Photographic Website Updates

[Noel]

The grass roof on the building would cause comments on a model layout...

 

Yes poorly applied static grass for the CMRC 1 gauge roof top layout I guess

[thewanderer]

During visits of cruise liners to Cobh a 2tph service is offered between the peaks formed of a 4x2600 and 2x2600 (is a 4pce if a set is available).

[thewanderer]

Morning folks,

 

The first pictures from a weekend trip to the Cologne area have now been uploaded.

Instead of flying directly from Dublin to Düsseldorf I decided to take the scenic route by flying from Shannon to London Heathrow and then catch a Eurostar train from London St. Pancras to Brussels. From Brussels, after an 80 minute wait I caught a Paris - Dortmund Thalys TGV which had me in Cologne 105 minutes later. A good way to see Europe.

Pictures from today comprise of:

- Shannon Airport.

- Limerick

- Waterford

- The Barrow Bridge

- London Heathrow

- London Paddington.

- London Underground photos from Paddington, Piccadilly Circus, Covent Garden and Kings Cross St. Pancras.

- Kings Cross.

- St. Pancras Int.

- Brussels Midi.

- Cologne Hbf.

 

Click on http://smu.gs/2vVkLEu to view the gallery.

 

[Mayner]

Yes poorly applied static grass for the CMRC 1 gauge roof top layout I guess

 

Quite a bit of change since visited Cobh by train in the mid 70s. The branch had quite an air of decay more in common with BR suburban and branch lines than CIE. The station building and Up Platform area was in use as a depot in connection with the Kinsale gas field, the up platform road and release road had been recently lifted and builders were building a concrete block wall between the depot and operating railway. The goods yard was still in use for block trains of scrap (mainly cars) in loose coupled corrugated opens, the carriage shed (Garda Station) was full of departmental coaches . A couple of years later the coaches had gone and the shed used to store empty open wagons. Off peak passenger services seemed to have been an hourly service with a B141 & 2-3 coaches with an extra train set during the morning an evening rush hour.

 

Had a very exciting run over the line behind a 001 with 2 coaches in the mid 80s before the NIR railcars took over. Despite or maybe because of the 50mph line limit acceleration and the sound was phenomenal as the loco accelerated its featherweight train away from each intermediate stop.

 

Maybe there is a case for Cork City Council to follow the example of Dunedin in New Zealand and establish a joint venture with IE & the RPSI to operate a shuttle service for cruise ship passengers between Cobh and Cork and excursions to Killarney.

 

Dunedin bought a section of the closed Otago Central line from NZR in the late 1980s and set up a joint venture to operate the line as a commercial operation (not a heritage railway! )with a local enthusiasts group http://www.dunedinrailways.co.nz/our_company.

 

Not as spectacular but an interesting parallel of what might have happened had Cork City or County Council had bought the Youghal Branch from CIE during the same era.

[thewanderer]

Evening folks,

 

I've just finished uploading days 2 and 3 of my trip to Cologne last weekend.

 

Day 2:

A day out from Cologne visiting Bonn & Düsseldorf.

 

Day 3:

A day out from Cologne visiting Solingen, Wuppertal and Essen. Highlights from this day include travelling on the Wuppertal Suspension Railway and in Essen travelling on one of the former "P86" Docklands Light Railway vehicles.

 

Click smu.gs/2uLzuie to view all the images.

 

 

 

 

[finnyus]

Morning all,

 

GM 216 heading to Cork on its weekly jaunt from Dublin Heuston with the Belmond Grand Hibernian passing through Rathduff, between Mallow and Cork, 15 Aug 2017.

Rathduff

 

Finbarr

[thewanderer]

Today the 2000th IWT liner operated from North Wall to Ballina. TTC0169 was on hand in Ballina to photograph the train after arrival.

 

Click http://smu.gs/2x58gE3 to view.

