Only found this topic a week or so ago. What an impressive and realistic model! I remember Peterborough North more in the early 1960's, and I had difficulty at times telling whether your photos were of the model or real life photos taken at the time. I lived a couple of streets away to the West of the Station, but well remember the sounds coming from there as I lay in bed at night. My normal spotting position was on Spittal Bridge, west end, looking North in the morning as I stopped on my way to school, and looking South on my way home. I always knew that it was time to press on to school when the up Master Cutler passed! The photos of your model from Spittal Bridge are so realistic and accurate. I can just imagine being there again. Pity that you did not have room for the Midland lines as well, or the buildings on Midland Road at that side. The photo from River Lane also took me straight back, and it is just as I remember it at the old level crossing site. Crescent Bridge and the Hotel also look so realistic.
One memory that I have is of the train bringing Billy Smart's Circus to town. It must have been in the mid 1950's. The train was berthed at the loading dock at the extreme east side of the South end. I remember the animals (not lions or tigers of course!) being taken from the train to walk through the town centre to the site near the old swimming pool on the embankment, nearly opposite East Station. There was a big crowd there to watch.
Thank you again for taking me back down memory lane. Perhaps nostalgia IS what it used to be after all!
