Stand RF in Manchester Piccadilly was the place to board buses for Saddleworth, all services headed thence from the city using it. BJT 322T is working to Halifax and carries a fleetnumber which I suspect was not the one used by Yelloway as it was the one used by its previous owner, Pilgrim Coaches. See later photo for a fuller history of this vehicle. Photo courtesy Mark Harrington.

On Saturdays for a period the 556 terminated in the small bus station on Lever Street which must have been rather confusing for passengers. This batch of Plaxton-bodied B10Ms was split between Halifax and Huddersfield and was seen on the 365 as well as the 556. Photo courtesy Mark Amis.

UWA 305L was new as Sheffield 305 and one of the many different buses which made the early Yelloway operation so fascinating. It is not quite on the 556 service here as it is on Rochdale Road in Oldham and is probably heading back to the depot in Rochdale, but the photo is too close to a real working for me to leave out. Behind is one of the Cummins-engined Northern Counties Metrobuses working the Trans-Lancs Express service (400). Photo courtesy Peter Crichton.

30285 had previously been 5302 and was one of a handful of these Northern Counties Metrobuses to receive national fleetnumbers. It has only a few months left to run but was still considered fit for the trip over the Pennines to Halifax and is seen here on its return entering Cheapside bus station in Oldham. Note the mixture of fade-out vinyls and block paintwork on the two front corners of the bus. Photo courtesy Ian Roberts.

61250 waits in the Cheapside bus station in Oldham, the driver has done his best with the electronic display but it is not very helpful. Oddly enough there is a Withins in Halifax, but in a remote moorland setting. Photo courtesy Mark Amis.

THM 651M is near the end of its short and unloved life in this shot in Oldham's Town Square bus station. It was new as LT DMS 1651 but only ran seven years in London before withdrawal. It then passed to Western National as their 822, having been converted to single door by Ensign (dealers). They withdrew it in 1986 and it moved to Yelloway and, as can be seen, ran still in Western National livery. It is possible it never received Yelloway livery as it was withdrawn in 1987. Photo courtesy Peter Crichton.

This Roe-bodied Fleetline was ordered by Provincial (Gosport and Fareham) but delivered to Hants and Dorset. It actually seems to have spent most of its time in the associated Wilts and Dorset fleet. It was one of two such vehicles in the Yelloway fleet. Others from the same batch remained in service with Wilts and Dorset for another ten years and one has been preserved in Hants and Dorset green livery. This shot was taken on the first day of operation of the service by Yelloway. Photo courtesy Jon Brierley.

DMS1521 was another example of the type that came to Yelloway via Western National. Despite only a very short life of four months with Yelloway it was nonetheless repainted into fleet colours. Photo courtesy Peter Crichton.

These Plaxton-bodied Leyland Leopards were the only single-deck buses bought by West Yorkshire PTE for quite a period and were well-suited to the Pennine terrain, being fast, powerful and comfortable. Appearances on the 562 were unusual, though. 8515 is in Oldham Town Square bus station on an evening extra working to Denshaw. Photo courtesy Mark Amis.

The sight of a Gold Rider Olympian on the 556 was unusual. These were coach-seated Olympians generally used on coaching/private hire work. This was one of the very early Optare bodies built, to the Roe design. Photo courtesy Mark Amis.

Yorkshire Rider's Duple Dominant-bodied Leyland Tigers were vehicles that could be seen here in Oldham Town Square working from Huddersfield or Halifax. 1662 was on of Halifax's allocation and appeared regularly on the 562. Photo courtesy Mark Amis.

Olympian 5310 is seen when only three months old leaving Oldham Town Square for Halifax. A picture of First Manchester's 5310 can be seen later on in this collection at Grains Bar, although by then carrying its national fleet number. Photo courtesy Mark Amis.

Vale's Mercedes passes through Mumps with the recently-closed B & Q store in the background. This view will change considerably if the Metrolink extension through Oldham town centre happens. Photo courtesy Ian Roberts.

A Plaxton Beaver-bodied Mercedes was the usual vehicle operated by Vale of Manchester during their short tenure of the 562 in 2006. It is entering Oldham at Mumps, seemingly having missed out the bus station. Photo courtesy Mark Amis.

