thewanderer

As part of the Balbriggan Summerfest, the RPSI operated two steam train trips from Balbriggan to Drogheda on Sunday 29th May. Pictures of the event are at http://smu.gs/1TGQQ4M

Morning folks, A big update to the LUAS Cross City Gallery on Saturday with a walk of the route from Broombridge to St. Stephen's Green. Click http://smu.gs/1OUqdqR to view. Also the May gallery has also been updated with the latest progress on the Phoenix Park Tunnel route, a few pictures around Broombridge plus some rock and roll stars who are gracing Dublin this weekend. Click http://smu.gs/1P7uDA4 to view.

Evening folks, The May gallery has been updated with photos from the past few days. Click http://smu.gs/1XUFJuo to view. Photos from: - Portlaoise - Ballybrophy - Mallow - Rathmore - Killarney - Quakers Road Level Crossing near Borris-in-Ossory. - Lisduff.

Afternoon folks, I recently spent a number of days in the UK and have just completed uploading the images to the website. All galleries can be seen at the following link Friday 13th May: After arriving into Gatwick Airport it was a quick hop on the train to East Croydon and a short trip on the Croydon Tramlink to Mitcham Jct. Saturday 14th May: A varied day today with a morning trip to Tooting Broadway to see a number of former London Transport RT type buses, which were on heritage duties between Tooting Broadway and Southwark to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the withdrawal of the RTW type buses. In the afternoon I visited a couple of locations on the Brighton Mainline to photograph some Class 442 units. Monday 16th May: The main event for the day was a visit to the Bluebell Railway. In the afternoon I also visited Caterham and Riddlesdown Viaduct. Like the RPSI trip from Westport to Dublin which set off several lineside fires the Steam Engine on the Bluebell was also setting off its own fires! Tuesday 17th May: A day on the Brighton Mainline to photograph some freight trains, Class 442's and Class 700's on test. Wednesday 18th May: Wednesday morning started off rather early with a cross London trip from East Croydon to Marylebone to catch the 0841 from there to Birmingham Moor Street which is locomotive hauled by a Class 68. Once the bag was dropped off at the Hotel in Birmingham it was a trip out to Tyseley to photograph a few trains including another Class 68 hauled service from London. For the next leg of my trip I met up with Modern Railways Tony Miles who was joining me on the 1255 Birmingham Moor Street to London which I did as far as High Wycombe. From there I backtracked to Banbury to meet three other Irish enthusiasts who were also visiting the UK and we spent the evening at the Banbury Lane Bridge North of Kings Sutton. An added bonus in the evening time was seeing the S7 Stock transfer to West Ruislip hauled by a number of Class 20's at Leamington Spa. Thursday 19th May: The last day in the UK was a rather simple affair with a circular trip from Birmingham to Nuneaton, up the WCML to Rugeley Trent Valley and then back into Birmingham New Street over the Chase Line which is in the early stages of electrification between Walsall and Rugeley Trent Valley. Enjoy, The Wanderer.

A selection of photos from today featuring #retrotrain 071 on the RPSI "071 40th Anniversary" railtour. Click http://smu.gs/1OoZpEq to view. The May Gallery ahs also been updated with images from: - Portarlington - Drumcondra - Connolly. Click http://smu.gs/1Tb6rP4 to view.

Morning all, Iarnrod Eireann have repainted 071 into its original livery for the 40th anniversary of the class. Click the link for the full story http://smu.gs/1TcfsnZ

Good evening all, Latest updates to include: Sunday 8th May 2016: A visit to Limerick to see progress on the plaza construction outside the station. Tuesday 10th May 2016: Great timing sees the 1526 North Wall - Ballina & 1432 Ballina - North Wall IWT Liners pass each other at Killenard. Click http://smu.gs/27buRfu to view.

Evening all, An early start this morning for a trip to Castleconnell to chase the Weedspray Train from Limerick to Portlaoise vis Nenagh. The weather was miserable and sadly the sunny weather of Friday was long gone. Click http://smu.gs/1UHzDwe to view all the images.

Out of the current operational pool of 201's only 231 and 233 will wear this livery. All the current "Intercity" liveried locos 215 / 217 - 226 / 232 / 234 cannot work the Enterprise due to lack of AWS / TPWS / NIR Train Radio plus now the MMI (or whatever it is called these days) computer for the De-Dietrich stock since refurbishment.

