1311 has just passed under Black Rock arch. In the background can be seen the bulk of one of the cooling towers of Hartshead Power Station, now demolished.

8359 approaches the same location from Mossley. The date is only approximate as something went wrong with my recording with this slide!

1311 makes the descent from top to bottom Mossley. This bus had recently arrived from Wigan depot, where the area around the destination blind was painted white. These Nationals in the 1300-series were originally delivered in all-over white and quite a few were new to Oldham depot. They then moved away but several returned like 1311 in the early 'eighties.

This superb shot of Paul's shows 122 breasting the top of Carrhill Road on its way into Mossley, having made the trip via Roughtown. The spire of St. John's church balances the composition nicely. Despite more than twenty years having elapsed since the 355 went this way, there is still a small direction sign erected by Tameside depot directing 355s down Carrhill Road at this junction! Photo courtesy Paul Wreghitt.

Due to sewer works in Grasscroft the 355 was diverted via Lydgate at this time. Olympian 3040 descends Quick Road and is carrying the yellow local identifier stripe for Oldham that was introduced as part of the "commercialisation" of Greater Manchester Transport just before deregulation.

176 makes its way gingerly into Grasscroft early on a very snowy morning. This is not a sharp photo but that is partly due to the very poor light.

176 had not got much further when it came across a Barratt's articulated lorry struggling to get any grip as there was no weight on the drive axle. The driver of 176 sat calmly as the lorry slid slowly towards him and as it got near, he opened the cab window and handed out a sandbag. The buses were prepared and it was significant that they were running on time until the other traffic got in the way.

176 still hasn't moved as it's waiting for a way through the snow.

1309 is seen at the same spot in slightly less severe conditions.

GMT National 110 has just passed over the route of the closed Greenfield to Oldham railway in Grasscroft.

Atlantean 8665 pushes a learner driver along Mossley Road in Grasscroft.

Passing my former home in Grasscroft is 8141, one of the last Fleetlines (in this case a Leyland one) delivered to GMT and now preserved under the auspices of the SELNEC Preservation Society.

Dennis Dominator 2017 was one of five of this batch which were new to Oldham. On deregulation, only eleven days away, they moved away as part of a fleet rationalisation exercise. I suspect the front air suspension was not setting its height properly which must have made getting on quite a climb - see also the other photo of this bus at Greenfield Station.

109 passes through Grasscroft with a significant dusting of snow on the road.

Not quite on the 355 route (since deregulation a couple of weeks previously) is Ribble 1614. This was one of a batch of Atlanteans which came from Southdown (in which fleet it was 714) to augment the fleet as they had won a large number of school contracts. There had not been time to repaint this particular vehicle in Ribble red livery. It is at Greenfield station making its way to Uppermill for a Saddleworth School extra journey on the 355.

2017 describes a crazy angle as it heads down Shaw Hall Bank Road having descended half the hill at Greenfield Station.

As explained in the history the service used to descend the hill at Greenfield station and then head on to the Clarence before turning and returning through the village bound for Uppermill. GMT National 109 is seen doing just that and comparison with the previous shot reveals that it is going the opposite way at this junction. Photo courtesy Paul Wreghitt.

177 has completed the circular tour of Greenfield and is climbing up Shaw Hall Bank Road on its way towards Mossley.

180 has just cleared the hump-back bridge over the river at Well-i-hole.

Seen in the same location is 5319, only a few months before the 355 service ceased to run. On this occasion it was diverted from the normal route through Well-i-hole due to road works on Manchester Road.

110 climbs up from Well-i-hole to the Royal George on a lovely summer evening. Stanley Hadfield's barn sadly later caught fire and lost its splendid stone roof.

30312 was one of the Metrobuses which came down to Manchester from Glasgow. These always seemed to be more common in Saddleworth than the other secondhand Metrobuses that were in the fleet at the time. It is approaching the cross roads at the Royal George.

This Scania was an unusual sight for the Oldham area, vehicles of this make being more often associated with the garages to the north and west of Manchester. Despite its Scottish registration mark, it was new to First Manchester. Here it is providing unusually modern accommodation on the 355 service on Manchester Road in Greenfield.

My effort at getting up in time to photograph the solitary Mayne’s working on the 355, which passed through Greenfield about 0700, was rewarded with the sight of 11. This bus carried a 75th anniversary commemorative livery which was the earlier livery of maroon with turquoise bands.

Looking very attractive in the low morning sun was Mayne’s 13, a Northern Counties-bodied Scania. This location was chosen to photograph the Mayne’s working again as it was one of the few on the route that had the sun in the right direction.

This vignette of a National in the Saddleworth landscape is taken from the park in Greenfield with Greenfield Cricket Club in the foreground. The pavilion has been much rebuilt since and the bus would now be obscured with the development of Butterworth Way and Sykes Close. Photo courtesy Paul Wreghitt.

Atlantean 4573 is in the ownership of GM North as at approaches Bokin along Manchester Road in Greenfield. This bus later moved to Bolton, where it became one of the last of a huge fleet of its type and has survived to be preserved.

