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 No.
4472 ''Flying Scotsman''.
69 is particularly notable for having worked the last Peace Train in 1995, an accolade which made it the subject of an episode of Chris Tarrant: Extreme Railways in 2019.

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 were originally planned to enter service in May 2020, but their launch has been postponed until further notice due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
90 and 752 are much longer term projects for full restoration, though 90 has successfully worked in multiple with 69 and 749 since arriving at DCDR.
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 No. 4472 ''Flying Scotsman''. 69 is particularly notable for having worked the last Peace Train in 1995, an accolade which made it the subject of an episode of Chris Tarrant: Extreme Railways in 2019.
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 were originally planned to enter service in May 2020, but their launch has been postponed until further notice due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 90 and 752 are much longer term projects for full restoration, though 90 has successfully worked in multiple with 69 and 749 since arriving at DCDR.
NIR Class 80