thewanderer

Evening folks, A few images from Templemore this evening with the 1650 Heuston - Cork Spl, 1700 Heuston - Cork and 1625 Cork - Heuston. Click https://bit.ly/2Xfiyin to view.

Evening folks, A few pictures from the past couple of days. Friday 24th May 2019: Two images from Portlaoise station today of 217 arriving with the 1400 Heuston - Cork. Monday 27th May 2019: Images of Tamper 743 passing Portlaoise and at Balllybrophy while changing to the Nenagh Branch train. Click https://bit.ly/2EF4OpJ to view.

Evening folks, Pictures from this week so far: Sunday 19th May 2019: Pictures from Cork and Tralee during the Branch Line Society "The Cork Stopper" tour. Wednesday 22nd May 2019: Today's pictures come from around the Belfast area with photos from Lanyon Place, Yorkgate and City Hospital. Click https://bit.ly/2VDH232 to view.

Branch Line Society: The Cork Stopper - Sunday 19th May 2019 On Sunday 19th May 2019, the Branch Line Society in conjunction with Iarnrod Eireann operated a charity railtour, raising money for the Railway Children charity. The railtour traversed crossovers, rarely used platforms and sidings with a lunch break at Tralee. Highlights of this tour include the Cork station avoiding line, the remains of the former line to Youghal at Midleton (and the rarely used non-preferred platform), Killarney avoiding line, engineer's sidings at Cobh / Banteer / Rathmore, and a number of other crossovers / little used platforms particularly Tralee P2. The Society is indebted to Jim Meade, Chief Executive and Brian O'Meara, Train Planning and Performance Manager of Irish Rail for their dedication in supporting this project. The train was formed by the mainstay of the Cork Commuter fleet, a 2600 Class unit formed of 2605 + 2616 which is recently ex-works. Click https://bit.ly/2YzVIlu to view all the images plus a full description of all the crossovers, rarely used platforms and sidings.

The highlight from today was the visit of the Belmond Grand Hibernian to the Western Rail Corridor between Limerick and Athenry. Pictures of the train come from Ballycar Lough and Ennis. At Ennis once the guests had disembarked the train was shunted to allow for the waste tanks to be discharged. While heading back to Limerick I popped into Sixmilebridge to view the 1230 Limerick - Ennis. Later in the afternoon features a few images from Limerick. Click https://bit.ly/2LRXkpv to view all the pictures.

Evening folks, A few images from the past few days: Monday 13th May 2019: Just two images from today at a sunny Portlaoise of the 1425 Cork - Heuston passing the station. Tuesday 14th May 2019: Pictures of 216 and the Belmond Grand Hibernian at Rosskelton and Thurles. Thursday 16th May 2019: A lunchtime trip to Clonkeen outside Portlaoise to photo the 1300 Heuston - Cork and 1225 Cork - Heuston. Click https://bit.ly/2W6aCmc to view.

Evening folks, The final batch of images from my weekend trip to London have now been uploaded to https://bit.ly/30gHsjy After Saturday's unexpected trip to Swindon and the Marston Vale line, Sunday was a more local affair with images from: - Carshalton Beeches. - Sutton - West Sutton. - Epsom. - Ashtead. - Gatwick Airport. - Shannon. To view the collection from the start take a look at https://bit.ly/2vT3Pxe Highlights include: My final run on a traditional length GWR HST from Swindon to London. Some sets are being retained for West of England operation in 2+4 format. Hastings DEMU 1001 on a railtour. Former London Underground D Stock train in its new life on the Marston Vale line between Bedford and Bletchley.

Evening folks, Just under 100 photographs have just been uploaded to the website featuring Saturday's travels around London and the South East. Click https://bit.ly/2PYDXJL to view them all. The main event of my day was the IRO lecture in a hotel near Euston. But an early finish allowed for some extending travelling afterwards. Pictures from today feature: - Carshalton Beeches - Norwood Jct. - Penge West. - Penge East. - Sydenham Hill - to capture Hastings DEMU 1001 passing the station on a railtour. - London Victoria. - London Euston. - Great Portland Street. - Regents Park. - London Paddington. - Swindon - to travel back to London on one of the last long distance HST sets in service with GWR. End of an era. The last HST will leave Paddington on the 18th May. - St. Pancras. - Bedford. - Bletchley - travelled on the former London Underground D Stock in its new guise as a Class 230 on the National Network on the Marston Vale line. - Euston. - London Bridge. Click https://bit.ly/2PYDXJL to view them all.