Leopard coach 1531 had entered service in Calderdale district on 10th August 1979 in Bingley's red and cream livery and ran all its life in Calderdale until withdrawn in 1995, one of the last of about 110 Leopards to have run in Calderdale since 1961. It is leaving the bus station at Oldham Mumps. Photo courtesy Mark Amis.

This unidentified Yorkshire Rider Leopard has come down Turf Pit Lane from Pennine Meadows (once known as Strinesdale) and appears to be headed for Halifax, although buses in both directions could be seen here.

Yorkshire Rider Olympian 5121 passes through Moorside on its way to Halifax. The brick building the far side of the former filling station was the Handyman's Shop. This business used to be at Bottom o'th Moor near Mumps and was the local source of Ian Allan British Bus Fleets books in the 'sixties.

There are several pictures of these Duple Dominant-bodied Tigers in this collection, which is not too surprising as they were ideal for the route with comfortable seating and plenty of power for the hills. 1672 wears Yorkshire Rider livery when seen above Moorside on the way into Oldham.

First Manchester 4448 is working an evening short working to Denshaw, at that time the only journeys on the 562 operated by the company. It has just passed Sholver and is about to round the corner at Besom Hill.

1608 carries registration WSV 410 at the time of this photo but was new as A608 KYG. It is at Besom Hill with the expanse of Sholver estate in the background. Notable in the distance are the despised flats of Pearly Bank, already boarded up ready for demolition.

This Leyland-engined Daimler Fleetline was originally a dual-door bus new to Aberdeen C. T. as their 145 but along the way had served with Fife Scottish as their FRF 72. It is interesting to reflect that First Group, who later ran the service, had their origins with Aberdeen’s successor, Grampian Regional Transport.

Leyland Leopard BVP 792V came to Yelloway from Midland Red (North), in which fleet it was 792. It is approaching Grains Bar with a meadow full of buttercups in the foreground, together with a sapling that has slightly obscured the front of the bus. I suspect that this was so out of focus when composing the shot at full aperture that I didn’t see it, but when stopped down for the shot it became visible!

This Yelloway Fleetline started life as London Transport DMS2028. It is arriving at Grains Bar (with Besom Hill in the background) and is actually on an evening peak short working to Denshaw. The lack of any destination blind equipment made it difficult to show passengers where it WAS going!

The 562 saw plenty of variety even during First Manchester's years of operation and double-deckers were quite common. These Northern Counties Metrobuses had been used to visiting Halifax on the service from Rochdale (590). 30293 is at Grains Bar. Photo courtesy Mark Amis.

Along with others of the type, 30286 has not got long left to run and looks decidedly the worse for wear as it starts the long descent from Grains Bar into Oldham.

Yorkshire Rider 1544 (KUB 548V) was new to West Yorkshire Road Car as their 2574 in 1980. It is breasting the summit at Grains Bar on a very pleasant afternoon.

The first of several pictures of this bus, which seemed to be a regular on the 556, shows it starting the descent to Denshaw from Grains Bar (which was the highest tram terminus in the UK, excluding Snaefell on the Isle of Man). The bus was Crosville DVG 561, on hire to Yelloway.

Leyland Leopards hired from Ribble helped to keep the Yelloway services going and 1028 is going well as it approaches Grains Bar from Halifax. The overhead electrical cables here were not always up to the winter conditions - in the early sixties a build-up of ice on the cables led to an excessive load on the pylon in the valley to the right, which collapsed, fortunately as far as I recall without injury.

In almost exactly the same spot some eleven years later is Calderline Volvo B10B 1026, fitted with Alexander Strider bodywork.

DVG 561 is climbing up past Hollin Bank Farm towards Grains Bar with the Pennines making an impressive backdrop. This bus had a complicated life, in the course of which it toured the British Isles. It was new to Alexander (Midland) as their MRT 11 but after only a year it went to Eastern National in Essex as part of a vehicle swap. Crosville bought it in 1982 but initially it was used for parts and it didn’t enter service until 1984.

DVG 561 again, this time slightly further down the road nearer Old Tame. This has been a favourite bus-watching point over the years, as from the lay-by here it was possible to see a bus as it started the descent from the Ram’s Head above Denshaw, giving nearly ten minutes to get your camera ready for the shot!

