THE Downpatrick & County Down Railway (DCDR) has taken advantage of its ongoing temporary closure by using the down time to progress the refurbishment of its ex- Northern Ireland Railways (NIR) 80 Class ‘Thumper’ unit.
In late September, Driving Trailer No. 749 was drawn out of the workshop and into the open air the first time since 2019, marking the completion of an extensive refurbishment that has seen it return to almost-1978 appearance.
The two 80 Class power cars, Nos. 90 and 69, were used to perform the shunt, which resulted in No. 69 taking No. 749’s place in the workshop for attention to its roof.
Volunteers have been painstakingly removing the old and flaking roof paint, which when finished will allow the roof vents to be sealed to prevent any further water ingress.