travelogue

17th January 2015 © Lise Utne

Sea Breeze Sunday, whichever way you go.

To the left, a class 8520 DART Tokyu Car Corporation electric EMU heading for Howth along the north coast, while to the right, a class 201 General Motors Diesel, 220 in recently painted retro orange livery, about to operate along the south coast to Rosslare on the RPSI "Sea Breeze ".

What a delightful Sunday at Connolly Railway Station in Dublin! The green electric DART, proudly displaying its destination to Howth, is ready to whisk me away on a breezy coastal adventure. I can already imagine the fresh sea air, the charming little village, and maybe even a sneaky ice cream by the harbor—it’s the perfect way to soak up a lazy weekend. The train’s vibrant green and yellow livery feels like a cheerful invitation to hop on and leave the city behind for a few hours of seaside bliss.

Right beside it, the striking orange heritage engine, marked for Rosslare, is stealing a bit of the spotlight. It’s on a special excursion run, and I can’t help but picture the lucky passengers onboard, chugging along towards the sunny southeast coast. The nostalgic vibe of this beauty makes me think of old-school train journeys—maybe with a picnic basket in tow and the promise of sandy beaches at the end of the line. It’s hard to decide which trip I’d rather take today!

Dublin’s Connolly Station is buzzing with that classic train magic, where every departure feels like the start of a little adventure. Whether it’s the DART to Howth for a Sunday stroll or the heritage run to Rosslare for a taste of nostalgia, there’s something so joyful about heading away on a train excursion. Where would you go—sea breeze in Howth or a scenic ride to Rosslare?

Spotted in May 2025, this Irish Rail General Motors Class 071 engine in its snazzy orange retro livery is like a time machine on tracks! Back in the late 1970s, when these beauties first rolled into Ireland, they were the talk of the town—fresh off the boat from General Motors, ready to haul everything from passengers to freight with a rumble that could wake the sleepiest of villages. Seeing this vibrant orange beast today, chugging along the tracks with the Dublin skyline in the background, feels like a warm hug from the past. It’s as if the loco is saying, “I’m still here, folks, and I’ve still got that 70s swagger!”

The Class 071s were the rockstars of Irish Rail back in the day, and this retro livery brings all those memories flooding back—kids waving at the train as it passed, the thrill of hearing its horn echo through the countryside, and the sheer awe of its power. Parked here beside the modern high-rises and that distant church spire, it’s a perfect blend of old and new, a reminder of simpler times when a train like this was the height of cool. So here’s to the 071, still stealing the show in 2025, proving that some classics never go out of style—just like a good pair of flared jeans or a catchy disco tune!

A crush on 220

River Blackwater with a dash of orange, looking fantastic in recently repainted retro livery as worn when the 201 class were delivered.

Eight years ago I took this photo. As we get older, not everything works anymore. Cycling, for example. But then you still have this photo.

Brand new bikes and with our train pass we could go everywhere. We still use our train pass, but now I have a walker. But we still use public transport to get to a museum. And....enjoy.

Acht jaar geleden deze foto gemaakt.Met het ouder worden lukt niet meer alles. Fietsen bijvoorbeeld. Maar dan heb je deze foto nog.

Spikspinter nieuwe fietsen en met ons treinabonnement konden we overal naar toe. Wij gebruiken nog ons treinabonnement, maar nu heb ik en rollator. Maar we komen nog via openbaar vervoer naar een museum. En....genieten.

Ich habe dieses Foto vor acht Jahren gemacht. Mit zunehmendem Alter funktioniert nicht mehr alles. Radfahren zum Beispiel. Aber dann hast du immer noch dieses Foto.

Nagelneue Fahrräder und mit unserem Bahn-Abo konnten wir überall hinfahren. Wir nutzen immer noch unser Bahn-Abo, aber jetzt habe ich einen Rollator. Zu einem Museum gelangen wir aber trotzdem mit öffentlichen Verkehrsmitteln. Und genieße.

J'ai pris cette photo il y a huit ans. En vieillissant, tout ne fonctionne plus. Le vélo, par exemple. Mais alors vous avez toujours cette photo.

