thewanderer

Evening folks, Yesterday I took a ramble from Portlaoise to Dublin and travelled around some of the suburban network with pictures from: - Portlaoise. - Heuston. - Pearse. - Dun-Laoghaire - Sydney Parade. - Clonsilla. - M3 Parkway. - Docklands. Click https://goo.gl/noXHHJ to view.

Evening all, Photos from this week, all from the Portlaoise area featuring the Belmond Grand Hibernian returning to Inchicore on a trial from Limerick and two days later on the final charter of the season from Limerick Jct. to Mallow and Heuston. The train stopped in Portlaoise for a short period of time with entertainment and refreshments provided in the car park. Plus the usual diet of MKIV's and 22000's passing through. Click https://goo.gl/uWEW6G to view all the images.

Links amended in the original post (the old fashioned way) so now should work ok.

Morning all, A selection of images from yesterdays RPSI railtour to Cork, Limerick and Athenry have been uploaded to https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/RailtoursPreservedRailways/2018/RPSI-The-South-Western-Railtour/i-LcdGgcr/A Due to other long standing commitments later in the afternoon, I could only travel on the tour from Connolly to Portlaoise before I had to return to Dublin. Also uploaded to the October gallery are images from Friday and Saturday featuring the Belmond Grand Hibernian and a selection of 29000's 22000's and MKIV's. * Templemore. * Heuston * Connolly * Cabra Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/2018-photos/October-2018/i-38BB43d/A to view.

Evening folks, Last weekend I visited Berlin, Warsaw and Prague with a group of friends for a weekend away. Of course there was plenty of time for pictures and we traveled from Berlin to Warsaw by the Warsaw Express and then onto Prague by the overnight Choplin sleeper train. Pictures from Warsaw include a visit to the railway museum in the city. Click https://goo.gl/H7WFp8 to view all the images. A few photos from this week have been uploaded to the October gallery featuring a birds eye view of 207 passing Clongriffin, 088 hauling failed 232 from Cork to Inchicore and 073 shunting a PWD train at Portlaoise. Click https://goo.gl/oCByZo to view.

Afternoon all, A small update to the October gallery contains images from Hazelhatch, Connolly and Drogheda from earlier today. Click https://goo.gl/wiK1VA to view.

I unexpectedly found myself in Thurles late this afternoon and photographed 22033 which had been earlier failed while working the 1400 Heuston - Cork. It was waiting to head back to Laois Traincare Depot. The 1725 Cork - Heuston was cancelled as a result. Click https://goo.gl/KQprmc to view all the images.

Evening folks, The September gallery has just been updated with pictures from Tuesday and today (Saturday) at https://goo.gl/Bxr2GG Tuesday 25th September 2018: A single picture from Portlaoise showing the 1530 Heuston - Limerick arriving. Saturday 29th September 2018: Pictures from Thurles and around Dublin including the Belmond Grand Hibernian and Heuston and Connolly plus a trip to Malahide and Laytown.

Evening all, A few images from the past few days have now been uploaded to the September gallery at https://goo.gl/YGtCFG Thursday 20th September 2018: The National Ploughing Championship Spl. stopped additionally at Templmore andBallybrophy to collect stranded passengers bound for Dublin which were then dropped off at Portlaoise for the 0913 Portlaoise - Heuston. Friday 21st September 2018: Nenagh on a rather wet Friday morning. Sunday 23rd September 2018: A visit to Killarney to see one of the 2600 Class services at Killarney and later I went to Mallow to see 228 being hauled dead in train on the rear of the 1825 Cork - Heuston with MKIV 4006 + 229. Click the picture below to view all the images.

