Peterborough, England, United Kingdom — Northwestern Europe (the British Isles)

Railway Town

Photographed by Ray Gurganus, May 6, 2026

1. Railway Town Marker

Inscription. Peterborough grew rapidly from being a small market town during the second half of the 19th century, thanks to the coming of the railways. By 1861 there were four major rail companies operating in the city, employing 2,000 of the 12,000 population. More people meant more houses, and homes on nearby Gladstone Street and Cromwell Road were inhabited by employees of the Midland Railway.

The Great Northern Railway built houses in New England to the north of the city centre, the Great Eastern Railway around the present football ground and the London North Western Railway along Oundle Road.

The nearby Great Northern Hotel was opened in 1852 and was owned by the Great Northern Railway. The station manager was not used to running a hotel, perhaps leading the famed American novelist Nathaniel Hawthorne, who visited in 1857, to describe his stay there as "wretched and uncomfortable".

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Railroads & Streetcars. A significant historical year for this entry is 1861.

Location. 52° 34.493′ N, 0° 14.885′ W. Marker is in Peterborough, England. It is on Station Road, on the left

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when traveling north. The marker is part of an information kiosk, mounted below the map. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 7 Station Rd, Peterborough, England PE1 1QL, United Kingdom. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in England’s East Anglia.

Globally, it is on the Atlantic Ocean,

in the North Atlantic Region,

in Europe,

in Atlantic Europe,

on one of the British Isles,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Roman Empire.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Age of Steam (about 90 meters away, measured in a direct line); Historic Peterborough (about 240 meters away); Body Snatchers and Olympians (about 240 meters away); Street of Cows (approx. 0.3 kilometers away); The Guildhall (approx. 0.4 kilometers away); Markets and Monarchs (approx. 0.4 kilometers away); St Thomas Becket (approx. half a kilometer away); Abbey and Cathedral (approx. half a kilometer away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Peterborough.

Credits. This page was last revised on August 3, 2026. It was originally submitted on August 3, 2026, by Ray Gurganus of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 4 times since then. Photo 1. submitted on August 3, 2026, by Ray Gurganus of Washington, District of Columbia. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.