 

Also to see the first train back in 2009 click http://smu.gs/2uQBntI

 

 

[hurricanemk1c]

Good evening all,

 

I've uploaded a selection of photos from this year's Irish Railway Record Society tour to Howth and Sligo. A day no without it's troubles!

 

Booked loco 081 failed before departure with a bad oil leak. Loco 075 was then used from Connolly to Howth. Due to the signalling and infrastructure layout at Howth, Enterprise 227 hauled the train back to Connolly, providing the rare chance of a 201 on the Howth line.

 

Due to operational reasons, 075 could not carry on the tour to Sligo, so (at one point) 227 was nominated for the trip to Sligo, which would have been the first passenger 201 to Sligo and only the second under it's own power. However, 085 was sourced from Inchicore and provided power to Sligo.

 

All in all, a great day out and a good catch up with a few friends I haven't seen for a while. Many thanks to all involved who made the day happen, from those visible to those in the background months before

 

As always, click on the photos below to view it full size, or the album link here -

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Regards,

Kieran

[thewanderer]

Evening folks,

 

Days 4 and 5 have been uploaded to the website of my recent trip to Germany.

 

Day 4:

On Sunday lunchtime I had a walkabout Cologne before heading to Cologne West to try and see if any freight passed by, Later in the afternoon I took a ICE to Frankfurt via the High Speed Line to spend a few hours in the City.

 

Day 5:

Photos from the trip back to London and then to Shannon.

 

Click http://smu.gs/2v8RzpN to view.

 

 

[thewanderer]

Morning all,

 

A round up of images from the past few days.

 

Thursday 17th August 2017:

A single image from Ballybrophy on this day.

 

Sunday 20th August 2017:

While heading to Dublin for the Kerry-Mayo G.A.A match, a minor detour was taken to Kildangan to photograph the Belmond Grand Hibernian passing en-route from Connolly to Waterford.

 

Due to the new bag restrictions at major events, the camera had to be left behind for the train trip from Laois to Dublin.

 

Monday 21st August 2017:

Once my business was complete in Inchicore, I had a quick look around the works and stumbled upon 073 ticking over. It later went L.E. to Inchicore.

Later in the day I stopped off at Cherryville Jct. and Cush to photograph 076 working the 1105 Ballina - Waterford laden timber.

 

Click http://smu.gs/2vjrmoF to view all the images.

 

[thewanderer]

It's out!

 

073 has finally been released back to traffic after its bodywork overhaul and repaint into original Irish Rail livery dating from 1987 to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the company. It worked today's 1510 North Wall - Ballina IWT liner and it is pictured passing Monasterevin.

 

Click http://smu.gs/2vbIGfU to view all the images or click the image below to bring you to the August gallery.

 

[Warbonnet]

Sadly I wasn't around for 073s release into the wild yesterday, but I did manage to get 074 on the morning liner on my home patch 074 Northwall Ballina Liner 22082017 by franburke, on Flickr

[thewanderer]

Good evening folks,

 

Several pictures from the last two days have now been uploaded to August gallery featuring:

 

- Irish Rail retro livery 073 on the 0815 Ballina - North Wall IWT liner at Portarlington.

- ICR & MKIV passenger services passing Portarlington Station.

- The 1245 Limerick - Limerick Jct. service was extended to Heuston and formed of 2800 class vehicles 2815 + 2816. This was due to an earlier MKIV failure at Heuston and the 1220 Cork - Heuston being 4ICR as a result. The service was reported full at Mallow.

- Thursday's Belmond Grand Hibernian working from Charleville to Galway via Portarlington passing Clonard south of Portlaoise.

- A rather crisp Dublin Coach Neopian Double Decker has turned up at Corcoran's Garage in Portlaoise after suffering from an engine fire.

 

Click http://smu.gs/2wJWuC4 to view.

 

Also on Monday 15th August, I visited Ardnacrusha hydroelectric power station in Co. Clare. This was served by a short branch off the Limerick - Athenry line from Longpavement on the outskirts of Limerick City and only finally closed in 1980.

