Saddleworth Buses http://saddleworthbuses.fotopic.net/ 45 rows en-gb 60 Manchester to Barnsley http://saddleworthbuses.fotopic.net/c1737449.html Barnsley and District had grown to be a company serving a much larger area than their fleetname indicated and as a consequence the new title “Yorkshire Traction” was adopted in December 1928. The new company was not very old when it inaugurated joint services between Manchester and Barnsley, joint with North Western. There were two services, one via Holmfirth and the other via Woodhead. The latter is not relevant to the Saddleworth story but is mentioned as the two were often considered as variants of the same service. Initially Yorkshire Traction numbered the service via Holmfirth as the 12 and that via Penistone the 16. These eventually became the 19 and 20 respectively. North Western did not use route numbers at that time and it was after the war when they adopted X19 and X20 for their operations on this service (as they already had services numbered 19 and 20). It took until the mid-seventies before Yorkshire Traction started using X19. The new service was advertised in the “Holmfirth Express” on 11th May 1929 and started on Thursday 16th May 1929. The two services gave a combined hourly service during the day, alternating on the two different routes. In 1930 two journeys a day were extended to Doncaster but this was not repeated. The timetable remained very stable over the years, one feature being the reduction of the service during the winter except on Saturdays. In the winter North Western worked the service via Holmfirth and Yorkshire Traction worked via Penistone, except on Saturdays. One quirk of the winter/summer service change was that the last bus from Manchester at 2045 (or 8.45pm as it was called then) ran on Sundays only in the winter via Penistone, but in summer ran every day via Holmfirth. The service appears to have been suspended during World War II but I have no dates for cessation or resumption. The pattern of service continued the same after the war, the first change being the cessation of the summer service which may never have resumed after the war. The next change came in 1971 when the two services were merged. The new service ran via Penistone and Holmfirth, instead of using the A635 road between Barnsley and Holmfirth. At this stage the service became worked exclusively by Yorkshire Traction and was known as The Pennine Rose Express. Terminal points had initially been Lower Mosley Street bus station in Manchester and Eldon Street in Barnsley. On the opening of the new bus station in Barnsley in December 1938 the service moved their and so remained for the rest of its existence. Manchester’s Lower Mosley Street bus station closed on 13th May 1973 and the next day the service moved, along with other express services, to Chorlton Street bus station. The service declined slowly and was withdrawn on 22nd March 1981. However, the story hadn’t quite ended. Baddeley Brothers had been a famous independent operator based in Holmfirth, who before the war had run excursion over the moors to the Bill’s o’Jacks pub above Greenfield (although how they turned round there is a mystery to me!). On 24th March 19756 they were taken over by West Yorkshire PTE and the Baddeleys name retained for coaching operations. However, the coach operations were financially most unsuccessful so on 14th January 1980 the Baddeleys operation was sold to G B Hirst of Holmfirth. G B Hirst had previously operated coaches but ceased doing so in 1976, citing unfair competition from the PTE as the reason! A new service was introduced from Barnsley via Penistone and Holmfirth on 30th May 1981, known as the X20 Trans-Pennine Express. The terminal points were at Court House car park in Barnsley and Chorlton Street in Manchester, in both cases very close to the bus stations that had been the termini of the X19 at its demise. The new service never gained much patronage and never really had the opportunity to do so. The receiver took over the Baddeleys business, with the business in such a state that the service had to be stopped without notice on 26th June 1981, with one journey from Manchester to Holmfirth being stopped en route in Holmfirth! Thus ended services on one of the most desolate roads in Saddleworth. The road over the Isle of Skye is the highest in Saddleworth and the road remains at altitude for some distance. As a consequence this had always been a difficult service to run in winter. Since 1981 only summer seasonal services and one National Express service have used the Isle of Skye road. These are referred to elsewhere in the gallery. Thursday 16 May 1929: Barnsley and District had grown to be a company serving a much larger area than their fleetname indicated and as a consequence the new title _Yorkshire Traction_ was adopted in December 1928. The new company was