The Wanderer's 2022 photos

[Thewanderer]

Branch Line Society: Emerald Isle Explorer

After a two year break thanks to Covid enforced travel restrictions the Branch Line Society returns to Ireland for one of their tours covering unusual routes in Ireland.

The tour started at 0730 from Connolly and over the course of the day would visit Dundalk, Dromod, Grand Canal Dock, Adamstown, Heuston and returning to Connolly at 1737.

Highlights of the trip included:
- Connolly Wash Road
- Skerries Loop and the Bi-directional working between Skerries and Balbriggan.
- Dromod Siding.
- Killucan Loop
- Maynooth Siding.
- Newcomen Jct. to Connolly.
- Operates in the down direction over the up line between Connolly and Grand Canal Dock.
- Heuston Platform 10
- Adamstown Bay Platform
- Heuston Wash Road.
- Heuston Carriage Siding 2

Click https://bit.ly/3PGminq to view all the images from the day.

 

[Thewanderer]

On Saturday 20th August, a new railtour organisation operated their first railtour in Ireland, Tailte Tours is a new, voluntary led fundraising initiative. Their aim is to assist Ireland's voluntary run heritage railways and museums raise extra funds to further their projects.

Their first tour, named the Premier Rose operated from Dublin Connolly to Tralee using an IE MKIV set and 201 class locomotive. This tour claimed a number of firsts, with the first passenger operation between Connolly and Islandbridge Jct. and between Killarney and Tralee.

Pictures of the Premier Rose Railtour at various locations in and around Killarney can be viewed at https://bit.ly/3pC2O8N

 

[Thewanderer]

Evening folks,

Two updates to the website tonight.

The first is the latest update from the Connemara Railway which is aiming to restore a section of the Galway to Clifden Railway which closed in 1935. During the latest work party day, sections of the "pop up" 3ft Narrow Gauge railway were removed to allow future laying of 5ft 3in gauge track. Construction of the replica signal cabin is also nearing completion, with internal fitting out yet to be done.

Click https://bit.ly/3E34yjR to view.

The 2nd update is photos of loco 223 on a driver training run from Cork to Laois Depot today and later in the day a stop at Borris in Ossory to see one of the last remaining sections of jointed track on the Nenagh branch before it is relaid soon.

Click https://bit.ly/3fodRk6 to view.

 

[Thewanderer]

The October gallery starts off with a day trip from Thurles to Dublin with pictures from Thurles, Heuston, Dublin City and Portarlington. Due to engineering works the return trip to Thurles was a bus transfer as far as Portarlington for a train forward.

Click https://bit.ly/3SF6xPO to view all the picts.

 

[Thewanderer]

The October gallery has been updated with pictures today from Ballybrophy, Portlaoise, Limerick Jct. Mallow, Rathmore and Killarney.

Click https://bit.ly/3T5hsSu to view.

 

[Thewanderer]

The November gallery has been updated with a few pictures from near Lisduff in Co. Laois of the 1425 Cork - Heuston and 1500 Heuston - Cork passing. The purpose of the trip today was to view the new quiet coach branding on the MKIV Standard End carriages which is being launched on Monday 7th November 2022.

Click https://bit.ly/3zNoFjd to view.

 

[D6130]

The purpose of the trip today was to view the new quiet coach branding on the MKIV Standard End carriages which is being launched on Monday 7th November 2022.

It won't be so quiet being next to the big GM loco! Nice photos though.

 

[Thewanderer]

It won't be so quiet being next to the big GM loco! Nice photos though.

Indeed!

 

[Thewanderer]

Tuesday 8th November 2022:
Cork Drivers Depot arranged another one of their unusual routes training trips on Tuesday 8th November for two trainee drivers. A 0945 Cork - Laois Depot operated via Limerick Jct. Pocket Loop, Thurles Loop and Down Platform, Ballybrophy Loop and Portlaoise Station Loop to reverse before visiting Laois Traincare Depot. 226 was provided for todays trip and pictures of it are at Laois Depot and Clonkeen.