 

Click http://smu.gs/2xw8YdC to view.

 

 

[Noel]

Love the photos of Ardnacrusha. I'm glad to see they have improved the visitor centre. It should and could be one of the biggest tourist attractions in the country. The "Ardnacrusha" story is incredible. Biggest civil engineering project in the entire world between end of WW1 and 1925, finished on time, in budget, ran the entire national grid from renewal energy, first country in the world to have 100% renewal energy long before the term "green" had ever been coined, broke world records for tons of concrete used, cost 25% of GDP, triggered Ireland's economic development, . . . , etc

 

Inside the upper lock chamber

 

Turbine floor tour

 

Info display in the new control room - Ardnacrusha is fully remote controlled from ESB Hydro in turlough hill.

 

A pals vessel in the lock

 

Parteen Wier - Like a giant valve gate diverting the Shannon

 

I recently found these photos on the internet of the railway line to the power station.

 

 

ESB Archives https://esbarchives.ie/2017/02/06/irrs-tour-of-ardnacrusha-september-1962/

[Broithe]

Love the photos of Ardnacrusha. I'm glad to see they have improved the visitor centre. It should and could be one of the biggest tourist attractions in the country. The "Ardnacrusha" story is incredible. Biggest civil engineering project in the entire world between end of WW1 and 1925, finished on time, in budget, ran the entire national grid from renewal energy, first country in the world to have 100% renewal energy long before the term "green" had ever been coined, broke world records for tons of concrete used, cost 25% of GDP, triggered Ireland's economic development, . . . , etc

It is truly a wonder. It must have seemed a crazy thing to do at the time. And the centenary is in sight now.

 

Even making the building look almost like a giant distillery, rather than just a 'blockhouse'.

[hurricanemk1c]

Good afternoon all,

 

The allocated 071-class loco for the Belmond Grand Hibernian this weekend was freshly repainted and released 073, in the 1987 livery. I knew nothing about this, but timed my arrival at Heuston to co-incide with the Belmond shunts. I was pleased to see it alright!

 

Click on any of the photos below to view them full size

 

 

 

 

 

Album link (includes normal photos) -

 

Regards,

Kieran

[thewanderer]

Good evening all,

 

As most of now know, retro liveried 073 worked the 071 class rostered legs of the Belmond Grand Hibernian on Saturday and Sunday between Islandbridge and Connolly on Saturday and then the following day from Connolly to Waterford and Muine Bheag.

 

Pictures of this, plus some other odds and sods can be viewed at http://smu.gs/2vBm1ZL

 

 

 

[Noel]

Nice. Two interesting sets of photos guys. It's strange the orange livery that was once so familiar looks rather bright and loud compared to the refined subtleties of contemporary liveries. 073 looks fabulous in the IR tippex livery if not a little 'Fisher Price' beside the blandness of the Belmond coaches.

[Warbonnet]

Nom Nom Nom is all I can say. 073 looks sensational. Here she is at Clondalkin/Fonthill on the Belmond

 

073 Belmond Clondalkin Fonthill 28082017 by franburke, on Flickr

[Noel]

Nom Nom Nom is all I can say. 073 looks sensational. Here she is at Clondalkin/Fonthill on the Belmond

 

073 Belmond Clondalkin Fonthill 28082017 by franburke, on Flickr

 

Stunning photo Fran. Also like the 'fruit pastille' look of the cables on the valance. 073 does look stunning that freshly painted, especially with the original IR logo.

[Weshty]

Lads, those yokes are so freshly painted and clean, that could be a model shot.

[Warbonnet]

Thanks Noel, managed to catch her heading for Waterford yesterday morning too.

 

073 Belmond Clondalkin Fonthill 27082017 by franburke, on Flickr

[thewanderer]

Evening folks,

 

A few images from the past couple of days.

