thewanderer

With the advent of Social Media and Text Messaging etc it would have to be classed a state secret for you not to know where it was going!!

Good evening all, Due to other commitments I wasn't able to travel on the RPSI Mystery Train to Galway last Saturday, instead I photographed it at Monastervin and Portarlington. But thanks to a contributor I now have a selection of photos of the tour in Connolly, Galway and departing Galway passing Renmore. The railtour pictures may be found at: http://smu.gs/MwAsC3 The 2nd update tonight features old and new at Galway with new ICR sets 22049 + 22054 alongside soon to be ousted 2719 + 2722 on Sunday 24th June. Plus on Monday 25th June 2012, Irish Whiskey Manufacturer; Irish Distillers chartered a MKIV set from Iarnrod Eireann for a 1750 Cork - Heuston Special. The set operated to Cork at 1325 from Heuston and was pictured at Rosskelton. The return special from Cork was pictured at Kilbride. 223 and 7MKIV 4008 did the honours. Click: http://smu.gs/MQEgA5 Enjoy! The Wanderer.

Nice pictures! The Athlone end view has certainly been opened up. The Wanderer.

Cheers Gents, Yeah a lot of flooding...in June!!! Don't worry I was nice and dry on the Portlaoise road.

UPDATE: The return leg of the RPSI's Mystery Train from Galway to Connolly with 086 at the Commons Bridge in Portarlington. http://smu.gs/NlzfwR The Wanderer.

Good afternoon all, There were several more Westlife Specials on Saturday 23rd June from Athlone, Cork, Limerick and Galway to Dublin Heuston to cater for the heavy demand travelling to Croke Park for the last ever Concert from the Boy Band (I hear lots of "Thank God for that!"). 0920 Athlone - Heuston operated as a relief to the 0715 Westport - Heuston: 3ICR 22026. 1000 Cork - Heuston operated as a relief to the 0930 + 1030 Cork - Heuston: 6ICR 22035. 1045 Limerick - Heuston operated as a relief to the 1100 Limerick - Limerick Jct. / 1030 Cork - Heuston: 3ICR 22018. 1040 Galway - Heuston operated as a relief to the 1105 Galway - Heuston: 2800: 2807 + 2808. Also there was some added interest on the main line this morning in the form of the RPSI Mystery Tour to Galway. 086 had the honours of working the rake of Cravens and it was pictured at Monastervin. All the pictures from this morning are now online at: http://smu.gs/Nl1BHD The Wanderer.

The railway is very busy this weekend with many people heading to Dublin to see the farewell Westlife Concerts. A number of additional special services were operated to cater for the additional demand. 1000 Cork - Heuston: 229 + 7 MKIV (4004) 1055 Limerick - Heuston via Limerick Jct: 3ICR 22055 1055 Galway - Heuston: 2 car 2800: 2809 + 2810 0920 Athlone - Heuston: 3 ICR 22024 Photos of all the Special, except the Athlone - Heuston one begin at http://smu.gs/NhoA6f The Wanderer.

Good evening folks, I had to be in Dublin today for a few hours so I took the opportunity to photograph the freight trains that operate through the Capital. 072 1010 North Wall - Ballina IWT Liner. 081 0920 Tara Mines - Alexandra Road Tara Mines. 219 0815 Ballina - North Wall IWT Liner. In addition to the freight scenes, there is also photos of passenger trains at Islandbridge Jct, Claude Road and North Wall (withdrawn MKIII's). Click on link: http://smu.gs/MDDHJQ Also, LUAS Red Line tram photos from Abbey and Spencer Dock: http://smu.gs/Mwndmx The Wanderer.

At this rate you will have a full DD rake complete with MKIII EGV before the actual railway companies do! Looks fantastic. Well done guys.

Good evening folks, Two batches from today. The first was a visit to Kilmullen, near Monastervin to photograph (8)208 on the 1400 Heuston - Cork, while the 2nd was an evening visit to Newbridge Ballast Pit to view the evening departures from Dublin, including the Eucharistic Congress Specials to Limerick and Cork. http://smu.gs/MzLY1e Enjoy! The Wanderer.

