Somewhere in Cardiff Bus, hidden away in a dusty office, there is probably a person whose job it is to plan the routes and times of their busses. Armed with maps, survey results, shift patterns and other important information like where their Nan lives, they conjure up the timetables we know and love. In order to justify their existence they repeat that process every couple of months in response to changing demographics and the latest social media furore. Somehow out of all that must have dropped the No.4 route and timetable. It runs from the Cardiff Bus depot on Sloper Road to the Cardiff Bus Exchange but only early morning and in the evenings. I know not why.
Tea-time isnโt when you normally find me in town. Iโm more liky to be found watching Pointless shouting Tuvalu at the screen. The city centre was a lot more busier than I expected. Office workers and early evening revelers were dining or partaking in two for the price of one cocktails.
In the Cardiff Bus Interchange the No.4 appeared on the information boards โ it wasnโt a phantom imaginary bus. It also told me however that some of the subsequent No.4 services had been cancelled and I had less time in Leckwith that I thought.
When the No4 appeared it was in disguise, painted in 57/58 livery. I wasnโt the only one making the trip out of town. The disadvantage of nigh time bus riding is the views out of the windows are restricted. By the time we got to the Bus Depot I was the only passenger on board. After a quick check with the drive regarding the pickup point for the return journey I headed to the Capital Shopping Park, passing the Cardiff City Stadium and Glamorgan Archives on the way.
I had planned to go to the Sand Piper pub for tea but was my time was now more restricted I visited Nandoโs. Needless to say that without my minder present I caused chaos, ordering my food for the wrong table assignment. I fancied a burrito and although there was a heading entitled โBurgers, Burritos and Wrapsโ I failed to find one so ordered a wrap. What a disappointment. It looked like it had been run over by the bus I had just been on and was dwarfed by the plate.
My grandfather from North Wales served in Mesopotamia in WWI and luckily survived. I didnโt even know with what regiment until a few years ago when I realised such details are engraved on the side of the medals. Apart from that there is the fob watch chain with a 1917 half rupee attached which he always wore which probably came from an Indian soldier he fought alongside though I donโt know the story behind it. The only story passed down the family was that when they stood guard outside the tents containing POWs that spoke Welsh to prevent giving away information to the enemy. I guess that was probably unnecessary as the enemy troops probably didnโt speak English either.
Curious to know more about the war in the Middle East in WWI a friend has lent me book detailing the events. Itโs a dense read and one for dipping in and out of but highlights immense losses on both side and atrocities of war. The Royal Welsh Fusiliers only get one mention which hit home to me the numbers involved.
I dashed back to the bus stop outside the Cardiff Bus Depot and dead on time a No.4 came along and took me back to town.
It was still quite early so rather than heading home I went to see if there were any tickets left for the Ye Vagabonds gig at The Gate, an up an coming Irish Folk band. There were indeed though I had missed the support and ten mins of the Ye Vagabonds. They took pity on me and let me in free of charge. My hearing is too poor these days to hear the lyrics or between-song banter but a good way to cap off the evening, oh and meet my wife.
Cardiff Capers 