thewanderer

Last weekend a friend and I did a quick 25 hour visit to England and Wales. Travelling from Belfast on the Friday night 2230 Stena Line sailing to Liverpool arriving at 0745 on Saturday morning. We then headed to Manchester to travel on the 1030 TfW service to Cardiff Central which was formed of 67014 and MK4 set HD07. After a very enjoyable trip to Cardiff we continued to West Wales finishing in Fishguard and Goodwick for the night. On Sunday we returned to Ireland on the temporary Stena Line route to Dublin Port aboard the Stena Adventurer due to the closure of Holyhead Port. See https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/International/2025-International-Trips/UK-Trip-25-hours-in-England-and-Wales to view all the images.

Sunday 5th January 2025: Significant snowfall occurred in the midlands and southern parts of Ireland on Saturday evening, continuing overnight and all day Sunday. Road conditions were extremely difficult with reports of Motorways being impassable in places. The railway operated more or less to schedule with some delays reported on Sunday afternoon due to level crossing equipment faults between Charleville and Mallow being the major issue of the day. I ventured out to Brittas north of Thurles to get some photos and then popped into the station to get some more photos. Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/2025-Photos/January-2025/i-k6K6M37 to view all the images.

Just one from today. 22022 is pictured at Maddams Hill, Killarney with a Tralee to Mallow service. Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/2024-Photos/December-2024/i-qnGgswK for the high rez image.

Evening all, A few photos from last weekend and tonight to bring December up to date. Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/2024-Photos/December-2024/i-fvBpgHB to view. Merry Christmas to one and all.

Life has gotten in the way of late so there hasn't been too much activity in updating the website for the past month but I've finally cleared the backlog of photos from November to mid-December. November gallery: https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/2024-Photos/November-2024/i-sRgxNwJ A handful of photos from the latter part of November featuring Killarney, Thurles and Heuston. December gallery: https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/2024-Photos/December-2024 Sunday 1st December 2024: Pictures from the Mallow - Tralee line with images from Killarney, Banteer (to see the new footbridge) and between Mallow and Banteer. Saturday 7th & Sunday 8th December: Images from around the Dublin area while on a visit to the Capital to sample the RPSI Santa Steam Train Specials. Friday 13th Decemeber: A short hop from Thurles to Limerick Jct. to meet family travelling up on the 1425 Cork - Heuston service and later in the evening a visit to Clonmel to view the 1625 Waterford - Limerick Jct. Tuesday 17th & Wednesday 18th December 2024: Images of LUAS trams in Dublin City. London trip: 20th to 23rd November 2024: https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/International/2024/UK-Trip-20th-23rd-November-2024 Four days in London where I managed to cram a lot in. Highlights being a visit to Strawberry Hill to visit the good folks in SETG looking after the 4VEP 3417 and travelling around on Class 455's as they enter their final months of service.

You were spotted at Ballybrophy.....and we were wondering who on earth was in Bally for it! A very enjoyable Irish railtour today and the first passenger run of a MK4 set to Limerick City. No fuss (having managed railtours before it can be a chore dealing with last minute issues), a relaxing day out and good company. Photos from the day at https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/RailtoursPreservedRailways/2024/Tailte-Tours-The-Great-Southern-Railway-Centennial-Railtour

A very enjoyable Irish railtour today and the first passenger run of a MK4 set to Limerick City. No fuss (having managed railtours before it can be a chore dealing with last minute issues), a relaxing day out and good company. Photos from the day at https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/RailtoursPreservedRailways/2024/Tailte-Tours-The-Great-Southern-Railway-Centennial-Railtour

The November gallery kicks off with images from Dublin, Thurles and Cork. Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/2024-Photos/November-2024 to view.

Rail services commenced at the new Belfast Grand Central Station on Sunday 13th October. Unfortunately I haven't had an opportunity to get up to Belfast yet due to a large number of personal and professional commitments lately. So with thanks to Belfast based enthusiast, Matthew Wilson, he has kindly allowed use of a selection of his photos to record this historic event. Belfast Grand Central replaced the adjacent Great Victoria Street Station which closed last May. Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/Officialevents/2024/Belfast-Grand-Central-opening-13th-October-2024 to view the images.

The October gallery has been updated with: Tuesday 22nd October 2024: Photos from a day trip starting in Nenagh to Dublin and then down to Limerick and a very much a sneak peek of new rolling stock fresh off the boat from Poland. Wednesday 23rd October: Just one photo today from Limerick Jct. Thursday 24th October 2024: Photos from around Limerick Station. Friday 25th October 2024: While on a road trip from Tipperary to Donegal, passing Knockcroghery at the right time to photo the 1445 Heuston - Westport passing the level crossing and former station. Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/2024-Photos/October-2024/i-x9Kxb26 to view all the images

The October gallery is updated with: Wednesday 16th October 2024: In Dublin for an Irish Railway Record Society talk with a few pictures from Heuston and Abbey Street. Thursday 17th October 2024: A quick sortie to Cork today with a trip to Midleton to see the initial progress on the project to redouble the track on the single line branch. Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/2024-Photos/October-2024/i-GLNnXnP to view.

