thewanderer

Since my last visits in April 2011 and June 2015 the Tralee and Blennerville railway continues to decay. Parts of the trackbed have disappeared under a forest of weeds and in some cases trees with parts of Ballyard Station in Tralee being the worst. Back in my 2015 visit I reported on the then newly formed Tralee & Dingle Railway Preservation Society attempts to reopen the railway. Sadly little if no progress has been made and their website hasn't been updated since 2015. It is unclear what future direction the railway will take. Click the image below to see all the pictures.

Evening folks, Pictures from the last week of January feature: Monday 28th January 2019: Today's pictures come from a sunny, but cold Portlaoise. Tuesday 29th January 2019: Two pictures from today at Portlaoise and Limerick. The 1400 Heuston - Cork service had the Irish President Michael D. Higgins onboard. Wednesday 31st January 2019: Pictures today come from Ballybrophy and Limerick Jct. Click https://goo.gl/WJUM9x to view.

Afternoon all, The latest images from January have been uploaded to the website featuring: Wednesday 23rd January 2019: After alighting from the Stena Europe, 22053 arrived at Rosslare Europort on the 1333 from Connolly. Saturday 26th January 2019: Over the weekend of the Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th January, all Maynooth and Sligo services were diverted to operate over the Midland Great Western line via Newcomen Jct. instead of the normal booked route via Drumcondra over the Great Southern and Western Line due to engineering works at Glasnevin Jct. Pictures are from various locations on the Midland line in Dublin. Click https://goo.gl/EFFozr to view them.

A short notice trip to South Wales cropped up in early January which saw me spending four days west of Cardiff for a family event this week. Unusually for me, I decided to bring the car across on the Stena Europe instead of travelling foot passenger or flying. This opportunity enabled me to do some lineside photography at various locations in the Cardiff area and towards Fishguard. Photos from the trip include: - Rosslare Europort. - Stena Europe. - Fishguard. - Whitland. - Pontyclun. - Llantrisant Level Crossing - Margam Yard. - Tondu. - Pontypridd. - Barry Island. - Ferryside. Highlights include steel freight trains from Margam, the Murco tanker train and the Network Rail New Measurement Train (HST). Click https://goo.gl/8Ug8nY to view all the images.

Saturday 19th January 2019: Today had been long marked in for a ramble around the south and west part of the IE network, but I found myself having to make changes as a short notice trip to South Wales cropped up for the next few days. So instead of the planned circular trip from Limerick to Waterford - Kildare - Athenry - Ennis and Limerick I found myself heading from Nenagh at 0740 to Ballybrophy, Portlaoise, Portarlington, Clara, back to Portarlington before heading south to Portlaoise, Limerick Jct. , Limerick and Ennis, before retracing my steps to Thurles to be collected for a road trip to Rosslare (getting there by train or bus from Munster is a PITA these days). Despite some miserable weather in the Midlands which wasn't great for photos it was good to venture to parts of the network I haven't been to for a while. Highlights include seeing both up and down IWT liners and a 6pce 2800 on the Limerick Jct. shuttle in connection with a Rugby match at Limerick. Click the image below to see the full collection.

Evening folks, Photos from the first part of this week consist of: Monday 14th January 2019: While waiting for my train, I noticed that platform end fencing has appeared at Portlaoise, even the disused bay platform was treated. Tuesday 15th January 2019: Pictures from Portlaoise and near Thurles today, highlight being Belmond Grand Hibernian 216 working a Cork passenger diagram. Wednesday 16th January 2019: While having to make a quick sortie to the Dublin Docklands on Wednesday evening, I managed to get some photos from The Point, Spencer Dock, Mayor Square and some evening time photos at Heuston Station prior to catching my train home. Click https://goo.gl/qy33wA to view the pictures.

Latest update to the January gallery featuring: Thursday 10th January 2019: An unusual visitor to Laois Traincare Depot in the form of track recording car 700. Saturday 12th January 2019: 18 photos from a trip from Portlaoise to Dublin with images from Heuston, Connolly and the Docklands of Dublin. Click https://goo.gl/A8dPgz to view all the images.

Evening folks, Tuesday 8th January 2019: Pictures from Portlaoise as the sun was setting on 22050 as it arrived into the station, with an additional picture from Limerick after I alighted from the 1530 service from Heuston. Click https://goo.gl/QsFtaK or the picture below to view all the images.

A small update to the January gallery today with photos from Limerick and Ballybrophy. Click https://goo.gl/dV8TEX to view.

Evening folks, We kick off the 2019 season with photos from Portlaoise, Limerick Jct., Limerick and Nenagh. The North Tipperary Rail Community had their annual outing from Nenagh Station today to Limerick for Limerick-on-Ice with about 90 people travelling on the 1655 from Limerick to Ballybrophy. Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/2019-Photos/January-2019 to view.

The final images from 2018 have now been uploaded to the December gallery featuring images from Nenagh Station this morning showing a healthy load joining the late-morning train into Limerick. Click https://goo.gl/bTMc17 to view. Also the 2018 Year in Review has been published featuring over 300 images from the Irish Railway Scene over 2018. May I take this opportunity to wish you all a Very Happy New Year. Click https://goo.gl/Fm6LDK to view.

The latest update to the December gallery has been published with: Friday 28th December 2018: A day trip from Thurles to Belfast to see a family member currently in hospital, features images from Thurles, Heuston, Connolly, Dundalk, Portadown, Belfast Lanyon Place and City Hospital. This was my first visit to Belfast since NI Railways renamed Central Station to Lanyon Place. It doesn't really roll off the tongue that well compared to Central and doesn't really give the occasional railway user any indication that this is the main railway station in Belfast, regardless of peoples views of it being central or not. Click https://goo.gl/7QUDB3 to view.

