The day started on a 44 bus toward Dalry — the Murieston Crescent stop to be precise. From there, a short walk to Tynecastle Park and the ticket office to pick up the brief ordered a few days previous for the away end at Celtic Park.

Thirty-four pound sterling for the privilege of a restricted view. Or as the ticket states, 'Restricted View Discount'.

The walk to the Polwarth Tavern provided enough time to digest the inclusion of 'discount'.

It was here where the Orwell Hearts supporters' bus would be departing at 12.50pm for the 43 miles to Celtic Park with stops along the way.

The trip west is often a trepidatious experience for Heart of Midlothian, on and off the field.

Last season's 2-0 win was the first success in the east end of Glasgow since 2009.

Away from the pitch, the travelling support has dwindled over time. On Saturday, Hearts had an allocation of 752, only 156 with a 'full view'. Of that 752, 560 were sold.

Ask any Hearts fan and there will likely be a horror story or two about a trip along the M8, many of those involving heavy-handed policing or stewarding. The away fan made to feel like an inconvenience. At best.

For almost all away games, Orwell Hearts would have no problem filling a 53-seater bus with members and member guests. But not this fixture. It was decided earlier in the week to split the cost of the £600 running of the bus with Livingston Hearts, their members picked up from the Black Bull pub in Mid Calder.

Speaking to Orwell Hearts chairman Bruce Findlay over a pint in Plzen on the eve of Heart of Midlothian's Europa League play-off clash, he explained it is normally the game which is run at a loss.

And that was what this article was originally going to be about, the difficulty of the supporters' club running a bus to Celtic Park and what the day involves.

As the day evolved it was about that to an extent but also so much more. 

Back in the Polwarth Tavern at midday, those chosen few – the every-single-gamers, the glutton-for-punishmenters – were scattered around the pub, making sure to get some Dutch courage for what could be a long afternoon a few hours later. 

Guys who likely only see each other every week or every other week are catching up. There is chat about the game ahead and the team's struggles, plus general administration around fees and tickets with some of the members continuing to pay in cash rather than the preferred bank transfer.

One member – the owner of a Pompey Hearts flag that may be familiar to some amongst the support – was discussing how it should be the way that "everyone should help each other". It was an early nod to the supporters' bus being its very own community.

Going back nearly 20 years, I can remember relying on the Tranent Hearts bus ferrying me from Haddington to Tynecastle via a number of towns and villages in East Lothian. And when the bus didn't run, jumping on Prestonpans Hearts. And just as well we did, we would have missed Neil MacFarlane's only goal in a Hearts top in a midweek Scottish Cup third-round win over Partick Thistle.

Many supporters may remember opening up the programme and seeing a vast number of Hearts supporters' clubs. In the middle of writing this, I reached across my desk for a programme from a match in 2004. There are 33 Federation of Hearts Supporters Clubs listed.

Ace of Hearts, Bathgate, Berwick, BMC, Borders, Craigmillar, Cross keys, Danderhall, Dumfries, Glasgow, HMFC Disabled, Lauderdale, Linlithgow, Livingston, London, Longstone, Mallorca, Manchester, Merchiston, Mill, Musselburgh, Orkney, Orwell, Penicuik, Portobello, Prestonpans, Rainbow, Robertsons, Roslin, Tollcross, Tranent, Ulster, Willie Bauld Memorial Club.

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"Back in the day, when I was a kid, it was in the Evening News under ‘For the Fans’," Findlay said. "Every bus, what time they were leaving Edinburgh and a landline number."

There was a pause and then a comment about how he couldn't imagine running a bus in such a way.

It became clear it is quite an operation. Spreadsheets, working capital and a surprising turnover.

Findlay is the chairman but he credits Mike Angelini, his secretary, as holding it together. Jane is the bus convener and a husband and wife duo are behind the scored predictor that keeps the club in good financial health and the books, audited ahead of each AGM. 

There are times when it is "hard" as Findlay put it, notably when Celtic Park comes around.

"We are duty-bound as part of our constitution to get you to the game," he said.

Orwell Hearts are at every game. One of the few supporter buses that do so, whether it is Celtic Park, Ibrox or Dingwall on a Wednesday night. Edmonstone, Portobello and Livingston are others you will see at venues across the country whenever and wherever Hearts are playing.

For Orwell, established in 1989, are in a healthy position to do be present at each of those games. Membership is capped at 65, a recent increase of five, and there are others waiting to join.

“The reason it is capped is because if everyone wanted to travel I haven’t got a bus big enough," Findlay explained. "I know there are 30 people who travel to every game. Some games are more popular than others. This is not popular.”

Each of those members pays a weekly fee of £6. It covers all their away travel to domestic games, league and cup, and if they have kids they come for free – they are the future after all.

That £6 includes entry into a weekly scorecast where the jackpot can reach four figures.

Hearts were on the wrong end of a couple of handball decisions at Celtic Park. (Image: Rob Casey - SNS Group)

It is a real community.

Friends, parents and kids, siblings. There is the lively chat with some light ribbing around antics on European trips.

Then there is the toilet. An important asset. Findlay jokes to one member that it is a bylaw that it can't be used until the bus is outside of Edinburgh. The bus now always has to have a toilet. One member revealed he was left on the hard shoulder on the way to a Celtic game. So desperate for the toilet, he turned around only to see the bus drive away with his possessions still on board. He only made the match due to the generosity of some Celtic fans.

Normally, it will leave early for away games, the aim of stopping at a pub or bowling club for 12pm wherever Hearts are playing. Members have to confirm their spot at least a week in advance. In that last week, space is opened up to guests of members and familiar faces.

This time around there was plenty of space prior to the link-up with Livingston Hearts which owes to that community in the Federation and between supporters' clubs.

There was no place to stop near Celtic Park which meant the later departure from the Polwarth Tavern. Findlay said the club used to go through to a place in Baillieston until it became a Celtic pub.

It is an in-and-out job.

"A lot of people won’t wear colours," noted Orwell Hearts chairman Bruce Findlay on the bus through. 

Three or four buses park on Springfield Road. It is a short walk to the ground. On the way out and in, there is no hassle. It is all very tame. Inside, is not much different. So much so that on the last couple of visits the Hearts crowd are not even held back, spilling out and back to the buses with little tension and no incident. 

Michael Stewart and Kenny Macintyre are the voices in the background as fans digest the game, the VAR decisions and how it was all very typical. After the crawling traffic way from Celtic Park, it is not long before those travelling disembark along the way at the stops in West Lothian and Edinburgh.

"As soon as this is over it’s Paisley next week," Findlay said. 

A full bus will head to Paisley for 12pm and a bowling club, no need to navigate ScotRail and the exorbitant prices.

"All the guys need to do is say they are going and turn up at the right place at the right time."