not very old when it inaugurated joint services between Manchester and Barnsley, joint with North Western. There were two services, one via Holmfirth and the other via Woodhead. The latter is not relevant to the Saddleworth story but is mentioned as the two were often considered as variants of the same service. Initially Yorkshire Traction numbered the service via Holmfirth as the 12 and that via Penistone the 16. These eventually became the 19 and 20 respectively. North Western did not use route numbers at that time and it was after the war when they adopted X19 and X20 for their operations on this service (as they already had services numbered 19 and 20). It took until the mid-seventies before Yorkshire Traction started using X19. The new service was advertised in the _Holmfirth Express_ on 11th May 1929 and started on Thursday 16th May 1929. The two services gave a combined hourly service during the day, alternating on the two different routes. In 1930 two journeys a day were extended to Doncaster but this was not repeated. The timetable remained very stable over the years, one feature being the reduction of the service during the winter except on Saturdays. In the winter North Western worked the service via Holmfirth and Yorkshire Traction worked via Penistone, except on Saturdays. One quirk of the winter/summer service change was that the last bus from Manchester at 2045 (or 8.45pm as it was called then) ran on Sundays only in the winter via Penistone, but in summer ran every day via Holmfirth. The service appears to have been suspended during World War II but I have no dates for cessation or resumption. The pattern of service continued the same after the war, the first change being the cessation of the summer service which may never have resumed after the war. The next change came in 1971 when the two services were merged. The new service ran via Penistone and Holmfirth, instead of using the A635 road between Barnsley and Holmfirth. At this stage the service became worked exclusively by Yorkshire Traction and was known as The Pennine Rose Express. Terminal points had initially been Lower Mosley Street bus station in Manchester and Eldon Street in Barnsley. On the opening of the new bus station in Barnsley in December 1938 the service moved their and so remained for the rest of its existence. Manchester_s Lower Mosley Street bus station closed on 13th May 1973 and the next day the service moved, along with other express services, to Chorlton Street bus station. The service declined slowly and was withdrawn on 22nd March 1981. However, the story hadn_t quite ended. Baddeley Brothers had been a famous independent operator based in Holmfirth, who before the war had run excursion over the moors to the Bill_s o_Jacks pub above Greenfield (although how they turned round there is a mystery to me!). On 24th March 19756 they were taken over by West Yorkshire PTE and the Baddeleys name retained for coaching operations. However, the coach operations were financially most unsuccessful so on 14th January 1980 the Baddeleys operation was sold to G B Hirst of Holmfirth. G B Hirst had previously operated coaches but ceased doing so in 1976, citing unfair competition from the PTE as the reason! A new service was introduced from Barnsley via Penistone and Holmfirth on 30th May 1981, known as the X20 Trans-Pennine Express. The terminal points were at Court House car park in Barnsley and Chorlton Street in Manchester, in both cases very close to the bus stations that had been the termini of the X19 at its demise. The new service never gained much patronage and never really had the opportunity to do so. The receiver took over the Baddeleys business, with the business in such a state that the service had to be stopped without notice on 26th June 1981, with one journey from Manchester to Holmfirth being stopped en route in Holmfirth! Thus ended services on one of the most desolate roads in Saddleworth. The road over the Isle of Skye is the highest in Saddleworth and the road remains at altitude for some distance. As a consequence this had always been a difficult service to run in winter. Since 1981 only summer seasonal services and one National Express service have used the Isle of Skye road. These are referred to elsewhere in the gallery.

Yorkshire Traction 243 passes one of the large millstones marking the boundary of the Peak District National Park. It is descending from the Isle of Skye towards Holmfirth and passing the farm at Harden Moss, where sheepdog trials are held every year. Photo courtesy Geoff Lumb. Anyone who has ever tried it will know how hard it is to be in the right place to photograph two buses passing. It is even more remarkable when the service runs about every three hours. 243 and 239 are passing here at Harden Moss. Photo courtesy Geoff Lumb. 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.