The latest update to the September gallery has just been made with photos of: Saturday 15th & Sunday 16th September 2018: Pictures from Portlaoise and Thurles on both days showing the bus transfers (on Sat) in connection with the renewal of crossover TS747 at Thurles which I went to see on the Sunday. Monday 17th September 2018: Just a single picture from Portlaoise on Monday evening of 22063 arriving from the depot. Tuesday 18th September 2018: Pictures from Ballybrophy and Limerick complete today's round up. Wednesday 19th September 2018: Storm Ali proved interesting this morning with widespread delays to the Dublin - Belfast Enterprise, Dublin - Sligo and Dublin - Galway / Westport routes. Minor issues occurred on the rest of the network with the 0700 Cork - Heuston delayed due to passenger loadings and storm delays at Mallow and Thurles. Click https://goo.gl/WNHBHh to view all the images.

Evening folks, Several updates to the website have been made over the past few days: First up is the September gallery which features: Tuesday 4th September 2018: A stroll from Heuston into the City Centre photographing some Red Line Trams along the way. Wednesday 5th September 2018: A few images from Killarney of the Just Go holiday charter to Westport. Sunday 9th September 2018: Pictures from Heuston Guinness Yard including Belmond Grand Hibernian Loco 216. Wednesday 12th September 2018: I needed to make a trip to Dublin today so today's round up of images comes from: - Thurles: Pictures of the new crossover TS747 which will be installed on Saturday. - Heuston. - Connolly. - Pearse: Features pictures of the new trial signage. - LUAS Tram at College Green. - Portlaoise. Click https://goo.gl/UPMbY8 to view these. All the photos from my recent UK trip to Manchester and York have been uploaded to https://goo.gl/NPKzEE Split into two gallery covering the pictures from Manchester and York plus a second gallery for a visit to the National Railway Museum.

The first batch of pictures from my long weekend trip to Manchester and York have now been uploaded to the website. Featuring: - Aircraft at Dublin. - Manchester Airport Station. - Trams in Manchester including on the new city line. - Manchester Victoria (my first time to board a train there actually). - York. - The Sidings Hotel in York which is right beside the East Coast Main Line. Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/International/2018/UK-Trip-6th-to-the-9th-September-2018 to view all the pictures.

Evening folks, Photos from the past week have now been uploaded to the website in both the August and September galleries. August: Wednesday 29th August 2018: Just a single image from Nenagh of the 0630 Limerick - Ballybrophy arriving into the station. Friday 31st August 2018: A few images of Portlaoise station on Friday morning when the Electric Picnic crowds were arriving into the town. Click https://goo.gl/QXL16W to view. September: Monday 3rd September 2018: The RPSI are operating a private charter this week on behalf of "Just Go Railtours". On Monday the tour departed Connolly at 1045 bound for Killarney. 85 Merlin was pictured in fine form passing Rosskelton south of Portlaoise. Click https://goo.gl/mbsj5w to view.

A round of images from the past 9 days have now been uploaded to the website featuring: Tuesday 21st August 2018: Pictures from Nenagh and Carn Bridge to see a mixed pair of 2600's and 2800's heading to Inchicore. Wednesday 22nd August 2018: A visit to Ashberry Level Crossing outside Roscrea to photo the 1655 Limerick - Ballybrophy. Friday 24th August 2018: Pictures from Portlaoise and Limerick. Saturday 25th August 2018: A couple of images from Portlaoise showing the morning Limerick to Ballybrophy train at the station plus an evening time visit to Dromineer on the shores of Lough Derg. Sunday 26th AUgust 2018: A few pictures of regular scheduled services passing Portlaoise. See "The Papal Visit 2018" for details of special services which operated for the visit of The Pope to Ireland. Tuesday 28th August 2018: Two pictures from Limerick and Portlaoise today in the August gallery. Click https://goo.gl/HvYGm2 to view.

