The crowds of expectant passengers are surprisingly small as they wait on Platform 3 for ‘Class 5’ No.44914 to bring in their train for the ‘City of Birmingham Holiday Express’ in 1956. These trains provided a cheap holiday for the local workers and the cost was £5 for five different day’s outings in a week. Typical destinations included the North Wales Coast (Rhyl, Colwyn Bay, or Llandudno), London, Matlock or Buxton, Brighton and Southport.

Ed Purcell recalls "It was always a treat to see these trains. they always seemed to have a Blackie on the front. The loco, as I recall, was always very well cared for and looked a bit special in shining black with the maroon and white headboard"