Morning folks, I'm over in London for the weekend and the first batch of pictures have now been uploaded to https://bit.ly/2vT3Pxe Pictures come from: - Shannon Airport. - Gatwick Airport. - East and West Croydon. - Carshalton Beeches. - Clapham Jct. - Twickenham. - Whitton. - Winsdor and Eton Riverside, Central and the Castle. - Slough. - Paddington.

Thursday 9th May: While heading to Shannon Airport I took a detour to the Corbally Road in Limerick to photo the 1345 Galway - Limerick passing. Click the image below to view.

Evening folks, The latest update is one of my occasional features about disused railways, the latest update features the Silvermines Branch & Kilmastulla Siding in North Tipperary on the Limerick to Ballybrophy railway. The first to open was the 1 1/4 mile spur to Silvermines in 1966 to serve a barytes mine. The mine and branch closed in 1993. The second freight spur opened in October 1982 to serve a shale quarry at Kilmastulla. With the opening of the M7 motorway this traffic ended suddenly in December 2009 and the wagons are now stored at Limerick with Kilmastulla Siding now disused since that date. Click https://bit.ly/2H9Kmz1 to view all the images.

Afternoon folks, The latest update to the May gallery features: Saturday 4th May 2019: A varied selection of images today in the Limerick area with pictures from: - Nenagh. - Cappadine. - Lisnagry. - Limerick. - A tour of the LÉ Eithne (P31) in Limerick Docks and images of the River Shannon and Abbey River in the city. Click https://bit.ly/2VNHIXH to view.

The May gallery starts off with: Wednesday 1st May 2019: We start off the May gallery with pictures from: M3 Parkway, Kildare, Waterford, Limerick Jct., Thurles. Includes images of the refreshed set 22046. Thursday 2nd May: Today's images come from: Portlaoise, Heuston, Inchicore - 072 leaving Inchicore on a HOBS and the CME Golden Spanner Awards. Parkwest & Cherry Orchard, Drumcondra - 234 passing on the IWT Liner. Click the image below to view them all.

Noel, while 22000's will continue to work selected Cork services the bulk of services will be operated by MKIV's. For reference the following services are booked for 22000's, all others are MKIV operated. Weekdays: Ex Heuston: 1000, 1200 S.X., 1400 F.X. 1900 F.O. 2100 F.X. Ex Cork: 0550, 0615 S.X., 1325, 1525 S.X., 1725 F.X. Sunday: Ex Heuston: 1800, 2100. Ex Cork: 1425 All of the above are worked by 5ICR sets (with 1st class / buffet) except the 1900 FO (3+4ICR) 2100 FSX (3+4ICR) 0550 (4ICR) 0615 (3ICR) plus 1800 (3+4ICR) and 2100 (4ICR) on Sundays.

Evening folks, Pictures from Friday and Saturday have now been uploaded to the April gallery featuring the following locations: Cork line: * Portlaoise * Heuston * Milltown (Co. Tipperary) Nenagh Branch * Nenagh * Cappadine * Knockanpierce Click https://bit.ly/2PvPoby to view.

The first fully refreshed 22000 set was completed on Thursday 25th April 2019 at Connolly Valeting Plant with the set entering traffic on Friday 26th April 2019. While sets 22003 - 22010 and 22050 have gone through the refresh program since last October, they didn't receive the new leather seat covers. The first set to receive these is 22046 and this marks the first set to be fully completed in the project. The sets completed earlier in the program will be retrofitted with the new seat covers at a later date. The scope of work on refreshing the sets after 11 years of intensive use includes: • The lower panels underneath the windows have been replaced with lamigraf material. • The armrests have been changed to match the new leather seat covers. • The seat grabhandles have been repainted grey. • Fitting of USB Sockets on the train with two sockets for each pair of seats. • Fitting of new leather seat covers throughout the train. • Fitting of blue colour doors to the A3 vehicle with bicycle and wheelchair symbols. Click

Evening folks, Pictures from Wednesday and Thursday of this week have just been uploaded to the April gallery at https://bit.ly/2vkZ9jB Featuring; Wednesdsay 24th April 2019: It was wet wet wet in Ballybrophy this morning to see 4007 passing the station with the 0700 Cork - Heuston and 22035 arriving with the 0740 Limerick - Heuston. Thursday 25th April 2019: Pictures today come mainly from the Dublin area with images from: - Heuston. - Connolly. - Harmonstown. - Howth Jct. - Sutton. - Busaras. - Ballybrophy.