 

Wednesday 30th August 2017:

A few images while on the way home from work of the 1700 Heuston - Cork, 1705 Heuston - Tralee and 1655 Limerick - Ballybrophy.

 

Thursday 31st August 2017:

A new memorial plaque to commemorate the 150th anniversary of death of William Dargan has been unveiled at Portlaoise Station. He was a native of Laois having grown up on a farm near

Killeshin. Dargan built Ireland’s first railway, the Dublin/Kingstown line which opened in 1834.

 

Click http://smu.gs/2gsUF65 to view.

 

[thewanderer]

Images from the first day of September come from:

- Nenagh

- Ballybrophy

- Portlaoise (Electric Picnic crowds)

- Mallow

- Limerick Jct.

- Limerick

 

Click smu.gs/2xDk4hC to view.

 

[thewanderer]

Evening all,

 

Images from the weekend have just been uploaded to the website.

 

Saturday 2nd September 2017:

I stayed in Adare overnight to visit a friend so on the Saturday morning I popped up to the disused station to snap some photographs. These can be seen in the Foynes Branch Gallery at http://smu.gs/2eVLsQs

 

Sunday 4th September 2017:

A visit to Farranfore Station to see the 1340 Tralee - Heuston (22039) & 1210 Cork - Tralee (22018) crossing at the station.

Monday 4th September 2017:

A couple of photos from Portlaoise Station which was still busy from the Electric Picnic Concert at nearby Stradbally.

 

Click http://smu.gs/2x51XEi to view these in the September gallery.

 

 

[hurricanemk1c]

Good evening all,

 

I've been a bit lax in posting here on the last month or so, so this large post will make amends to that!

 

As always, click on any of the photos or album link to view them all

 

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First off was the National Steam Rally in Stradbally. Whilst I was volunteering, there was the chance or two to get some interesting photos!

 

 

 

Also included in this album are a couple of Luas shots

 

 

Album link -

 

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Moving on to other Luas photos, 18 August marked the start of fully signalled testing on the new Luas Cross City line, although not without a few issues!

 

 

 

 

Album link -

 

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Sunday 27 August, and I popped out to the Curragh to get the Belmond passing, as well as have a look at the Plant Shop

 

 

 

 

 

Album link -

 

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On 29 August I ended up in Limerick Junction, changing trains having come from Waterford. Luckily for me Retro liveried 073 was standing with a battered 086 on PW duties

 

 

 

 

Album link -

 

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On 30 August I visited Dundalk and M3 Parkway as part of work and then got a few photos in Connolly and Park West whilst heading home. The main attraction at Dundalk were the stored RPSI Gatwick Express Mark 2's, the first time I have been able to see them up close.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Album link -

 

September will follow over the weekend!

 

Regards,

Kieran

[thewanderer]

Evening folks,

 

A round of images on the Nenagh Branch and Limerick Station from the latter half of the week.

 

Click https://smu.gs/2wP0jpc to view.

 

[thewanderer]

Evening folks,

 

Yesterday I travelled on the RPSI / MRSI "East Coaster" railtour from Connolly to Sligo using the Whitehead based MK2 set. The use of the MK2 set gave the rare opportunity to sample these carriages beyond Dublin. Haulage for the entire day used NIR's 112. This loco's claim to fame was it spent several years in the mid 2000's on loan to IE.

 

Click http://smu.gs/2wTbflm to view.

 

[thewanderer]

Evening all,

 

The rest of the images from Saturday and a few from today have now been uploaded to the September gallery.

 

Saturday 9th September 2017:

Some photos of service trains at Connolly and on the Sligo line taken during the RPSI / MRSI "East Coaster" railtour (see post from Sunday for the railtour pictures).

 

Monday 11th September 2017:

A nice capture today for a Monday lunchtime was photographing 073 passing Rosskelton on a HOBS train to Lisduff. Later in the day has a few images from Portlaoise and Limerick.

 

Click smu.gs/2wkRDU4 to view.