On Tuesday 28th August 2018, Iarnrod Eireann in conjunction with Castleconnell Tidy Towns and Love Castleconnell celebrated the 160th anniversary of the Killonan Jct. to Castleconnell railway with a special service from Limerick to Castleconnell and Birdhill. About 300 to 400 people attended the event at the statiion with speeches given by the District Manager Limerick Noreen Clohessy, Mayor of Limerick City & County James Collins and local railway historian Joe Coleman. Castleconnell station opened on the 28th August 1858 and was the terminus of the route for two years before an extension to Birdhill was opened in July 1860. The station was closed was closed in 1963, along with several others on the Nenagh branch, but was reopened on the 15th May 1989 after the formation of Iarnrod Eireann in 1987. The station is served Monday to Friday by three trains a day to Limerick and two trains a day to Ballybrophy, with two each way on Saturday and a single return trip on Sunday's. Click the https://goo.gl/un7qES to see the pictures from the event.

Over the weekend of Saturday 25th & Sunday 26th August the Pope visited Ireland. For this event a number of special services operated for Events in Croke Park, Knock (near Claremorris) and the Phoenix Park in Dublin. In contrast to the visit of Pope John Paul to Ireland in 1979, the majority of scheduled services continued to operate, whereas in 1979 all scheduled bus and rail services were cancelled with all resources used in providing special train & buses to the events in Dublin and elsewhere. Notwithstanding the changing times in Ireland over the last 39 years the railway company still provided several Intercity Specials to Dublin for the Papal Mass in the Phoenix Park on the Sunday in addition to the regular scheduled morning services. In Dublin area itself, the Kildare/Portlaoise commuter service had additional capacity with 3 specials each from Portlaoise and Kildare to supplement the regular scheduled service, which was strengthened from the usual 3ICR to 2X3ICR. On the Connolly side special timetables operated all day on the DART, Northern, Maynooth & M3 Parkway Commuter routes, the highlight being a 10 minute frequency between Connolly and Clonsilla on the Maynooth/M3 Parkway route as Ashtown Station is only a few minutes’ walk from the Phoenix Park. Listed below are the services which operated for the events across the country. Specials on Sunday for the DART, Northern, Maynooth & M3 Parkway