thewanderer

Evening folks, Two updates to the website this evening. The first update, to the September Gallery covers images from during the week and today at Nenagh, Portlaoise and Dublin City. Click http://smu.gs/2wt3Q8X to view. The second update are the first images from a long weekend trip to London. Click http://smu.gs/2x5mhEs to view.

Evening all, The rest of the images from Saturday and a few from today have now been uploaded to the September gallery. Saturday 9th September 2017: Some photos of service trains at Connolly and on the Sligo line taken during the RPSI / MRSI "East Coaster" railtour (see post from Sunday for the railtour pictures). Monday 11th September 2017: A nice capture today for a Monday lunchtime was photographing 073 passing Rosskelton on a HOBS train to Lisduff. Later in the day has a few images from Portlaoise and Limerick. Click smu.gs/2wkRDU4 to view. Also when passing Broombridge on the RPSI / MRSI Railtour to Sligo I managed to get some photos of stabled trams at the new LUAS Depot. Click smu.gs/2wlb7HZ to view these.

Evening folks, Yesterday I travelled on the RPSI / MRSI "East Coaster" railtour from Connolly to Sligo using the Whitehead based MK2 set. The use of the MK2 set gave the rare opportunity to sample these carriages beyond Dublin. Haulage for the entire day used NIR's 112. This loco's claim to fame was it spent several years in the mid 2000's on loan to IE. Click http://smu.gs/2wTbflm to view.

Evening folks, A round of images on the Nenagh Branch and Limerick Station from the latter half of the week. Click https://smu.gs/2wP0jpc to view.

Evening all, Images from the weekend have just been uploaded to the website. Saturday 2nd September 2017: I stayed in Adare overnight to visit a friend so on the Saturday morning I popped up to the disused station to snap some photographs. These can be seen in the Foynes Branch Gallery at http://smu.gs/2eVLsQs Sunday 4th September 2017: A visit to Farranfore Station to see the 1340 Tralee - Heuston (22039) & 1210 Cork - Tralee (22018) crossing at the station. Monday 4th September 2017: A couple of photos from Portlaoise Station which was still busy from the Electric Picnic Concert at nearby Stradbally. Click http://smu.gs/2x51XEi to view these in the September gallery.

Images from the first day of September come from: - Nenagh - Ballybrophy - Portlaoise (Electric Picnic crowds) - Mallow - Limerick Jct. - Limerick Click smu.gs/2xDk4hC to view.

Evening folks, A few images from the past couple of days. Wednesday 30th August 2017: A few images while on the way home from work of the 1700 Heuston - Cork, 1705 Heuston - Tralee and 1655 Limerick - Ballybrophy. Thursday 31st August 2017: A new memorial plaque to commemorate the 150th anniversary of death of William Dargan has been unveiled at Portlaoise Station. He was a native of Laois having grown up on a farm near Killeshin. Dargan built Ireland’s first railway, the Dublin/Kingstown line which opened in 1834. Click http://smu.gs/2gsUF65 to view.

Good evening all, As most of now know, retro liveried 073 worked the 071 class rostered legs of the Belmond Grand Hibernian on Saturday and Sunday between Islandbridge and Connolly on Saturday and then the following day from Connolly to Waterford and Muine Bheag. Pictures of this, plus some other odds and sods can be viewed at http://smu.gs/2vBm1ZL

Good evening folks, Several pictures from the last two days have now been uploaded to August gallery featuring: - Irish Rail retro livery 073 on the 0815 Ballina - North Wall IWT liner at Portarlington. - ICR & MKIV passenger services passing Portarlington Station. - The 1245 Limerick - Limerick Jct. service was extended to Heuston and formed of 2800 class vehicles 2815 + 2816. This was due to an earlier MKIV failure at Heuston and the 1220 Cork - Heuston being 4ICR as a result. The service was reported full at Mallow. - Thursday's Belmond Grand Hibernian working from Charleville to Galway via Portarlington passing Clonard south of Portlaoise. - A rather crisp Dublin Coach Neopian Double Decker has turned up at Corcoran's Garage in Portlaoise after suffering from an engine fire. Click http://smu.gs/2wJWuC4 to view. Also on Monday 15th August, I visited Ardnacrusha hydroelectric power station in Co. Clare. This was served by a short branch off the Limerick - Athenry line from Longpavement on the outskirts of Limerick City and only finally closed in 1980. Click http://smu.gs/2xw8YdC to view.

