thewanderer

A big update to the website tonight as the clearing out the backlog of pictures continues. The October gallery is updated with images from Thurles Killarney. Mallow Limerick Jct. Pictures from either side of Ennis of Limerick - Athenry services. Athenry - Galway was closed on this day due to engineering works. Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/2026-Photos/October-2026/i-3wR8sdd The November gallery starts with an unusual move to turn the three good vehicles of set 22026 on the triangle at Limerick Jct. so it can be reformed as a hybrid set with vehicle 22302 to be added to the set. Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/2026-Photos/November-2026 Earlier in October I spent a few days in England and the images from that trip are at: https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/International/2026/UK-Trip-Monday-12th-to-Saturday-17th-October-2026 Locations cover London and the South East including the Isle of Wight and the St. Albans Abbey branch where I availed of the once a day through train from London Euston, Leicester, Nottingham, Skegness and Sheffield.

During the bank holiday weekend, Limerick Station was closed while the rebuilt Foynes Line was commissioned into the Limerick ECP interlocking. A number of test trains operated on the Sunday and Monday to test the routes.Sunday testing took place on the Foynes Line as far as Kilnockin Level Crossing using set 28003. Testing also took place in Limerick Station area using set 28009. On Monday, the test train for the Foynes Line was allocated for 28009 and after a 5 hour journey it reached Foynes becoming the first train to reach the town in 24 years. Testing in the Limerick Station area was done by set 28015 on this day. I was out on the Sunday to witness this historic moment and the photos are now online at https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/Officialevents/2026/Foynes-Line-Signalling-commissioning

It's been a busy October with travels to Hungry and England (those pictures will come later!) so the this week has been focused on getting the Irish images up online. The October gallery features images from: * Heuston * Mallow * Rathmore * Killarney * Connolly * Pearse * Inchicore * Kildare * Limerick Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/2026-Photos/October-2026/i-WcMtSHx to view. At the end of October 2026, the Irish Railway Record Society celebrated its 80th anniversary with a series of events culminating in a railtour outing to Thurles featuring double headed 071 Class locos No. 071 & 073 operating in multiple. Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/RailtoursHeritageRailways/2026/IRRS-Irish-Railway-Record-Society-80th-Anniversary Also on during the bank holiday weekend, Limerick Station was closed while the rebuilt Foynes Line was commissioned into the Limerick ECP interlocking. A number of test trains operated on the Sunday and Monday to test the routes.Sunday testing took place on the Foynes Line as far as Kilnockin Level Crossing using set 28003. Testing also took place in Limerick Station area using set 28009. On Monday, the test train for the Foynes Line was allocated for 28009 and after a 5 hour journey it reached Foynes becoming the first train to reach the town in 24 years. Testing in the Limerick Station area was done by set 28015 on this day. I was out on the Sunday to witness this historic moment and the photos are now online at https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/Officialevents/2026/Foynes-Line-Signalling-commissioning

The IRRS website is off line currently due to the PHP issues currently in the news. If you want to book tickets for the upcoming events you can do so directly at eventbrite with the links below. https://irrs80-railtour.eventbrite.ie https://irrs80-evening-reception.eventbrite.ie

Tickets are still available for the IRRS 80th Railtour to Thurles this coming Saturday featuring double headed 071 Class locos. We will extend the ticket sales to Friday at 1200pm for any late comers. Full details and ticket booking at https://irrs.ie/events/80th-anniversary-steam-train-outing-dublin-connolly-to-thurles-return/

The Irish Railway Record Society 80th railtour outing will now be diesel hauled due to the unavailability of RPSI's No. 171, which the RPSI informed us about on Monday 5th October. This is due to a defect 171 suffered after it's trip to Dundalk on Sunday 4th October. The timeline for repair means that the loco will not be available for the planned trip to Thurles. In discussions between ourselves, the RPSI and Iarnród Éireann, we have proposed that the tour operates using Iarnrod Eireann 071 Class diesel locomotives dating from 1976 and which are celebrating their 50th anniversary this year. We plan to use two of their heritage liveried locomotives No. 071 (in CIE livery from 1976) and No. 073 (in Irish Rail livery from 1987), subject to availability, throughout the day working in multiple together. This is a rare chance to experience 071's working in multiple! Further details can be found on the IRRS website at www.irrs.ie

A few snaps from around Lisduff on the Dublin - Cork line on Sunday afternoon. Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/2026-Photos/October-2026 to view.

