Junk mail

[altariel]

A leaflet through my letter box this afternoon earnestly exhorts me to Experience Peterborough! I believe I shall continue to Eschew Peterborough!

One of my favourite things about Peter F. Hamilton's near-future detective books is that - as a result of global warming, rising water levels, and the flooding of the Fens - Peterborough has become a major port and, indeed, has a global reputation as a cosmopolitan city of the stature of New York, London, Sydney or... I don't know, that kind of place. Anyway, it's a good joke.

There are three of them, I think. I wish he'd do more. They sort of kind of remind me of Star Cops and that's a good thing.

Comments

[raspberryfool.livejournal.com]

What's wrong with Pottyborough Peterborough? I quite like that city. Cambridgeshire stole it from Northants back in 1972, and it's never been the same since. (not that i'd know of course!) :-)

[altariel.livejournal.com]

What's wrong with Pottyborough Peterborough? I quite like that city. Cambridgeshire stole it from Northants back in 1972, and it's never been the same since.

Cambridgeshire, you mean? ;)

Every single resident of Peterborough I've spoken to has expressed an urgent desire to be living somewhere else, like Wisbech.

And I'm still bitter about my train journey earlier this year. I'd like to see the cathedral though.

[raspberryfool.livejournal.com]

wow, that was quick. :-)

I actually meant Peterborough had never been the same since... (duck and run for cover!)

Most folks i know in Northampton feel the same. I think it's the old "Grass is greener elsewhere" syndrome. Familiarity breeds contempt etc.

I can understand you'd feel that way about the place though. I was stranded there one night after missing the last bus home. I now feel the same about Birmingham too... ;-)

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I actually meant Peterborough had never been the same since... (duck and run for cover!)

:-P


I was stranded there one night after missing the last bus home. I now feel the same about Birmingham too... ;-)

*shudders* I spent a couple of unsalubrious hours at Birmingham coach station late one night.

[(Anonymous)]

1972?Peterborough hasnt been fully part of Northamptonshire since 1889,when the old 'soke' got its own county council,but remained like an autonomous area inside Northants until 1965,when the soke of peterborough and the historic county of Huntingdonshire(Fletton,Woodston,Orton and everywhere south of the nene were Huntingdonshire) merged and became 'Huntingdon and Peterborough'..then was absorbed into Cambridgeshire in 1974..since 1998..its kinda independent again..like the soke was but within Cambridgeshire...sorry for the history lesson hehe..i live in Wellingborough and studied northamptonshire local studies when at college..Peterborough was an intersting one when it came to local government..but i go there very often as my girlfriend lives there..and it still has a Northants feel ie in the buildings and local mentality and the accent is almost identical apart from the fact we pronounce Nene differently hehehehe

[raspberryfool.livejournal.com]

Wow, i'm impressed at your local knowledge; I have no excuse for not knowing these things. I shall rap myself on the knuckles and write 200 lines forthwith: "I must pay attention in class!"

Ta for the info, anyway, i'm sure it will come in useful one day!

[trixieleitz]

The only mental picture I have of Peterborough is of the railway station, having spent many hours waiting there in order to go somewhere else.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I reckon Peterborough railway station is the British equivalent of Grand Central Station (everyone passes through there at some point), only not quite as impressive.

[trixieleitz]

The waiting room isn't as nice as the one at Berwick-upon-Tweed.

[trixieleitz]

but at least it has one, unlike Stanstead Mountfichet.

[glitterboy1.livejournal.com]

From what I remember of one bitterly cold night several years ago, there's precious little of *anything* at Stansted Mountfichet....

[trixieleitz]

There was some sort of vending machine (broken) that made a loud, inescapable buzzing noise. And a footbridge with concrete steps, in case 'sitting down' might be on one's list of 'things to do while waiting for the train on to Cambridge.'

Next time I need to get from Stansted Airport to Cambridge on a Sunday evening, when all the useful train services have finished or been cancelled, I'll take the coach.

[glitterboy1.livejournal.com]

I had to change there a lot at one stage. I forget why; it was probably a penance imposed on me for wanting to get to the north.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

No pity. No mercy.

[trixieleitz]

Edinburgh's nice.

[glitterboy1.livejournal.com]

It is. Though that wasn't the bit of the north that I was trying to get to. I'm from the north-west, which isn't generally held to be quite as nice.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I'm a big fan of "come friendly bombs and fall on Slough."

Slough does have the benefit of making one think fondly of Reading.


Though there are some very pretty things in Birmingham. I'm even using the University main square as my inspiration for the court of the White Tree.

Really? I only have vague memories of it - it's impressive, as I recall, although quite redbrick. Are there any piccies online anywhere?

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Oh those pictures are good, yes. I think I do see the brickwork being more stonework, so the buildings perhaps not so red. But the cupolas are just right. I think in terms of Florence too.