Also seen from the same lay-by is another former Midland Red (North) Leopard, BVP 795V, with Willowbrook bodywork. The low winter sun has given some interesting lighting.

Wearing the National Express livery with red and blue stripes was Ribble’s 1032, on hire to Yelloway.

The Calderline livery was very new at the time of this photograph and no fleetnames have been applied to 1030, working a Sunday journey from Denshaw to Oldham.

That Calderline livery gives a pleasant colour balance with the snow in this picture of Olympian 5166 at Old Tame. Although taken a couple of weeks earlier than the shot of 1030, this one carries First insignia.

There was a period when Yorkshire Rider had a tendency to use higher-specification vehicles such as this Plaxton-bodied Tiger 1606. It is also near Old Tame. The double bends here were straightened out some years ago. It is just possible to make out where the road used to be, part of which is the lay-by.

When Yorkshire Rider split itself into four divisions, the local identity given to the Halifax operation was Calderline and this white livery with blue and yellow was adopted. 1018 was an Alexander Strider-bodied Volvo B10B and is seen leaving Denshaw headed for Oldham.

Yet another National Express-liveried Leopard on hire from Ribble was 1038, storming out of Denshaw to Oldham (as indicated by the card in the windscreen). In the background is the Printer’s Arms, which was originally the Waggon and Horses but was renamed following the opening of the printworks in nearby Denshaw Vale in the 1840s.

This was the first day of the joint operation of the service by First Manchester and Calderline and also of the revised Sunday timetable which saw Calderline buses working short journeys from Oldham to Denshaw. 1030 is at the turning circle at Dumfries Avenue on the second Calderline journey to work there.

OUC 28R had acquired destination blind equipment by late 1987 (see the earlier shot of it near Grains Bar). It is just leaving Denshaw village, as indicated by the sign.

On the descent into Denshaw heading for Manchester is Leopard BVP 795V. These were as near as Yelloway got to putting a “standard” bus on this service.

Very soon after the start of Yorkshire Rider operation, Olympian 5093 descends into Denshaw. At this stage they were still operating through Barkisland as the 556. The caravan parking area just visible to the right was once filled with homes converted from old buses.

Numerically the first of its batch is Mercedes-Benz Citaro 301. A large batch of these came new to Oldham but all moved to Bury in 2005. 301 has almost completed the climb out of Denshaw and is passing the Ram’s Head Inn (known affectionately as Th’owd Tup). This pub was a mecca for beer enthusiasts in the 1970s as it was the only one in the area to serve beer by gravity - straight from the barrel into an enamel jug and then into your glass. The fastest beer service I’ve ever seen.

This bus had a short life with Yelloway, as as by September 1987 its roof was removed to repair OUC 28R (see earlier shots). It had run previously for Dobson's at Lostock Gralam, near Northwich (who more recently have bought many vehicles from Stott's of Oldham) and still carries their name but Yelloway livery. Photo courtesy Dave Farrier.

Calderline fleetnames have been applied to 1671 but it still carries Yorkshire Rider livery. It is heading for Oldham below Great Hill. A quirk in the county boundary means that this stretch of road (about a mile long) was in Lancashire and now Rochdale Metropolitan Borough. As far as I know the only building on that stretch is the Ram’s Head Inn.

A Duple Dominant Tiger, possibly 1662, passes by Great Hill above Denshaw. I had been led to believe from the local paper that a change of operator was going to occur so I went out with my camera on this rather dull day. There was no change of operator, but there may have been a new tender.

Appearances on the 562 by the Northern Counties-bodied Metrobuses were rare until almost the end of thier existence. Here 30296, once GM Buses 5313, is at Great Hill above Denshaw. It was hard to photograph eastbound journeys due to the direction of the sun, especially in winter.

60444 has just passed under the M62 and climbed to the summit on its return to Oldham. Photo courtesy Mark Amis.

Two weeks after Mark Amis's shot sees 60443 in almost the same place. These Optare Prismas were a common sight on the 562 at this time.

