NIR 80 Class

The Northern Ireland Railway's (NIR) 80 class DEMUs were the best loved train on NIR's network for nearly 40 years, the reason they were loved was that there was little noise in the carriages as motive power consisted of two power cars. Another reason for their popularity was the fact the heating systems actually worked in these units and the roofs didn't leak which put them leagues ahead of the 450 Class.
==Technical Data==
The power cars were fitted with an English Electric 4SRKT of 500 h.p with English Electric running gear and a top speed of 70 m.p.h.
==Career==
By the early 1970s the MEDs and units inherited from the Great Northern Railway of Ireland (GNRI) had been in service for 20 years, and the MPDs for 10 years. To replace these increasingly life-expired units, Northern Ireland Railways (NIR) placed an order with British Rail Engineering Limited (BREL) for 9 new DMUs. These were to be built as four 3-car and five 2-car sets and were delivered in 1974/75. Structurally, the new trains were based on the British Rail Mark 2b bodyshell, which NIR was already using for the Enterprise service. The new trains were classified as the Class 80.
The power cars were fitted with an English Electric 560 HP diesel engine, with electric transmission to two traction motors mounted on the rear bogie. The seating capacity of the power cars was 45, however after providing for wheelchair accommodation, this was reduced to 42. The vehicle also incorporated a guards/parcel compartment. The intermediate coaches were fitted with an additional door on each side to aid passenger flow and had a capacity of 87. The driving trailers had a small cab built at one end, which necessitated the removal of six seats. This cab was set to the left to preserve the gangway connection, so that two train sets could be coupled together and still allow passengers to travel between the trains. All three types are of integral construction, however the power cars, because of their weight, also have an underframe. They were similar to the UTA 70 Class, both mechanically and electrically.
The Class 80 was intended to replace the aging MED, MPD and ex-AEC and BUT railcars on the NCC services and the suburban service between Bangor and Portadown. The railcars proved so successful that a second series was ordered in 1975, entering service in 1977/78.
Each vehicle was numbered individually, with power car numbers running from 67 to 69, and 81 to 99. The Intermediate Trailers were numbered 761 to 780 and the Driving Trailers were numbered 731 to 756. Power cars 81 to 89 were built between 1974/1975, while 67 to 69 and 90 to 99 were built between 1978/1979. Intermediate Trailers 761 to 764 were also built between 1974/1975, with 765 to 773 being completed between 1978/1979. Likewise, the Driving Trailers were also completed in batches, with 731 to 739 built between 1974/1975 and 740 to 751 built between 1978/1979. The additional coaches were conversions from BR or old NI Railways loco-hauled coaches, and were not original Class 80 vehicles. These were Driving Trailers 752 to 756 and Intermediate Trailers 774 to 780. During the mid-1990s the surviving vehicles were all renumbered by Translink, by adding 8000 to their numbers to avoid duplication with the bus fleet operated by Ulsterbus and Citybus, also Translink subsidiaries.
=== Iarnród Éireann ===
The NIR 80 class units had a long and interesting career with one set being rented by Irish Rail for use on the Bray-Greystones shuttle with one 8 car set venturing as far south as Cork for a Michael Jackson concert. The set was returned to NIR in 1990.
=== Refurbishment ===
Despite the increasing age and obsolescence of the Class 80, the lack of available rolling stock meant that NIR was forced to retain a number of units, even in spite of the entry into service of the new Class 3000. Until 2011, NIR maintained up to three 4-car units for use on passenger services. These saw a pair of 2-car units, a power car and driving trailer, coupled back to back. Six trailers were refurbished and fitted with central door locking enabling them to remain in service until the new Class 4000 units entered service in 2012. (742 had been nominated for retention but was scrapped in May 2008 and replaced in the programme by 752)
The power cars were overhauled at LH services in Staffordshire and the trailers at York Road works in Belfast
Set 89-733-738-69 remained in service until 24 May 2008
Set 93-754-749-94 was sporadically on test from Wednesday 23 July 2008. From Monday 3 November 2008, regular passenger services commenced with this set.
