thewanderer

Lovely part of the world. I've eaten in Flanagan's on the Lake. Lovely spot. Also docked alongside there overnight on my recent Shannon Cruise.

Your welcome.

Evening folks, The June gallery comes to a close with some images from Ballybrophy, including a weedspraying road rail 4 x 4. Click smu.gs/2tmNZsK to view. The July gallery starts with images from Portlaoise and Limerick. Click smu.gs/2tmVqjT to view.

Evening folks, Latest updates to the website include: Sunday 25th June 2017: Pictures from Birdhill and Killaloe / Birdhill. Monday 26th June 2017: A visit to Limerick to see the reopened station following its closure for re-signalling. Click http://smu.gs/2sf4YeB to view.

Afternoon folks, Two updates to the website this afternoon. The first is a long overdue update to the LUAS Cross City galley. I've been a rare visitor to Dublin in recent months, anytime I have been I haven't had the time to dedicate two plus hours to view the latest work on the extension. With two visits to Dublin in the latter half of June planned, I made time to visit the latest work to the LUAS extensions. The week before these photos were taken the first gauging trial took place. The photos from Wednesday cover from Phibsborough to Broombridge and Saturday covers the section from St. Stephen's Green to Broadstone. Great progress has been made throughout the extension with only finishing works to be completed now prior to the start of test running later in the summer. Click http://smu.gs/2s7DS99 to view these. The second update is images from Cabra to see the Belmond Grand Hibernian passing on its way from Heuston to Belfast and a visit to Heuston itself. Click http://smu.gs/2sNGL0z to view these.

Evening folks, A few images from yesterday at Cabra, Broombridge and Rogerstown Viaduct. Click http://smu.gs/2s0EgWQ to view.

Good evening all, The final batch of images from the 2017 Emerald Isle Explorer railtour has now been uploaded. Featuring: - NIR 112 and CIE 071 at Connolly on Tuesday. - NIR 112 passing Rogerstown Viaduc on Wednesday. Click http://smu.gs/2ssdieb to view.

Morning all, While the main focus over the past several days has been on the Emerald Isle Explorer, the June gallery has also been updated over the past few days. Featuring: Friday 16th June 2017: A few odds and sods while chasing the "Emerald Isle Explorer". Also notable today was Heuston Driver Joseph Ryan working his last train before retirement. Saturday 17th June 2017: 2604 + 2603 stabled at Tralee. Sunday 18th June 2017: A visit to Shannon Harbour while heading home from Athlone. Tuesday 20th June 2017: While in Killenard waiting for the Emerald Isle Explorer, 22041 passed with the 1125 Heuston - Galway. Plus later in the evening a visit to Ballybrophy to see 22030 + 22016 passing with a Cork to Laois Depot Empty. Click http://smu.gs/2rSCTJC to view.

Afternoon all, A small update today featuring the RPSI & Steam Dreams "Emerald Isle Explorer" in the Portarlington area with No. 4 in charge while enroute from Westport to Connolly. No. 85 and the RPSI MK2 set would take the guests onwards to Belfast later in the afternoon. Click http://smu.gs/2tJrqxe to view.

Evening folks, I've just uploaded Saturday and the Sunday pictures of the RPSI / Steam Dreams "Emerald Isle Explorer". On Saturday I travelled on the train from Killarney to Tralee while on Sunday I photographed it at Killarney, Stagmount (between Killarney and Rathmore) and then a 231 km trek to Barry Beg, just north of Athlone to catch No. 4 passing with the train. No. 85 worked the train to Portarlington and then No. 4 took over for the run to Westport. Click http://smu.gs/2sF44vH to view all the images.

Afternoon all, Pictures from the RPSI / Steam Dreams "Emerald Isle Explorer" have now been uploaded to http://smu.gs/2sAIyIn The gallery features: - Thursday's trip to Rosslare prior to departure from Connolly. - Friday's trip from Connolly to Killarney with images from Monasterevin, Ballybrophy, Goolds Cross, Limerick Jct, Banteer and Killarney.

Evening folks, Thursday 15th June 2017: The failure of 234 on the 1220 Cork - Heuston was the main news from today. Plus a few pictures from Nenagh early this morning. 2820 + 2819 are working the branch during the three week closure of Limerick Station. Click http://smu.gs/2s5FUtv to view.

Wednesday 14th June 2017: Further trials for the lengthening of freight trains are being carried out this week. The first trial was a 14 wagon laden timber train from Waterford to Carlow & return which operated with 232. I popped over to Co. Carlow to see it along with the DFDS liner from Waterford to Ballina which was worked by 079. A trial of the IWT liner with 24 wagons is scheduled for Sunday morning. Click http://smu.gs/2rsn2WO to view.