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]]> Thu May 16 1929 223 and 224 - Leeds to Manchester via Halifax http://saddleworthbuses.fotopic.net/c1736542.html Following withdrawal of the X12 service (q.v.) on 7th November 1980, the link between Halifax and Manchester was maintained by an extension of the local 223 and 224 Leeds to Halifax via Cleckheaton services operated by Yorkshire Woollen District. It is not clear whether this new service started immediately following the demise of the X12, the best information I have is that the services had changed by January 1981. Initially most journeys on Monday to Saturday were on the 223, which ran via Gomersal Hill Top, but the Sunday service and a couple of journeys from Manchester operated as 224s. The frequency was essentially every two hours except Sundays when they were less frequent. A new timetable introduced on 1st December saw all journeys to Oldham and Manchester worked as 224s, which at the same time was diverted to serve Scholes (near Cleckheaton). This timetable also shows passengers having to change buses at Halifax - reports from those who used the service indicate that they didn’t always connect! The extended 224 was replaced by a reborn X12 in October 1985. Tuesday 1 January 1980: Following withdrawal of the X12 service (q.v.) on 7th November 1980, the link between Halifax and Manchester was maintained by an extension of the local 223 and 224 Leeds to Halifax via Cleckheaton services operated by Yorkshire Woollen District. It is not clear whether this new service started immediately following the demise of the X12, the best information I have is that the services had changed by January 1981. Initially most journeys on Monday to Saturday were on the 223, which ran via Gomersal Hill Top, but the Sunday service and a couple of journeys from Manchester operated as 224s. The frequency was essentially every two hours except Sundays when they were less frequent. A new timetable introduced on 1st December saw all journeys to Oldham and Manchester worked as 224s, which at the same time was diverted to serve Scholes (near Cleckheaton). This timetable also shows passengers having to change buses at Halifax - reports from those who used the service indicate that they didn_t always connect! The extended 224 was replaced by a reborn X12 in October 1985.

18 is a Duple-bodied Leyland Leopard still carrying the original style of National livery. It is at the Yelloway coach station in Mumps, the rather uninspiring stopping point for this service in Oldh The last journey of the day from Leeds ran as far as Oldham. Yorkshire Woollen's 26 was an Alexander TE-bodied Leyland Tiger and is seen on this journey passing the entrance to Dunlop and Ranken, once a very well-known steel stockholder. The railway bridge in the background originally led to Farnley fireclay works but only served as a headshunt for the steel depot until the last train ran on 7th July 1989. It was demolished shortly afterwards. The whole area has since changed quite dramatically with landscaping and the redevelopment of the Dunlop and Ranken site for housing. Leopard 23 roars up the hill past Booth Wood reservoir and heads onto the lonely stretch of moorland road towards Denshaw.

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]]> Tue Jan 1 1980 X12 - Manchester to Bradford http://saddleworthbuses.fotopic.net/c1728259.html A service was introduced from Oldham to Halifax on 15th April 1927. This was operated by Oldham Corporation and North Western and in agreement with Halifax Corporation. The initial service ran every 90 minutes but this may have been reduced for the winter as there is a record of a complaint about the reduced winter service. Oldham ceased operation following the approval on 26th July 1928 of a Heads of Agreement with North Western whereby Oldham’s operation would be restricted to a local service from Oldham to Denshaw (see the history of the H, 6 and other services for the full story). To counteract the competition from Ripponden and District (see separate history) North Western extended the service to Manchester Lower Mosley Street on 15th May 1929. It was extended to Bradford on 13th July 1929 and Yorkshire Woollen District became a joint operator from 14th October that same year. The original service ran every two hours and initial traffic development was that it became hourly in Saturdays, at least in the summer. By the late ‘thirties, no doubt helped by the take-over of the Ripponden and District service, it had become hourly during the week and half-hourly on Saturdays. The service was one of the few express services to continue to operate during the war, probably a reflection of the fact that it provided links that that would otherwise be