thewanderer

The good old days! I lived in London up to 1989 and used to use Waterloo East occasionally as a friend of my Mother's lived in Elmstead Woods. My home patch was the South Western Division out of Waterloo. Earlier this morning I was down at the site of the Clapham Jct. crash, but while watching 455's pass under me, I was reminded of watching 455's pass under me at Whitton while my Dad and I waited to collect my Mother off the train.

Evening folks, I'm over in London for a few days and the 1st batch of images have now been uploaded to the website at https://bit.ly/302ewLF Click the link for the full description. The weather was utterly terrible so I didn't get much traveling done today.

Morning folks, A selection of photos from the past week have just been uploaded to the August gallery at https://bit.ly/31sJZqi Friday 2nd August 2019: Images come from Ballybrophy and Portlaoise. Monday 5th August 2019: While dropping family back to Thurles station, I grabbed a few shots of the 1300 Heuston - Cork arriving plus a couple of other shots around the station. Wednesday 7th August 2019: Today I popped down to Garrykennedy Marina to witness a fabulous sunset over Lough Derg. Also I've uploaded a selection of images of the Stradbally Steam Rally which was held last week in Co. Laois Click https://bit.ly/2YxYU5D to view.

Evening all, We bring the July gallery to a close a selection of images from the past week. Friday 26th July 2019: Ballybrophy, Portlaoise, Limerick Jct., Limerick and Millstreet feature in today's round up of pictures. Saturday 27th July 2019: While in Killarney for the weekend I took a drive over to Kenmare stopping at some of the scenic sights along the way. Later on the way home a quick detour was made to Quagmire Viaduct and Yellow Quarry to photograph 22023 and 22041 on the Mallow - Tralee services. Monday 29th July 2019: Tamper 744 stabled at Limerick was the highlight of the day while I was passing through the station on the way home. Wednesday 31st July 2019: We finish off the July gallery with images from Nenagh and Ballybrophy. Click https://bit.ly/2Y6QkuB to view.

Afternoon folks, A selection of images from the past week has just been uploaded to the July gallery at https://bit.ly/30VQt0P Photos from around the Nenagh Branch and a trip to Dublin last Tuesday.

The July gallery has been updated with a selection of images from the IE and LUAS networks over the past few days: Wednesday 10th July 2019: The highlight from today was seeing a 2600 work the Birdhill - Limerick Commuter service in place of the usual 2800. Thursday 11th July 2019: While changing trains at Limerick Jct. I snapped a few quick photos of the latest progress on the new platform construction work. Friday 12th July 2019: Just one image from today of Charlemont on the LUAS Green Line. Saturday 13th July 2019: Images from today come from Dublin City Centre of LUAS trams and Heuston Station. Click https://bit.ly/2Z0sXiR to view.

Evening folks, The latest batch of photos have just been uploaded to the July gallery at https://bit.ly/32iCt2P Saturday 6th July 2019: On Saturday evening, I decided to head out for a drive. After ending up in Cloughjordan I headed out to Islandwood to capture the evening branch train from Ballybrophy to Limerick passing in the hands of 2814 + 2813. Sunday 8th July 2019: I popped into Askeaton while on the way back from Foynes to see the railway station. For the full collection of images from that visit see the Foynes Branch collection in the "Forgotten Railways" section of the website. Direct link in the July gallery. Monday 8th July 2019: Pictures today come from Ballybrophy and Portlaoise. Tuesday 9th July 2019: Just three from today, breakfast on the 0740 Limerck - Heuston , 219 at Brittas outside Thurles with the 1600 Heuston - Cork and 4005 arriving into Thurles on the 1625 Cork - Heuston.

Afternoon folks, The July gallery has been updated with a selection of images from this week. Wednesday 3rd July 2019: Pictures from Clonkeen during lunchtime of the 1300 Heuston - Cork which was 4ICR vice the booked MKIV set. Thursday 4th July 2019: Evening time in Dromineer on the shores of Lough Derg. Friday 5th July 2019: Today's bunch of pictures come from Nenagh and Ballybrophy in the morning and evening. Click https://bit.ly/30kHW79 to view them all.

