This power car arrived in Llangollen in 1984 and has been constantly at work on the line ever since. It was initially used in its as-withdrawn blue livery but was quickly painted in British Railways lined green with "speed whiskers" and has carried that livery ever since.
It has always run on the Llangollen Railway with Cravens trailer M56456, although this pairing would never have happened in real life as the power car would have been part of a four-coach suburban set, working from London St Pancras to Bedford.
Used initially in its as-withdrawn condition, although repainted, the power car received an extensive renovation in 1990 which included a bogie overhaul. It was renovated again in 1997 at which point it was fitted with a reconditioned engine to the number 2 side, which had been obtained from railway stock. In 2007 the second engine was fully reconditioned, this time at our own workshops and later the same year a replacement final drive was fitted to one of the bogies. In whole of the interior was refitted around the turn of the century.
This train reached its 25th anniversary in preservation at Llangollen in 2009, and it has now operated for more years in preservation that it did for British Railways.

Class 127 power car M51618 is seen in service at Carrog during 2008 (Mike Martin)

Built by British Railways works at Derby in 1959 this car represents the long-wheelbase suburban design which had high-density seating and more doors to each coach to facilitate loading and unloading.
It is a driving motor brake second coach which is fitted with two underfloor Rolls Royce 238bhp eight-cylinder engines which drive the wheels through torque convertors.
Introduced for the Bedford to St Pancras service in 1959 this car ran as part of a four-car set. It remained on these duties until 1984 when the line was electrified and was then withdrawn along with the rest of the power cars, which were worn out. These cars had many non-standard features and as such were early candidates for withdrawal.
The car is from lot number 30521 and is in current passenger service.

This unit is officially fitted with "Red Triangle" multiple unit equipment but it will work with the "Blue Square" vehicles which form the rest of the fleet.

The class 127 DMU was one of the first trains to work at the Llangollen Railway. It is seen here shortly after introduction in 1985 on a train bound for Berwyn (the then terminus of the line) and was, at that time, still in British Railways blue livery.