Des vélos neufs et avec notre abonnement au train, nous pourrions aller partout. Nous utilisons toujours notre abonnement au train, mais maintenant j'ai un déambulateur. Mais nous arrivons toujours à un musée via les transports en commun. Et apprécie.

Germany

A journey on the Northern Belle

(iPhone)

Meet the stylish cab end of an Irish Rail Mark 4 DVT proudly sporting its green and yellow livery!

This DVT (Driving Van Trailer) might look like the boss, but the real muscle is at the other end, where the engine is either pushing or pulling—depending on which way you’re facing.

Either way, this sleek beauty is ready to whisk passengers across the Emerald Isle in comfort and style.

8 of these generator vans operate on the Dublin-Cork sets, numbered 4001-4008.

A journey on The Northern Belle

Train window capture.....Gloucester Station

the last one in this series.

Taken aboard the Andean Explorer crossing the Peruvian Andes between Cusco and Puno on the way to Lake Titicaca.

Approaching Bodø on the night train, 18th September 2024.

Early morning in the train ..

Vanakkam Chennai! ❤

On the very first morning of year 2022 Royapuram (RPM) WAP-7 30528 had a parallel entry with my 12641/Kanniyakumari ⇌ H.Nizamuddin Thirukkural SF Express at Chennai Egmore (MS). Also, one Tondiarpet (TNP) Shunter WDM-3A 16880R lying idle near Rail Yard for the next assignment.

.

.

1 January, 2022.

Chennai Egmore (MS, SR)

➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖

Picture of the "Journey" in Barhatta Railway Station - Netrokona,Bangladesh

week 22/52: Story-telling "Stranger".

I've images to go through from previous weeks I haven't worked with yet. So posting week 22 first. :)

Picture of the "Raining waterfall" in Mymensingh Railway Station,Bangladesh

Slept here during my travels through Rajasthan. Decided I needed a little comfort at least on part of my Indian journey.

Tea on the Northern Belle

From tonight's new blog post, which can be seen here

For bookings, image licencing and general inquires email: ella_ruth_c@hotmail.co.uk

More of my work can be found at the following-

Facebook

Blog

Twitter

Instagram

Pinterest

Shrub Hill Station ~ Worcester

Brixton Pola Walk May 2017

Social Contract

Exactly 2 years ago on this day I had my last train ride till now. 😌

On-board, 22648/Thiruvananthapuram Central ⇌ Korba SF Express (now Kochuveli ⇌ Korba) from Chennai Central (MAS) to Chandrapur (CD) in lead with AJJ. WAP-4 accelerating after a departure from Khammam (KMT). ❤

.

.

26 November, 2019.

Khammam (KMT, SCR)

➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖

Re-edit of an old favorite

(winter tale: 12.55 p.m.)

20th January 2015 © Lise Utne

Malmö in the background, photographed from the train level of the bridge, lowest floor.

Shot a few seconds after leaving the Swedish coast behind.

The 22nd December train journey to the continent, same procedure as every year.

This is the 2nd leg.

On a train journey from Andermatt to Oberalp Pass. Amazing views on Andermatt and the alpine landscape in Central Switzerland.

Many thanks for your visits / comments / faves!

Thank you all for your continued support in reaching 300 followers milestone in flickr.. :D

Presenting you a view from the train window when my train reached Madurantakam in the early morning..around 06.30 am..

The shroud of mist over the paddy fields was a treat to watch!!

The Talyllyn Railway is a narrow-gauge preserved railway in Wales running for 7.25 miles from Tywyn on the Mid-Wales coast to Nant Gwernol near the village of Abergynolwyn.

Een treinrit terug in de tijd met de Museumstoomtram tussen Hoorn en Medemblik. Op één van de gerestaureerde stations (Wognum-Nibbixwoud) wordt er ook een stop gemaakt en is alles in de stijl van vroeger. Aanrader voor een dagje weg!

Wognum, Nederland

A train ride back in time with the Museum Steam Tram between Hoorn and Medemblik. A stop is also made at one of the restored stations (Wognum-Nibbixwoud) and everything is in the style of the past. Recommended for a day out!

Wognum, The Netherlands