thewanderer

Good evening from far flung Penzance, I'm currently in the UK for the Mid-Hants diesel gala this coming weekend and a bit of gricing either side of the Gala. Today I went from Holyhead to Penzance via Crewe, Tamworth, Exeter, Plymouth, Looe and Liskeard. The photos from today may now be viewed at: http://smu.gs/15RKv1I The Wanderer.

Good evening all, A number of updates from the weekend just gone. - Portarlington, Heuston and Coolmine Stations on Saturday also including rare 233 departing Heuston for Cork on the 1400 service. Photos on Sunday are from Maynooth, Connolly and Grand Canal Dock. http://smu.gs/15BImaj -LUAS Cross City Line: Back in January 2013 I photographed the route of the LUAS Cross City Line between Parnell Street and St. Stephen's Green before construction work begins on the route later in 2013. Due to time constraints on that day I had planned on doing Parnell Street to Broombridge at a later date, I just didn't think it would take four months to do it! So here is part 2 of the section between Parnell Street and Broombridge Station. Broombridge Station itself took two attempts to photograph, living up to its anti social name well and truly! http://smu.gs/15BH3Im - RPSI Royal Canal Shuttles. On Sunday 21st April 2013 the RPSI operated two specials from Dublin Connolly to Maynooth entitled the Royal Canal Shuttle. Motive power and rolling stock was provided by the RPSI's GS&WR J15 186 and the society's rake of Cravens Coaches. On paper at least, this was scheduled to be the last railtour hauled by 186 in the Republic of Ireland before its bolier cert expires later in the year. http://smu.gs/109S77v Enjoy! The Wanderer.

Evening folks, Two small updates tonight from Sunday. - 218 1200 Heuston - Cork sweeping past Portarlington. http://smu.gs/15aUKh3 - Visit to the abandoned Bord na Mona railway line from Portarlington Power Station to Cushina Loco Depot. Part of the railway line now forms the Derryounce Walkway with the infrastructure still intact underneath the gravel path and undergrowth. http://smu.gs/15aUz5w The Wanderer.

On this day 5 years ago.... Monday 14th April 2008 was the final day of service for the BREL International Rake after 12 years of service with Iarnrod Eireann. The coaches were built in 1986 and were designed as a promotional 'International' Train being an opportunity to showcase the talents of BREL with a view to acquiring orders from BR and from other countries. They were similar to Mk3 coaches with BT10 bogies but had a slightly different body profile and, for the first time on main line stock in the UK, automatic sliding doors and a maximum speed of 110 mph. The coaches were put into service on a Euston-Manchester diagram for a short period later that year but were withdrawn from passenger service and were subsequently used extensively for test loads with the class 89 locomotive. After languishing in Derby for a number of years the ten coaches were eventually sold to Iarnod Eireann in 1994 and extensively refurbished - including fitting with new T4 bogies. In service with IE the coaches spent most of their life on the Dublin - Galway route operating the 07xx Heuston - Galway, 11xx Galway - Heuston, 14xx Heuston - Galway, 18xx Galway - Heuston services and were branded "Cul na Mara". For the final couple of years they were withdrawn from the Galway route and they spent their remaining time mostly working the Westport route. Coach 6208 was the odd one out in the fleet. Purchased some time after the main batch it recieved the BT22 bogies from scrapped MKIII vehicle 7111 and operated for the most of its life in MKIII sets. For a brief period it was numbered as a MKIII vehicle 7173 (I have a photograph of it in Heuston yard numbered as such) but was soon renumbered to 6208. The final working of the International set was on Monday 14th April 2008 when 204 worked the 0915 Galway - Heuston and the set was withdrawn after arrival at Heuston. 6208 was true to form and was to be found on the 0715 Tralee - Heuston hauled by 205. This was also removed from the MKIII set upon arrival at Heuston. The following day a 9 car rake of International vehicles was transferred to North Wall for storage, but due to a signalling error the train ended up in Connolly!!! It returned to Heuston and a 2nd attempt was made on the 16th April which did make North Wall on that occasion! A couple of photos of the last days of the Internationals. Sunday 13th April at Tullamore: http://smu.gs/ZTws39 Monday 14th April at Heuston: http://smu.gs/ZTwyYx Tuesday 15th and Wednesday 16th transfers to North Wall: http://smu.gs/156MRcF For more information on the BREL internationals visit the excellent train testing website which also includes details of 6401's and 6501 (which never entered service with IE) trip to the IVA88 Exhibition at Hamburg. http://www.traintesting.com/International_train.htm The Wanderer.

Evening all, Just added the rest of my pictures from Thursday evening to my website featuring Connolly, the new Southern Entrance at Pearse Station and Clontarf Road. Also pictures from Portlaoise on Friday morning with 074 passing through the station with the Long Welded Rail Train from North Wall. http://smu.gs/ZThbzu The Wanderer.

John, All you need to know about our wonderful new number scheme. http://rsc.ie/download/pdf/rscg021_guidance_note.pdf The document is a few years old and it would seem the number scheme has changed as it is suggested 077 should be 92-60-2710077-? The last digit is the self check number.

Evening all, Just one interesting picture for this evening: 077 in its new Slate Grey livery passing Clontarf Road on the early 1915 Alexandra Road - Tara Mines service. http://smu.gs/ZPZ39A The remaining pictures from today will be uploaded over the course of the weekend. The Wanderer.

