thewanderer

A lunchtime visit to Rosskelton to photograph Tamper 742, which was being transferred from Skerries to Mallow. The Wanderer.

Good evening all, I spent the day on the Great Northern Mainline to Drogheda, photographing and travelling on the Railway Preservation Society of Irelands "Great Northern Getaway" Specials. After a mid-morning positioning movement from Connolly to Drogheda there were two Specials from Drogheda to Skerries at 1205 and 1440. Finally, there was a 1655 positioning movement from Drogheda to Connolly. The specials were photographed at: - Rogerstown Estuary - Gormanston Viaduct - Gormanston Station - Gormanston Airfield. - Skerries - Drogheda. Railtour Photos from the day are in the "RPSI: Great Northern Getaway Specials." and the rest of the days photos are in the "August 2013" gallery. Both galleries can be easily accessed from the home page of the website Enjoy, The Wanderer.

Evening all, Weekends have been made much more interesting with the operation of the IWT Liner from North Wall to Ballina and the Coillte Empty Timber train from Waterford to Ballina on certain Saturdays. Both operated today. While I couldn't make it out for the IWT Liner I did manage to photograph the Timber at several locations in the Kildare, Laois and Offaly areas. These pictures are now online at: I've also launched a new facebook page for the website at https://www.facebook.com/thewandererphotos . If you're on facebook come and pay a visit. Enjoy, The Wanderer.

Evening folks, A lunchtime visit to Connolly & Grand Canal Dock. Heir, Is this what you mean? The Wanderer.

Good evening all, A few photos from around the Portarlington area from Sunday & Monday of the August Banl Holiday weekend. - G.A.A. Specials on the Sunday evening at Ballykillane & Shanderry. - DFDS Liner at Shanderry. - Up & Down afternoon Westport services crossing each other at Geashill. Also during the Bank Holiday weekend I visited the nearby Limetree Airfield, which were hosting the Flying in Ireland Magazine & NMAI Annual Fly In event. The highlight of the weekend was on the Sunday afternoon when one of the last remaining Irish Coastguard Sikorsky S-61 helicopter's (EI-SAR) paid a visit to the airfield. Pictures and two videos at Enjoy! The Wanderer.

Afternoon all, With the recent upgrade to Smugmug it has allowed me to refresh and make a few changes to the website. Click to see the changes for yourself. Just a couple of pictures to start August 2013 off with a visit to Carn Bridge, near Portarlington on Friday afternoon. Also, with the changes to the website I have been able to add a links page to the website . If you would like a link to your website please drop me a PM and I'll add you to the page. Enjoy! The Wanderer.

Last Sunday a 12 car ICR trial operated from Laois Train Care to Kildare. I wasn't around to photograph it as I was in Kerry but I have now received some pictures of the trial. http://smu.gs/18QaLIR

The country’s newest train station at Oranmore, Co Galway opened for business on Sunday 28th July 2013. The station, open in time for the Galway Races, will be served by a mixture of Galway/Dublin & Galway/Athenry/Limerick services, with 23 services calling at the station daily (Mon-Fri), 22 on Saturdays, and 15 on Sundays. The journey time from Oranmore to Galway is just 7 minutes, and customers can travel to Limerick, Dublin and a range of intermediate stations also. The station was officially opened by Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar on Monday 29th July 2013. The previous station at Oranmore closed in 1963 and was located 3/4 of a mile in the Athenry direction from the new station. Oranmore is the 144th station on the Iarnród Éireann network. Bicycle parking and car parking facilities will be provided, with a 140 space car park at the station owned and operated by Galway County Council. The construction of the station has been funded by the National Transport Authority. Pictures from the official opening on Monday 29th July 2013 are now online at http://smu.gs/14uSADp Other pictures from the day include: Athlone, Athenry, Galway, Ennis, Limerick Jct., Portlaoise & Portarlington and these may be viewed in the July 2013 gallery at: http://smu.gs/11qsdl4 Enjoy! The Wanderer.

Good moring all, The latest photos from a weekend in the south west of Ireland are now online. Featuring: - Farranfore. - Brewersfield (Killarney - Rathmore) - Stagmount Crossing XT88 (Killarney - Rathmore) - Curraghrour West Crossing XT22 (Killarney Jct. - Banteer). - Ivy Bridge (Mallow - Rathpeacon). - Glounthaune - Waterrock (Carrigtwohill - Midleton) Highlights include 2600 class 2611 + 2612 covering Tralee line services on the Saturday morning instead of 22063 which failed on the Friday evening. The photos begin at http://smu.gs/14lPGkf Enjoy! The Wanderer.

Evening all, Yesterday I spent the best place to be if you are interested in Irish Railways, onboard the excellent Irish Railway Records Society railtour to Cork, Cobh & Midleton. Locos used during the day were 071+073 and these were split at Cork to allow the Cobh and Midleton lines to be visited by a traditional train as no run round loops exist at these locations. Photos from the day are now online at Enjoy! The Wanderer.

