thewanderer

Evening folks, Another batch of pictures uploaded today. Featuring: - Maloney and Kelly 1100 Killarney - Heuston Spl. at Clonkeen, Portlaoise. - 219 on the Spoil Train at Portarlington. - Another trip from Laois to Kerry, the second in little over 24 hours. - Killarney station with the Kerry G.A.A. Football team heading to Dublin by train for Sunday's All Ireland Football Final. - (8)208 on the 1900 Heuston - Cork. Click http://smu.gs/1V1K9uC to view.

Afternoon all, Two private charters for Maloney and Kelly operated from Killarney to Heuston today, one was formed of a MKIV set and the second was a 5ICR Premier Class set. This was the first passenger working of a MKIV set on the Mallow - Tralee Line. Click http://smu.gs/1W7Ax3L to view.

Evening all, Some images from a trip to Killarney this evening. - Portlaoise - Limerick Jct. Including NIR owned (8)208 on the 1700 Heuston - Cork. - Mallow - Rathmore - Killarney. Click http://smu.gs/1KpkJAX to view.

Evening folks, Some images from Sallins, Killenard and Portarlington from the start of the week. Click http://smu.gs/1Lf52S5 to view.

Morning all, Ballast Cleaning was in operation at Clonkeen, south of Portlaoise. As a result a temporary 2 hour interval timetable was in operation on the Dublin - Cork line today with the through services from Dublin to Limerick & Tralee cancelled. A hourly Commuter service operated between Heuston & Newbridge with Galway / Westport and Cork services making additional stops at selected stations between Portarlington & Newbridge. Click http://smu.gs/1KiBIt9 to view images of Ballast Cleaning Machine 781 in action along with some 22000 Class including reformed 6 car set 22002.

A small update to earlier. 22001 returns to service earlier tonight working the 1935 Heuston - Galway after 7 months as a testbed for the new CAWS/ATP Hybrid signalling system. To avoid the set being stored for the next 18 months it has been decided to make up a hybrid set. This involved reconfiguring set 22001 and 22002 to place the two modified cabs of 22001 on different units. The two modified cabs are coupled together (in the middle) and marked as "not end of train"cabs. This means sets 22001 + 22002 will operate in service as a fixed formation 6 car train formed as 22302 + 22402 + 22201 + 22301 + 22401 + 22202. The work to reform the sets took place on Wednesday 27th August. Click http://smu.gs/1XUgh7J to view.

Evening folks, Yesterday I had to visit Cork and once business was out of the way I managed to visit East Cork and Millstreet before heading back to Laois. The day has pictures from: Portarlington. Portlaoise. Cork Littleisland. Cobh. Midleton. Glouthaune area. Kilberry. Mallow. Millstreet. To view all the images from the day click http://smu.gs/1EZEK59

Right, where are you travelling to/from and when? Walk up fares don't show any saving at all. Day Return Gorey - Connolly: €21.60 Day Returm Gorey - Bray: €19.15 Return Bray - Connolly: €6.65 cash / €5.74 LEAP.

Evening folks, Yesterday it was Carlow and today I had to visit Roscrea. Later in the evening I drove down to the Monaincha Wind Farm. This is near the Ballybrophy to Limerick via Nenagh Railway, while waiting to photograph the 30 minute late 1900 Ballybrophy to Limerick. This was worked unusually by 2601 + 2602. The 2600 Class are normally to be found working suburban services from Cork to Cobh / Midleton and Mallow. Click http://smu.gs/1K5WXtP to view.

Evening folks, I had to take a trip to Carlow during the late afternoon so on the way home I stopped off a Aughanure, Cush and Monasterevin for a few snaps. Click http://smu.gs/1QkEW09 to view.

Evening all, A 100+ picture update to the website tonight featuring: Friday 4th September 2015: A trip from Laois to Kerry via Cork and Cobh. Saturday 5th September 2015: Pictures from around Killarney. Sunday 6th September 2015: The final day of the weekend has images from: Killarney Heuston Connolly Clontarf Road. The trip to Dublin was to view the final unrefurbished Enterprise set working to Belfast. The final set was withdrawn from service upon arrival at Belfast. The first of the refurbished sets is expected to enter service later in September. Until then the Enterprise service will be covered by Northern Ireland Railway's 3000 Class on two diagrams with the 3rd diagram covered by one of Iarnrod Eireann's 5 car 22000 Class. Click http://smu.gs/1EL65Yx to view.

