NIR DEMUs move to preservation

Last month saw the arrival of a couple of power cars and driving trailers from the NIR 80 Class at the Downpatrick & County Down Railway. One of the sets, power car 69 and driving trailer 749 have been repainted by NI Railways into the original maroon and blue livery. Image below by M Young.

Power car 90 is in modern NIR blue/grey livery as was when withdrawn from public trains (with additional graffiti added), and driving trailer 752 is in a garish departmental yellow.



For anyone interested, here's a short video of 69's first start in preservation.

Will any of NIR's first Gen DMU's be used for charters?

The only surviving DEMUs are the 80 class and 450 class vehicles at Downpatrick, which is not mainline connected - so no charters. They will however see use at Downpatrick on selected dates; the 450 is intended for use as a buffet train (while not precluding its use for passengers for special occasions) and the 80 will see occasional passenger use.

We've a fair bit of work to get through before this becomes a reality though.

23 June sees the 80 class carry out its first move in preservation during driver training, all accompanied by that familiar thump and a fair bit of clag.