completely lost and it was the only service in the (admittedly very rural) stretch from Denshaw to Rishworth. The service pattern after the war was generally hourly every day of the week, with later starting times on Sundays. For much of the time on Mondays to Fridays alternate journeys only ran to or from Halifax rather than Bradford. In the late ‘sixties the Sunday service started to be reduced which can be seen as the beginning of the decline of this route. From the late ‘sixties onwards the route was to see a major upheaval in the operators as a consequence of the 1968 Transport Act. This led to the formation of, inter alia, the National Bus Company and PTEs. Both these aspects made an impact on the X12 and it is simpler to trace the evolution of the two operators separately. Following the formation of SELNEC PTE in 1969 and passing of service within Greater Manchester to the PTE the remainder of North Western was not really a workable company and the services were dispersed to other adjacent NBC companies. North Western survived as a small operator of Express services based in Manchester and vehicles received the standard NBC white coach livery although this operation was now under the management of Ribble. In 1973 the X12 was deemed to be a local express service and was transferred from National Travel (who were seen as operators of long-distance coach services and holiday tours) to Ribble. On 2nd May 1970 Hebble took over operation of the X12 from Yorkshire Woollen District as part of the rationalisation of National Bus Company operations in West Yorkshire. The sudden expansion of the Hebble fleet (it virtually doubled in size) brought in many vehicles from the Yorkshire Woollen fleet and some of these can be seen in this collection. However, the Hebble phase was short-lived, with operation returning to Yorkshire Woollen District on 1st March 1971. In some of its later years West Riding were shown as working the service, but the two companies were under common management by then. The last journeys departed from Manchester’s Lower Mosley Street Bus Station on 13th May 1973, after which it closed, with services being transferred to Chorlton Street. Only a week later, the former North Western bus station on Clegg Street in Oldham closed and the X12 was moved to the Yelloway coach station at Mumps. Later, in Bradford, the terminal point moved from the bus station at Chester Street to the new Interchange at Hall Ings when that facility opened on 27th March 1977. The last journey on the X12 ran on 7th November 1980, driven by David Waymann. It was replaced by an extension of the local 223 and 224 Leeds to Halifax services operated by Yorkshire Woollen District (q.v.). However, the X12 made a brief return appearance, as in October 1985 a new X12 replaced the 223/224. Still running in May 1986 it had been replaced by a short-lived extension of the 561 by August 1986. From 26th October 1986 Yelloway started to operate the new 556 which then provided the service between Oldham and Halifax (see separate collection). Friday 15 April 1927: A service was introduced from Oldham to Halifax on 15th April 1927. This was operated by Oldham Corporation and North Western and in agreement with Halifax Corporation. The initial service ran every 90 minutes but this may have been reduced for the winter as there is a record of a complaint about the reduced winter service. Oldham ceased operation following the approval on 26th July 1928 of a Heads of Agreement with North Western whereby Oldham_s operation would be restricted to a local service from Oldham to Denshaw (see the history of the H, 6 and other services for the full story). To counteract the competition from Ripponden and District (see separate history) North Western extended the service to Manchester Lower Mosley Street on 15th May 1929. It was extended to Bradford on 13th July 1929 and Yorkshire Woollen District became a joint operator from 14th October that same year. The original service ran every two hours and initial traffic development was that it became hourly in Saturdays, at least in the summer. By the late _thirties, no doubt helped by the take-over of the Ripponden and District service, it had become hourly during the week and half-hourly on Saturdays. The service was one of the few express services to continue to operate during the war, probably a reflection of the fact that it provided links that that would otherwise be completely lost and it was the only service in the (admittedly very rural) stretch from Denshaw to Rishworth. The service pattern after the war was generally hourly every day of the week, with later starting times on Sundays. For much of the time on Mondays to Fridays alternate journeys only ran to or from Halifax rather than