thewanderer

Evening all, A bumper weekend of photos from trips to Belfast on Saturday to travel and photograph the RPSI's Bangor Belle railtour, while on the Sunday I chased the RPSI's Marble City Railtour to Kilkenny. RPSI Bangor Belle Pictures: RPSI Marble City Pictures: Latest August 2013 Pictures include NI Railways pictures from Portadown, Lisburn, Belfast Central, Holywood, Marino & Helen's Bay on Saturday, plus the G.A.A. Specials from Mayo on Sunday morning. Enjoy! The Wanderer.

Hi all, Night time images from Portlaoise & Portarlington while on the way home from a talk on the Industrial Railways of the Midlands. The Wanderer.

Good evening all, On Tuesday 20th August I spent the day exploring the Red and Green Line LUAS Tram system with trips out to the suburban terminals of Tallaght, Saggart, Sandyford and Brides Glen. Pictures from the day also include the morning peak arrivals and departures at IE's Heuston Station. While on the Red Line Tram heading out to the Red Cow a little surprise awaited us at Blackhorse. All the pictures from the day are now available at: Finally today I ventured out for the 1150 Claremorris - Waterford Laden Timber which was worked by 074. Pictures of this, plus several more of the comings and goings on the Curragh are in the August Gallery at: Enjoy! The Wanderer.

There is a daily Monday to Friday transfer of stock between Heuston and Connolly or Pearse. This is to return 22000's which are due B exam or Engine Exams at Laois Train Care Depot. Drogheda only carry out the A Exam. The set ex Connolly is put on a service ex Heuston and would usually end up at Laois Train Care by end of day or the following day. As for using the tunnel for passenger trains. LUAS would be just as fast into the City. It be a nice to have, but I don't see the benefits of it. (This is my own personal view).

Currently railtouring the country on the 1920 Galway - Heuston. Plus, I never knew that LJ had such short platforms!

Thursday 22nd August 2013: A Slideshow and Talk is being held on Thursday 22nd August in Portlaoise Parish Centre Co.Laois on the Industrial Railways of the Midlands by Irish Steam Preservation Society volunteer Sean Cain. The talk commences at 8pm and runs until 10pm with the focus on the networks of Bord na Mona lines serving County Laois and neighbouring Counties, light refreshments will be available. This event is organised as part of Heritage Week 2013 by Laois County Council. Admission is free and all support greatly appreciated. If you are travelling from the Dublin area there are trains back to Dublin Heuston at 2205 (non-stop) & 2225 (all stations Commuter service). http://www.irishrail.ie Dublin Coach also offer a 24 hour service from Portlaoise - Red Cow - Dublin Airport. Buses leave Portlaoise at xx30 past each hour. http://dublincoach.ie/timetables/N7_bus_dublin_airport_to_portlaoise.php

Have any of you had a night out with Finnyus? I have..... :cheers: then lol

Good evening folks, The latest pictures from the weekend are now up online. Featuring: - Friday pictures from Portarlington, Portlaoise, Limerick Jct. and Killarney. - Saturday pictures from the Beara Peninsula in West Cork. Includes the Dursey Island Cable Car. - Sunday pictures from Killarney, including Plane versus the Train. All the photographs are now online at Enjoy! The Wanderer.

Evening folks, Pictures from a journey from Portarlington to Killarney earlier today. Pictures includes 22004 with new logo minus the "flag". The Wanderer. http://www.facebook.com/thewandererphotos

Evening folks, A couple of photos from Portarlington this evening, includling "Enterprise" 209 on the 1620 Cork - Heuston. The Wanderer.

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.