Commuter routes are not listed as a special timetable was in force on these routes. Saturday 25th August 2018: FESTIVAL OF FAMILIES @ CROKE PARK 23.00 DUBLIN HEUSTON/GALWAY 3 ICR 23.15 DUBLIN HEUSTON/CORK 8 MKIV 00.50 LIMERICK JCTN./LIMERICK 3 ICR 23.20 DUBLIN CONNOLLY/BELFAST CENTRAL 6 x C3K 15.10 MAYNOOTH/DUBLIN CONNOLLY 8 x 29000 21.00 DRUMCONDRA/MAYNOOTH 8 x 29000 12.55 LONGFORD/DUBLIN CONNOLLY 8 x 29000 21.50 DRUMCONDRA/LONGFORD 4 x 29000 16.15 MAYNOOTH/DUBLIN CONNOLLY 4 x 29000 21.10 DRUMCONDRA/MAYNOOTH 8 x 29000 21.35 DRUMCONDRA/MAYNOOTH 8 x 29000 22.05 DRUMCONDRA/MAYNOOTH 8 x 29000 Sunday 26th August 2018: THE PAPAL VISIT 2018 @ KNOCK 06.00 ATHLONE/CLAREMORRIS 4 ICR 13.35 CLAREMORRIS/ATHLONE 4 ICR 06.10 WESTPORT/CLAREMORRIS 3&4 ICR 14.00 CLAREMORRIS/WESTPORT 3&4 ICR 06.00 BALLINA/MANULLA JCTN. 2 x 2800 THE PAPAL VISIT 2018 @ THE PHOENIX PARK Heuston services 07.15 CORK/DUBLIN HEUSTON 8 MKIV 19.25 DUBLIN HEUSTON/CORK 8 MKIV 07.25 LIMERICK/DUBLIN HEUSTON 5&3 ICR 20.00 DUBLIN HEUSTON/LIMERICK 3 ICR 07.15 WATERFORD/DUBLIN HEUSTON 2X3 ICR 19.40 DUBLIN HEUSTON/WATERFORD 2X3 ICR 07.10 GALWAY/DUBLIN HEUSTON 3&4 ICR 19.15 DUBLIN HEUSTON/GALWAY 3&4 ICR 07.40 GALWAY/DUBLIN HEUSTON 5 ICR 19.50 DUBLIN HEUSTON/GALWAY 4 ICR 21.30 DUBLIN HEUSTON/ATHLONE 4 ICR 07.57 PORTLAOISE/DUBLIN HEUSTON 3&4 ICR 18.10 DUBLIN HEUSTON/PORTLAOISE 3&4 ICR 08.20 PORTLAOISE/DUBLIN HEUSTON 2X3 ICR 19.35 DUBLIN HEUSTON/PORTLAOISE 4 ICR 10.18 PORTLAOISE/DUBLIN HEUSTON 3&4 ICR 20.10 DUBLIN HEUSTON/PORTLAOISE 5 ICR 20.45 DUBLIN HEUSTON/PORTLAOISE 3&4 ICR 21.45 DUBLIN HEUSTON/PORTLAOISE 5 ICR 07.45 KILDARE/DUBLIN HEUSTON 5 ICR 09.20 KILDARE/DUBLIN HEUSTON 5 ICR 18.50 DUBLIN HEUSTON/KILDARE 5 ICR 10.55 KILDARE/DUBLIN HEUSTON 5 ICR 07.10 TRALEE/CORK 5 ICR is extended through to Heuston Connolly Services 06.05 BELFAST CENTRAL/DUBLIN CONNOLLY 6 x C3K 20.55 DUBLIN CONNOLLY/BELFAST CENTRAL 6 x C3K 06.20 BELFAST CENTRAL/DUBLIN CONNOLLY 6 x C3K 22.10 DUBLIN CONNOLLY/BELFAST CENTRAL 6 x C3K 05.40 DERRY/DUBLIN CONNOLLY 6 C3K 21.50 DUBLIN CONNOLLY/DERRY 6 C3K 06.55 SLIGO/DUBLIN CONNOLLY 4 ICR 18.30 DUBLIN CONNOLLY/SLIGO 4 ICR 07.20 ROSSLARE EUROPORT/DUBLIN CONNOLLY 4 x 29000 19.42 DUBLIN CONNOLLY/ROSSLARE EUROPORT 4 x 29000 For the weekend, I was in the Portlaoise area and popped over to the station on Sunday morning to see the 3 additional special services depart from the station, plus photographing the Limerick, Cork and Tralee specials passing through. Click https://goo.gl/Xxpd8w to view.

