A Kings Cross favourite
Peter Kerslake writes "Working at Kings Lynn in the early 'fifties enabled me to visit Peterborough on a couple of Saturdays by the former Midland & Great Northern line, and this was by far one of my best efforts on one such visit.
An immaculate Silver Fox breaks into the afternoon sunlight from beneath the gloom of Peterborough's overall roof and comes to a brief stop on its way to Kings Cross, with passengers ready to join the train.
The mixed reaction of the "spotters" in their regulation school caps, short trousers and satchels helps make the picture, some of whom stand in awe at the sight, whilst one lad throws his arms in the air having presumably already "copped" this one before". Graham Hobbs explains the regulation school caps " King's school boys had to attend Saturday morning school. We had a lively railway club and no doubt many pupils went straight to the station after studies. Judging by the shadows it is mid to late afternoon"
Peter Kerslake adds "I am indebted to Graham Hobbs for his explanation of the presence of the seven school caps in this Saturday shot , something which had puzzled me for many years and yes, he is correct and this would have been an early or mid afternoon picture as I travelled to Peterborough from Kings Lynn by train that morning, a trip of an hour or so via the former M.& G.N.R. line.
The lads have, therefore, as Graham explains, clearly made haste down to Peterborough North direct from Saturday morning school and there's quite a bunch of them, but this is what we did in those happy days."

Even the wheel tapper on the left cannot resist a good look at such a splendid sight.
Peter Kerslake adds "On a very recent visit to the National Railway Museum at York I was pleased to see the silver fox seen here in my photograph together with the nameplate on display in " The Warehouse ", and it brought back memories of this picture, one where luck was certainly on my side that day "