 3356 times in the last 3 years
Peter: 6th Jan 2006 - 19:31 GMT
just out of curiosity, i googled some images of the aforementiond trains:
the Inner City 125:
The DMU:
The Class 20:
jack: 6th Jan 2006 - 20:15 GMT
in brooklyn we had the sea beach line which was under ground but opened above. so you could peep through the cement blocks on the street above and watch the trains go by. it amused us kids for at least 3 minutes.
Peter: 6th Jan 2006 - 20:37 GMT
I do that with the shuttle train where it surfaces up near the brooklyn botanic garden, and also where it crosses park place in prospect heights (like in this entry)... i love watching them go by. at the park place shuttle, the road dips under the tressle, so if you watch it from far enough back, it looks like the train is going flat across the road, almost...
Jamie: 6th Jan 2006 - 20:46 GMT
What an interesting little story. I'm from peterborough :-) I've heard there is talk of redevelopment of the station quarter of the city. New apartments and offices etc and a new station of course with underground parking. I don't live there anymore, but hey, you remember queensgate when it was new? You must be old! do you have photos of peterborough from the 70s/80s? That would be cool to see
Railfan: 6th Jan 2006 - 20:50 GMT
www.halcrow.com/latestnews_july05_peterboro.asp
www.queensgate-shopping.co.uk
Peter: 6th Jan 2006 - 21:08 GMT
the whole trainspotting/railfan phenomenon fascinates me... we have it here in nyc, too, but on a much smaller scale... i bet most people wouldnt even know what you were talking about.
but, categorizing all the trains is easier here- theyre all in one city, they all bear easy-to-read numbered placcards, etc...
check out [[www.nycsubway.org]]... they have photos of all of the current and retired fleet posted there!
www.nycsubway.org/cars/currentfleet.html
www.nycsubway.org/cars/preunification.html
Peter: 7th Jan 2006 - 20:39 GMT
jack: i went out today and made a photo of the park place shuttle (that i mentioned above) for you... look here...
John: 23rd Dec 2006 - 13:02 GMT
Old? I remember trainspotting on Spital Bridge in the mid to late '50's. [What do you mean? Of course the 1950's - I'm not that old!]
Born in Boroughbury, [Geneva Street], brought up in Gladstone Street.
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