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Saddleworth Buses
2006
 
Some months later optimism for the 2006 World Cup is running high and a large England flag is hanging from the front of the pub. Olympian 34296 started life in Southampton and was one of the few double-deckers at Oldham garage at the time. It has now moved elsewhere and been replaced by other Olympians.
Mon 30th Jan 2006
183 - Grotton to Limeside
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2004
 
Heading the other way at the Clarence is another Dart, 40274, this time with a Plaxton body.
Sun 31st Oct 2004
350 - Ashton to Oldham 		66825 is one of the Volve B7RLEs branded for the 82 (and 83), with the exception of a replacement window at the rear. It has just left Cheapside bus station and is on St. Mary's Way in Oldham Town Centre, about to pass the once-great Tommyfield market.
Mon 1st Nov 2004
82 - Manchester to Waterhead and Uppermill 		66831 stands on the canal bridge, having just turned into Dobcross New Road by Brownhill Visitor Centre. It is branded for the 82, but in practice anything can be seen on the X84.
Mon 1st Nov 2004
X84 - Manchester to Carrcote
 
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2000
 
Single-deckers appeared irregularly on the 232 to 235 group of services. Mayne's 43 climbs past Greenfield station on a sunny winter day. Photo courtesy Mark Amis.
Fri 1st Sep 2000 to Tue 31st Aug 2004
Diverted Mossley services
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1999
 
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.
Mon 11th Jan 1999 to Thu 12th Apr 2007
356 - Greenfield to Oldham 		The 351 serves a good selection of Saddleworth's pubs and is passing the Old Orginal at Doctor Lane Head, above Scouthead. Photo courtesy Mark Amis.
Wed 13th Jan 1999 to Sat 14th Apr 2007
351 - Friezland to Rochdale
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1996
 
5188 gingerly passes Greenfield Conservative Club on a wintery day.
Mon 30th Sep 1996 to Sat 30th Oct 2004
429 - Manchester to Greenfield and Huddersfield
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1995
 
This time the driver HAS used Well-i-hole and Shaw Hall Bank Road and is almost at Greenfield station. Note the way the paintwork has turned the front of the bus into some sort of beast with fangs!
Sun 1st Jan 1995
Rail Replacement Services 		Glossopdale’s M634 FJF is turning from Wellington Road into Queensway in one of the more obscure parts of Greenfield as it works to Uppermill from the car park at the end of Wellington Road.
Sun 30th Apr 1995 to Sun 29th Sep 1996
349 - Saddleworth Park and Ride services
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1994
 
The reasons for the bailey bridges that spanned the canal and river in Greenfield are explained in the 10 and 180 collection captions. This shot gives a particularly good view of the construction of these bridges, with Yorkshire Rider Olympian 5085 making steady progress across.
Sun 1st May 1994 to Sun 25th Sep 1994
903 & 904 - Huddersfield to Oldham and Ashton
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1990
 
Checkmate's W576 JVV passes Oldham Pool on its way to Lees and Springhead, still carrying the livery of its previous operator, Nu-Venture of Aylesford. Photo courtesy Mark Amis.
Mon 1st Jan 1990
418 (and 397) - Lees and Springhead local service
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1987
 
Swan's started operation of the 407 using this hired Enviro, seen here at Besom Hill passing the site of the old brickworks.
Thu 4th Jun 1987
407 (and 82) - Manchester and Oldham to Denshaw
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1986
 
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.
Wed 1st Jan 1986 to Fri 14th Apr 2006
556, 561 and 562 - Manchester and Oldham to Halifax 		Mayne's 10 climbs Quick Road between Mossley and Lydgate. This was not the normal route but the 235 was diverted due to sewer works on Mossley Road in Grasscroft.
Sun 22nd Jun 1986 to Sun 19th Oct 1986
235 Manchester to Uppermill via Littlemoss 		A Glossopdale Mercedes climbs up Delph Lane to make the loop round Palin Wood Road. This road was the one used by the erstwhile 160 service to get back to the A62 from Delph village.
Mon 27th Oct 1986 to Fri 29th Oct 2004
352 - Ashton to Denshaw
 
