Historic trains which transformed rail travel return for special weekend

Nation.Cymru Staff

Historic trains which transformed rail travel across Britain are returning to the tracks in north Wales for a special weekend celebrating the vehicles and the volunteers who keep them running.

The much-loved Heritage Railcar Weekend will take place at Llangollen Railway in the Dee Valley on Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 October 2026.

Organised by Llangollen Railcars, the sister charity to the Llangollen Railway Trust, the event will showcase the heritage railcar fleet while giving visitors the opportunity to meet the volunteers who restore and maintain the vehicles

What is a DMU?

Railcars are more formally known as Diesel Multiple Units, or DMUs, and they transformed Britain’s railways from the 1950s onwards.

Unlike a traditional train, where a locomotive pulls passenger carriages, a DMU has its engines and driving equipment incorporated into the passenger vehicles themselves. Several vehicles can be coupled together and controlled as one train, hence the term ‘multiple unit’.

DMUs became part of everyday life across the country, working everything from rural branch lines and local stopping services to busy commuter and longer-distance trains.

Llangollen Railcars continues to restore, maintain and operate these vehicles, preserving them for future generations while ensuring they can still do what they were built to do: carry passengers.

Travelling through the Dee Valley

Building on the success of the 2025 event, the 2026 Heritage Railcar Weekend will feature an intensive two-train timetable, with three different heritage DMU sets featuring across the weekend.

Heritage railcars planned to feature include examples of the Class 108, Class 109 and Class 127/108 hybrid, operating in two and four-car formations.

The railcars feature large windows and open passenger saloons, offering views of the surrounding countryside as the railway follows the River Dee from Llangollen through Berwyn, Glyndyfrdwy and Carrog to Corwen.

With DMUs operating throughout the weekend, visitors can experience a journey which one recent passenger described as “floating along the Dee Valley”.

Passengers will be able to change trains at Glyndyfrdwy, providing an opportunity to visit the station’s traditional Tea Room and Bar before continuing their journey through the valley.

Additionally, class 105 ‘Cravens’ trailer car No. 56456 will be on display at Llangollen Station, allowing visitors to see the progress being made on its interior restoration.

The Class 507 Preservation Society will also be joining the weekend at Llangollen Station with its driving simulator.

Saturday evening Landcruise

The weekend will also see the return of the special Saturday evening ‘Landcruise’, which will depart Llangollen at 6.30pm.

The railcar will travel through the Dee Valley to Corwen before returning towards Llangollen, including an extended stop of around an hour at Glyndyfrdwy where the station bar will be open.

Hot food will also be available from the café at Llangollen Station before the evening departure.

Adam Boddy, Chairman of Llangollen Railcars said: “Railcars have a really special place in Britain’s railway history and they are vehicles which are loved by young and old.

“For some, stepping aboard brings back memories of when these trains were part of everyday life, taking people to work, school, the shops or on a day out. For younger visitors, they offer the excitement of discovering a completely different type of train and, hopefully, inspire an interest in railway heritage which will last for years to come.

“As a charity, our purpose is not simply to preserve these vehicles, but to keep them doing what they were built to do: carrying passengers.

“Our volunteers put an enormous amount of time, skill and dedication into restoring and maintaining the fleet so that people can actually experience these wonderful trains rather than simply looking at them in a museum.

“Heritage Railcar Weekend is a celebration of that work and a chance for us to share these remarkable vehicles with as many people as possible.”

Benn Pollard, Event Organiser, added: “What makes these railcars particularly special is the Dee Valley. There really is no better way to see it.

“The huge windows give you incredible panoramic views and, because you can see straight through the railcar, there is this wonderful feeling of being part of the landscape around you.

“One passenger recently described travelling with us as being like ‘floating along the Dee Valley’, and I think that captures the experience perfectly.

“You can sit back and watch the River Dee and the hills pass those huge windows as you travel from Llangollen through Berwyn, Glyndyfrdwy and Carrog to Corwen. It really is an unbeatable experience.

“We had a fantastic response to last year’s Heritage Railcar Weekend, so this year we’re building on that success with another busy timetable and plenty for visitors to experience.

“The Saturday evening Landcruise will be another highlight. Travelling through the Dee Valley as the light fades is something quite special and should be a fantastic way to round off the Saturday.”

Tickets

Tickets for the 2026 Heritage Railcar Weekend are on sale now.

Adults
• 1 Day: £36
• 2 Days: £65

Children
• 1 Day: £6
• 2 Days: £10

Further details, including the full timetable, will be announced ahead of the event.

---

Get more trusted Welsh news

Choose Nation.Cymru as a preferred source in Google News to see more of our journalism.