The Llangollen Railway has announced that the visitor for this years DMU weekend on June 21/22 will be former North Wales celebrity Class 101 Daisy.Two car DMBS 50164 and DMC 50160 will visit the Welsh line for only one weekend, following which it will move on for service elsewhere. This will be first time it has been in service since withdrawal from Regional Railways in Manchester 10 years ago.
This unit gained celebrity status in 1994 when it was repainted in British Railways green for use on the Llandudno to Blaenau Ffestiniog line. It remained in service until the last day of heritage DMU operation in December 2003, following which it was bought for preservation, then spending brief periods at both the Elsecar and the Chasewater Railways before moving to the Midland Railway in 2009 for contract restoration.
Since then both vehicles have been extensively rebuilt but the set has not yet seen public service. It is due to be taken to Llangollen in late May where it will be used for driver experience and a photographic charter in the week before the gala but will see passenger service for the one weekend only.
The annual Llangollen DMU Gala has established a reputation as being one of the foremost events of its type in previous years and features up to 16 departures each way per day with the units working in two, four and six car formations. This year trains will also travel as far as Bonwm on the new Corwen extension.
Daisy will join four of the resident units (Classes 104/108/Wickham and 127) in service and the event will also feature the partly-restored Class 105 trailer and its Class 104 power car in Llangollen station to show visitors the extent of work required in restorations. There will be sales stalls as well as the customary Saturday evening social function, which will this year take place at Glyndyfrdwy Station, with a special train operating to the site, which will also be used for turn up and go driver experience sessions.
In response to requests at previous events Llangollen stations buffet will open early at 0830 for breakfast on each day of the event and all the lines intermediate stations will also be offering refreshment.
This will be the first time that a Class 101 has been seen on the Llangollen Railway since it was reopened.