Evening all, A few pictures from around Portlaoise today, including the Belmond Grand Hibernian heading from Heuston to Cork. Click http://smu.gs/2rsVdbZ to view them all.

Just dust picked up from the level crossing.

Saturday 10th June 2017: The Belmond Grand Hibernian had maintenance downtime from Monday 5th June to Thursday 8th June. From Friday 9th to Sunday 10th June it was hired out by a group which visited Galway and Cork. On day two of the three day trip I chased the train from Ballybrophy to Shinanagh Level Crossing south of Charleville. I also called into Limerick Station to see how work is progressing during the three week closure. Click http://smu.gs/2rgULNX to view.

Evening all, Images from the past few days have now been uploaded to the June gallery. Saturday 3rd - Monday 5th June 2017: Celebrity "retrotrain" locomotive 071 was used on several legs of the Belmond Grand Hibernian operation over the June Bank Holiday weekend. * On Saturday it worked the train between Islandbridge Jct. & Connolly (with 216 following L.E. behind to couple to the other end of the set for the trip to Belfast). * On Sunday it worked the Connolly - Waterford - Muine Bheag legs of the tour train * On Monday it worked the final leg of the tour from Muine Bheag to Heuston. Due to other long standing commitments I wasn't able to go and photograph it but "TTC0169" had kindly supplied me with several images of his own from the train. Monday 5th June 2017: A visit to Limerick Station to see the re-signalling works taking place at the station. Tuesday 6th June 2017: A quick visit to Ballycleary Bridge south of the former Mountrath station to photograph the 1600 Heuston - Cork & 1520 Cork - Heuston. Click http://smu.gs/2sTneef to view.

Just a few more images from Nenagh station on Friday evening. Click http://smu.gs/2rCuwFJ to view. On a side note I'm looking to update the links page on the website (see ) . If you would like to be listed on the page please drop me a PM.

Evening all, A few images of the two Nenagh Branch morning services, which split in Nenagh with one going onwards to Ballybrophy and the second heading back to Limerick. Click http://smu.gs/2qOVXrO to view.

Morning folks, A few pictures from Tuesday have just been uploaded at http://smu.gs/2rmKrro - Belmond Grand Hibernian passing Portlaoise on its way from Heuston to Cork. - Limerick remodelling has begun with the closure of platforms 3 and 4 at the station. This is to allow the "kink" in platform 3 to be removed.

While in Bangor last Friday evening I stumbled upon the Bangor Model Railway show so I popped in for a look. Click http://smu.gs/2rgzesk to see all the images.

Evening all, A 100+ picture update this evening of my visit to Belfast and surrounding areas since last Thursday. Thursday 25th May 2017: After I arrived at Belfast, I went on an open top bus tour of the city. Friday 26th May 2017: Friday lunchtime was spent walking around Belfast City, also includes some photos from the Dargan Bridge. In the afternoon I went to Bangor and stumbled upon a model railway show (to be featured in a separate gallery which will be uploaded on Monday) and a miniature railway called the Pickie Puffer. Saturday 27th May 2017: A trip from Belfast to Portrush and out to Bushmills by bus. Later in the afternoon I photographed the Belmod Grand Hibernian passing Botanic. Sunday 28th May 2017: A morning jaunt to the Dargan Bridge to see the RPSI Gatwick carriage transfer which turned out to be cancelled. After getting the 1305 Belfast Central - Dublin Connolly, I travelled out to Howth on the 3rd and final RPSI "Howth 170th Special" of the day. These were operated to celebrate the 170th anniversary of the railway arriving at the current station on the 30th May 1847. Click http://smu.gs/2sbqFwq to view all the images.

I've just finished uploading all the images from my trip from Nenagh to Belfast today. Photos from: - Nenagh - Ballybrophy - Heuston - Connolly - Belfast Central. Click https:/smu.gs/2qTHNsI to view all the images.

Morning all, Limerick Station will be closing for three weeks from Monday 5th June for the resignalling of the station to take place. The Station and Check Cabins will both be closed with control transferred to the new "Limerick Electronic Control Point". The Station Cabin will be demolished and the kink in Platform 3 will be removed during the closure. On Tuesday I made a few detailed photos of the station layout prior to closure and alteration. Click http://smu.gs/2qailAj to view.

Evening all, Lunchtime at Shanderry outside Portarlington today was very productive with 077 on the Weedspray from Athenry to Heuston and 072 on the Ballina - North Wall IWT Liner. Also a small update to the end of Friday's journey with 22011 at Kildare close to midnight and Ballast Cleaner 781 at Cherryville Jct. Click http://smu.gs/2qIiXMa to view.