Evening all, Just one interesting picture for this evening: 077 in its new Slate Grey livery passing Clontarf Road on the early 1915 Alexandra Road - Tara Mines service. http://smu.gs/ZPZ39A The remaining pictures from today will be uploaded over the course of the weekend. The Wanderer.

Or more "insidious" than either of the above....The Borg. Live Long and Prosper \\///

No...that future is just over TWO YEARS away (October 21, 2015). I'm looking forward to driving a Hover Car....that would add an interesting element to chasing trains The quote I used is further into the future, within my lifetime (I hope!).

I borrowed and slightly amended a quote from the "future". A surprise treat to anybody who knows where I got it from.

The only severe dedication from me was mobilising and directing the troops , not much I could do today with less than an hours notice. Fair play to one of the guys who dropped what he was doing and was soon on the M7 heading to a rendezvous with history.

Good evening all, It's what we have been waiting for weeks on end. Repainted 077 has been let loose on the network. The loco was trialled at lunchtime today from Inchicore to Sallins and as the trial was successful she was soon pressed into service with a wagon transfer to North Wall. Sometimes you can't get them all so a massive thanks to GM233 and Mr. Church for allowing me to share their photos of the loco trial and wagon transfer to North Wall. All the photos can be viewed at http://smu.gs/14YbpEt Enjoy, The Wanderer.

Good evening all, Two updates this evening to the website. - Photos from Tuesday of Portarlington and an evening visit to Dublin Heuston, Busaras and The Point. - The 2nd update is what we have been waiting for weeks on end. Repainted 077 has been let loose on the network. The loco was trialled at lunchtime today from Inchicore to Sallins and as the trial was successful she was soon pressed into service with a wagon transfer to North Wall. Sometimes you can't get them all so a massive thanks to GM233 and Mr. Church for allowing me to share their photos of the loco trial and wagon transfer to North Wall. All the photos can be viewed at http://smu.gs/14Ya1Si Enjoy, The Wanderer.

Afternoon all, A brief visit to Kilbride Bridge, near Portarlington to photograph 22037 on the 1325 Heuston - Limerick and 4007 + 226 1220 Cork - Heuston. http://smu.gs/14P9DWk The Wanderer.

Good evening all, Photos from Wednesday afternoon in Drumcondra with 224 on the 0815 Ballina - North Wall Liner and 22012 1100 Sligo - Connolly. With kind thanks to contributor Mr. Church for allowing use of the photos. Today's photos are from a 45 minute gricing lunch at Clonkeen, just south at Portlaoise. - 226 1200 Heuston - Cork. - 2811 + 2812 ex work from paintshop Inchicore to Limerick. - 083 wagon transfer Inchicore to Limerick. - 22018 1120 Cork - Heuston. - 22052 1128 Cork - Laois Traincare Trial. All photos now online at: http://smu.gs/14R23e3 The Wanderer.

On this day 5 years ago.... It was no April fools day joke...IE moved the final rake of MK2d's from Heuston to Inchicore. The coaches were scrapped within the week. http://smu.gs/14IJxo9 The Wanderer.

Evening folks, Just clearing out the backlog of photos from the past couple of days. Three Updates are now online: - The North Kerry Railway: A update to gallery with new photos from Newcastlewest. http://smu.gs/14IF2Km - The Foynes Branch: The Foynes Branch has lain disused since the early 2000's and is now badly overgrown in places. This is a photographic study of the branch between Foynes and Patrickswell. http://smu.gs/Z3V2yk - April 2013 Gallery: 073 at Portarlington with a empty DFDS Liner to Ballina. http://smu.gs/Z3WPTY Enjoy! The Wanderer.

Weekend photos from Co. Kerry: Maddam's Hill Bridge, Killarney National Park and Ballybrack. http://smu.gs/Z2qQ6H The Wanderer.

Evening all, While en route to Cork yesterday evening for the IRRS Meeting I made a detour into Cahir to photograph the 1640 Waterford - Limerick Jct. calling at the station which was worked by 2819 + 2820. http://smu.gs/YSj678 The Wanderer.

Hi all, I did a Sunday circular trip today heading to Galway then down to Limerick and back to the Midlands via the Nenagh Branch. Locations featured include: Portarlington, Athlone, Athenry, Galway, Limerick, Nenagh and Ballybrophy. http://smu.gs/YO9DxQ The Wanderer.

On this day 1 year ago on March 24th 2012 the RPSI operated the Spare Link Railtour to Wexford to mark the retirement and acknowledge the assistance over the years to the RPSI of driver Dan Renehan. The route was: Dublin - Dunboyne - Rosslare - Wexford on Saturday 24th March 2012 Wexford - Wicklow - Howth - Dublin on Sunday 25th March 2012 A two-day, steam hauled event featuring the recently re-opened line to Dunboyne, the scenic Dublin and South Eastern line along the East Coast and a return to steam on the Howth branch This was a great social weekend and is know to some of us as the "Wexford Incident" for various reasons. The pictures from the entire weekend of 24th and 25th can be viewed at http://smu.gs/GVcT5R The Wanderer.

I was one of the last people ever to take a picture of WH1 at Lakeside Shopping Centre on the day it caught fire. http://smu.gs/YMKH9Z

Evening folks, A jaunt from Portlaoise to Thurles this evening with a stop off at a freezing Ballybrophy along the way. http://smu.gs/YMD433 The Wanderer.