Evening all, Another large update from the first two days of September. New galleries include: * September 2015 has images from Athenry, Attymon and Portlaoise. Click http://smu.gs/1hV2u06 to view * Forgotten Railways: The Loughrea Branch. A photographic survey of Attymon, Dunsandle and Loughrea Stations. Dunsandle and Loughrea closed in 1975 and Attymon is a shadow of its former self. Click http://smu.gs/1IL8D45 to view. * Attymon Peat Co-Op is a worker Co-Op which leases the bogs at Attymon from Bord na Mona and has its own fleet of venerable Ruston and Hornsby locomotives. Click http://smu.gs/1hV2Dkg to view. Also, all of the above galleries can be accessed directly from the home page at https://thewandererphotos.com

Evening all, A bumper update tonight. * August gallery update with images from Ballykillane and the Nenagh Branch. Click http://smu.gs/1hPbkfZ * Lullymore Heritage and Discovery Park. A new narrow gauge railway is in development here. Click http://smu.gs/1EwDZk1 * Railways of Bord na Mona. Images from the BnM at Lullymore Level Crossing and the cleared site at the former Cushina locomotive depot north of Portarlington. Click http://smu.gs/1KnUO2O All galleries can also be accessed directly from the home page at http://thewandererphotos.com

Evening folks, Pictures from Dublin on Monday and a visit to Killenard on Saturday for the Ballina - North Wall IWT Liner. Click http://smu.gs/1JsMStx to view.

On average Gardaí are called to deal with "passenger trouble" at least once a day. They don't always attend either..

Evening all, A day trip to London which turned out to be a rather rushed affair due to a fire at Dublin Airport which delayed my flight by 80 minutes. This means its a smaller gallery than planned with photos from: - Dublin Airport. - Gatwick Airport. - London Victoria. - Hainault. - Heathrow Express at Heathrow Terminal 5. Click http://smu.gs/1N1a4mC to view.

Morning folks, Photos from the weekend just gone have now been uploaded to the website. Featuring: - Portarlington. - Sallins. - New Enterprise livery MK3 EGV 9602 on Belfast services. - Various locations around Dublin including views from Croke Park on Sunday. - RPSI Radio Train Steam Spl. from Kilkenny to Connolly. Click http://smu.gs/1EQaynr to view.

Evening all, 072 and the Weedpsray Train made a return trip from Portlaoise to Heuston on Friday 21st August 2015. It was scheduled to operate as 1030 Portlaoise - Heuston and 1330 Heuston - Portlaoise. At 1350 it was passing Ratheven on the outskirts of Portlaoise on the return journey so it obviously had a good run both ways. Click http://smu.gs/1PqGy7k to view.

Evening all, The weedspray train operated from Limerick to Portlaoise today and I captured it passing Clonkeen with 072 in charge. Other photos from the day include 219 on the 1300 Heuston - Cork. Click the picture below to view today's images.

The actual timetable has yet to be determined so at the moment this is all pie in the sky thinking. What I think would be best would be (off peak): 1 tph Portlaoise - Heuston as is now. 1 tph Newbridge - Grand Canal Dock new service at 30 minutes past the hour from the Portlaoise service. This then gives Newbridge - Park West 2tph to the City, either Heuston "or around the house" to Connolly and beyond. Maybe they will decide to run the Portlaoise - Heuston service fast from Hazelhatch to Heuston? On one hand it would still mean only 1tph from Adamstown in to Park West and that isn't all that attractive, but the city centre terminus is more attractive. As I said nothing has been decided yet and until then only it is all speculation. The Wanderer.

Evening all, Today's update has images from Heuston and Portarlington. It includes TRV No. 700 and 071 Class No. 078 on the Ballast. Click http://smu.gs/1NvePnE to view.

Considering it is being funded by the NTA I suggest the questions are directed at them. However, why this obsession with Heuston? Platform 10 isn't the best place to be dumped at and is a long walk from the main station. Providing access from Conyngham Rd to Platform 10 is rather difficult with the River Liffey to bridge and an access road to apartments in the way. It is something I would love to see, but it would drive up the cost by a large margin. You will still have the option of services to Heuston with the current Portlaoise - Heuston service. The GCD service will be additional services. Therefore nobody loses out.

Evening folks, Earlier today Minister Paschal Donohoe along with David Franks CEO Iarnrod Eireann and Anne Graham CEO National Transport Authority launched the €13.4m upgrade of the Phoenix Park Tunnel line. This will allow Commuters on the Kildare to Dublin Heuston line to have the option of direct trains to Drumcondra, Connolly, Tara St, Pearse and Grand Canal Dock Stations from late 2016. Photos of the launch event are now available at http://smu.gs/1NhOk5Z

Evening folks, Earlier today Minister Paschal Donohoe along with David Franks CEO Iarnrod Eireann and Anne Graham CEO National Transport Authority launched the €13.4m upgrade of the Phoenix Park Tunnel line. This will allow Commuters on the Kildare to Dublin Heuston line to have the option of direct trains to Drumcondra, Connolly, Tara St, Pearse and Grand Canal Dock Stations from late 2016. Photos of the launch event are now available at http://smu.gs/1NhOk5Z

Afternoon folks, Pictures from around Killarney on Saturday and a few from Sunday. Also Mr. Church has supplied two images of Saturday's IWT Liners between Dublin and Ballina which were worked by 226 (Down) and (8)208 (Up). Click http://smu.gs/1Pg6m6f to view. ]