It's now looking likely that the last surviving NIR 80 class DEMU has run in service for the last time. It has been failing almost daily for weeks, but suffered a major blow up the week before last. Power car 90 has been removed from the set and dumped in a siding at York Road depot in Belfast.
I sincerely hope this turns out not to be the case, but I don't hold out much hope. After my last visit to NI on 5th April, I changed my avatar to a shot of 90's 4SRKT engine, saying I would change it back to the 70 class shot when the 80 finally bowed out. I've now seen fit to change it back
I've spent much of my life around these wonderful trains, so to make us smile and remind us of happier times, I've compiled a few of my shots of them for you all to enjoy. They give a representative sample of liveries down the years. R.I.P.
1) Sometime in August 1985 96 (still in the original and IMHO the best livery) brings up the rear of a Belfast York Road > Larne Harbour working leaving Downshire. The trailers are in the 1980s red and grey livery.
2) On 3rd March 1991 Inter City liveried 99 rests at Portrush after arriving on the 10:10 (FO) from Belfast Central.
3) Also on 3rd March 1991, Suburban liveried DTS 735 waits to depart Lisburn with the 14:40 [London]Derry > Belfast Central.
4) Many, many years later and after a peronal absence of about 10 years from Northern Ireland, it was good to catch up again on 14th May 2008. 69 carrying early Translink livery rolls into Downshire on an afternoon working to Belfast Central. Vestibule veg enjoying the experience!
5) On my last ever day with an 80 class on 5th April 2011, a filthy and failed 94 stands at Belfast Central after arriving with the 10:57 ex-Larne Harbour. A couple of minutes later she exploded back into life to work the 12:12 to Carrickfergus, to my considerable relief.
I sincerely hope this turns out not to be the case, but I don't hold out much hope. After my last visit to NI on 5th April, I changed my avatar to a shot of 90's 4SRKT engine, saying I would change it back to the 70 class shot when the 80 finally bowed out. I've now seen fit to change it back
I've spent much of my life around these wonderful trains, so to make us smile and remind us of happier times, I've compiled a few of my shots of them for you all to enjoy. They give a representative sample of liveries down the years. R.I.P.
1) Sometime in August 1985 96 (still in the original and IMHO the best livery) brings up the rear of a Belfast York Road > Larne Harbour working leaving Downshire. The trailers are in the 1980s red and grey livery.
2) On 3rd March 1991 Inter City liveried 99 rests at Portrush after arriving on the 10:10 (FO) from Belfast Central.
3) Also on 3rd March 1991, Suburban liveried DTS 735 waits to depart Lisburn with the 14:40 [London]Derry > Belfast Central.
4) Many, many years later and after a peronal absence of about 10 years from Northern Ireland, it was good to catch up again on 14th May 2008. 69 carrying early Translink livery rolls into Downshire on an afternoon working to Belfast Central. Vestibule veg enjoying the experience!
5) On my last ever day with an 80 class on 5th April 2011, a filthy and failed 94 stands at Belfast Central after arriving with the 10:57 ex-Larne Harbour. A couple of minutes later she exploded back into life to work the 12:12 to Carrickfergus, to my considerable relief.
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