In photos: pubs, rugby, night scenes and fog – Cardiff at the end of December 2024 -

Here’s a selection of scenes captured around Cardiff over the Christmas period.

Above: a foggy street in Rhiwbina.

Crossing into Newport. In the distance can be seen the Newport Transporter Bridge, one of only a handful of such structures that remain in use worldwide.

It is one of only two operational transporter bridges in Britain, the other being the Tees Transporter Bridge.

The wonderful ceramic platform signs at Cardiff Central station (formerly Cardiff General).

The station – the busiest in Wales – was completely rebuilt in 1932-34 to designs of Great Western Railway architect’s department.

Projections illuminate the station building.

After years of delays, the new bus interchange outside the station has finally opened.

The two fast food icons of Caroline Street (aka Chippy Alley) – Tony’s and Dorothy’s.

Which do you prefer? We’re a Dorothy’s fan.

A very busy Birchgrove Inn on Christmas Eve.

Traffic motion blur on the M4 in north Cardiff.

Rhiwbina RFC Boxing Day charity match,

Boxing Day drinkers at the Butchers Arms in Rhiwbina.

Rhiwbina at night.

Bus stop, Heol Llanishen Fach.

Electrification works along the Coryton branch line look complete but there’s no new trains running yet.

Frustrated passengers wait on a freezing Rhiwbina station for non-existent 12.15pm train to Cardiff.

Although the display said that the train was ‘on time,’ a quick look at the excellent Real Time Trains website revealed that it had been cancelled.

I decided to walk into town.

Gabalfa flyover.

The mighty River Taff, which rises in the Brecon Beacons as two rivers, the Taf Fechan (“little Taff”) and the Taf Fawr (“great Taff”) before becoming one just north of Merthyr Tydfil.

The Animal Wall outside Cardiff Castle comprises of 15 peering over the parapets.

The Castle website has more info:

The early animals consisted of the lions holding the Crichton-Stuart and Stuart of Bute shields of arms which flanked the South Gate, together with a lioness, hyena, sea-lion, ape with her young, wolf and polar bear.

They can be distinguished by their distinctive glass eyes and were carved by the sculptor, Thomas Nicholls of Lambeth between 1887 and 1889.

The polar bear was replaced by a bear when the other seven animals were sculpted between 1928 and 1930.

The sculptor was Alexander Carrick of Edinburgh and they are lynx, vulture, beaver, leopard, racoon, ant-eater and pelican.

A look inside the Castle where a Christmas fete was taking place.

Cardiff city centre features seven Victorian and Edwardian arcades. Above can be seen the Royal Arcade.

Inside Cardiff Market,

The hideous architecture of St David’s Hall.

It’s been temporarily closed since 2023 due to issues with crumbling concrete.

Inside Cardiff Central’s Grade II listed booking hall, which features “natural Portland Stone with Cornish granite plinth. Interior walls have granite bases. Devonshire green marble. Pilasters capped with Ashburton black marble,”