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Evening all, The Stradbally Woodlands Railway, in partnership with Portlaoise Men's Shed, did a series of re-enactments today to commemorate the first shots of the 1916 Easter Rising (April 23rd). These suprisingly took place in sleepy Laois, rather than the main action centre of Dublin. A train was de-railed on the Portlaoise-Abbeyleix section of the line to Kilkenny. Luckily today we didn't quite go that accurate, but a good time was had by all. Certaintly an experience to stand in the woods and listen to gunfire in the background! Click on any of the photos below to view them full size, and the noraml album link is at the bottom. Regards, Kieran

Evening all, Further to Fran Burke and The Wanderer's posts earlier, a brief visit to Portlaoise station to see 072 on the materials train, a couple of ICR's, 232 on the 1100 Cork and 079 in the yrad. Click on any of the photos to view them full size or the link at the bottom Regards, Kieran

Evening all, A few shots from an hour yesterday at Portlaoise, to see a pair of inspection vehicles and 076 clagging away from Portlaoise. Click on any of the photos to view them full size or click here to view them all - Regards, Kieran

Evening all, A selection of shots from yesterday's trip around Dublin. Photos feature Heuston side, LUAS (both Green and Red lines) and the Northern line up to Howth Junction. Click on the photos or link below to view them all Regards, Kieran

Yep it is a fuel tank underneath - looking forward to seeing more!

It appears that all of the Mark 4's are undergoing a deep clean internally and a general freshen up - 4120 springs to mind

Afternoon all, A few shots from yesterday's wanderings around the Curragh to watch the ballast cleaning operation (and associated single line working). The weather was a complete change from Friday's snow! Click on any of the shots below to view them full size Album link - Regards, Kieran

Evening all, March 2016 starts off quite dramatically here in Ireland. Two updates from me First, shots from Thursday, mainly of Inchicore and getting a shot of the Belmond designated loco 216. The loco is currently in an anti-corrosive primer, whilst we all wait for it to be released! All shots here - --- Secondly, this morning (Friday 4th March) brought snow to the country, with over an inch in Kildare. A little diversion during my morning commute to college was called for to get a few shots of trains in the snow All shots here - As always, click on any of the shots to get them full size with descriptions Thanks for viewing! Kieran

Good evening all, A few photos from Heuston, Portarlington and Kildare from Monday 29th February. Although it was wet some interesting running was around, and as a result I unusually took two videos. One is of 075 on the DFDS liner passing through Portarlington and the other is 078 slipping and screaming out of Kildare with the laden timber. Both are in the album at the end of this post. As usual, click on any of the photos for the full size and description Full album here - Regards, Kieran

That is a very neat looking vehicle!

Morning all, A few shots from Thursday and Friday from Heuston, Portarlington and Portlaoise. As always, click on any of the photos to view them full-size and the album link is at the bottom of the post Album link - Regards, Kieran

Heard Heuston VP as the servicing base (running service, A+B exam style stuff). Heavy stiff would have to be Inchicore

Yep, great refurb. This is what 077 was like after two years And note that both 077 and 071 went back into the works before other members (such as off the top of my head 075 in the silver/black livery). I'm not saying the end of 071's is immediate, but they won't do trains to this weight (as has already been stated they struggle with the 942 tonne Taras)

Good morning all, Some shots from both Wednesday and Friday at Portarlington, Parkwest and Heuston. Click on any of the photos to see them full size: Albums - and Regards, Kieran

I would say looking forward that 071's will feature less and less. Whilst there is talk of re-gearing down a bit, the future is looking more like re-engineered 201's. Savings are plain to see - common maintenance, common driver rating etc. There would have be to be changes (such as the traverser at Alexandra Dock Road) but I honestly can't see the 071's lasting much longer sadly

Thanks Noel! The rear loco in the formation was not providing traction power - it was there to eliminate a run around at Sallins, as well as to add additional weight. 8209 went down shut down, whilst 226 went up idling

Good evening all, Last but by no means least (I hope!), my shots from yesterday's 16 HOBS trial. Photos also include the regular ICR / Mark 4 movements, a tamper transfer, materials train and spoil train. Click on the photos below to view them full size, or this link to see them all - Regards, Kieran

Good evening all, In a very promising sign, the RPSI's 141 Class loco 175 has been moved from being sandwiched by 162 and a 201 at the other end of the works to being next to the Cravens. I saw this on the 1300 Heuston - Cork but wasn't able to get a shot - so I went back up! Shots from Friday including a misty Portlaoise, a couple at Heuston and a few from Inchicore. Click on any of the shots below or the link to see them all full size Album link - Regards, Kieran

Noel - I believe the track is made in sections, laid and then welded on sight. this is due to space constraints at the factory and going around curves. Re grey 071s - 071, 076, 077, 078, 080 (in works I believe), 084, 085, 087, 088. Just over half the fleet now

Evening all, A double update from me tonight. Click on any of the photos to see them full size First up is shots from last week, specifically Thursday and Friday of Portlaoise, Heuston and Inchicore All shots here - And shots from Monday and Wednesday this week, with a grice along the Green Line of the LUAS on Monday and a stop off at Portarlington on Wednesday All shots here - Regards, Kieran

There's one train of thought (ha ha) that the green is an anti-corrosive primer. Althought the numbers do look like standard numbers as applied to 215

Morning all, A few photos from Monday, from Heuston, Portarlington, Monasterevin and Inchicore. Highlights were the Sperry Train at Portarlington, DFDS and Timber at Monasterevin and a few 071's in Inchicore. Click on any of the photos to view them full-sized All shots here - Regards, Kieran

The poster in the background of this shot definately shows Mark 3's - something stange to put in (in what looks to be a complete formation too, from the photo in Jan 2016 Model Rail) if you're not going to produce the models

Rapido are doing their own to the Prototype HST spec. As for Oxford Rail, I wouldn't rule out anything. Looking at the CAD side drawing (http://www.oxfordrail.com/76/images2/ORMK3%20LINE.jpg) there's a lot of the variations of the basic Mark 3 (mainly buffet). The Control Car is quite different, whilst the plug doors can be relatively easily done

Good afternoon all, Just finished uploading photos from a recent UK trip to Nottingham, taking in the tram extensions and other parts of the national network Shots from Hucknall and Old Market Square on 10/1/16 All shots here - ---- Shots from a day out on the Nottingham Tram extensions from Nottingham Station to Toton Lane and Clifton South All shots here - ---- A set of shots from Nottingham and Beeston to see 60001 on the oil liner to Kingsbury All shots here - ---- And finally, some shots from Cossington to see 68017 on 6U76 0859 Crewe Basford Hall - Mountsorrel Sidings working All shots here - A general album containing all of the photos is available here - Thanks for viewing! Kieran