thewanderer

The April gallery has been updated with images from: Sunday 6th April 2025: Views of the 1735 Limerick - Ballybrophy at Roscrea. Wednesday 9th April 2025: While travelling from Clonmel to Limerick, I stopped off to photo the 0945 Limerick Jct. - Waterford. Thursday 10th April 2025: While in Athlone for the day, the Ballina - Waterford XPO Liner and North Wall - Ballina IWT Liner crossed in the station. Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/2025-Photos/April-2025/i-zKJqCbz to view.

Pictures from the Tailte Tours The Eyre Lee Bird railtour from Cork to Galway via Limerick bringing a 4 car set of 2600 Class DMU's back to the City of the Tribes for the first time in several years. Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/RailtoursPreservedRailways/2025/Táilte-Tours-The-Eyre-Lee-Bird to view all the images from this excellent day out on the rails with what can now be considered classic traction with the 31 year old 2600 Class fleet. Another highlight from the day was getting to photograph the retro liveried 201 Class loco, No. 220 at Limerick Jct.

Pictures from the Tailte Tours The Eyre Lee Bird railtour from Cork to Galway via Limerick bringing a 4 car set of 2600 Class DMU's back to the City of the Tribes for the first time in several years. Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/RailtoursPreservedRailways/2025/Táilte-Tours-The-Eyre-Lee-Bird to view all the images from this excellent day out on the rails with what can now be considered classic traction with the 31 year old 2600 Class fleet. Another highlight from the day was getting to photograph the retro liveried 201 Class loco, No. 220 at Limerick Jct.

Over 300 pictures from a visit to the UK last week with images from: * London * Derby * Nottingham * Beeston * Lincoln * Grimsby * Cleethropes * Doncaster * Darlington * Stirling * Glasgow Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/International/2025-International-Trips/UK-Trip-24th-to-29th-March-2025 to view all the images in a day by day gallery. While in Darlington, I paid a visit to Heighington Station for a guided tour by Niall Hammond, Chairman of the Friends of the Stockton & Darlington Railway. The station is now recognised as being the earliest railway station in the world and the society is fundraising to buy and restore it. More details on this exciting project can be found at https://www.sdr1825.org.uk/save-heighington-station/

The April gallery is updated with: Wednesday 2nd April 2025: A few photos taken while on the way from Limerick to Thurles. Later in the evening we see 220 in its new retro livery passing near Holycross with the 1700 Heuston - Cork. Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/2025-Photos/April-2025/i-NTqtSCq to view all the images.

Updates to the March and April galleries tonight. The March 2025 gallery comes to a close with images from: Saturday 22nd & Sunday 23rd March 2025: Pictures from a weekend in Dublin. Monday 24th March 2025: An early morning trip to Cork to head to the airport for a flight to London Heathrow. Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/2025-Photos/March-2025/i-vPgxMFX to view all the images. The April 2025 gallery opens on April's Fools day with some pretty interesting events! 083 brought a six car transfer of 2700 Class vehicles from Cork to Inchicore Works for scrapping. 071 Class loco 083 brought vehicles 2717 + 2718 + 2713 + 2714 +2710 + 2709 on their final rail journey. Meanwhile, retro liveried 220, after its stint on freight work after re-entering service was released to passenger work, being allocated to the work Cork MK4 services from the 1100 Heuston - Cork onwards, later working the 1425 return and 1800 back to Cork. All in all, an interesting day and the photos can be viewed at https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/2025-Photos/April-2025/i-QSjDCbh

Wednesday 19th March 2025: Images from the Tralee line between Rathmore and Banteer showing the latest progress on the new footbridge and also the 1725 Mallow - Tralee and 1705 Tralee - Cork services. Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/2025-Photos/March-2025/i-r5MBSpg to view.

Saturday 15th March 2025: A Saturday morning trip to Monastervin to capture the latest Iarnrod Eireann retro-liveried scheme to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the 201 Class locomotives. 220 has been painted into a near original version of its as delivered livery in 1995 and today was its first working since completion of its overhaul and repainting when it worked the 0940 North Wall - Ballina IWT Liner. A few other bits and bobs feature at Monastervin during the 60 minutes spent there. Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/2025-Photos/March-2025/i-848ZNxc to view all the images. https://photos.smugmug.com/2025-Photos/March-2025/i-848ZNxc/0/NBXLRwggRz5PQZ2HFSDNxd6P2r9G32rjcskMhmTHc/S/DJI_0930-S.jpg

Saturday 15th March 2025: A Saturday morning trip to Monastervin to capture the latest Iarnrod Eireann retro-liveried scheme to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the 201 Class locomotives. 220 has been painted into a near original version of its as delivered livery in 1995 and today was its first working since completion of its overhaul and repainting when it worked the 0940 North Wall - Ballina IWT Liner. A few other bits and bobs feature at Monastervin during the 60 minutes spent there. Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/2025-Photos/March-2025/i-848ZNxc to view all the images.