Evening folks, Just a few images from Limerick this evening which feature MPV 790 on weedspraying duties. Click https://bit.ly/2W6c58I to view them all. Oh and Noel might be interested in images from Monday featuring some of the harbours around Lough Derg.

Afternoon folks, Pictures from this week feature: Wednesday 17th April 2019: A few pictures from Thurles and Portarlington today. Thursday 18th April 2019: A look at recent vegetation clearance on part of the former Coolnamona Branch in Portlaoise. Friday 19th April 2019: A lunchtime visit to Tullamore to observe the bus transfers from the station to Clara, Athlone, Roscommon and Ballinasloe due to major Engineering Works at Athlone over the Easter period. Click https://bit.ly/2GwRdC3 to view.

Evening folks, Photos from last weekend's RPSI The West Awake Railtour from Dublin to Ballina and Westport have now been uploaded to https://bit.ly/2DfbdY5 The first outing for 2019 brought a pair of 071's in multiple from Connolly to Claremorris with 075 + 082 doing the honours. At Claremorris, the pair was replaced by CIE retro liveried 071 to haul the tour from Claremorris to Ballina and Westport. Later in the day 082 + 075 brought the railtour back to Dublin Connolly from Claremorris. It was another great railtour with excellent timekeeping most of the day with the tour running about 20 minutes late at one stage. As always thanks to all the IE and RPSI staff for making the day possible.

Evening all, Photos from this week comprise: Tuesday 9th April 2019: A few pictures from Portlaoise on Tuesday morning featuring the Belmond Grand Hibernian passing through the town en-route from Charleville to Heuston. Thursday 11th April: A varied selection of images today come from: - The morning Limerick to Ballybrophy branch train outside Nenagh. - Thurles Station with the 0700 Cork - Heuston. - Afternoon visit to Portarlington to see timber wagon 30540 failed in the up sidings and the fire damaged Goods shed. - The new footbridge at Limerick Jct. which was lifted into place on Wednesday night. Click https://bit.ly/2GivjT7 to view.

A short notice trip to London popped up on Friday 5th April, when I had the opportunity to attend the Institution of Railway Operators Annual Members Lunch near Moorgate. Outside of this event (which I didn't get any snaps of), myself and a fellow colleague and enthusiast managed to pack in a fair amount of spotting into the limited free time we had available. Pictures from the day come from: - Shannon. - London Heathrow. - Southall. - London Paddington. Retro Intercity Livery 43185 photgraphed. - Kings Cross / St. Pancras Underground. - Moorgate Northern Line and Northern City Line platforms where we stumbled upon a brand new Class 717 in service. - Harringay. - Harringay Green Lanes to sample the temporary Class 378's working the GOBLIN route. - Blackhorse Road with some freights, including a Class 56 on a Ford Train. - Oxford Circus. - Lambeth North. - London Waterloo International Platforms. - Clapham Jct. - West Brompton. - Earls Court. - Barons Court. - Acton Town. Click https://bit.ly/2WOepRE to view all the images.

Evening folks, Pictures from Wednesday of this week feature: We start off the April gallery with a trip from Limerick to Heuston station onboard the 0855 service. I arrived into Limerick station about 30 minutes prior to departure and was able to observe the first arrivals from Galway, Thurles and Birdhill (Nenagh) come into the station. Later in the day there are a handful of images from Heuston, Ballybrophy and Nenagh. Click https://bit.ly/2D3alWa to view all the images. The other update is images of the Belmond Grand Hibernian's first outing of 2019 with a trip to Thurles. Click https://bit.ly/2CYwQMc to view all the images.

Restaurant cars serving breakfast operate on the following services: 0700 Heuston - Cork 0700 Cork - Heuston 0705 Tralee - Heuston. Restaurant cars serving bistro options operate on the following services: 1705 Heuston - Tralee 1700 Heuston - Cork 1800 Heuston - Cork

Evening folks, A round up of pictures from this week so far: Monday 25th and Tuesday 26th March 2019: Pictures of the 1425 Cork - Heuston passing through Portlaoise, with the bonus on Tuesday of it being propelled by Belmond Grand Hibernian liveried 216. Wednesday 27th - Friday 28th March 2019: Pictures from the latter part of the working week come from Ballybrophy, Lmerick Jct. and Limerick. We see the latest progress on the new platform at Limerick Jct. and Tamper 743 stabled at Limerick. Click https://goo.gl/s1up3p to view all the photos.