Bradford. In the late _sixties the Sunday service started to be reduced which can be seen as the beginning of the decline of this route. From the late _sixties onwards the route was to see a major upheaval in the operators as a consequence of the 1968 Transport Act. This led to the formation of, inter alia, the National Bus Company and PTEs. Both these aspects made an impact on the X12 and it is simpler to trace the evolution of the two operators separately. Following the formation of SELNEC PTE in 1969 and passing of service within Greater Manchester to the PTE the remainder of North Western was not really a workable company and the services were dispersed to other adjacent NBC companies. North Western survived as a small operator of Express services based in Manchester and vehicles received the standard NBC white coach livery although this operation was now under the management of Ribble. In 1973 the X12 was deemed to be a local express service and was transferred from National Travel (who were seen as operators of long-distance coach services and holiday tours) to Ribble. On 2nd May 1970 Hebble took over operation of the X12 from Yorkshire Woollen District as part of the rationalisation of National Bus Company operations in West Yorkshire. The sudden expansion of the Hebble fleet (it virtually doubled in size) brought in many vehicles from the Yorkshire Woollen fleet and some of these can be seen in this collection. However, the Hebble phase was short-lived, with operation returning to Yorkshire Woollen District on 1st March 1971. In some of its later years West Riding were shown as working the service, but the two companies were under common management by then. The last journeys departed from Manchester_s Lower Mosley Street Bus Station on 13th May 1973, after which it closed, with services being transferred to Chorlton Street. Only a week later, the former North Western bus station on Clegg Street in Oldham closed and the X12 was moved to the Yelloway coach station at Mumps. Later, in Bradford, the terminal point moved from the bus station at Chester Street to the new Interchange at Hall Ings when that facility opened on 27th March 1977. The last journey on the X12 ran on 7th November 1980, driven by David Waymann. It was replaced by an extension of the local 223 and 224 Leeds to Halifax services operated by Yorkshire Woollen District (q.v.). However, the X12 made a brief return appearance, as in October 1985 a new X12 replaced the 223/224. Still running in May 1986 it had been replaced by a short-lived extension of the 561 by August 1986. From 26th October 1986 Yelloway started to operate the new 556 which then provided the service between Oldham and Halifax (see separate collection).

Very typical fare for the X12 at the time would have been this Brush-bodied Leyland Tiger PS1 of Yorkshire Woollen, seen in Bradford. They bought a huge batch of these, many of which were rebuilt and rebodied as double-deckers. This was not one of the ones rebuilt and would almost certainly have been sold for further use after withdrawal in 1959, although I have no record of who bought it. Photo courtesy Roy Marshall. North Western 871 is in the very smart red, cream and black livery used on the dual-purpose saloons. It is in the parking ground above Halifax's Crossfield bus station and, like the earlier shot of 734, is almost certainly on weekday working only to Halifax. The driver can be seen on the back seat enjoying a peaceful meal break. Photo courtesy Geoff Lumb. North Western 804 descends from Northowram towards Stump Cross. Photo courtesy John Turnbull. On Cow Green in Halifax is North Western Reliance 734. This batch was new in the black top livery and looked very smart, although it appears that these vehicles were not well-liked as they were prone to overheating. 734 is on a journey terminating in Halifax, indicating that it may well be on a weekday service (see the route history). Photo courtesy Colin Routh. 253 was a much-rebuilt Weymann-bodied Leyland PD2 of North Western and one I remember well as an Oldham depot bus, which implies it was working a duplicate when seen in Bradford's Chester Street bus station. Although it might not at first seem a likely choice for the service, the meaty O.600 engine would have given it as good a performance over the hills as the more modern AEC Reliances. Photo courtesy Peter Relf. Double-deckers made regular appearances on the X12, often duplicated to provide the required capacity. Where has all the demand gone? Fleetline 195 is about to pull into Crossfield bus station in Halifax and is being followed by a Halifax Corporation Leopard. 