4373 was painted in this experimental livery for the "low-cost' operation run from the former Yelloway coach station at Mumps and given the depot code MS. As the 355 was one of the services worked by this unit, this yellow bus was a frequent sight and is seen here on Manchester Road in Greenfield.

Former Glasgow Metrobus MB47 joined the Manchester fleet and became 5402. Although it has received First’s corporate “Barbie 2” livery it has yet to receive a national fleetnumber. It is turning onto Manchester Road at the Clarence and in the background can be seen a native Metrobus on the 180.

120 has arrived at Greenfield Clarence and is about to turn round and pass through the village again. This was the original version of the 355 before it was routed through Dacres and Well-i-hole. Photo courtesy Paul Wreghitt.

First Manchester 30327 has an interesting history. One of the last Metrobuses built, it was meant to be for West Midlands Travel but was never used by them. Instead it was bought, along with the design rights to the Metrobus, by Optare who used it as a design study for their forthcoming Spectra. Capital Citybus recognised a bargain when they saw it and added it to their fleet in London. It then came to Manchester to see out its last couple of years. It is waiting at the Clarence Hotel at Greenfield on the last day of operation of the 355. Photo courtesy Mark Amis.

My only record of the morning peak journey which I saw so often and was worked by so many operators, is this not-quite-sharp picture of one of Dennis's eponymous Darts. It was caught on the return trip to Ashton as it passed through Greenfield.

Negotiating Greenfield village on a very wintry day is Metrobus 5315, on Chew Valley Road near the Co-operative store.

Heading along Chew Valley Road towards the King Bill in Greenfield is the yellow Atlantean again, this time on a much brighter day.

Universal registered some journeys on the 355, although these were not generally competing journeys as they were timed in such a way as to improve the service. The reasoning is not clear as there would not have been a huge amount of revenue from these workings and I suspect it was more a matter of putting a bus to use between the peak hours. This shot, partly in shadow, is the only record I have of these workings and is at Road End in Greenfield.

This Metrobus was new as Yorkshire Rider 7601 and was originally numbered 5411 in Manchester before receiving the national fleetnumber 30307. It is passing the disused Wellington Mill in Greenfield on a quiet Saturday morning.

8665 passes Knoll Spinning in Greenfield. If you look at the other photo of this bus in Grasscroft you will see that it seems to have an affinity for BSM cars. Notice also that the same passengers are in the front seats upstairs, now heading back to Oldham having had a wonderful tour of Saddleworth for the price of their concessionary fares!

Sunday journeys on the 355 in the final years were worked by First’s depot in Dukinfield. On the last Sunday of operation of the 355 I was most surprised to find Olympian 30225 being used. This elevated view shows it about to leave Chew Valley Road in Greenfield and head towards Uppermill. The bus was later transferred to Oldham depot and is seen at almost the same location from a lower vantage point in the 10 & 180 - Greenfield to Manchester collection.

1856 was a Dodge S56 and carries the Little Gem livery used by GM Buses for their minibuses. They were not normally seen in Saddleworth but did turn up on some tendered workings, like this Sunday morning view on Chapel Road in Greenfield.

Stott's SDA 512S has just dropped off pupils for Saddleworth School and is heading back to their Oldham depot. Central Garage would be doing a roaring trade now with fuel at those prices! Photo courtesy Eric Ogden.

Two former West Midlands PTE Fleetlines are seen in the bus station at Uppermill. The nearer one has just arrived from Oldham on a morning school journey, whilst the far one has come from Friezland on the 828 (see the School Journeys collection). Photo courtesy Eric Ogden.

The same Dennis's Dart as seen earlier in Greenfield is here waiting in Uppermill bus station to return to Ashton on the morning peak working. Photo courtesy Jon Brierley.

Reliance Travel was a small and short-lived operator that worked the same morning peak journey on the 355 for a short while. The bus is YNA 358M which was new as SELNEC's 7403 and is waiting in Uppermill bus station to return to Ashton. Photo courtesy Eric Ogden.

Vale of Manchester only worked one journey for short while, so I am fortunate that Eric Ogden managed to record it. The bus is FAO 927V and was new in 1979 as a demonstrator. Photo courtesy Eric Ogden.

This unusual Marshall Minibus was working an evening tendered journey on the 355 operated by Universal Buses. It is passing under the viaduct at Brownhill (near Uppermill). Although not visible on this photograph, the substation to the right still carries the legend “SHMD”.

By the time this photograph was taken, First had taken over GM Buses North. Atlantean 4448 carries a First Manchester sticker to make that clear as it heads through Tame Water towards Delph. The new houses to the right were being built on the site of Ken Shaw's garage.

Atlantean 4388 on Delph High Street, seemingly reluctant to tell passengers where it's going. Not very helpful just here as the 355 goes along this stretch of road in this direction whichever way it's going on the route!

4388 has just crossed the River Tame in the centre of Delph.

1312 was one of the batch of Nationals delivered in an all-over white livery, but is seen here in later years when it carried standard fleet livery. The mill and garage behind the bus have both since been replaced by housing. Photo courtesy Paul Wreghitt.

GMT 116 enters Lodge Lane at the beginning of the circuit of Carrcote estate. Photo courtesy Paul Wreghitt.