Meanwhile this evening I estimate about 50 odd people got off the 1750 Galway - Limerick at Ennis which was a 2 car set (85 seats). The train still had a healthy load into Limerick. No reason why a Galway to Tuam (or beyond) service couldn't do the same. But to a lot of commentators on the East Coast (I include the Dublin based media and keyboard warriors in that statement) the line only carries a handful of passengers a day.

There was only one train to catch today and that was the 1530 Heuston - Limerick which had the 2018 All Ireland Hurling Final winners onboard, returning to Limerick to a stunning reception from fans at Limerick Colbert Station. After that I took a spin out to Ennis and once again the Western Rail Corridor trains had very healthy passenger loads, particularly the 1750 Galway - Limerick Jct. service. Click https://goo.gl/TbfPXR to view the images.

Thanks Jason. On Sunday 19th August the All Ireland Hurling Final took place at Croke Park in Dublin. The minor final featured Galway and Kilkenny, while the senior final featured Limerick and Galway. Limerick are looking to win their first All Ireland since 1973. For the event Iarnrod Eireann operated eight specials from Limerick, Limerick Jct., Charleville and Galway as well as the regular scheduled service. The specials operated as under: 0730 Galway - Dublin Heuston 3+4ICR 1920 Dublin Heuston - Galway 3+4ICR 0745 Galway - Dublin Heuston 5ICR 2005 Dublin Heuston - Galway 4ICR 0845 Galway - Dublin Heuston 2x3ICR 1950 Dublin Heuston - Galway 2x3ICR 0940 Galway - Dublin Heuston 4ICR 1820 Dublin Heuston - Galway 4ICR 0910 Limerick - Dublin Heuston 2x3ICR 1850 Dublin Heuston - Limerick 2x4ICR 0940 Limerick - Dublin Heuston 2x4ICR 1924 Dublin Heuston - Limerick 2x3ICR (note the regular 1925 Heuston - Limerick was deferred to 1935). 1000 Limerick Jct.- Dublin Heuston 3+4ICR 1910 Dublin Heuston - Limerick Jct. 3+4ICR 0815 Charleville - Dublin Heuston 5ICR 1930 Dublin Heuston - Charleville 8MKIV I took an early morning trip into Limerick to see the 0910 and 0940 Specials to Heuston. The 0940 was notable in being the first 8ICR formation to depart from the station since the remodelling in 2017. Previously the maximum size that could operate to Limerick was 7ICR. Click the picture below to view all the images.

Evening folks, A round of up of pictures from the past week include: Tuesday 14th August 2018: I had to visit Tullamore this morning and once my business there was concluded, the Up and Down IWT Liners were shortly due to pass through the town. I headed out Clonminch Road Bridge to photograph both workings, both hauled by 201 Class locomotives. Thursday 17th August 2017: Images from around the Portlaoise area including 083 hauling the Sperry train on test to Portarlington. Friday 17th August 2018: Pictures today come from Heuston, Busaras and Connolly. Saturday 18th August 2018: Pictures from St. Stephens Green, Dawson Street, Heuston, Portlaoise and Grange More (near Ballybrophy). Click https://goo.gl/KXCGWY to view.

Evening folks, Two updates have been uploaded to the website this evening: - Monday 13th August 2018: Pictures from Limerick and Portlaoise have been uploaded to the August gallery. Click https://goo.gl/33npqe to view. - The next railway to feature in my forgotten railway series is the Western Rail Corridor between Claremorris to Athenry. Click thehttps://goo.gl/GrCSRY to see the gallery.

Hi all, Two updates to the website this evening. The first is the August gallery which features: Tuesday 7th August 2018: While alighting from the 1530 Heuston - Limerick at Limerick, I noted 2814 on the 1805 to Galway showing the new digital destination displays. Wednesday 8th August 2018: The Nenagh Branch service was bus transfers on this day. It was reported that copper thieves stole 4 miles of ETS cable in the Cloughjordan area. Thursday 9th August 2018: Pictures from Portlaoise, Limerick, Limerick Jct. and Thurles this evening. The main reason for my trip was to travel on the 1750 Limerick - Limerick Jct. service which operates via the Pocket Loop at Limerick Jct. to cross the 1625 Heuston - Limerick via Limerick Jct. service. Click https://goo.gl/PMvZM6 to view. The second update is one from the forgotten railway series featuring pictures of the Connemara railway between Galway and Clifden. If exciting plans come to pass we may yet see a train in this part of the world once again. Click https://goo.gl/nPjRF5 to view.

Evening folks, The July gallery comes to a close with photos from Coolmine on Tuesday evening to capture some of the evening peak traffic passing the station. Click https://goo.gl/bi5cJk to view.

Evening all, The latest update to the July gallery has just been posted featuring: Wednesday 25th July 2018: Just a single picture from this day at Ballybrophy of the morning branch train from Limerick via Nenagh. Friday 27th July 2018: A Friday ramble visiting: - Portlaoise. - Portarlington. - Monasterevin. - Limerick Jct. - Thurles. Work has started at Limerick Jct. on the construction of the new Down Platform. As a result of this the Up and Down Lines are closed and all traffic must use the platform road at the station. Click https://goo.gl/5zhBXh to view all the images.

Tuesday 24th July 2018: A day trip to Dublin with images from: - Nenagh. - Heuston. - Connolly. - Busaras. - Drumcondra. - Ballybrophy. Includes the last silver and black liveried 071 (086) hauling the 1140 Ballina - North Wall Liner at Drumcondra. Click https://goo.gl/jzCtEp to view.