Click https://bit.ly/3fPsL3q to view.

 

[Thewanderer]

Sunday 14th November 2022:
While in Co. Kilkenny on Sunday I called into Thomastown Station for a look around, later in the day I stopped off at Dromkeen just as darkness fell to see the 1645 Limerick - Limerick Jct. & 1647 Limerick Jct. - Limerick crossing.

Click https://bit.ly/3hIWoUH to view all the images.

 

[Thewanderer]

The latest update to the November galley at https://bit.ly/3guFlFu features:

Tuesday 15th November 2022:
Photos from around the Ballybrophy and Portlaoise areas.

Wednesday 16th November 2022:
Pictures from this day mainly come from a trip out along the LUAS Green Line to Cherrywood and Brides Glen to see recent developments along the route.

Thursday 17th November 2022:
A visit to Heuston and Inchicore.

Friday 18th September 2022:
The Sperry Train visited the Nenagh Branch travelling from Limerick to Portlaoise via Nenagh.

Monday 21st November 2022:
The Nenagh Branch reopened today following further track upgrading.

Tuesday 22nd November 2022:
Just a single photo from Portlaoise on this day.

 

[Thewanderer]

Foynes Line Reconstruction

Work is due to commence on reconstruction of the Limerick to Foynes for freight traffic in the coming weeks. In advance of phase one of the project, vegetation clearance is already underway and it appears that the route has been fully cleared. The last train operated over the route in 2001 and the line has gradually fallen into disrepair over the last 21 years. The current phase of work that is about to begin and the subsequent phases will facilitate rail freight services, but will not preclude the possibility of passenger services being reintroduced on this line in the future, but this would require further infrastructure upgrades and funding. The Ryder Cup Golf tournament is to be held at Adare, which the railway passes through in 2027 and it is mooted that a passenger service will be reinstated for this between Adare and nearby Limerick City.

I undertook a photographic survey of the route on Sunday 27th November from Limerick City to Foynes. With the route being upgraded to modern standards no doubt many of the features of the route at stations and level crossings will vanish over the next three years.

Click https://bit.ly/3UhlSGj to view all the images.

 

[D6130]

Nice photos. Good to see that Iarnroid Eireann still leave the track in situ on closed lines in case of future developments.

 

[Thewanderer]

Nice photos. Good to see that Iarnroid Eireann still leave the track in situ on closed lines in case of future developments.

The line has never been closed, only mothballed, hence no track has been lifted. The entire route will require rebuilding in any case.

 

[Thewanderer]

The December gallery kicks off today with a ramble around the Limerick area with photos from:
Limerick Jct.
Dromkeen.
Oola.
Limerick Station.
Cratloe.

Click https://bit.ly/3XV79nC to view all the images.

 

[Thewanderer]

Evening folks,

The December gallery has been updated with images from:
Ballybrophy,
Portlaoise,
Limerick Jct.
Limerick,
Nenagh,
Heuston,
The Point
Pearse,
Mallow,
Rathmore,

Click https://bit.ly/3uLSwFx to view all the images.

 

[Thewanderer]

Afternoon all,

I've just published my 2022 year in review. Life returned to normal in 2022 with the lifting of COVID19 restrictions which meant the welcome return of railtours and more extensive travel around Ireland and the UK.

The highlights from the year in review contain:
* Tom Ryan retires.
* Continued investment in the Nenagh Branch which resulted in a 15 minute journey time improvement in December 2022.
* A selection of images from the outstanding Inchicore 175 Open Day event in May 2022.
* IE Infrastructure Manager Showcase event at Portlaoise PW Depot.
* Towards the end of 2022 clearance work for the Foynes Line reconstruction was completed.
* RPSI East West and Shades of Grey Railtours
* Branch Line Society railtour.
* Visits to Waterford and Suir Valley and Cavan & Leitrim Railway.


Click https://bit.ly/3GuKpE4 to view over 300 images.