The 80 Class is a type of diesel electric multiple unit formerly used by Northern Ireland Railways.

To replace these increasingly life-expired units, Northern Ireland Railways (NIR) placed an order with British Rail Engineering Limited (BREL) for 9 new DMUs.

Structurally, the new trains were based on the British Rail Mark 2b bodyshell, which NIR was already using for the Enterprise service.

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.

In addition to their regular services, they were employed on a variety of other workings, including a nine-car All-Ireland hurling special from Cork to Dublin.

(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.

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.

The last remaining 80 Class vehicle in NIR ownership, 97, was scrapped at York Road on 8 June 2019.

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.

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.

[5] 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.

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.

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 put in a cameo appearance at the 2019 Irish Traction Group 30th anniversary diesel gala, but could not carry passengers due to ongoing floor repairs in 749.

The pair were originally planned to enter service in May 2020, but their launch has been postponed until further notice due to the COVID-19 pandemic.