On Thursday 17 December 2009, a second refurbished 80 class was deployed onto the Larne Line. The final sets on the Larne Line were 90-749-752-93 and 94-754-747-82. The third refurbished set was stored at York Road and it consisted of 69-733-738-89. It was rumoured that 82 had been withdrawn from service following from an engine fire. 82 was fixed and returned to working order after the fire in Larne.
On Tuesday 26 January 2010, 89 entered passenger service with 93, 90 was taken off the set on 23 January 2010. 90 was stored at the south end of the south siding at York Road.
=== Withdrawal from passenger service ===
In 2011, the entire Class 450 fleet, together with the remaining Class 80 units, was listed by NI Railways for disposal. The final Class 80 units were withdrawn from passenger service on Sunday 25 September 2011.
== Sandite and final withdrawal ==
97 was converted to a sandite spraying vehicle in 2006 and in 2006 and 2007 was used on these duties coupled to 89. On Wednesday 1 October 2008, 97 had a test run with refurbished 82 and this pair were used for sandite trains until December 2008.
In 2009, 97 was on sandite duties again with 82. During October 2009 while out on sandite duties the engine in 97 exploded. 82 struggled with hauling dead 97 so it was decided to add 94 to back of the train to help it along. 
Three Power cars 69+94+90 and two driving trailers 749+752 were overhauled, and in 2012, 97 was painted in all-over yellow to help commuters identify it as a non-passenger train. In 2013, 69, 94 and 752 were repainted into all yellow livery to join 97. As part of this repaint, 69 was accidentally renumbered 96.
After the 2014 sandite season, 94 was taken off the set and replaced with 90, which was never repainted into the sandite train's yellow sandite livery. It ran as such for 2015, 2016 and 2017 with the final run taking place on Wednesday 22 November 2017.
All but one of the Sandite vehicles were preserved. The last remaining 80 class vehicle in NIR ownership, 97, remains was scrapped at York Road on 8 June 2019.
== Preservation ==
=== Downpatrick & County Down Railway ===
On Tuesday 27 March 2018, the Downpatrick and County Down Railway announced it was to preserve four 80 Class vehicles, consisting of two power cars 69 and 90, and two driving trailers 749 and 752. 69 and 749 have been painted in the original, as-delivered maroon and blue livery. (See photo to right) The fundraising appeal for the campaign can be found on the DCDR's website. In April it emerged that the campaign was endorsed by Pete Waterman, one of the most notable individuals in the world of railway preservation and owner of several locomotives, including at one point LNER Class A3 No. 4472 Flying Scotsman.
90 and 752 left York Road for the Downpatrick and County Down Railway on 12 May 2018, and 69 and 749 joined them the next day. It is planned that No. 69 will be named Mike Collins in honour of the railway's former chairman. No. 69 was started for the first time in preservation on 26 May 2018. It ran for the first time under its own power on 23 June 2018, with a series of crew training and platform-gauging runs to Inch Abbey, Downpatrick Loop Platform, and Magnus Grave. Power car No. 90 was similarly started for the first time since it arrived at DCDR, on 7 July 2018. The same day, 69 and 749 entered the main platform at Downpatrick station, completing their gauging trials and thus enabling them to traverse the entire DCDR network. 69 And 749 are expected to make a return to service before the end of 2019, with 749 in the final stages of a total interior overhaul. 90 and 752 are much longer term projects for full restoration.
=== Other ===
Two other 80 Class vehicles are preserved outside the DCDR. Intermediate trailer 771 was purchased in May 2007 by a now-closed B&B in Ballynure, where it remains today. Power car 99 is at the East Lancashire Railway in England, having been purchased for spare parts for 207202. It is currently used as a workshop/storeroom.
Category:Diesel trainsets
Category:United Kingdom
Category:Northern Ireland Railways
Category:CIÉ locomotives
Category:Ireland
Category:Iarnród Éireann
Category:BREL locomotives
Category:Diesel locomotives
Category:Built in 1974
Category:Downpatrick and County Down Railway
Category:Locomotives
Category:Passenger locomotives
Category:Irish diesel locomotives