Stagecoach 559 turns from Chew Valley Road into Kinders Lane at Road End in Greenfield. It is Maundy Thursday (the day before Good Friday) and the small annual fair can be seen to be in progress. The fair is nowadays a gathering of church and charity stalls and the right to hold the fair is lost if it is missed one year. That nearly happened some years ago and a stall was hastily put together. It is better-supported now and unlikely to be lost, unlike the 356 which no longer runs.

Universal’s S925 SVM did not carry a fleet number like most of the rest of the fleet. It has climbed Boarshurst Lane to the hamlet of the same name. Wharmton is dominant in the background.

On only the second day of operation of the 356 Universal’s standard offering for the service - a Plaxton Beaver-bodied Mercedes - is seen in Boarshurst incorrectly showing Uppermill as the destination.

This Metrorider was originally in the Sunderland and District fleet but is seen on a lovely spring day at Boarshurst, with cherry blossom in full bloom.

Stagecoach 531 is close to the extremity of the loop round Greenfield, which is at St. Mary’s Church whose spire is prominent behind as the bus as it passes along St. Mary’s Drive. The church was consecrated in 1875 and was the last designed by George Shaw, who was also the architect of Christ Church, Friezland which opened some twenty-five years earlier and is the terminal point for sister service 351.

One of Stagecoach’s Alexander-bodied Mercedes turns by the King William in Greenfield down Ladhill Lane.

Bu-Val Metrorider M935 FTN ambles down Ladhill Lane in Greenfield with the King Bill in the background. The fade-out on the electronic display is different from that normally seen and it may be that it was in the process of changing to show Oldham as the destination.

Bu-Val's regular vehicle was R219 AOR, seen here also on Ladhill Lane in Greenfield.

Universal 816 is on Ladhill Lane in Greenfield and about to turn into Greenbridge Lane.

816 turns into Greenbridge Lane, with Greenfield Cricket Club just over the wall to the right. Recent observation shows that buses do not make this detour any longer, I suspect that the practice is unofficial.

R219 AOR makes its way along Greenbridge Lane in Greenfield alongside the river. The rear number display can be seen in the top left-hand corner of the rear window, but as is often the case the camera has not caught the actual display.

R219 AOR carries an advertising livery, although it will be seen by few people on this service! It has just completed the last journey of the day, which nominally finishes at Greenfield station. Presumably on this occasion there were no passengers and the bus therefore heads through Uppermill village out of service.

The 356 enters Uppermill Square from Greenfield and then turns round in the bus station before passing through the square again to make the climb up Church Road. A Bu-Val Metrorider waits optimistically for passengers. Photo courtesy Mark Amis.

The 356 makes a sustained climb out of Uppermill up Church Road and this working is seen near the top of the ascent passing the turning for Saddleworth Church and the Church Inn. It is approaching the wildest and most scenic part of the route from which commanding views of Saddleworth can be obtained.

The 356 climbs above the snow line! This view is on Running Hill Lane with Saddleworth Viaduct visible in the valley far below. N910 ETM was new to The Shires at Garston depot as MP260 and passed through several Arriva companies before being sold to EST of Llandow in South Wales. After that it moved to Preston with Whitaker's and Blue Bus. In this photo it still carries Blue Bus livery but at least has a Bu-Val logo. It is believed to only have been on temporary hire to Bu-Val. Unfortunately the piece of paper in the windscreen refers to the Saturday and Wednesday 351 service, not the 356 which it was actually working.

The first of a sequence of M935 FTN (shown in the opposite order to which they were taken) shows it in freezing conditions on Running Hill Lane. Mossley can be seen in the distant background.

A closer view of the rear end of M935 FTN. Contrast the conditions with those in the photograph of the same bus at Boarshurst near the beginning of this collection!

Whilst waiting for this bus to appear I was wondering whether it would miss out this stretch due to the icy conditions. However, it takes a lot to stop Saddleworth buses and it came as expected, although it was struggling for traction on this corner. At this point Running Hill Lane becomes Running Hill Gate which can be a little confusing!

The small hamlet at this location is known as Running Hill Head. There was once a small "Hospital for Contagious Diseases" off to the right here - it's difficult to imagine a more suitable spot if isolation was the objective!

A picture which to me epitomises the rural nature of this service. M933 FTN is on Running Hill Gate and about to descend into Diggle.

The driver had paused here to take a photograph himself. Behind the bus is the erstwhile Saddleworth Workhouse.

High above Diggle, Stagecoach 559 turns from Ward Lane onto Running Hill Gate on a beautiful spring day. It was one of the batch of Plaxton Beaver-bodied Mercedes which were used by Stagecoach on Saddleworth services at the time.

On the last day of operation of the 356, R219 AOR climbs up Ward Lane in Diggle.

Stagecoach 531 is on Sunfield Lane in Diggle, have just completed the loop through Dorset Avenue.

The 356 takes the quieter route from Delph to Dobcross. R219 AOR is seen here on Gatehead Road, again on the last day of operation.

The third photograph of this bus on the same trip, by which time the driver must have started to wonder when a photographer was next going to appear out of the hedgerows! This time it is on Stoneswood Road in Delph, approaching Thurston Clough. This was the original road until the new turnpike road (which became the A62) was opened at the end of the 18th century.

High Moor Quarry serves as a refuse tip, not without controversy. The volume of traffic using it resulted in the building of a dedicated access road which crosses Whitegates Lane in Scouthead at this point. The junction is designed to prevent heavy vehicles using the local roads.

High Moor is a bleak and not particularly attractive place. It doesn't help when you have a refuse tip and electricity pylons. Bu-Val's Metrorider M935 FTN heads for Oldham on the last leg of the journey.

A famous hostelry is the Roebuck Inn, visible on the left. R219 AOR has passed through Pennine Meadows (the estate formerly known as Strinesdale) which can be seen at the top left of the picture.

R219 AOR has turned off Huddersfield Road onto Ripponden Road. The impressive but faded building at the left is Hill Stores, once an important Co-operative store, which has given its name to the district.

One of Bu-Val's Metroriders is in a very urban environment for the 356 as it is on West Street in Oldham, the terminus of the service. Photo courtesy Mark Amis.