In the sixties when I first got to know the Company, the thought of Crosville buses working over the moors between Oldham and Halifax was risible. This is the last day of this short and bizarre period operational interlude. I have managed to find somewhere off the road to park the car whilst still being confident about regaining the highway afterwards so I can photograph SNG 422 leaving the short stretch of dual carriageway near the M62 junction.

This batch of Northern Counties-bodied Olympians worked the 562 quite regularly until 1998. 5303 is seen in both the same location and conditions as the Crosville National some nine years earlier.

Heading back from Halifax, again on the last day of Crosville operation of this service, re-engined National SNG 422 nears the M62.

Citaro 301 makes a modern contrast with the older vehicles also seen at this location near the M62 exit 22.

The following weekend would see Calderline cease to operate the service exclusively, with First Manchester joining in. However, it is business as usual for Olympian 5311 as it nears the M62 on its way from Halifax to Oldham. 5311 was also destined for pastures new and by October that year had travelled down to First Essex along with most of the rest of the batch.

BJT 322T had started life as Hants and Dorset 3068, moved to Shamrock and Rambler with the same number and was with Pilgrim Coaches as their 22 before moving to Yelloway. It still carries the Pilgrim fleet number and National Express livery as it races down from the M62 across Rishworth Moor.

It is the last day of 1993 and Yorkshire Rider Tiger 1662 passes through a snowy landscape. It doesn’t appear that many people were heading for New Year celebrations in Oldham!

This distant shot of Crosville DVG 561 working on hire to Yelloway illustrates very well the topography of Rishworth Moor. The M62 can be seen on the hillside above the bus.

This location with no name is one I have used frequently. As this shot is taken on a summer’s evening the light is in a different place and the angle of the photograph reveals the very substantial culvert there is under the road at this point.

Travelling the other way at the same location, 1661 has had Calderline fleetnames applied over the Yorkshire Rider livery.

On a sunnier day some years earlier and still owned by Yorkshire Rider, similar 1672 climbs up towards Windy Hill.

Wright-bodied Volvo B10B 527 crosses Rishworth Moor. First Manchester had been operating the service for almost exactly a year.

My first encounter with the Yelloway operation was with this Leyland Atlantean which started life with Sheffield Corporation. I didn’t really know what to expect - the operation had only been running about three weeks and news didn’t get about so fast in those pre-internet days. I certainly hadn’t expected double-deckers, although as this collection shows they ceased to be the norm quite soon.

6528 was relatively new when seen here on the first day of First Manchester operation on the 562 on Rishworth Moor. It later became 60434 in the national numbering scheme and can be seen in Barbie 3 livery in the 350 collection.

The Ribble Leopard coaches hired to Yelloway carried a variety of liveries, including this dual-purpose NBC livery on 1030 crossing Rishworth Moor.

DVG 561 heads towards Ripponden and Halifax in the evening sun. This photograph sums up well the revenue-earning potential of this route!

Even on such a desolate road as this one over Rishworth Moor, it was possible occasionally to photograph two buses passing. One of the Alexander-bodied Volvos heads towards Halifax as Tiger 1661 approaches in the distance.

When these Metrobuses were running in Glasgow it is unlikely that anyone envisaged them operating in surroundings such as this. They seemed just as incongrous as all the other double-deckers that worked this service but they had the distinction of being the last of the type. First Manchester 30317 is seen here - it was originally Strathclyde Buses MB57.

First Manchester 351 heads back to base heading up the desolate valley above Rishworth. In the background can be seen part of Scammonden Bridge over the M62, which when built was the longest single span bridge in the world that wasn’t a suspension bridge. The span of the arch is 410 feet and it carries the road 120 feet above the motorway.

Delivered to Bradford as 5655 but not used, this bus came to Manchester as 3402 and ended up at Oldham. Whilst this type was usually used on the 59 vehicles of this batch appeared on the 562 quite regularly and 3402 is seen here looking very smart. As First 30239 it has now returned to West Yorkshire, working in Leeds.

First 31078 had orginated in Leeds. I remember this batch there due to their hill-climbing ability which would be useful on the 562. I was under some confusion at the time as to whether this service was worked from Halifax or Oldham and the appearance of this and the working in the opposite direction (see next photo) didn't help clarify the issue. They had actually been transferred to Manchester's Lower Ince which worked school journeys and were then loaned to Oldham during the half-term holiday.

