thewanderer

I was in the West Clare area on Saturday and called in to the West Clare Railway at Moyasta. Despite their website saying the museum was open, when I arrived there wasn't a soul around and all locked up. Not very conductive to attracting visitors. On the other side of the N67 road, the site of the long mooted transport museum holds a decaying bunch of locomotives and rolling stock including A class, 121, 141 and 181 Class plus Mk2a, MK3 and MK3 Push/Pull carriages. Draw your own conclusions. To see the pictures from the visit click http://smu.gs/2d9jBc3

Evening folks, Latest update has now been uploaded to the website. Thursday 22nd September 2016: Some recent improvement works to the former Kilkenny line at Portlaoise PWD Yard. Friday 22nd September 2016: A visit to Birdhill Station to see the 1724 Birdhill - Ballybrophy depart. There was a bus transfer from Limerick at 1655 serving Castleconnell enroute. This was due to Engineering Works at Limerick Station. Click http://smu.gs/2czuN4k to view.

Evening all, Latest update to the website now online. Wednesday 21st September 2016: A visit to Portarlington to see the 1652 Tullamore - Cork "National Ploughing Championship" Spl. reversing at the station. Plus a few other odds and sods. Click http://smu.gs/2cuq1oE to view all the images from the evening.

Evening all, Latest updates to the September Gallery include: Friday 16th September 2016: While in the North West Dublin area I popped over to Clondalkin to photo the 0935 North Wall - Ballina IWT Liner with 084 in charge. Saturday 17th September 2016: I was lucky enough to catch the new Aer Lingus A330 EI-FNG taking off from DUB with flight EI123 to ORD. Then the next stop was Kilcoole in Co. Wicklow to photo 22019 passing on the 1336 Connolly - Rosslare Europort. Then it was over the Sally Gap to head for home. Click http://smu.gs/2cnpbKi to view. EI-FNG wasn't the only other aircraft I saw yesterday. Click http://smu.gs/2cJFXAQ to see what else I got up to.

A quick visit to Portlaoise to see 084 hauling 22027 through the station. It had hauled the set from Rosslare Europort on Wednesday / Thursday after it was declared a failure last Saturday. Click http://smu.gs/2chrCOG to view the full size image.

Evening folks, Latest update to the website tonight includes: Sunday 11th September 2016: Photos from Limerick Jct. and Oola. - Ballast Cleaner 780. - 4007 and 229 on the 0820 Cork - Heuston. - 22049 at Oola on the Limerick Shuttle. Tuesday 13th September 2016: Photos from Carn to view the heavily delayed Belmond Grand Hibernian after it left Heuston over four hours late due to a carriage defect which required repairs at Inchicore prior to departure. Click http://smu.gs/2cuo88x to view.

Evening all, The latest update to the website is 26 hours in South Wales. A 26 hour trip around South Wales with Finnyus covering various locations from Fishguard Harbour / Pembroke Dock as far east as Cadoxton outside Cardiff. Highlights include: - Murco Oil Train with Class 60's. - Diverted HST's on the Vale of Glamorgan route. - The last Summer Saturday operation of GWR HST's to Pembroke Dock. Click http://smu.gs/2czSX0o to view.

It was a rough enough crossing. Some new crockery required in the Galley after it. My stomach held out, just about I will admit. I haven't been seasick in years and that crossing sailed rather close to the wind with the Meatballs coming back up!!!

Greetings from the Stena Europe in the Irish Sea The latest updates to the website include: Thursday 8th September 2016: A few early morning photos from Killarney, Mallow and Thurles. Friday 9th September 2016: A few images from around Rosslare Europort while waiting to board the Stena Europe to Fishguard. Click http://smu.gs/2ccgUaH to view all the pictures.

Wednesday 7th September 2016: Pictures of the Belmond Grand Hibernian at Killarney during its tour of ireland. Click http://smu.gs/2c929nw to view.

Evening folks, Latest updates to the website include: Monday 5th September 2016: A visit to Kildare and the Curragh for the Monday Only 1526 Waterford - Westport Ety. Timber and the 1925 Inchicore - Kildare / 2025 Kildare - Heuston Empty Belmond Grand Hibernian movement. Tuesday 6th September 2016: Afternoon visit to Cork to see the Belmond Grand Hibernian arrive, then it was off to Killarney for the night. Click http://smu.gs/2bWkqHf to view all the images over the past two days.

Afternoon all, Today is G.A.A All Ireland Hurling Final day at Dublin's Croke Park with Tipperary and Kilkenny playing. Iarnrod Eireann operated 3 additional services from Tralee, Charleville and Limerick to cater for Tipperary supporters and also operated 2 additional services from Thomastown and Kilkenny to Dublin to cater for Kilkenny supporters. Also out today was the Belmond Grand Hibernian tour which operated from Dundalk to Waterford on the penultimate of its week long trip around Ireland. Click http://smu.gs/2bWfXSk to view.

"Doors".

216 wasn't available during the week so 226 subbed. Click on the link to view the pictures and you will see 216 hauling the train later in the day.

The Belmond Grand Hibernian at Heuston this morning after arriving from Roscommon. Passengers de-trained at Heuston with some going to the North Antrim Coast (Giant's Causeway etc) and others having a tour of Dublin before rejoining the train to head to Belfast for the afternoon. Well that was the plan. Instead the Dublin tour passengers had an extended stay at Drogheda due to a carriage fault on the train. Click the gallery below to see what happened. In the end the train only made it to Dundalk to stable for the night.