It's out! 073 has finally been released back to traffic after its bodywork overhaul and repaint into original Irish Rail livery dating from 1987 to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the company. It worked today's 1510 North Wall - Ballina IWT liner and it is pictured passing Monasterevin. Click http://smu.gs/2vbIGfU to view all the images or click the image below to bring you to the August gallery.

Morning all, A round up of images from the past few days. Thursday 17th August 2017: A single image from Ballybrophy on this day. Sunday 20th August 2017: While heading to Dublin for the Kerry-Mayo G.A.A match, a minor detour was taken to Kildangan to photograph the Belmond Grand Hibernian passing en-route from Connolly to Waterford. Due to the new bag restrictions at major events, the camera had to be left behind for the train trip from Laois to Dublin. Monday 21st August 2017: Once my business was complete in Inchicore, I had a quick look around the works and stumbled upon 073 ticking over. It later went L.E. to Inchicore. Later in the day I stopped off at Cherryville Jct. and Cush to photograph 076 working the 1105 Ballina - Waterford laden timber. Click http://smu.gs/2vjrmoF to view all the images.

Evening folks, Days 4 and 5 have been uploaded to the website of my recent trip to Germany. Day 4: On Sunday lunchtime I had a walkabout Cologne before heading to Cologne West to try and see if any freight passed by, Later in the afternoon I took a ICE to Frankfurt via the High Speed Line to spend a few hours in the City. Day 5: Photos from the trip back to London and then to Shannon. Click http://smu.gs/2v8RzpN to view.

Today the 2000th IWT liner operated from North Wall to Ballina. TTC0169 was on hand in Ballina to photograph the train after arrival. Click http://smu.gs/2x58gE3 to view. Also to see the first train back in 2009 click http://smu.gs/2uQBntI

Evening folks, I've just finished uploading days 2 and 3 of my trip to Cologne last weekend. Day 2: A day out from Cologne visiting Bonn & Düsseldorf. Day 3: A day out from Cologne visiting Solingen, Wuppertal and Essen. Highlights from this day include travelling on the Wuppertal Suspension Railway and in Essen travelling on one of the former "P86" Docklands Light Railway vehicles. Click smu.gs/2uLzuie to view all the images.

Morning folks, The first pictures from a weekend trip to the Cologne area have now been uploaded. Instead of flying directly from Dublin to Düsseldorf I decided to take the scenic route by flying from Shannon to London Heathrow and then catch a Eurostar train from London St. Pancras to Brussels. From Brussels, after an 80 minute wait I caught a Paris - Dortmund Thalys TGV which had me in Cologne 105 minutes later. A good way to see Europe. Pictures from today comprise of: - Shannon Airport. - Limerick - Waterford - The Barrow Bridge - London Heathrow - London Paddington. - London Underground photos from Paddington, Piccadilly Circus, Covent Garden and Kings Cross St. Pancras. - Kings Cross. - St. Pancras Int. - Brussels Midi. - Cologne Hbf. Click on http://smu.gs/2vVkLEu to view the gallery.

During visits of cruise liners to Cobh a 2tph service is offered between the peaks formed of a 4x2600 and 2x2600 (is a 4pce if a set is available).