071's at Fifty Iarnrod Eireann Locomotive No. 082 has been repainted into a retro livery to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the 071 class which were delivered in 1976 and entered service in 1977. Joining sister locomotives 071 and 073 which also carry heritage retro liveries since 2016 and 2017 respectively, 082 has been painted into the 1995 IE Largo Logo logo livery. The loco was revealed in a small ceremony at Inchicore Paint Shop on Monday 28th September. All the photos can be viewed at https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/Officialevents/2026/071s-at-Fifty Iarnrod Eireann will also be featuring it on their instagram and tiktok profiles.

071's at Fifty Iarnrod Eireann Locomotive No. 082 has been repainted into a retro livery to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the 071 class which were delivered in 1976 and entered service in 1977. Joining sister locomotives 071 and 073 which also carry heritage retro liveries since 2016 and 2017 respectively, 082 has been painted into the 1995 IE Largo Logo logo livery. The loco was revealed in a small ceremony at Inchicore Paint Shop on Monday 28th September. All the photos can be viewed at https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/Officialevents/2026/071s-at-Fifty Iarnrod Eireann will also be featuring it on their instagram and tiktok profiles.

The September gallery has been updated with images from across the month. Images come from: * Athlone * LUAS scenes * Thurles * Loop Line Bridge * Dromod * Longford * 073 + RPSI Cravens breaking new ground to somewhere the Cravens have never been to before. Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/2026-Photos/September-2026 to view.

80th Anniversary Steam Train Outing Dublin Connolly to Thurles Return The IRRS are delighted to announce that a Steam Hauled Railtour outing has been arranged for Saturday 24th October 2026 to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the Irish Railway Record Society. With thanks to the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland (RPSI) and Iarnród Éireann, we will undertake an outing from Dublin to Thurles, hauled by Steam Locomotive No. 171 “Slieve Gullion” and featuring the renowned RPSI Cravens carriages, complete with their legendary Bar Car and Dining Car offering hot and cold drinks, alcoholic beverages, sandwiches, snacks, and light refreshments. We have requested that the tour is routed to operate via Portarlington Down Loop (outward) & Portarlington Up Loop (return). Timetable Arrive Depart Dublin Connolly 09:30 Portarlington 10:50 Thurles 12:00 15:50 Portarlington 17:00 Dublin Connolly 18:30 All timings are indicative until confirmed by Iarnród Éireann. Fares Member Non-Member Adult – From Dublin Connolly €70.00 €80.00 Adult – From Portarlington €60.00 €70.00 Children (under 16) – €40.00 Family Ticket (2 adults & up to 2 children under 16) – €180.00 Bookings can be made directly at https://irrs.ie/events/80th-anniversary-steam-train-outing-dublin-connolly-to-thurles-return/

Closing out the August gallery sees a lunchtime trip from Portlaoise to Limerick before catching the evening Nenagh branch service back to Nenagh on the last day of August. Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/2026-Photos/August-2026/i-6q55DXV to view.

The August gallery has been updated with: Tuesday 18th August 2026: Images from Thurles, Portarlington, Clara, Athlone, Manulla Jct. and Castlebar. Sunday 30th August 2026: Images from Mallow featuring the Retro-ARROW 26001 on one of the Sunday 2600 working to Tralee.

Been clearing out the backlog of images taken over the past couple of weeks and finally got them uploaded to the website. July 2026 - All Ireland Football Final Day at Dublin Heuston, plus a trip into the Phoenix Park on Dublin Bus route 99 which did not go as planned. Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/2026-Photos/July-2026/i-f48q235 August 2026 - The latest photos have images from Thurles, Limerick, Galway. Athenry, Gort. Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/2026-Photos/August-2026 Headhunters - The World’s Only Barber Shop & Railway Museum! A visit to this fantastic railway museum in Enniskillen. Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/RailtoursHeritageRailways/2026/Headhunters RPSI: Cú na Mara The RPSI operated another one of their fantastic diesel railtours on Saturday 8th August from Dublin to Galway and Ennis featuring CIE liveried loco 071. Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/RailtoursHeritageRailways/2026/RPSI-Cú-na-Mara

Good morning folks, Saturday 25th July 2026 - a ramble by train and bus exploring some of the rural bus routes in Ireland which have been introduced in the last few years under the Connecting Ireland program. Today's adventure saw me travel from Thurles to Ennis via train and then local bus services in east Clare to bring me to Killaloe and then a short hop up the east side of Lough Derg to the small village of Portroe in Co. Tipperary, all using new bus services introduced in recent years. Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/2026-Photos/July-2026/i-wLTL4kv to view from the start.