We kick off the July gallery with an extended visit to Limerick Jct. to observe the latest progress on the new platform and see the shunting moves required for the Waterford train to depart the station while the new footbridge is built. Images also come from Portlaoise and Limerick. Click https://bit.ly/2FOI8DV to view them all.

Evening folks, The final update for June has just been uploaded to the gallery with photos from a weekend in Dublin. Featuring: Nenagh - Ballybrophy - Heuston with 080 shunting the Belmond Grand Hibernian. - Busaras - Connolly - Sandymount - Dun-Laoghaire. - Grand Canal Dock - Abbey Street - Dawson - St. Stephen's Green (the LUAS opened 15th years ago today between here and Sandyford). Click https://bit.ly/2LtNbxg to view.

Morning folks, It's been over a week since the last update to the June gallery but I have been busy out and about getting some images on my travels. The latest photo update starts at https://bit.ly/2NvjXR8 and includes: Tuesday 25th June 2019: A lunchtime visit to Portarlington to see 081 passing with the 1005 Ballina - North Wall IWT Liner and later in the day we caught 2815 + 2816 departing Nenagh for Ballybrophy. Wednesday 26th June 2019: This afternoon, I was bound for Cork to meet up with Finnyus and head to the Gate Cinema in Cork for a documentary which was a one night only affair. Pictures from the trip come from Portlaoise, Mallow, Cork, Rusbrook and at Dromaneen between Mallow and Banteer. Thursday 27th June 2019: After an overnight in Cork, today's photos come from Cork Station on the Thursday morning plus Heuston and Portlaoise later in the day. Friday 28th June 2019: An unusual site greeted me at Ballybrophy this morning in the form of 217 on top of MKIV set 4008 after its loco (223) had failed the previous day on the 1625 Cork - Heuston. Later in the day, images come from Portlaoise and Limerick.

Evening folks, A selection of images from the past week have now been uploaded to the June gallery. Friday 14th June 2019: Today's images come from Portlaoise, Limerick Jct., Limerick and Farranfore. We also see the latest works on the new platform and footbridge at Limerick Jct. Sunday 17th June 2019: A stop off at Farranfore while passing through the village to photograph the 1510 Tralee - Mallow. Thursday 20th June 2019: Today's images come from Thurles, Portlaoise and Portarlington with the highlight being 226 working the Belmond Grand Hibernian. Click https://bit.ly/2WR0x92 to view all the images.

Evening folks, We start off the June gallery with a selection of photos from: - Thurles, - Heuston, - Busaras, - Connolly, - Hazelhatch, - Portarlington. Click https://bit.ly/2ICdPRr to view.

On Saturday 8th June 2019, Virgin Trains, Locomotive Services and The Railway Magazine held an open day at Crewe Diesel Depot. Despite the weather being utterly miserable, it didn't detour the crowds from flocking to the venue to see an exciting line up of exhibits from across the UK Rail Industry. With 43 exhibits on view, from steam engines to the latest diesel / electric locomotives (Class 88) there was plenty to see across the complex with several items of rolling stock being open for inspection by the public, including one of the Network Rail Test Trains. Despite the weather, it was a great day out and my first UK Open Day since Eastleigh in 2009! Let's hope I don't leave it another 10 years before my next one. Click https://bit.ly/2X0ppiC to view.

To position myself into the UK for the Crewe Diesel Depot Open Day, I flew into Bristol, a new airport for me. After a painless bus transfer to Bristol Temple Meads, I photographed around the station for a little over 60 minutes before catching the 1225 Plymouth - Glasgow Cross Country service which was formed of a HST set. A change of train at Birmingham New Street saw me board the 1443 London Euston to Edinburgh as far as Crewe where I meet up with some other Irish enthusiasts who were also over for the open day on Saturday. Click https://bit.ly/2Xutj0a to view.

Over the Irish June Bank Holiday weekend, a group of us travelled to Manchester for two nights to soak up the atmosphere in the city. On the Saturday, a smaller group of us visited Liverpool to experience the atmosphere in the city in the run up to the Champions League Final later that day in Madrid between Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur. On the Sunday we headed back to Holyhead to catch the ferry back to Ireland. Click https://bit.ly/2QSRMts to view all the pictures.

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.