Good morning folks, Latest Irish Photos are now online featuring Heuston and Thurles: http://smu.gs/K3cuT4 LUAS Trams at Heuston on Wednesday 6th June 2012: http://smu.gs/Mwndmx I spent most of last week on a 6 day tour of the UK. Highlights of the trip would include: The Night Riveria Sleeper and Caledonian Sleeper Trains. The Railfest Event at York. A tour of London taking in trains, underground and buses. First Great Western and East Midland Train HST's Former Dublin Bus Prototype WH1 which is/was owned by Ensignbus in Essex. Several hours after I photographed the bus it was destroyed in a fire!!! Little did we know. and much much more.... The photographs are divided into each day. Click on to select what day you would like to view. Enjoy! The Wanderer.

Good evening folks, The latest update to the website covers the end of May and the start of June. The final picture for May 2012 was on Wednesday 30th of 076 working the Weedspray Train from Mallow to Heuston. http://smu.gs/LdnRkA The first update for June features pictures from Portlaoise, Thurles and Killarney, along with several locations in the Killarney area. Plus something a bit different. The 6th Annual Bike Fest Parade through the streets of Killarney on Sunday morning. http://smu.gs/K3cuT4 Enjoy! The Wanderer.

Good evening all, This evening I headed back to Roscrea, this time to photograph two 2700's crossing each other at the station (I had got two 2800's crossing on the previous Friday). As I had a bit more time on my hands I also photographed the Branch train at Ballybrophy, Borris-in-Ossory, Grange Beg and Quakers Road Level Crossing. All I need now is a 2700 and a 2800 crossing at the station! Pictures now online at: http://smu.gs/JLzbuF The Wanderer.

Cheers Heir! I didn't get out this week for the Timber. Other stuff got in the way. It's been a busy couple of days with loco hauled ICR's and visits to Roscrea and Killarney. All the pictures are now available at http://smu.gs/JGEPyn Highlights: Thursday: 076 hauled long term stopped 22033 from Inchicore to Laois Depot following repairs to vehicle 22633 and modifications to 22133. Friday: Photographs from Portarlington with 079 on the Autoballasters and passing MKIV's and 22000'S. Later that evening I visited Roscrea to photograph the 1820 Ballybrophy - Limerick and 1705 Limerick - Ballybrophy services crossing at the Station. Saturday: A trip from Portlaoise to Killarney with 219 on the 0900 to Cork and 22008 on the 1130 Mallow - Tralee. This service terminated at Killarney due to late running of the 0900 Heuston - Cork service from Thurles onwards. Later in the day 22008 was again photographed at Killarney with the 1535 Mallow - Tralee plus some general photographs of Killarney and a Aircraft passing over Killarney. Sunday: The morning starts off with 22032 at Yellow Quarry and 22003 at Minish. In the afternoon it was time to travel back to the Midlands (on 22037) and the day finishes off with a few pictures from Carn Bridge of 207 on the 1630 Cork - Heuston. Enjoy! The Wanderer.

Evening all, On Wednesday 23rd May 2012 071 and the Weedspray Train operated from Ennis to Portlaoise via Limerick and the Nenagh Branch. Pictures of the train at Borris-in-Ossory, Ballybrophy and Rosskelton are online at: http://smu.gs/KzbFKO The Wanderer.

Good evening folks, The Timber Trains from Ballina and Westport are currently down to one train a week from each loading point and usually operate on Thursday's and Friday's. This week 073 worked the laden timber from Ballina and 072 worked the laden timber from Westport. I've also uploaded some photographs from Cherryville Junction this afternoon of the 1635 Heuston - Waterford, 1700 Heuston - Cork and 1705 Heuston - Tralee. All the photos are now online at: http://smu.gs/Kod9Hu The Wanderer.