One of the most unusual vehicles ever to run in Saddleworth on service must have been this ACE Puma with Van Hool coachwork. ACE chassis were never very plentiful. This was the only time I saw this one used on the service. The vehicle carries the destination board normally used on the Mercedes. Registered as C633 RSG it was originally registered B31 XSN, an unusual case of a vehicle being given a registration mark indicating it is newer than it actually is.
Mon 27th Oct 1986 to Sun 8th May 1988
341 & 342 - Uppermill to Ashton Market and Asda
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1985
 
5306 was later to become a regular visitor to Greenfield as it was transferred to Oldham garage, but at this time it was allocated to Rochdale garage and is probably working the first through journey to Holmfirth of the day.
Wed 1st May 1985 to Wed 30th Sep 1987
430 - Bury and Rochdale to Greenfield and Holmfirth
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1980
 
Leopard 23 roars up the hill past Booth Wood reservoir and heads onto the lonely stretch of moorland road towards Denshaw.
Tue 1st Jan 1980 to Mon 30th Sep 1985
223 and 224 - Leeds to Manchester via Halifax 		Leyland National 128 uses what bit of Mossley Road, Grasscroft is passable. Other photographs taken at the same time can be seen in the 355 collection.
Sun 20th Jul 1980
353 Ashton to Denshaw 		109 passes through Grasscroft with a significant dusting of snow on the road.
Sun 20th Jul 1980 to Sat 30th Oct 2004
355 Ashton to Oldham
 
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1974
 
It was still a through Carrcote to Diggle service when 116 descended towards the Farrar's Arms and so it is displaying 432.
Sun 21st Jul 1974 to Sat 25th Oct 1986
431 to 434 - Carrcote to Diggle via Oldham
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1970
 
Leyland National 151 passes through Waterhead on the 825. This may have been a service from Compoflex in Delph.
Thu 1st Jan 1970
Other works services 		Leyland National 122 was not in service when photographed passing the top of Oaklands Road in Grasscroft.
Thu 1st Jan 1970
Buses visiting Saddleworth
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1964
 
Greater Manchester Transport Dennis Dominator 1438 passes the top of Station Brow in Greenfield whilst working the 828. This is the service from Saddleworth School through Dacres, Well-i-hole, Greenfield station and Grasscroft to Mossley. It would normally come up the hill (just to the left) but judging by the cone and the snow (implying the road was closed) it has come up Chapel Road and made the sharp left turn there.
Tue 1st Sep 1964
School workings
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1950
 
Latterly smaller buses were used to serve the mill, as evidenced by this wintery view of Dodge S56 1863 in Little Gem livery.
Sun 1st Jan 1950
Greenfield Paper Mill workings
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1930
 
Ken Shaw's PD2 is taking workers home from Owl Mill in Lees. This scene has changed considerably with the closure and demolition of Owl Mill and the building of the Co-op store on the site. The Angel Inn on the right has been a constant through the years.
Wed 1st Jan 1930
Saddleworth Operators 		Although Seddon chassis and Pennine bodies were built in Royton, the only way they could be seen in Oldham was as the Huddersfield (and Metro Kirklees) vehicle on the 365. In the seventies and early eighties these were the normal vehicle for the service. 4051 is approaching the summit with Pule Hill in the background.
Fri 21st Mar 1930 to Sun 16th Apr 2006
65 & 365 - Oldham to Huddersfield
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1929
 
5467 was originally EX2 and was one of a btach of buses which became prototypes of the huge fleet of Standard buses bought by SELNEC and GMT. It was one of an order originally placed by Ashton Corporation but not delivered until well after the formation of the PTE, who changed the specification to meet their requirements.
Wed 15th May 1929
14 and 184 - Manchester to Uppermill, Diggle and Huddersfield 		GM Buses 3073 was one of a few bus-seated Olympians to be painted briefly into the coral Express livery. They only survived a short while and were then returned to normal fleet livery.
Wed 15th May 1929
10 & 180 - Manchester to Greenfield
Wed 15th May 1929
10 & 180 - Greenfield to Manchester
 