Afternoon folks, The latest images to the July gallery have been uploaded with pictures from: * Thurles * Limerick Jct. * Limerick Highlight being 072 working the Limerick to Inchicore wagon transfer. Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/2026-Photos/July-2026/i-MpbPvrp to view.

The July gallery starts off with: Friday 3rd July 2026: Pictures from Killarney and Mallow. Monday 6th July 2026: Pictures from Thurles, Mallow, Killarney, Stagmount and Mallow Viaduct. Saturday 11th July 2026: A ramble around Dubin's Northside featuring photos from the railways and canals of the area. Featuring Heuston Station, Blessington Street Basin, Glasnevin and Cross Guns Lock with the Tyrone Star boat passing through. Sunday 12th July 2026: Pictures from Thurles and Heuston. Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/2026-Photos/July-2026 to view.

The Foynes Line: A full review of the latest progress on the Foynes line rebuild with 100+ photos, considering it is about 15 months since my last update on the project. All track work is completed, much of the level crossing and signaling infrastructure work is well on the way to be completed. Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/Officialevents/2026/Foynes-Line-Reconstruction/i-QgbSZCK to view.

The latest update for June sees two new additions. June gallery: Images from around Limerick and Limerick Jct. Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/2026-Photos/June-2026/i-89CjVfd to view. The Foynes Line: A full review of the latest progress on the Foynes line rebuild with 100+ photos, considering it is about 15 months since my last update on the project. All track work is completed, much of the level crossing and signaling infrastructure work is well on the way to be completed. Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/Officialevents/2026/Foynes-Line-Reconstruction/i-QgbSZCK to view.

The June gallery has been updated with some more Railway Preservation Society of Ireland outings and general everyday odds and sods. Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/2026-Photos/June-2026/i-RzpVHWR to view.

The June gallery has been updated with some more Railway Preservation Society of Ireland outings and general everyday odds and sods. Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/2026-Photos/June-2026/i-RzpVHWR to view.

Evening all, Two updates to the website today. - The June gallery has new pictures from Thurles, Limerick Jct., Limerick, Athlone and Portarlington featuring Enterprise locos on the Dublin - Cork service and various 071's on the XPO liner and a Ballast Train. Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/2026-Photos/June-2026/i-m7Qf9MM to view. - Also on Wednesday, I travelled on the Railtours Ireland "Emerald Pullman" from Limerick Jct. to Athlone which was operated by the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland with Irish Rail locos 082 and 071 in its retro CIE livery featuring. Between Sunday 7th June and Friday 12th June, the Charter operated from Dublin Connolly to Waterford, Killarney, Cork, Limerick, Galway, Athlone and Westport. Of note on Wednesday, the charter train became the first locomotive hauled train to visit the rebuilt Galway Station arriving at the new platform 3. Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/RailtoursHeritageRailways/2026/Railtours-Ireland-Emerald-Pullman to view.

The June gallery kicks off with images from Limerick Jct., Limerick and returning home via the Nenagh branch to Ballybrophy. Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/2026-Photos/June-2026 to view.

The last train until Tuesday. I was in the Tipperary town area on Saturday evening so popped by the station to see the 1840 Limerick Jct. - Waterford calling at the station. With no Sunday or Bank Holiday service on the route, this would be the last train service until Tuesday morning. Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/2026-Photos/May-2026/i-447Nj3B to view the images.

The May gallery starts off with over 100 images added to it featuring pictures from: * Dublin Heuston * Adamstown * Laois Depot * Ballybrophy * Cork * Littleisland * Fota * Carriagloe * Rushbrook * Cobh * Carrightwohill * Midleton * Drogheda * Dundalk * Thurles * Nenagh * Cahir Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/2026-Photos/May-2026/i-tkdw9wM to view.