The ECW-bodied Leyland Leopards bought by GMT were a common sight in Saddleworth but more on peak hour journeys. 81 is seen on such a working to Carrcote estate. Photo courtesy Paul Wreghitt.

Olympian 3062 is hemmed in by embankments and trees whilst climbing up Lodge Lane as part of the loop at Carrcote.

119, carrying the later livery, is also seen in the same location. Photo courtesy Paul Wreghitt.

Lodge Lane in Delph, at the back of Carrcote Estate, is an improbable place to find a double-decker but it's the only way of turning a bus round there. 4363 was originally GMT 8363 and the use of black paint between the blinds has created an odd effect which changes the appearance of the distinctive Manchester blind layout.

Stagecoach worked Sunday journeys for a couple of years and 897 is seen here in Carrcote estate on such an occasion.

National 1312 peeks out of Friarmere Road in Carrcote, waiting to join Denshaw Road, which can be seen disappearing towards the village of that name. Saddleworth has four divisions or meres (Lordsmere, Friarmere, Quickmere and Shawmere) but this is the only road name featuring any of them. Friarmere, as the name implies, was once monastic land. Photo courtesy Paul Wreghitt.

4388 returns from Carrcote and passes the White Lion, the landlord of which was once Sonny Ramadhin, the former West Indies cricketer.

Crossing the River Tame in Delph on the bridge that was rebuilt in 2007 is Dennis Dart 6519, sporting the orange livery that seemed to be a permanent feature of Manchester buses. The chip shop sign leaves no room for doubt as to the location!

154 passes through Delph village in a typical scene from the 1980s. Even then parked cars made it difficult for larger vehicles to get through the village. Photo courtesy Paul Wreghitt.

GM Buses 5302 is caught outside the Co-op in Delph and would appear to be waiting for oncoming traffic to clear the road. The Mini behind seems less patient! Photo courtesy Noel Ogden.

The attractive lines of a Northern Counties-bodied Metrobus are set against the pleasant backdrop of Delph village in the spring. 5317 passes the Bull’s Head on a lovely spring day.

Atlantean 4667 is framed by the entrance to Delph library as it leaves Delph having completed its visit to Carrcote. The bus is displaying an Atherton garage sticker, a sight rarely seen in Oldham as buses were not usually transferred between the two garages; however Atherton had closed the previous year and the sticker probably remained as their general use had ceased and nobody thought to change or remove it. Delph library is also worthy of mention as it is now run in effect as a local co-operative, following Oldham Council’s decision to close it. The Council provide some funding but it is staffed by volunteers.

178 is passing the bottom of Grains Road in Delph. Old West Riding County Council street signs adorn the walls of the house on the corner. Photo courtesy Paul Wreghitt.

The light in Spring can be lovely and Saddleworth looks its best at that time of year, with daffodils adding a splash of colour. Atlantean 4584 has been round Carrcote and is leaving Delph village along Millgate passing the car park which was once the Mechanics' Institute.

This bus was completely refurbished, the most obvious sign being the reuilt destination display. As a consequence of its more modern interior it was given the version of the livery with a yellow stripe instead of the usual blue. Probably as a result of this refurbishment it became the last original GMT MCW Metrobus in use, latterly as a driver trainer. It is pulling out of The Sound in Delph at Delph Cross Roads, a road opened in 1801 to link the village to the new turnpike road here and named in honour of the Battle of Copenhagen, fought in that year. The Sound (or Øresund) being the narrow strip of water between Denmark and Sweden that forms the entrance to the Baltic Sea.

Optare Solos were only ever occasional performers on the 355 and even then more likely to appear in the evening or on Sundays. This sight of 1617 at Delph cross roads during a weekday was fairly unusual.

Olympian 3051 carries GM North livery as it climbs the A62 through Thurston Clough with the magnificent backdrop of the Pennines behind.

Dennis Dart 6511 is seen across the horseshoe bend at Thurston Clough. Note the truncated chimney from the former Knarr Mill on the left.

Seen from high up above as it rounds the bend at Thurston Clough is Atlantean 4667.

Both Mark Amis and myself were photographing buses in Saddleworth on this day as it was the last day before a major re-organisation of services in Saddleworth and the last day of the 355. We were unaware of each other’s activities until afterwards and both managed to photograph Metrobus 30327 on the same journey. Mark’s shot is at the Clarence hotel in Greenfield and can be seen earlier in this collection; the caption there gives the complex history of this particular bus. Here it is seen at Thurston Clough with the light beginning to fail.

6511 is seen again, having passed the Cross Keys and continuing the ascent up to Scouthead. This bus became 40417 in the national numbering system adopted by First.

5149 plods up from Delph to Scouthead in typical Saddleworth scenery.

These Dennis Darts have been regularly seen in Saddleworth since they were new. First Manchester 6517 approaches Scouthead when still quite young. It unusually carries the livery with a blue stripe, instead of the yellow stripe seen on other members of the batch in this gallery.

A regular in this gallery is GMT Mercedes 1355, on this occasion just of Oldham on Huddersfield Road. Photo courtesy Paul Wreghitt.