thewanderer

Afternoon folks, I spent five days in the UK last week on an All Line Ticket travelling around from as far south as Gatwick to as far north as Montrose (south of Aberdeen). I had planned to sample the Caledonian Sleeper train on the Sunday night but Storm Ciara and Network Rail put paid to those plans and I had to find alternative accommodation at short notice. Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/International/2020 to view each gallery for each day.

Evening folks, The final batch of pictures to the January gallery have just been uploaded featuring: Thursday 23rd January 2020: Just two from today at Ballybrophy of the 0800 Heuston - Cork passing and later in the day at Portlaoise. Monday 27th January 2020: A small update from Monday with pictures from Portlaoise of the 1425 Cork Heuston passing through. Tuesday 28th January 2020: A day trip from Limerick to Heuston today but little opportunity to take photos. Pictures come from Limerick, Limerick Jct. and Heuston. Thursday 30th January 2020: Pictures today come from Portlaoise and Limerick Jct. Friday 31st January 2020: A few errands to carry out this morning which required the use of the train from Nenagh to Limerick and then up to Portlaoise. Click https://bit.ly/2UdAHOP to view.

Evening folks, The January gallery has been updated with: Wednesday 22nd January 2020: A busy day on the railways of Ireland today, after spending the night in Cork after attending an IRRS meeting on Tuesday night, I headed to Dublin for some work meetings. Once that was done it was time to head home via Limerick. Pictures from the day come from: * Cork * Mallow * Heuston * Connolly * Busaras * Limerick Jct. * Limerick Click https://bit.ly/2TPQG5d to view them all.

Friday 17th January 2020: A pretty quiet Friday got interesting when a correspondent from Cork informed me that the 1425 Cork - Heuston set had failed at Cork. With sets being stepped up to cover the 1425 and 1525 Cork - Heuston, locomotive 220 was placed on the Heuston end of the MKIV Set 4003 and hauled the set to Heuston with passengers onboard working the 1625 Cork - Heuston. This is the first time that a MKIV service had operated throughout from Cork to Heuston in hauled mode, however back in November 2006, 228 rescued 4005 and 219 at Limerick Jct. after the latter locomotive failed. Click https://bit.ly/30wmUUx to view all the images from Cork and Thurles, plus a shot of 076 at Portlaoise Yard.

Evening folks, Latest updates to the January gallery feature: Tuesday 14th January 2020: Portlaoise PWD yard produced some interesting scenes on a bitterly cold afternoon with 082 shunting in the yard, 076 on the CWR train and the spoil bodies being removed on the flat wagons. Wednesday 15th January 2020: Today's roundup comes from Ballybrophy and Limerick. Click https://bit.ly/2Rlol3Z to view them.

While on a Sunday afternoon drive with the folks around Co. Tipperary and Co. Limerick, with no particular destination in mind we eventually ended up at Monard and Dromkeen to view the recent upgrade to the level crossings at both these locations. Plus a visit to nearby Kishyqirk to photo the 1620 Limerick - Heuston passing. Click https://bit.ly/30fanVi to view all the images.

Evening folks, Following on from the West of Ireland jaunt last weekend the latest picture update contains: Sunday 5th January 2020: On Sunday morning I took a ramble around the disused Tobercurry Station on the Western Rail Corridor. Tuesday 7th January 2020: Just a single image from Limerick today after I alighted from a train ex Limerick Jct. Wednesday 8th January 2020: Today's batch of images come from Heuston at the start of the evening peak period and Ballybrophy while changing trains. Click https://bit.ly/2QB9nYu to view.

A varied selection of images from today as I embarked on a road trip to the West of Ireland. There is a railway line at my destination but it hasn't seen a train since 1976, one day we hope that trains may return between Claremorris and Sligo. The images start off with the Nenagh Rail Partnership group travelling into Limerick on the strengthened 1005 Ballybrophy - Limerick with 22046, then I headed to outside Athlone to photo the 1125 Heuston - Galway. Heading north again I stopped at Knockcroghery and Roscommonto photo the afternoon passenger trains crossing before heading cross country to the Sligo line to photo the 1300 Connolly - Sligo and 1500 Sligo - Connolly at two locations between Carrick-on-Shannon and Boyle. Finally I made an unplanned trip across to Ballina to photo the heavily delayed IWT liner which arrived at 1940, just over three hours late. Click https://bit.ly/2ZWyLuP to view.

Friday 3rd January 2020: The Nenagh branch service is 3ICR worked today and tomorrow to cater for passenger demand travelling to/from Limerick for the Limerick on Ice trips organised by the local community rail partnership. Today, approx 106 passengers travelled on the 1005 Ballybrophy - Limerick and 103 passengers returned on the 1655 Limerick - Ballybrophy. Other images from the day come from Ballybrophy, Portlaoise, Limerick Jct. and Limerick. Click https://bit.ly/35rCvG0 to view.

Evening folks, We start off the 2020 collection of photos a bit earlier than planned when I came across a bridge strike at Portlaoise on Thursday afternoon. The Mountrath Road in Portlaoise was the scene of a bridge strike at UBC146 on Thursday afternoon when a HGV carrying a 45ft Eucon container failed to pass under the bridge which has clearance of 4.30 metres. Rail services were suspended for 45 minutes while Iarnrod Eireann engineers inspected the bridge for any damage. The 1125 Cork - Heuston and 1325 Portlaoise - Heuston were both heavily delayed with the 1300 Heuston - Cork, 1225 Cork - Heuston and 1425 Portlaoise - Heuston suffering minor delays. Click https://bit.ly/2QDKYAh to view the images and a video of the recovery operation to remove the wedged truck from underneath the bridge.

