Almost as traditional as excursions to Blackpool, but on a smaller scale, were those to Southport, and particularly for the annual Flower Show. This article concentrates on the special traffic run for that event during the last years of steam. Although Southport generated its own summer-long holiday traffic, it tended to peak during the Flower Show. In 1966, ‘67 and ’68 this then world famous floral festival was held on the last Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of August. Certain selected towns seemed favoured with special trains as if British Rail had found out where the greatest interest lay. Stalybridge in particular benefited each year, though the train picked up elsewhere too. In 1966, the year for which I have the fullest documentation, the afore-mentioned train, 1T44, ran on the day preceding the Show, starting from Greenfield at 11.20The nine-coach set came from Lightbowne Carriage Sidings and the engine, No.44679 (8F), tender first to begin with, was given eighteen minutes to run round at Diggle, slightly longer on the way back.