Evening all, Yesterday I spent the best place to be if you are interested in Irish Railways, onboard the excellent Irish Railway Records Society railtour to Cork, Cobh & Midleton. Locos used during the day were 071+073 and these were split at Cork to allow the Cobh and Midleton lines to be visited by a traditional train as no run round loops exist at these locations. Photos from the day are now online at Enjoy! The Wanderer. P.S. "Big Locos" i.e. 071 and 201 Class have only in the last few years been permitted by the Chief Civil Engineer to operate double headed without restriction over the Dublin - Cork and Dublin - Border Lines. This was the first planned use of a double headed 071. Sadly as the Multiple Working equipment on the 071's has never been used, the tempation to put a 27 pin jumper between the locos had to be resisted!

Evening all, Just uploaded the latest photos from this week after a two day trip to Kerry and Cork. Locations featured include: Portlaoise, Limerick Jct., Limerick, Rathmore, Killarney, Mallow and Cork. Pictures start at http://smu.gs/114RZLy Enjoy! The Wanderer.

Heir, As I put in the description. It was purely a positioning move to get 22053 back to Heuston after weekend G.A.A. duties. It was the most efficient way of getting the set back to Heuston, tag it on to the 0600 ex Cork and it saved a driver as well The Wanderer.

Evening all, A busy weekend just gone with rambles to Cork / Kerry / Dublin and Kildare over the course of the weekend. If that wasn't enough it was a early start this morning to photograph the 9 car ICR 0600 Cork - Heuston at Cuddagh The pictures start at: http://smu.gs/10WUxvk The Wanderer.

Morning all, Following a G.A.A. Match in Limerick on Sunday between Cork - v Limerick the 06.00 Cork - Heuston service on the Monday was formed of 3x3 ICR sets (22012 + 22006 + 22053) to get sets back to the Dublin area. 9 car passenger working has been permitted since September 2009 between Dublin - Cork & Tralee but it has rarely been used. This was the 3rd passenger working of a 9 car formation, but the first to operate to plan. http://smu.gs/14Tbpne The Wanderer.

Evening all, A round up of pictures from the last couple of days. Saturday 06th July 2013: While heading back to the Midlands from Waterford I caught 22038 at Cloney with the 1835 Heuston - Waterford. Monday 8th July 2013: 22017 0800 Heuston - Cork at Portarlington. Wednesday 10th July 2013: 232 hauling failed Tamper 744 from Newbridge to Kildare via Sallins. Photos begin at: http://smu.gs/153L7NZ The Wanderer.

Because Waterford Drivers Depot cover Rosslare Drivers Depot for sickeness, Annual Leave etc. So a number of drivers know the Rosslare line to provide cover when required. A Portlaoise PerWay Driver was to take the train forward from Connolly.

Thanks. That Panel Train won't depart until next week somestage. Only one route it will take and that's via Connolly. Why go via Waterford when A: far more resource intensive to operate over the mothballed South Wexford. B: Two run arounds required at Rosslare Strand / or Europort and Kildare compared to a straight run up the DSE, around North Dublin and then down the GSR to Portlaoise. The Wanderer.

A day of mixed fortunes in the Sunny South East. After travelling to Wexford in the morning to photograph the Panel Train from Wexford to Portlaoise, it turned out it was cancelled due to no driver being available. Several cars were reported to have done U Turns on the N11 Dublin - Wexford Road after the news broke. As I knew the 1130 Waterford - Westport Ety. Timber was operating and the original plan to get it near Waterford now impossible due to lack of time, plan B was put into action. Up to Enniscorthy, perfectly timing it to photograph the 0940 Connolly - Rosslare Europort passenger and then cross country via the R702 and L3001 roads to Muine Bheag and I arrived at Fenniscourt with only minutes to spare for the nice surprise of 209 on the timber. A good end to the day. http://smu.gs/10FBEgb Enjoy! The Wanderer.

Ah but not at 60mph down the Kerry Line!

After the 4 car trial with 22045 on Wednesday 3rd July, vehicle 22445 was re-inserted into the set to trial a 5 car formation. The set operated a trial to Ballybrophy and the return working is pictured at Clonkeen Bridge. Also Loco 072 operated Portlaoise - Portarlington Light Engine to bring a panel train to Wexford for Engineering Works at Wexford Yard. http://smu.gs/12JnSpl The Wanderer.

No, this enables a better match of capacity to demand. Several services, such as the 1310 Westport - Heuston are very busy as a 3 car but too much as a 6 car.

As part of a trial to test four car 22000 set operation. 6 car unit 22045 has been temporarily reduced to a 4 car set. It operated a trial from Laois Traincare to Thurles today and the return working was pictured at Clonkeen Bridge. http://smu.gs/12GmJyI The Wanderer.

A trip to Carn on the way home to see the 1700 Heuston - Cork (218 + 4005) & 1705 Heuston - Tralee (22037). http://smu.gs/12ChjEO The Wanderer.

The train involved in the accident, 22063 had to be hauled dead back to Laois Traincare Depot this afternoon by 22001. http://smu.gs/12zYGBw Thoughts to the driver concerned and the deceased girl's family. The Wanderer.