First 31082 (G805 JYG) works a 562 from Halifax to Oldham past Booth Wood Reservoir, above Rishworth, with the M62 visible in the background. It was still in Leeds Citylink colours but like the bus in the previous photo had been transferred to Manchester's Lower Ince and subsequently loaned to Oldham during the half-term holiday.

Ribble 1023 was another former coach wearing the NBC dual-purpose livery of poppy red and white. It is climbing above Cunning Corner past Booth Wood Reservoir.

Former Leicester Optare Prisma 61149 climbs past Booth Wood reservoir.

Dennis Dart 40418 is just above the bends at Cunning Corner.

SUT 28 was on loan to Yelloway when caught negotiating the bends that gave Cunning Corner its name. At least that’s what the pub was called, as was the terminus of Halifax’s 61 route which made a few trips a day to a terminus less than 200 yards behind this National. This little community is also called Booth Wood and gave its name to the reservoir a small distance up the valley.

66861 works the first journey of the day to Halifax and approaches Commons during the last months of operation of the 562, when it only ran on a Sunday.

A closer view of 66861.

DMS 19V is rounding the bends on Oldham Road between Rishworth and Ripponden. Rishworth station used to be approached along a timber approach which started on the left of this view. The poor condition of the timber lead to the closure of the short section of this unremunerative railway between Ripponden and Rishworth.

Yelloway ECS 58V is in the distance making its steady way up Elland Road out of Ripponden towards Barkisland.

ECS 58V was a Dennis Dominator which started life with Hunters of Dreghorn. They were part of the A1 operator’s association of Ardrossan and the bus still shows evidence of the former owner in the space where the number blind would normally be. That such a new vehicle was available doesn’t indicate that the original operator had a high opinion of it!

The climb out of Ripponden was a gruelling one, the Dominator is already 300 feet above the stop in the centre. The bus stop sign here is propped against the fence post whilst the stop pole has no sign. The quality is in line with destination display on the bus!

My only shot of a traditional Yelloway vehicle on this service is also a personal favourite - and it’s even an AEC! XNE 189S is also climbing up from Ripponden to Barkisland heading for Halifax, despite the piece of card saying Oldham.

RFS 590V had been part of several Scottish fleets and passed through Trimdon Motor Services before finally working for Yelloway. It has just come from Barkisland on the road to the right and is accelerating down Elland Road towards Ripponden.

At the shelter at Barkisland is Crosville ENL 854, hired to Yelloway. It still has the traditional Crosville fleet number plate. However, it looks like Yelloway had run out of blinds and recourse has been made to the custom-made piece of card, which is unfortunately the wrong way round!

Seen at the same place travelling in the opposite direction is former Burnley and Pendle Leyland National 137, running as Yelloway 17.

SUT was associated with Yelloway through common ownership and hired this Leyland National which had been a Midland Red vehicle. It is leaving Barkisland for Oldham and Manchester. At least I think so, but the array of temporary destination displays in the windscreen cause nothing but confusion.

The passengers inside Yelloway 17 will have toasted heads and ice-cold feet due to the design of the heating system on the Leyland National, which put warm air in at ceiling height and hoped it would fall, regardless of the laws of physics. A snowfall has picked out all the features of the bare trees around Greetland Wall Nook.

Early on a spring morning Crosville Dual-purpose National ENL 828, on hire to Yelloway, approaches Greetland and the final stages of the journey from Oldham to Halifax.

Yelloway 41 has made the steep climb out of Greetland and is headed for Barkisland. This particular National started life as PMT 249.

A more unusual vehicle in this particular collection is this Alexander ALX200-bodied Dennis Dart, caught on a colourful spring day at Triangle, with cherry blossom scattered like confetti. It carries the number 3353 but has since been numbered 40679.

Yorkshire Rider 1027 was an Alexander-bodied Volvo B10B and had only entered service the previous month when photographed in Halifax bus station. Photo courtesy Mark Amis.

Halifax bus station sees 61248, one of the former Leicester Prismas, manage to give an even less helpful than normal display. Photo courtesy Mark Amis.