thewanderer

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.

Evening folks, It's been a busy week with a lot travelling from one end of the country to the other but not much time for photographs: Wednesday 20th March 2019: Pictures from this day come from Drogheda where we see 083 being fuelled on the service slab at the depot. Later in the day I had to drive to Belfast and the timing was perfect to stop at the Egyptian Arch and Craigmore Viaduct outside Newry to photograph the 1650 Dublin Connolly - Belfast Lanyon Place Enterprise service passing by. Saturday 23rd March 2019: While in Killarney for the weekend I popped out to Faghcullia near Killarney to photo the 1135 Mallow - Tralee passing. Sunday 24th March 2019: While heading home after the weekend in Killarney, I stopped off at Maddam's Hill and Currans to photograph the 1710 Tralee - Cork and 1750 Tralee - Heuston. Click https://goo.gl/ASvD3k to view all the images.

Afternoon folks, Photos from Wednesday and this morning have just been uploaded to the March gallery: Wednesday 13th March 2019: Pictures from Ballybrophy and of the River Shannon in flood between Clonmacnoise and Shannonbridge. Sunday 17th March 2019: A trip to Lisduff on the Laois / Tipperary border to view some of the morning trains bound for Dublin including the 0815 Killarney - Connolly GAA Special and the 0710 Tralee - Cork diverted to Heuston. Click https://goo.gl/9at1qa to view.

Evening folks, Pictures from the past few days have now been uploaded to the website with two updates tonight: - March gallery sees images from: Friday 8th March 2019: Friday's pictures come from Connolly, Portadown and Adelaide during an organised visit to the nearby Depot. Later in the day I headed down the East Coast from Adelaide to Arklow. Sunday 10th March 2019: Pictures from the Vale of Avoca of the morning up and down Rosslare services. Later in the day I ventured to Ferrycarrig outside Wexford to capture the 1420 Rosslare Europort - Connolly just before it entered the tunnel. Click https://goo.gl/4NAr47 to view. IRO visit to NI Railways Adelaide Adelaide Motive Power Depot and Train Driving Simulator The second update features the aforementioned visit to Adelaide Motive Power Depot on a trip organised by the Institution of Railway Operators Irish Council to see how they maintain their 4000 class fleet and we also paid a visit to the driving simulator. Click https://goo.gl/k5tMmJ to view.

Evening all, The last of the images from my trip to Drogheda have now been uploaded to the March Gallery. The main highlight today was capturing 085 passing the station with the 1038 North Wall - Dundalk Sperry Train movement. Other pictures today come from: - Connolly, Adamstown and Ballybrophy. Click https://goo.gl/Ax18vV to view all the latest images.

Evening folks, I'm down in Drogehda for the night so managed to grab a few images on the journey up to here today. Features: - Nenagh. - Ballybrophy - Heuston - Connolly - Drogheda Click https://goo.gl/prTV5S to view them all.

This weeks photos start off with a trip from Nenagh to Dublin today: Photos come from: - Nenagh. - Ballybrophy. - Heuston. - Connolly. - Thurles. Click https://goo.gl/ZWpNDL to view all the images.

We kick off the March gallery with: Saturday 2nd March 2019: Dublin - Cork services were suspended between Charleville and Cork on this day for panel relaying around the 133 milepost. Mallow passengers were bused to/fro, Charleville while Cork passengers were bused to/from Thurles. Click https://goo.gl/9xAEJM to view.

Evening folks, Been a quiet week on the picture front this week but I managed a handful of shots at Limerick, Ballybrophy and Portlaoise over the past. Highlight being 083 on the Sperry Train and Track Recording Car 700 at Limerick. Click the picture to view all the images.

Afternoon folks, Pictures from the tail end of this week feature: Friday 22nd February 2019: Today's pictures come from Portlaoise and Limerick Jct. with images of the Sperry Train on test and progress on the new Down Platform at Limerick Jct. Saturday 23rd February 2019: An early start this morning to travel to Dublin from Thurles for another Institution of Railway Operators tutorial at Connolly Station. Pictures come from Heuston, Connolly, Broombridge and Abbey Street. Click https://goo.gl/Awi8jm to view them all.