195 was one of the first Fleetlines allocated to Oldham depot, spending a short while there before the more permanent allocation of sisters 209-214 arrived: at the time of this photo it would have been based at the Manchester depot. Photo courtesy Colin Routh. Bristol RE 274 has an A suffix to the fleet number, indicating it was equipped for one-man operation and is clearly working thus when seen in Halifax, unlike the Fleetline in the earlier shot. These REs would have been excellent buses for this service, with a good turn of speed when needed. Photo courtesy Colin Routh. DHD 190 was an AEC Regent V 2LD3RA with Metro-Cammell bodywork that was new to Yorkshire Woollen as their 810. It was later renumbered 79 and was then one of the vehicles transferred to Hebble in 1969 in which fleet it was numbered 290. Leaving Clegg Street bus station it can be seen that the destination equipment was ill-equipped for working the X12 and it was no doubt pressed into service to provide additional capacity at a busy time. Photo courtesy Geoff Lumb. 5877 W was new to Sheffield Joint Omnibus Committee as 1177. It was in the 'C' fleet there meaning that it was actually owned by British Railways. The fleet was renumbered in the mid-sixties such that it became 3177. Following the 1968 Transport Act the BR-owned operations were taken over by National Bus Company and as result this bus became Hebble 162. It was later renumbered 658 when the Hebble fleet was put in a common numbering system with those of Yorkshire Woollen and West Riding. It passed to Calderdale JOC with most of Hebble's fleet in February 1971 and then became 307. Alongside in Halifax's Crossfield bus station is 187, new to Hebble. Photo courtesy Geoff Lumb. Hebble 161 is identical to 162 in an earlier shot with a similar complex history. It was an unusual Burlingham-bodied Leyland Leopard. Photo courtesy Geoff Lumb. North Western 932 is one of the 36-foot long AEC Reliances with Willowbrook dual-purpose bodies affectionately known as 'banana splits' due to their unique livery. It is climbing Copsterhill Road in Oldham which seemed to be the normal approach into Oldham at the time, giving easier access to the Clegg Street bus station. A link with earlier days is provided by this shot of erstwhile North Western Alexander Y-type Leyland Leopard 314, by this time Ribble 1071, turning into the Yelloway coach station at Oldham Mumps bound for Bradford. It's quite likely that the other Ribble bus seen heading away from the camera is also on the X12. Photo courtesy Peter Crichton. 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.

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]]> Fri Apr 15 1927 Manchester to Bradford - Ripponden and District http://saddleworthbuses.fotopic.net/c1712564.html John Hirst, trading as Ripponden and District, started a service from Sowerby Bridge to Oldham in 1925. This ran from the canal wharf in Sowerby Bridge and initially ran three times a day, at 9.25am, 1.45pm and 7.30pm. It was soon increased to four times a day and extended from Oldham to Manchester on Tuesdays and Thursdays, leaving the wharf at 10.35am. The Saddleworth UDC minutes for 19th August 1925 reported J. Hirst (Ripponden and District) applying for licences for an Oldham to Sowerby Bridge service which was apparently “already in operation”.  This was approved at the October 5th meeting. John Hirst rented the Royal Oak Yard in Horton Street, Halifax after trying unsuccessfully several times to obtain a licence in Halifax. This use of private land enabled services to operate there without a licence. From 15th April 1927 a Halifax-Oldham-Manchester service started to run every two hours and from 25th March 1929 this was increased to hourly. On the same date an extension to Northowram and Shelf was introduced and on 4th April 1930 it was further extended into Bradford. Following the introduction of road service licensing Ripponden and District lost out to Yorkshire Woollen and North Western on the route as they successfully entered an ‘established operator’ claim to the Traffic Commissioners. As a consequence the Manchester to Bradford service was curtailed to Halifax from 8th May 1932. North Western and Yorkshire Woollen took over this Manchester to Halifax service on 31st August 1936. It was worked as a separate service until 22nd November, when it was amalgamated into the existing operation. The service used the Rochdale Canal Yard at 77 Dale Street (near the present Piccadilly station) as the terminus and left Manchester via Bradford (in Manchester!), rejoining the Oldham Road in Newton Heath. It stopped at Rhodes Bank in Oldham. The terminus in Bradford was at the Packard Garage on Thornton Road. It would seem that passengers could only ever be picked up in Bradford when they had return tickets - this was one of the ways of getting round the original licensing