2019: A Year in Review Gallery. This gallery contains over 360 photos from the past 12 months from the railways of Ireland. Enjoy the gallery and let's hope 2020 and beyond will be just as interesting as we enter a new decade. Happy New Year and thank you for viewing The Wanderer's Photos. Click https://bit.ly/2F8j8a3 to view.

Tuesday 31st December 2019: To bring the curtain down on 2019, I stopped off at Trumera to photo 4005 and 226 on the 1225 Cork - Heuston. Click the image below to view the final batch of pictures from 2019!

Monday 30th December 2019: This week sees the North Tipperary Rail Partnership take its annual trip to Limerick on Ice. On Monday 30th, Cloughjordan was were the bulk of the passengers joined the train. Due to the expected heavy loadings Iarnrod Eireann arranged for the 3ICR set normally employed on the Limerick - Limerick Jct. route to work the 0630 & 1655 Limerick - Ballybrophy, 1005 & 1905 Ballybrophy - Limerick services inplace of the usual 2 car 2800 Class. Click https://bit.ly/36c6H9d to view all the images.

Friday 27th December 2019: The post Christmas shuntdown startup offered little problems. One issue that did occur was 22036 failing prior to departure of the 0705 Tralee - Heuston due to a minor technical fault with 22025 being stepped up from the 0905 Tralee - Mallow to work the service to Dublin. This offered the rare sight of a 5ICR set working the Mallow - Tralee shuttles after 22036 was repaired in time for the 0905 departure. Click the image below to view all the pictures.

Evening folks, The pre Christmas update to the December gallery is now complete with: Monday 23rd December 2019: Translink Metrobus 798, a 2003 Scania L94UB Wright Solar has recently turned up in Portlaoise, possibly on schoolwork. Tuesday 24th December 2019: While driving home for Christmas, I stopped off for pictures at Barnagh on the former North Kerry Line and at Farranfore on the South Kerry Line for the 1520 Mallow - Tralee. May I take this opportunity to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas. Click https://bit.ly/2QlvGjs to view all the pictures.

Evening folks, Back to Dublin today so the pictures come from Heuston, Busaras, Abbey and Dawson during my travels. Click shorturl.at/mvwHN to view.

Afternoon folks, The latest batch of photos from the past week feature: aturday 7th December 2019: Today we visited Tralee and saw 2601 + 2602 stabled while later in the evening saw 22026 at Maddam's Hill outside Killarney. Wednesday 11th December 2019: 083 pictured passing Clonkeen with the 1000 Mallow - Portlaoise Relay Train. Friday 13th December 2019: Pictures from Portlaoise and Heuston. Saturday 14th December 2019: The day was spent on the Maynooth Line photographing the RPSI Santa Specials and the Commuter traffic on the line. Click https://bit.ly/2S0Ku9A to view them all.

Today's picture roundup comes from Ballybrophy with 076 on the Relay Train, Portlaoise, Thurles and Mallow. Click https://bit.ly/2YnGUaU to view.

Evening folks, Latest pictures from the week so far include: Tuesday 3rd December 2019: Images from Portlaoise and Limerick today. Thursday 5th December 2019: The main event from today was pictures of 071 at Ballybrophy and near Portlaoise with the relay train from the Nenagh Branch. The relay train was working around Borris-in-Ossory relaying track. Click https://bit.ly/2YsDunq to view.

Another small update to the website this evening with the first pictures from the December 2019 gallery. Monday 2nd December 2019: Premier Class 5ICR 22039 was very unusually allocated to the 1530 Heuston - Limerick service on Monday 2nd December covering for a shortage of 4ICR sets. Click https://bit.ly/33I8h0q to view the pictures from Portlaoise and Limerick.

I was in Glasgow for a couple of days between the 26th and 28th November for an IRO event in the City. Between these events I managed to get out and explore some of the extensive suburban railway network the city has to offer. Click https://bit.ly/2DFL6cB to view the 160 images from the visit.

A few images from Thurles tonight while waiting to collect family off the 1750 Tralee - Heuston. Click https://bit.ly/35A9wjp to view.

Evening folks, Pictures from this week comprise. Tuesday 19th November 2019: Pictures today come from Ballybrophy and Portlaoise. Wednesday 20th November 2019: Featuring 071 arriving at Portlaoise on a relay train from Mallow. Friday 22nd November 2019: Pictures this evening come from Terenure and Heuston Station. Click https://bit.ly/2pGbzDk to view.

Pictures today come from Portlaoise with the hightlight being 071 heading L.E. from Inchicore to Portlaoise PWD yard. Click the image below to view.

On Saturday 16th November rail services were suspended between Portlaoise and Limerick Jct. for the renewal of turnout of Ground Frame 820 at Thurles. Here we see tamper 751 tamping the new turnout on the Saturday afternoon. Pictures from the day also come from outside Cashel. Click https://bit.ly/2pooSbs to view.