Thank you! The latest update to the website is photos of the South West Corridor from Dublin Heuston on Tuesday evening of the evening peak departures. Locations include: - The Iron Bridge (Sallins). - Stacummy Bridge. - Clondalk / Fonthill Rd - Heuston Station. The highlight of the evening was 223 hauling MKIV Set 4005 and failed 232 from Portlaoise to Heuston. It had earlier failed at Portlaoise working the 1330 Cork - Heuston. As a result the 1700 Heuston - Cork and 2030 Cork - Heuston was worked by ICR Standby set 22045. Photos begin at: http://smu.gs/JffOdl The Wanderer.

Great shots csalem. I'm not surprised about two aspects of todays tour. The first was that 461 didn't make it, i'm surprised the RPSI even risked it after the less than impressive timekeeping of the last two tours that used 461. The 2nd in that 5408 didn't make it either. It seems nobody in the RPSI asked NIR if MK2d's were cleared? I still have the memories, or should that be scars, of an RPSI tour several years ago from Dublin to Whitehead RPSI using MK2d's with 85 Merlin and NIR refusing the train to proceed past Belfast Central as IE MK2's were not permitted! A 80 Class set did the Central - Whitehead - Central part of the tour if I remember correctly. Anyway, after the busy weekend photographing the RPSI's South Clare Railtour it was back to the more mundane stuff today with photographs of the stored Barytes Wagons awaiting their fate at Portlaoise Per Way Yard and 22002 + 22008 arriving at Portarlington with the 1725 Heuston - Limerick. The Photos begin at: http://smu.gs/KaAfRM The Wanderer.

Good evening all, I have just finished uploading my photos of the RPSI's South Clare Railtour to http://smu.gs/K82tge This collection covers both the Saturday and Sunday of the tour, including the Light Engine movement of 186 from Connolly to Athlone on Saturday morning. Also some general odds and sods from the weekend of the Modern Irish Railway scene from Portarlington, Killomenaghan, Athenry, Ennis & Rosskelton: http://smu.gs/K83JzW Enjoy, The Wanderer.

Were the Portarlington pictures before or after that Monster Thunderstorm we had on that day?

Evening folks, The long Summer evenings allow the West of Ireland to Waterford laden Timber Train to be photographed in the Irish Midlands. For the first of what will hopefully be many occasions during Summer 2012, 083 was pictured at Monastervin with the laden timber from Ballina to Westport. http://smu.gs/J1c92y Also on this date, Iarnrod Eireann ran a non-stop Sectional Running Time Trial between Heuston - Cork - Heuston using ex works 234 and an 8 piece MKIV Set (4003). The train departed Heuston at 2045 and was timetabled to complete the 165 and a quarter miles in 2hrs and 29 minutes on the outward journey and 2hrs and 26 minutes on the return journey. A similar Time Trial is also planned for the Galway Route using a 22000 Class. This is part of an exercise to look at reducing journey times. The Time Trial Special was videoed passing through Monastervin at 100mph, two minutes ahead of schedule. http://smu.gs/IFVJb5 The Wanderer.

Good evening all, Three pictures from Clonkeen near Portlaoise on Tuesday lunchtime to photograph the 1130 Cork Heuston and 1300 Heuston Cork. http://smu.gs/JbQ1Cx The Wanderer.

Good evening all, Tamper 740 failed between Drogheda and Dundalk on Monday 30th April 2012. It was assisted to Drogheda DMU depot to clear the line. On Tuesday 1st May 2012, loco 207 was sent from Connolly to Drogheda to haul the disgraced Tamper to North Wall where it was recessed for several hours. Later that day, 085 hauled the Tamper to Kildare Per Way Depot where I photographed it arriving just after 2115hrs. The Tamper and a selection of passing 22000 Class at a very wet and dark Kildare are now online at: http://smu.gs/Iwu2pr The Wanderer.

Afternoon all, A brief update consisting of a very much and dull Heuston on Wednesday evening and two Photos from Portarlington earlier today. http://smu.gs/J9avrg The Wanderer.

Evening all, At the Wexford show I photographed this O Gauge 071 Class model at the Belfast Model Shop stand. http://smu.gs/IwPebW A Friend of mine is looking for more details on it? Are the BMS selling these now or was it a once off? Many thanks in advance. The Wanderer.