Buses 57 and 58 are a frequent service; every ten minutes. They follow virtually identical routes except one goes one way around Pentwyn and the other the other way. That wasn’t the problem. Once an hour one of the buses extends the route the extra half mile up to the new housing estate of St Edeyrns. The problem is that quite a few of the 57/58s when they stop in St Edeyrns change number from 57 to 58 or visa versa for their journey back. This made planning a trip on the 57 rather challenging. In the end I left at breakfast time to make sure it all worked out.
In St Edeyrns I took a walk down Bridge Road, over the River Rhymney and had a circuit around the fields in the early morning sunshine.
It was then back on the 57 for a short hop up to the retail park where I went to Costa for some breakfast and a read – The Book of the Dead, one of those books you get some strange looks for reading in a café or on a bus. I read amusing anecdotes about Henry Ford, Howard Hughes and Salvador Dali – what strange people they all were.
The only challenge remaining after that was to make sure I caught a 57 back into town as there was once again number-changing happening. I even hopped on a bus when a diver was having a break. The ticket and headboard said 57 but I was suspicious and was right to be as when the driver got on the headboard changed to 58. I escaped just in time and got the next 57! Here’s hoping the 58 will be a bit easier to fathom.
Cardiff Capers 