thewanderer

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.

Departs Galway at 1835 on Wednesday's for Athlone.

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.