Evening folks, A few images from the past two days. Wednesday: I had a very short notice visit to the Kerry / Cork area for Wednesday and I decided to head somewhat earlier than required to get a few photos of the Weedspray train on the Tralee line. Well I arrived in Mallow to find out it was cancelled due to no driver. Balls. Should have detoured to Wexford after all! #winsomelosesome. So plan B was arranged with some photos in the surrounding Mallow area. Thursday: Some evening images from around the Killarney area. Click http://smu.gs/1Tv2zmh to view.

Evening folks, The May Gallery has been updated with the following: Monday 2nd May 2016: A visit to Ballycar between Limerick and Ennis to see the receding flood waters. Trains should resume very soon between the two locations. Tuesday 3rd May 2016: The Maloney & Kelly Travel company chartered a 5ICR and a 8MKIV to transport guests to Killarney from Dublin Heuston. Pictures from Portlaoise and Banteer of the MKIV operated Spl. Click http://smu.gs/24oefT4 to view.

Morning all, The latest update to the website contains: Thursday 27th April 2016: Inchicore visit for the CME Golden Spanners Friday 29th April 2016: Another very busy day with photos from the length and breadth of Ireland! The first part of the day consisted of a visit to Navan for the Tara Mines trains to Drogheda, then back to Kildare for a trip to Mallow, via Heuston. Click http://smu.gs/21lbpIY to view.

Morning folks, A quick trip to the Belfast area today on board the "Enterprise" plus some trips around the Dublin DART network. Images from: - Connolly. - Drogheda. - Dundalk. - Belfasr Central. - Whiteabbey. - York Road. - Bangor. - Laytown. - Clontarf Road. - Howth. - North Wall. Click http://smu.gs/1XWHAN5 to view.

Evening all, A round up of images from the past few days. Click http://smu.gs/1YQOYcU to view them all. Saturday 24th April 2016: A few images from Portlaoise. Sunday 24th April 2016: I was in Dublin today for the Kerry-Dublin Division 1 League Final at Croke Park. Before the match I got pictures in and around Dublin featuring: - The Liffey Odyssey a Canoe tour down the River Liffey. - LUAS Cross City Work. - Tara Street. - Connolly. - Drumcondra. - Views of the Railway from the lofty heights of Croke Park. Also check out http://smu.gs/1NMOfno to see images of the G.A.A. 1916 commemoration event: Laochra. Monday 25th April: A ramble to the North East of the Country today with images from: - Navan. - Drogheda. - Gormanstown. - Sallins (iron Bridge). Due to be renewed this coming weekend. - Curragh. - Monasterevin. - Portarlington.

Evening all, A round up of photos from the past week have now been uploaded to the website and include: - The former station site at Banagher which is now the town park and a base for boat hire companies on the River Shannon (Carrickcraft and Silverline). - Athlone with views of the IWT Liner crossing the Shannon Bridge. - Limerick. - Portarlington. - Inchicore viewed from a passing train with 228 and 231 on view. - Heuston. Click http://smu.gs/20YbMJz to view.

Morning all, The final part of the weekend photos have now been uploaded to the April gallery featuring: Saturday - 0545 Athlone - North Wall IWT Liner. - 0730 Inchicore - Connolly De-Dietrich "Enterprise" Transfer. - Connolly - Inchicore includes views of repainted 231 and the Tara Mines bound Shale wagon. - Cork Station with two stabled MKIV Sets due to the special timetable in operation on Saturday. - Mallow Sunday: - Waterford showing the yard alterations. - The highlight of Sunday was the working of 5ICR 22037 to Rosslare Europort on Sunday afternoon, the first visit of this subfleet south of the Dublin area. The set had been in Connolly for the "Enterprise" services and this work finished on the Saturday night with the introduction of the 3rd refurbished De-Dietrich set from Connolly on the Sunday morning. As the train was required for a private charter by Railtours Ireland on Tuesday from Sandymount to Belfast GVS the set was to remain at Drogheda Depot until this happened. The opportunity was taken to allocate it to the 1345 Connolly - Rosslare Europort / 1740 Rosslare Europort - Connolly / 2115 Connolly - Drogheda Ety. on the Sunday to work it back to Drogheda the long way around. - Tuesday: After the 2020 Cork - Heuston failed at Limerick Jct. on Monday night, 2809 + 2810 went forward to Heuston as the replacement train and was stabled there overnight. They were pictured shortly before departure for Ballina empty to take up the Branch services. All the images can be viewed at http://smu.gs/1SeNx9z