The March gallery has been updated with pictures from Heuston, Thurles and Limerick during the week. Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/2025-Photos/March-2025/i-cjRQMJw to view. Also updated is the Foynes Line rebuild gallery with images from the Limerick City end. Rails and Sleepers have now been completed along the complete route. Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/Officialevents/2025/Foynes-Line-Reconstruction/i-jkwqqNc

After the excitement from earlier in the week with the 30th anniversary photos of loco 220, the March gallery has been updated with images from Heuston, LUAS Red Line trams in the city centre and Clonmel Station on Friday evening. Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/2025-Photos/March-2025/i-SgqJVq4 to view all the images.

Both outings are now sold out.

The 201 Class were introduced to Iarnród Éireann Irish Rail service between 1994 and 1995. To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the class, Iarnrod Eireann have repainted locomotive 220 in a variation of the original as delivered livery following a staff suggestion. This new retro livery complements the other retro liveries already carried by locomotives 071, 073 & a railcar set 2601+2602. The gallery contains photos of the loco being released from the paint shop last July, after which it entered the loco overhaul shop at Inchicore for its 1 million kilometer overhaul. Following completion of the overhaul the loco is currently on pilot duties at Inchicore works before returning to service later in March 2025. 220 entered service on 4th March 1995 and on this date in 2025 the loco was posed in Inchicore for photographs to be taken of her before returning to service. See the gallery for all the images and a brief history of the 201 Class locomotives. https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/Officialevents/2025/201class-30years

The February gallery has been updated and the March gallery started. February finishes off with images from Cork, Mallow, Killarney, Portlaoise, Kildare and The Curragh - photos can be viewed at https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/2025-Photos/February-2025/i-kHncj9G March starts off with a day trip to Dublin with images from Thurles, Heuston, Clontarf Road and Pearse - photos can be viewed at https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/2025-Photos/March-2025

The February gallery has been updated with images from Thurles, Mallow, Heuston, Connolly, Broombridge and LUAS Red Line in Dublin City centre. Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/2025-Photos/February-2025/i-2B8SLmD to view all the images.

The IRRS have announced the first of their outings for 2025. “The Har-stone Explorer” – 18th May 2025 A tram tour has been arranged to transverse the Green Line on Sunday 18th May 2025, covering a variety of non-passenger track and one of the unopened stations on the Green Line. The requested itinerary is: Broombridge Depot – Broombridge Depot West Gate – Broombridge outbound platform (Rev) – Beechwood – Beechwood Emergency Crossover (Rev) – St. Stephens Green – St. Stephens Green emergency refuge siding (Rev) (photo stop) – Brennanstown (unopened station) (photo stop) – Brides Glen inbound platform (Rev) – Broombridge Depot East Gate – Broombridge Depot. Tour passengers are to meet at Broombridge Depot at 1030 hrs for a 1100 start time. Bookings for this outing open on Friday 7th March at 09.00 Fares Member Non-Member Adult €20.00 €25.00 Children (under 16) N/A €10.00 For further details please our booking page at Irish Railway Record Society Outing to Belfast Grand Central & Adelaide Depot – 28th May 2025 An outing has been arranged to visit the new Belfast Grand Central Station and Adelaide Depot on Wednesday 28th May 2025. The outing will travel from Dublin Connolly at 07:40 hrs on a Iarnrod Eireann 22000 Class Intercity Railcar set via the new hourly “Enterprise” to Belfast. Travel between Grand Central and Adelaide will be via local Northern Ireland Railways services. Bookings for this outing open on Friday 7th March at 09.00 Fares Member Non-Member Standard Class Return Ticket from Dublin Connolly €55.00 €60.00 1st Class / 1st Plus Return Ticket from Dublin Connolly €81.00 €86.00 Persons joining at Belfast Grand Central €20.00 €25.00 Persons with free travel (Standard Class) €25.00 €30.00 Persons with free travel (1st Class / 1st Plus) €46.00 €51.00 For further details please our booking page at Irish Railway Record Society

A bit of a Cork fest again this week with a number of images from the City and County over the past week. Monday 10th February 2025: The 1200 Heuston - Cork calls at Thurles. Tuesday 11th - Thursday 13th February 2025: Pictures from around Cork including Cobh and Mallow including images of the new platform 6 in Cork. Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/2025-Photos/February-2025/i-nNb8Mzh to view.