Saturday 3rd September 2016: I had imagined today being a nice Autumn Day and an afternoon chasing the Belmond Grand Hibernian. How wrong I was on both counts (mostly). Pictures from the day start off at Newbridge Ballast Pit with 223 on the IWT Liner from North Wall to Ballina. Onwards to Heuston and it was pleasing to see 226 still against the buffer stops of Platform 2 with the BGH set. Belmond Blue liveried 216 was waiting in the carriage sidings to shunt onto the train. I then popped over to Glasnevin to photo the train heading to Connolly and once that was done I headed north to Gormanston Viaduct to await the BGH heading North. What a long wait it turned out to be. See the pictures for the full story. Click http://smu.gs/2bNow4N to view.

Evening all, Friday 2nd September 2016: Pictures from Birdhill and Kishyquirk (Killonan Jct). Click http://smu.gs/2c0caZ8 to view.

I really don't get folks complaining about BGH and being so expensive (some comments earlier in the thread). - It's a top end of the market train. This is what Belmond do and do very well. - It's not aimed at the Irish Market. Aimed at US, UK and Europe tourists. Not us Irish folk. If I had the money I would do it so say I've done it. Then again I'll probably do the VSOE first! - It's full board. Once you step on board you won't spend a cent until you step off at the end of the tour. All tours, food and drink paid for. So you could say paying €7,700 per person for a week tour is actually good value when staying in a 5 star hotel and travelling around the country. While listening to Gary Franklin (Belmond MD) on the Anton Savage Show on Today FM last Tuesday the comments from listeners afterwards were mostly negative afterwards. "Why would you spend €7k to travel on a train around Ireland", "I could go to the Caribbean for that price". etc etc. It's not aimed at us FFS. It appears to me that us Irish are a bunch of whingers and the whole amount of negativity towards this venture astounds me. Now rant over. W.

Evening folks, A few updates this evening. August Gallery. - Some pictures of the Enterprise failure at Malahide last Saturday. Thanks to Barry Pickup for these. - New customer information desk at Heuston. The site of the old desk is to become a retail unit for a well known high street retailer. - Full house in the Engineering sidings at Portarlington with 229 passing on the 1700 Heuston to Cork. Click http://smu.gs/2bMusbg to start at the Malahide Photos from last Saturday or click http://smu.gs/2bHokDM to view the latest pictures from Heuston and Portarlington. September Gallery: Thursday 1st September 2016: A varied day today. - Belmond Grand Hibernian at Clonkeen while enroute to Galway. - Lunchtime trip to Monasterevin. All I got was 22009 on a local Portlaoise - Heuston trip. The main event (216 on a trial MKIV set) was cancelled and then reinstated to run about two hours later. - That disappointment was somewhat rectified by spotting 071 in the PWD yard at Portlaoise. Click http://smu.gs/2bX0Fld to view. Both galleries can also be accessed from the home page http://www.thewandererphotos.com

Thanks JB. I think it is. Even has its own Special Train ID now as well "Q" - Sleeping Car Train.

BELMOND GRAND HIBERNIAN carries first Guests on week long trip of Ireland. Photos from the launch of the Belmond Grand Hibernian at Heuston prior to its first departure for Cork. The train arrived from Inchicore shortly after 1030 with 226. 216 was then coupled onto the other end and the set was washed and placed back to Platform 2 for loading of catering supplies and for final preparations to take place. The first guests on board the train were a group from the USA based "The Society of International Railway Travelers". The group arrived from the Merrion Hotel in Dublin led down to Platform 2 by a Bag Pipe musician shortly before 1400. Once there a informal meet and greet took place with a Champagne reception and Irish Dancing. The train departed from Heuston at 1420 hours bound for Cork, its first stop on the week long tour. Over the course of the week the Guests will visit Killarney, Galway, Westport, Belfast & Waterford. The train was hauled by ex works 226, IE deciding not to risk the blue liveried 216 which has being giving some issues lately. Click http://smu.gs/2bD22R5 to view all the photos from today.

BELMOND GRAND HIBERNIAN carries first Guests on week long trip of Ireland. Photos from the launch of the Belmond Grand Hibernian at Heuston prior to its first departure for Cork. The train arrived from Inchicore shortly after 1030 with 226. 216 was then coupled onto the other end and the set was washed and placed back to Platform 2 for loading of catering supplies and for final preparations to take place. The first guests on board the train were a group from the USA based "The Society of International Railway Travelers". The group arrived from the Merrion Hotel in Dublin led down to Platform 2 by a Bag Pipe musician shortly before 1400. Once there a informal meet and greet took place with a Champagne reception and Irish Dancing. The train departed from Heuston at 1420 hours bound for Cork, its first stop on the week long tour. Over the course of the week the Guests will visit Killarney, Galway, Westport, Belfast & Waterford. The train was hauled by ex works 226, IE deciding not to risk the blue liveried 216 which has being giving some issues lately. Click http://smu.gs/2bD22R5 to view all the photos from today.

Evening all, 216 made another evening run to Portarlington tonight gathering some more data after its recent issues, departing Inchicore at 1955. Tomorrow is D Day with the first public run of the Belmond Grand Hibernian to fare paying passengers. Click http://smu.gs/2bEm2UT to view the photos.

Evening all, 216 made another evening run to Portarlington tonight gathering some more data after its recent issues, departing Inchicore at 1955. Tomorrow is D Day with the first public run of the Belmond Grand Hibernian to fare paying passengers. Click http://smu.gs/2bEm2UT to view the photos.

Thanks Noel.