thewanderer

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.

Life has gotten in the way of late so there hasn't been too much activity in updating the website for the past month but I've finally cleared the backlog of photos from November to mid-December. November gallery: https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/2024-Photos/November-2024/i-sRgxNwJ A handful of photos from the latter part of November featuring Killarney, Thurles and Heuston. December gallery: https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/2024-Photos/December-2024 Sunday 1st December 2024: Pictures from the Mallow - Tralee line with images from Killarney, Banteer (to see the new footbridge) and between Mallow and Banteer. Saturday 7th & Sunday 8th December: Images from around the Dublin area while on a visit to the Capital to sample the RPSI Santa Steam Train Specials. Friday 13th Decemeber: A short hop from Thurles to Limerick Jct. to meet family travelling up on the 1425 Cork - Heuston service and later in the evening a visit to Clonmel to view the 1625 Waterford - Limerick Jct. Tuesday 17th & Wednesday 18th December 2024: Images of LUAS trams in Dublin City. London trip: 20th to 23rd November 2024: https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/International/2024/UK-Trip-20th-23rd-November-2024 Four days in London where I managed to cram a lot in. Highlights being a visit to Strawberry Hill to visit the good folks in SETG looking after the 4VEP 3417 and travelling around on Class 455's as they enter their final months of service.

You were spotted at Ballybrophy.....and we were wondering who on earth was in Bally for it! A very enjoyable Irish railtour today and the first passenger run of a MK4 set to Limerick City. No fuss (having managed railtours before it can be a chore dealing with last minute issues), a relaxing day out and good company. Photos from the day at https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/RailtoursPreservedRailways/2024/Tailte-Tours-The-Great-Southern-Railway-Centennial-Railtour

A very enjoyable Irish railtour today and the first passenger run of a MK4 set to Limerick City. No fuss (having managed railtours before it can be a chore dealing with last minute issues), a relaxing day out and good company. Photos from the day at https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/RailtoursPreservedRailways/2024/Tailte-Tours-The-Great-Southern-Railway-Centennial-Railtour

The November gallery kicks off with images from Dublin, Thurles and Cork. Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/2024-Photos/November-2024 to view.

Rail services commenced at the new Belfast Grand Central Station on Sunday 13th October. Unfortunately I haven't had an opportunity to get up to Belfast yet due to a large number of personal and professional commitments lately. So with thanks to Belfast based enthusiast, Matthew Wilson, he has kindly allowed use of a selection of his photos to record this historic event. Belfast Grand Central replaced the adjacent Great Victoria Street Station which closed last May. Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/Officialevents/2024/Belfast-Grand-Central-opening-13th-October-2024 to view the images.

The October gallery has been updated with: Tuesday 22nd October 2024: Photos from a day trip starting in Nenagh to Dublin and then down to Limerick and a very much a sneak peek of new rolling stock fresh off the boat from Poland. Wednesday 23rd October: Just one photo today from Limerick Jct. Thursday 24th October 2024: Photos from around Limerick Station. Friday 25th October 2024: While on a road trip from Tipperary to Donegal, passing Knockcroghery at the right time to photo the 1445 Heuston - Westport passing the level crossing and former station. Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/2024-Photos/October-2024/i-x9Kxb26 to view all the images

The October gallery is updated with: Wednesday 16th October 2024: In Dublin for an Irish Railway Record Society talk with a few pictures from Heuston and Abbey Street. Thursday 17th October 2024: A quick sortie to Cork today with a trip to Midleton to see the initial progress on the project to redouble the track on the single line branch. Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/2024-Photos/October-2024/i-GLNnXnP to view.

Afternoon folks, Two updates to the website today with images of the RPSI Croagh Patrick Railtour on Saturday 12th October. The tour travelled from Dublin Heuston to Westport and Ballina. Loco 079 worked the first leg of the tour from Heuston to Westport and Claremorris where 084 took over for part 2 of the day into Ballina and back to Dublin Heuston. Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/RailtoursPreservedRailways/2024/RPSI-Croagh-Patrick-Railtour to view all the images from the day. The 2nd update is to the October gallery and mainly features other images from yesterday of travelling from Mallow to Portarlington to meet the tour and then he journey back to Mallow late on Saturday night onboard a Rugby Spl. Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/2024-Photos/October-2024/i-K5jhCcL to view all the other images.

It's been a busy few weeks so hardly any time for photos but managed to grab some photos in Nenagh and Farranfore on Tuesday night. Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/2024-Photos/October-2024 to view.

Just a few images from Nenagh, Ballybrophy and Heuston over the past few days. Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/2024-Photos/September-2024/i-SQwknms to view.