The latest update to the December gallery has been published with: Tuesday 18th December 2018: A few photos from Heuston and Busaras while up in Dublin for the day. Sunday 23rd Decemebr 2018: With a busy work schedule and lots of dreary weather, the opportunity for photographs in the lead up to Christmas has been limited. But I managed a detour to Kilkeen Level Crossing outside Killarney on Sunday afternoon while travelling along the N22 road to photo 22023 passing on the 1510 Tralee - Mallow. Click https://goo.gl/vuQbLT to view.

Evening all, The latest update to the December gallery has just been published. Featuring: Saturday 15th December 2018: A day spent on the Maynooth Line photographing the RPSI Santa Specials and travelling on the 3rd trip of the day, which due to the problems No. 4 had on the 2nd trip was worked by Belmond Grand Hibernian liveried 216. On a side note the 30 minute interval service on the Maynooth line is very welcome for hopping between stations. Sunday 16th December 2018: On Sunday morning I travelled up from Greystones to Dublin before catching some Green Line LUAS photos in between the Christmas Shopping. Click https://goo.gl/2cN3rt to view all the images.

Evening all, The latest update to the December gallery has just been published. Featuring: Saturday 15th December 2018: A day spent on the Maynooth Line photographing the RPSI Santa Specials and travelling on the 3rd trip of the day, which due to the problems No. 4 had on the 2nd trip was worked by Belmond Grand Hibernian liveried 216. On a side note the 30 minute interval service on the Maynooth line is very welcome for hopping between stations. Sunday 16th December 2018: On Sunday morning I travelled up from Greystones to Dublin before catching some Green Line LUAS photos in between the Christmas Shopping. Click https://goo.gl/2cN3rt to view all the images.

Evening all, Yesterday I found myself on another day trip to Dublin for a Institution of Railway Operators tutorial with pictures from: - Kildare. - Connolly. - Maynooth. Includes pictures of the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland Santa Train Specials between Connolly and Maynooth with the RPSI's No. 4 and IE 071 Class 082. Click https://goo.gl/PNdKFZ to view all the images from a rather excellent day.

Morning folks, It's been a busy week with two trips to Dublin (and my 3rd today) so I managed to get some pictures while out and about. The summary of the week so far includes: Tuesday 4th December 2018: Pictures from Heuston on Tuesday evening while waiting to catch my train home. Wednesday 5th December 2018: A ramble to Ashtown via tram and train to meet some friends for a catch up. The latter part of the evening has pictures from Heuston. Thursday 6th December: A visit to Rosskelton and Clonkeen during lunchtime to photo the 1000 Mallow- Portarlington Spoil Train which was hauled by 076 with 077 dead in tow. 077 had failed on Tuesday outside Cork with the same train. Click https://goo.gl/MgTDEF to view all the images.

Evening all, Two updates to the website this evening with the last of the November pictures and the start of the December collection. Another year is nearly gone. Thursday 29th November 2018: Pictures from Heuston Station and the footbridge at Inchicore. Click https://goo.gl/suqzPo to view the November gallery. Saturday 1st December 2018: A brief visit to Ballybrophy to photo the 1200 Heuston - Cork and 1125 Cork- Heuston passing the station. Sunday 2nd December 2018: While wandering around Co. Clare a slight detour found me conveniently passing Moyasta on the way home. Not much appears to have changed since my last visit in 2016, with no progress made on the long mooted transport museum. Later in the day I stumbled upon former Dublin Bus vehicle RH11 outside a pub at Liscasey, Co. Clare. Click https://goo.gl/nkEADr to view the December gallery. Of course both galleries can be accessed from the home page at www.thewandererphotos.com

Evening folks, Last weekend I visited London and did some travelling around the network. Full description of the areas visited can be seen on the gallery page at https://goo.gl/QCwPWK Some of the highlights include: - Parliamentary train from South Ruislip to London Paddington. - Upminister to Romford. - Northern City Line which still retains Network South East signage. - INTERCITY liveried 91119 at Kings Cross. - Detailed shots of Charing Cross Underground Station.

Sunday 18th November 2018: On Sunday afternoon I headed out to Yellow Quarry near Killarney to photograph the 1450 Cork - Tralee which is booked for a 4 car set of 2600's instead of the more normal diet of 22000's on the Tralee line. Later in the evening photos come from Killarney Station, Mallow and Limerick Jct. where we saw one of Iarnrod Eireann's newly passed out drivers heading for Dublin. Click the picture below to view all the images.

Friday 17th November 2018: A ramble from Portlaoise to Killarney via Cork, with photos coming from: - Portlaoise. - Limerick Jct. - Mallow - Cork - Cobh - Rathmore - Killarney. At Cork the final semaphore signals at Platforms 1 2 and 3 were in the process of being replaced by 3 aspect colour light signals. Click the picture below to view all the images from the day.

Yesterday I had to be in Dublin so once my business was completed I took a trip to several of the Northside DART stations. Pictures from yesterday come from: - Stacumny Bridge (on Sunday) - Heuston - Four Courts - Connolly - Fairview EMU depot including ICR 22062 paying a quick visit. - Clontarf Road. - Malahide. Includes seeing 5ICR 22036 on what turned out to be its penultimate day of operation on the 0735 Connolly - Belfast and 1035 return. - Harmonstown. - Raheny. Click https://goo.gl/qSoF1y to view.

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.