The February gallery starts off with images from East Cork. Monday 3rd February 2025: Pictures of the Passage West Ferry and East Cork Commuter trains at Glounthaune and Littleisland. Friday 7th February 2025: More East Cork Commuter action from the Lower Glanmire Road. Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/2025-Photos/February-2025 to view.

The January gallery closes off with: Tuesday 28th & Wednesday 29th January 2025: Pictures from Connolly, Heuston & Drogheda. Friday 31st January 2025: Pictures from Mallow, Cork and the East Cork Commuter Stations of Glouthaune and Rushbrooke. Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/2025-Photos/January-2025/i-BKZ3zFJ

Two gallery updates for this week. First up is the January gallery which has been updated with: Monday 20th January 2025: Pictures from Thurles and Heuston and an evening at the Irish Railway Record Society Annual Dinner. Tuesday 21st & Wednesday 22nd January 2025: Pictures from around Dublin including Connolly, Tara Street, Pearse, Grand Canal Dock and Clontarf Road. Saturday 25th January 2025: A day trip from Thurles to Limerick. Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/2025-Photos/January-2025/i-gpzzJt4 to view. Second up is a Foynes Line rebuilding update with a survey of the route between Limerick Check and Patrickswell. Track is now laid from Foynes all the way up as far as Rathbane Level Crossing in the suburbs of Limerick. Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/Officialevents/2025/Foynes-Line-Reconstruction/i-8q6VG7D to view all the images.

The January gallery has been brought right up to date with over 130 photos uploaded today. Friday 10th January 2025: A day trip to Belfast to see the recent developments in the City with the opening of Grand Central Station, the renamed York Street Station (was Yorkgate) and new facilities there plus the new platform on the Down Line at Derriaghy. Wednesday 15th January 2025: A single photo from late evening at Heuston showing stabled MKIV sets. Thursday 16th January 2025: An evening ramble by tram, bus and trains around Dublin. LUAS Green Line to Dundrum. S6 bus to Blackrock. DART to Clontarf Road. N2 bus to Heuston. Sunday 19th January 2025: The All Ireland Club Hurling & Football Finals took place at Croke Park on Sunday 19th January. Cork GAA Club Sarsfield in Glanmire chartered two specials off Iarnrod Eireann, both of which were formed of 6ICR sets. The specials departed Cork at 0815 & 0930 both bound for Drumcondra, then operating to Grand Canal Dock to reverse before heading back each to Tralee and Heuston. I ventured out for the return empty workings, a Heuston to Cork to form the 1425 Cork - Heuston and a very unusual Grand Canal Dock - Tralee Ety. to form the 1750 Tralee - Heuston. Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/2025-Photos/January-2025/i-BNCZsHK to view all the images.

Last weekend a friend and I did a quick 25 hour visit to England and Wales. Travelling from Belfast on the Friday night 2230 Stena Line sailing to Liverpool arriving at 0745 on Saturday morning. We then headed to Manchester to travel on the 1030 TfW service to Cardiff Central which was formed of 67014 and MK4 set HD07. After a very enjoyable trip to Cardiff we continued to West Wales finishing in Fishguard and Goodwick for the night. On Sunday we returned to Ireland on the temporary Stena Line route to Dublin Port aboard the Stena Adventurer due to the closure of Holyhead Port. See https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/International/2025-International-Trips/UK-Trip-25-hours-in-England-and-Wales to view all the images.

Sunday 5th January 2025: Significant snowfall occurred in the midlands and southern parts of Ireland on Saturday evening, continuing overnight and all day Sunday. Road conditions were extremely difficult with reports of Motorways being impassable in places. The railway operated more or less to schedule with some delays reported on Sunday afternoon due to level crossing equipment faults between Charleville and Mallow being the major issue of the day. I ventured out to Brittas north of Thurles to get some photos and then popped into the station to get some more photos. Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/2025-Photos/January-2025/i-k6K6M37 to view all the images.

Just one from today. 22022 is pictured at Maddams Hill, Killarney with a Tralee to Mallow service. Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/2024-Photos/December-2024/i-qnGgswK for the high rez image.

Evening all, A few photos from last weekend and tonight to bring December up to date. Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/2024-Photos/December-2024/i-fvBpgHB to view. Merry Christmas to one and all.