Afternoon folks, Two updates to the website today with images of the RPSI Croagh Patrick Railtour on Saturday 12th October. The tour travelled from Dublin Heuston to Westport and Ballina. Loco 079 worked the first leg of the tour from Heuston to Westport and Claremorris where 084 took over for part 2 of the day into Ballina and back to Dublin Heuston. Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/RailtoursPreservedRailways/2024/RPSI-Croagh-Patrick-Railtour to view all the images from the day. The 2nd update is to the October gallery and mainly features other images from yesterday of travelling from Mallow to Portarlington to meet the tour and then he journey back to Mallow late on Saturday night onboard a Rugby Spl. Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/2024-Photos/October-2024/i-K5jhCcL to view all the other images.

It's been a busy few weeks so hardly any time for photos but managed to grab some photos in Nenagh and Farranfore on Tuesday night. Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/2024-Photos/October-2024 to view.

Just a few images from Nenagh, Ballybrophy and Heuston over the past few days. Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/2024-Photos/September-2024/i-SQwknms to view.

The September gallery has been updated with images from this week. Tuesday 17th September 2024: Pictures from around Dublin (Heuston & Red Line LUAS) plus Thurles. Wednesday 18th September 2024: The National Ploughing Championships took place between Tuesday and Thursday this week near Portlaoise. The event generates significant extra traffic and this can be seen by the scenes at Nenagh as passengers disembark the 1905 Ballybrophy - Limerick. 124 passengers departed Ballybrophy on the service with 90 leaving the train at Nenagh. Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/2024-Photos/September-2024/i-vdZVKxn to view.

The August and September Galleries have been updated with the latest batch of pictures. August 2024 Gallery: Tuesday 27th August 2024: Views of one of the electric buses in Athlone and the White Bridge which carries the Galway and Westport railway over the River Shannon. We also catch up with 22023 on the 445 Heuston - Westport. viewed from the River Shannon. Saturday 31st August 2024: Locallink bus 867 at Carrick-on-Shannon. Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/2024-Photos/August-2024/i-sDQgNJx to view. September 2024 Gallery: Sunday 1st September 2024: Pictures from Drumsna Railway Bridge of the 0905 Connolly - Sligo passing. Monday 2nd September 2024: A view of the White Bridge in Athlone viewed from the River. Unfortunately I was about 10 minutes too late for the Up IWT Liner. Thursday 12th September 2024: A day trip from Nenagh to Cork via Limerick. Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/2024-Photos/September-2024 to view.

The August gallery is updated with images from Borris-in-Ossory of the Nenagh Branch train and Laois Depot had a visitor in the form of 073 delivering ICR B2 vehicles 22525 & 22520 to the depot from Inchicore. The loco then had to rush back to Kildare to take over the 1125 Waterford - Ballina XPO Liner. Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/2024-Photos/August-2024/i-W8wbn4h to view all the images.

Friday 16th August 2024: A day trip to Limerick and Cork today with photos from Nenagh, Limerick, Limerick Jct. Cork, Glounthaune, Midleton, Cobh and Ballybrophy. Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/2024-Photos/August-2024/i-7JBfdCk to view.

The 2nd batch of images from the recent 3 day trip around Ireland visiting Mallow, Limerick Jct., Limerick and the Dublin area. Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/2024-Photos/August-2024/i-8gr8vPH to view.

The August gallery is now available at https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/2024-Photos/August-2024 Wednesday 7th August 2024: The start of a 3 day tour around the country with images from Nenagh, Ballybrophy, Heuston and Cork.

The July gallery ahs been updated with a bumper selection of images from July with images from: - Limerick - Limerick Wagon Works - Ennis - Athenry - Galway including views of the major station redevelopment ongoing. - Portarington - Portlaoise - Nenagh - Ballybrophy - Laois Traincare Depot showing unit 22051 being reformed from a 3ICR to 6ICRHC set. - Heuston. - Connolly. - Dun-Laoghaire - Seapoint - Lansdowne Road. - Grand Canal Dock - including the DART40 liveried unit. - Clondalkin / Fonthill - Mallow - Killarney. Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/2024-Photos/July-2024/i-PWRSWJf to view all the images. The Foynes rebuilding gallery has also gotten a small update with images from Limerick Check and between Ballingraine and Adare. Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/Officialevents/2024/Foynes-Line-Reconstruction-/i-5RP6QxS

The July gallery has ben updated with: Monday 15th & Tuesday 16th July 2024: Another visit to Dublin with some more images from Heuston and Inchicore. Sunday 21st July 2024: Images from Thurles and Heuston while at Heuston Station for the All Ireland Hurling Final. Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/2024-Photos/July-2024/i-vRjdK3L

The July gallery has been updated with images from Thurles, Dublin Heuston and Inchicore. Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/2024-Photos/July-2024/i-mskdsMZ to view.

The July gallery kicks off with photos from an overnight in Dublin featuring scenes from Heuston and of the city tram system - LUAS. Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/2024-Photos/July-2024/i-xTdNJLH to view

Saturday 29th June 2024: After an impromptu meet up with a friend for a late lunch in Limerick, the journey home was at the same time as the evening branch train from Limerick to Balllybrophy so I managed to get photos of it at several locations between Killonan Jct and Nenagh: * Lisnagry * Birdhill * Cappadine * Capparoe Click https://thewandererphotos.smugmug.com/2024-Photos/June-2024/i-nt2w2gm to view all the images.