Evening all, Part two of the IRRS tour photos have now been uploaded to http://smu.gs/1qOqkze On the Sunday the tour operated from Killarney - Tralee - Killarney - Mallow - Limerick Jct. - Waterford - Kilkenny - Kildare - Connolly. Once again timekeeping was A1 and the weather gave us four seasons in one day! Click this link http://smu.gs/1T27oFS if you want to view from gallery from the start. Full Credit must go to the IRRS Program Officer Shane Roberts for organising another successful tour and if the past several years are anything to go by, the 2017 tour will just be as interesting. Also we cannot forget the RPSI and IE staff involved in the operation of the tour and to making it such a great weekend.

JB, I was on a train with a fully stocked bar. Imagine that!!

Evening all, Pictures from day 1 of the IRRS 071 Class 40th Anniversary Tour from Dublin to Killarney via Nenagh, Limerick and Cork. Click http://smu.gs/1qEGg6D to view. Pictures from day 2 will follow on Tuesday night. One of the downsides of a two day tour. Your knackered and have double the amount of images to process! But it was still a great weekend. Full Credit must go to the IRRS Program Officer Shane Roberts for organising another successful tour and if the past several years are anything to go by, the 2017 tour will just be as interesting. Also we cannot forget the RPSI and IE staff involved in the operation of the tour and to making it such a great weekend.

Some early morning action this morning with a 0545 Athlone - North Wall IWT Liner and De-Dietrich set 9002 + loco 206 going 0730 Inchicore - Connolly prior to taking over the 5ICR diagram on the Belfast route from tomorrow. Click http://smu.gs/1Ng03y4 to view.

Evening folks, A few pictures from the past few days: - Clonkeen to see 2817 + 2818 heading ety. from Limerick to Galway. - Templemore - A passing shot of Inchicore showing 216, which is in a temporary light green livery prior to be repainted fully for the Belmond Grand Hibernian. - Heuston. Click http://smu.gs/1RYpXuu to view,

Evening folks, Two updates to the website today. The main update features the RPSI "Dublin Riveria" Specials from Connolly to Greystones. After recent maintenance work carried out at Connolly Locomotive Shed, 461 was in what can only be described as flying form. The run back from Greystones to Connolly on the 1st trip was a great performance from both locomotive and crew on the footplate. Once again a massive thanks to all the RPSI volunteers and Iarnrod Eireann Staff for making days out like this possible. Click http://smu.gs/1SvPZmk to view. The 2nd update features the general odds and sods around the Dublin area today, plus a very early morning bus move from Laois to Dublin due to the lack of early trains into Heuston on a Sunday (first arrival being 1042). Locations visited today include: - Drumcondra to photograph the 0725 Athlone - North Wall IWT Liner with 083. This liner left Ballina on Saturday afternoon and was stabled overnight at Athlone. - Connolly. Last week of 22000 Class operation to Belfast. Plus the 3rd refurbished Enterprise set (9003) was photographed. - Grand Canal Dock to view the ongoing remodelling works to allow platform 2 to become a terminating platform. - Heuston. - Inchicore which includes (8)208 coupled to a Shale Wagon. Click http://smu.gs/1PPGcFG to view.

Saturday 2nd April proved to be an interesting day with the Limerick - Ballybrophy service being extended to Portlaoise as the 8ICR's on the Cork services are no longer permitted to call at Ballybrophy. Ballast Cleaning work was also being carried out near Cherryville Jct. with 221 & 086 top & tailing the HOBS train from Heuston Guinness Yard to the work site on Saturday evening. Click http://smu.gs/1ULE8qx to view.

I did some digging on this last Thursday. There is a calibration wagon at Tara Mines for the weighing scales which is now life expired. It has been agreed to send the Shale Wagon to Tara Mines to become the new calibration wagon. The Wanderer.

Morning all, March comes to a close with photos from Portlaoise, Limerick Jct. and Limerick. The update also includes photos of the new public plaza under construction outside Limerick Station. Clickhttp://smu.gs/1q73Jxj to view.