239 leaves Holmfirth for Manchester. Another Yorkshire Traction bus can be seen in the small bus station on the left, still in pre-National Bus Company colours. Photo courtesy Geoff Lumb.
Thu 16th May 1929 to Fri 26th Jun 1981
Manchester to Barnsley
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1928
 
5307 was still fairly new when seen climbing up to Scouthead past the top of Wall Hill Road.
Thu 8th Mar 1928 to Sat 30th Oct 2004
13 and 183 - Manchester to Uppermill and Greenfield via Scouthead 		Only weeks after the extension of the 427 to Diggle, Olympian 3050 crosses the railway at Greenfield station on its way into Oldham. It is carrying the yellow stripe which was added around this time a s local (Oldham) identifier as part of the new commercial regime.
Wed 2nd May 1928 to Sat 30th Oct 2004
O, S, T, 27, 28, 29, 427 & 429 - Manchester, Hollinwood, Grotton and Diggle
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1927
 
West Riding 387 was another Alexander Y-type Leyland Leopard but a later example with a revised front grille. It is at the Mumps roundabout in Oldham passing Northern Carpet Supplies, a long-term resident of the building there. Photo courtesy Paul Wreghitt.
Fri 15th Apr 1927 to Thu 0th Aug 1986
X12 - Manchester to Bradford
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1926
 
The two Mercedes O305s in the GMT fleet were unique and apart from the first few months they spent their whole working lives at Oldham. I always thought they were very refined - for one thing they were much quieter than a National. 1355 leaves Mossley along Lees Road.
Sat 23rd Jan 1926
E, 16, 343, 344 and 416 - Oldham to Mossley and Hyde
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1925
 
Timetable dated July 1931. The only difference is an additional Sunday morning run from Ripponden to Manchester.
Thu 1st Jan 1925 to Sun 22nd Nov 1936
Manchester to Bradford - Ripponden and District 		Preserved North Western 224 on Well-i-hole representing a morning school run on this service which ran via Dacres. It was the only working shown in the timetable (on any service) terminating at Saddleworth Station so that was my conclusion as what this destination display (printed at no mean cost!) was for.
Thu 1st Jan 1925 to Wed 1st Jan 1969
156 Friezland to Newhey 		Leyland National 109 heads through Grasscroft on the 436.
Wed 11th Mar 1925 to Sat 19th Jul 1980
158, 436 & 438 - Mossley to Delph and Denshaw
 
The first of the
Wed 11th Mar 1925 to Sun 27th Nov 1983
157, 356 & 437 - Mossley to Diggle 		Black Rock arch was always prohibited to double-deck buses, although they could get through by using the middle of the road. The 11 foot headroom on the left explains the problem! National 160 is about to pass under the bridge. The road here has changed and is now confined to a single lane, controlled by traffic lights.
Wed 11th Mar 1925
154, 154A, 353 & 354 - Ashton to Uppermill and Denshaw 		302 is seen at Scouthead heading towards Oldham's short-lived and little-used Clegg Street bus station. The bus has a healthy load for a service which hasn't long left to run. Photo courtesy Photobus.
Wed 8th Apr 1925 to Wed 30th Dec 1970
160 - Oldham to Huddersfield
 
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1924
 
224 climbs a bit further up from
Sat 1st Mar 1924 to Sat 20th Jul 1974
P, 153, 155, 433 & 434 - Uppermill Circular
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1914
 
North Western Fleetline 4 is still in its old company's red and cream, but has an Orange SELNEC flash rather than the brown
Mon 31st Aug 1914 to Sat 25th Oct 1986
H, 4, 6, 404, 406, 408, 422 Oldham to Denshaw
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1900
 
This is a map I drew a few years ago to show the services operated by North Western's depot in Oldham in 1951. This shows nearly all the stage carriage services in Saddleworth at the time.
Mon 1st Jan 1900
Maps and other information
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