 

Also when passing Broombridge on the RPSI / MRSI Railtour to Sligo I managed to get some photos of stabled trams at the new LUAS Depot.

Click smu.gs/2wlb7HZ to view these.

 

 

[thewanderer]

Evening folks,

 

Two updates to the website this evening.

 

The first update, to the September Gallery covers images from during the week and today at Nenagh, Portlaoise and Dublin City.

Click http://smu.gs/2wt3Q8X to view.

 

The second update are the first images from a long weekend trip to London.

Click http://smu.gs/2x5mhEs to view.

 

 

[thewanderer]

Morning all,

 

Friday's pictures from London have now been uploaded to http://www.smu.gs/2xa2AuY

 

Featuring:

- Carshalton Beeches.

- Epsom Downs

- Tattenham Corner.

- Purley. Joining two Class 455's together and 66076 on a freight in the yard.

- East Croydon.

- Oxted.

- Eridge.

- Uckfield.

- Edenbridge Town.

- Edenbridge.

- Redhill

- Gatwick. 59204 passing through on a freight.

 

[thewanderer]

Morning folks,

 

Pictures from a jaunt around London on Saturday have now been uploaded to http://smu.gs/2xedGOl

 

Featuring:

- A trip on the new Mail Rail exhibition at the Postal Museum in Mount Pleasant.

- Docklands Light Railway trips.

- Greenwich Foot Tunnel.

- Emirates Air Line (cable car).

- Class 455's at Victoria and Carshalton Beeches.

 

 

 

[thewanderer]

Evening all,

 

The final batch of images from my weekend in London have now been uploaded to the website.

 

Featuring:

- Croydon Tramlink photos from East Croydon, Phipps Bridge, Morden Road and Wimbledon.

- Class 455's & Class 700's at Wimbledon. Two generations of EMU's.

- X26 across South London to Hatton Cross.

- Hatton Cross and Heathrow T1,2,3.

 

Click http://smu.gs/2xn8qJE to view.

 

To see all the photos from the weekend you can click http://smu.gs/2x5mhEs to view these.

 

These feature:

 

Thursday's images feature the trip from Dublin to Gatwick and Gatwick Station itself.

 

Friday's photos feature:

- Carshalton Beeches.

- Epsom Downs

- Tattenham Corner.

- Purley. Joining two Class 455's together and 66076 on a freight in the yard.

- East Croydon.

- Oxted.

- Eridge.

- Uckfield.

- Edenbridge Town.

- Edenbridge.

- Redhill

- Gatwick. 59204 passing through on a freight.

 

Saturday's photos feature:

- A trip on the new Mail Rail exhibition at the Postal Museum in Mount Pleasant.

- Docklands Light Railway trips.

- Greenwich Foot Tunnel.

- Emirates Air Line (cable car).

- Class 455's at Victoria and Carshalton Beeches.

 

 

[thewanderer]

Thursday 21st September 2017:

Images from around Portlaoise featuring:

- 201 & MKIV sets on Cork services.

- Empty 3ICR off a irish Distillers Private Charter from Heuston to Cork.

- Tullamore - Cork National Ploughing Championship Spl.

 

Click http://smu.gs/2wKm7ia

 

[thewanderer]

Afternoon all,

 

There are two updates to the website today featuring:

 

- The September gallery has been updated with images from Nenagh, Galway and Oranmore over the weekend.

Click http://smu.gs/2wRD5Ly to view.

 

- It's been over three years since I last visited the narrow gauge railway at Stradbally and in that time some major changes have taken place, with the building of a new two road maintenance shed and improvements to the platform at Stradbally with the addition of various items of traditional platform furniture. I visited the railway for their September running day on Sunday 24th September.

Due to a minor issue with their ex Bord na Mona steam locomotive No. 2, this was stopped during the day for maintenance attention to take place, with the last hour of service being provided by diesel locomotive "Rusty".

Click http://smu.gs/2wRK07S to view.