Afternoon all, The latest update to the website features a weekend in Donegal. Now some people may say but there isn't any railways in Donegal, but there is if you know where to look! The August gallery contains pictures from: - Nenagh - Castletown on the Mullingar to Athlone Greenway. - Carrick-on-Shannon. - Killybegs. - Dunfanaghy Holiday Village - Arranmore Island Ferry. Click http://smu.gs/2uJ5wuo The second gallery from the weekend is a visit to the wonderful Fintown Railway. Click http://smu.gs/2usdFbk to view. The third gallery from the weekend is a visit to the Difflin Lake Railway at Oakfield Park in Raphoe. Click http://smu.gs/2vS4r8n to view. All of the above galleries can also be accessed from the home page at https://thewandererphotos.com

Tuesday 1st August 2017: A lunchtime visit to Rosskelton to photograph the last operational 201 class (229) yet to receive a body overhaul. Wednesday 2nd August 2017: An unplanned and spur of the moment trip from Portlaoise to Limerick onboard the 1725 Heuston - Limerick service. Thursday 3rd August 2017: Pictures from Nenagh and Ballybrophy this morning after travelling on the 0630 Limerick - Ballybrophy via Nenagh service. Click http://smu.gs/2vuByON to view

Evening all, Some images from last Monday have been uploaded to the July gallery. Includes pictures from Thurles, Heuston and a selection from Inchicore including the Belmond Grand Hibernian passing with 076 and a few minutes after that 074 hauling the 0935 North Wall - Ballina Liner. Click smu.gs/2tGGXOR to view.

Evening all, Two updates to the website this evening. The first update is to the July Gallery from around Dublin City on Saturday 22nd July including: - Connolly. - Bus Aras. - Loop Line Bridge. - Heuston. - Islandbridge. - The Gullet. - Saggart. Click smu.gs/2tSneuX to view these. The second update is of the Railway Presevation Society of Ireland "The Boyne" railtour from Connolly to Drogheda, Dundalk and Skerries. Click smu.gs/2tBMsCA to view.

Good evening all, Two updates to the website this evening. The first is the July gallery and has images from Killarney, Nenagh, Borris-in-Ossory and Limerick over the last two days. Click smu.gs/2vvHxja to view. The second update is a new one in the Forgotten Railways series, covering the Valentia Harbour Branch from Farranfore to Valentia Harbour, which was the most westerly railway station in Europe until its closure in 1960. Click smu.gs/2u2Krha to view.

Evening all, The latest images from this week have now been uploaded to smu.gs/2tUPEWW Thursday 13th July 2017: Images from Nenagh, Ballybrophy, Clonkeen and Roscrea. Friday 14th July 2017: The pictures from today are of a trip from Portlaoise to Killarney.

Evening folks, Some images from Portlaoise and Limerick earlier today including the Belmond Grand Hibernian. Click smu.gs/2tFgpA1 to view.

Evening folks, A bumper update this evening featuring: Friday 7th July 2017: Images from a trip to Dublin. Saturday 8th July 2017: A day out around the Iarnrod Eireann system travelling between: Limerick - Limerick Jct. - Waterford - Kilkenny - Newbridge - Kildare - Portarlington - Athlone - Athenry - Ennis - Limerick. Click smu.gs/2sRTiDn to view.

Following the repainting of locomotive 071 into its original C.I.E. livery in May 2016 to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the class, another anniversary in Irish Railway history was looming in 2017 as it would be 30 years since the founding of Iarnrod Eireann on the 2nd February 1987 when C.I.E. was split up into three subsidiary companies of Iarnrod Eireann, Bus Eireann and Dublin Bus. In February 2017, staff members Driver Ken Fox of Cork, Guard Noel Enright of Westport and Neil Dinnen Intercity Fleet Controller, Laois Train Care Depot made a suggestion to Peter Smyth, Chief Mechanical Engineer Iarnrod Eireann of repainting another 071 Class locomotive into a heritage livery, the original Iarnrod Eireann livery from 1987. For the 30th anniversary, No. 073 was the chosen candidate for repainting into the white stripe livery as it was undergoing a body overhaul in Inchicore Works. The locomotive was repainted at the Paint Spray Shop in May 2017, with minor finishing work carried out in June 2017. To re-launch 073 an event took place at Inchicore on Friday 7th July, where a line-up of three 071 Class locomotives was arranged to showcase some of the different liveries the fleet have carried over the last 41 years. Click the image below to see all the photos from Inchicore today.