legislation. This was an interesting operation which at the moment I am unable to illustrate. This collection comprises copies of some contemporary publicity. Ripponden and District had other bus services in the Halifax Area and these were taken over by Halifax Joint Omnibus Committee in 1934. The company continued as a coaching and haulage business. Whilst the coaching side of the business was sold to Hebble in May 1957 the blue and cream lorries of Ripponden and District were to remain a familiar sight in Saddleworth for many more years. Thursday 1 January 1925: John Hirst, trading as Ripponden and District, started a service from Sowerby Bridge to Oldham in 1925. This ran from the canal wharf in Sowerby Bridge and initially ran three times a day, at 9.25am, 1.45pm and 7.30pm. It was soon increased to four times a day and extended from Oldham to Manchester on Tuesdays and Thursdays, leaving the wharf at 10.35am. The Saddleworth UDC minutes for 19th August 1925 reported J. Hirst (Ripponden and District) applying for licences for an Oldham to Sowerby Bridge service which was apparently _already in operation_. _This was approved at the October 5th meeting. John Hirst rented the Royal Oak Yard in Horton Street, Halifax after trying unsuccessfully several times to obtain a licence in Halifax. This use of private land enabled services to operate there without a licence. From 15th April 1927 a Halifax-Oldham-Manchester service started to run every two hours and from 25th March 1929 this was increased to hourly. On the same date an extension to Northowram and Shelf was introduced and on 4th April 1930 it was further extended into Bradford. Following the introduction of road service licensing Ripponden and District lost out to Yorkshire Woollen and North Western on the route as they successfully entered an _established operator_ claim to the Traffic Commissioners. As a consequence the Manchester to Bradford service was curtailed to Halifax from 8th May 1932. North Western and Yorkshire Woollen took over this Manchester to Halifax service on 31st August 1936. It was worked as a separate service until 22nd November, when it was amalgamated into the existing operation. The service used the Rochdale Canal Yard at 77 Dale Street (near the present Piccadilly station) as the terminus and left Manchester via Bradford (in Manchester!), rejoining the Oldham Road in Newton Heath. It stopped at Rhodes Bank in Oldham. The terminus in Bradford was at the Packard Garage on Thornton Road. It would seem that passengers could only ever be picked up in Bradford when they had return tickets - this was one of the ways of getting round the original licensing legislation. This was an interesting operation which at the moment I am unable to illustrate. This collection comprises copies of some contemporary publicity. Ripponden and District had other bus services in the Halifax Area and these were taken over by Halifax Joint Omnibus Committee in 1934. The company continued as a coaching and haulage business. Whilst the coaching side of the business was sold to Hebble in May 1957 the blue and cream lorries of Ripponden and District were to remain a familiar sight in Saddleworth for many more years.

Timetable dated 3rd April 1931 Timetable dated July 1931. The only difference is an additional Sunday morning run from Ripponden to Manchester. This handbill shows intermediate times and stopping points not shown on the main timetable. It would seem to date from 1930, when the timetable information I have corresponds with the last buses from Bradford and Halifax. This last bus only ran on a Saturday but I suspect for this particular week it ran every day. This handbill mainly advertised excursions but does refer to a temporary running of an 11.20pm departure from Manchester to Halifax on most days of that week. Normally it only ran to Ripponden and even then only at weekend. Dale Street in Manchester must have been a busy place as the last buses were due to depart. It must have been quite reassuring to know that extra buses were put on to

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]]> Thu Jan 1 1925 418 (and 397) - Lees and Springhead local service http://saddleworthbuses.fotopic.net/c1636068.html These services took some time to work out what they were trying to do, but have since settled down - so much so that the current timetable dates from March 2003 and even then the change was only a slight one to timings. The initial service was the 397. This was very much a Lees area local service which served three districts - Thomas Street, Holts and Springhead. By 1992 the service had become the 418 and worked from Middleton via Mills Hill (serving several roads not otherwise served by bus), Chadderton, Royal Oldham Hospital, Oldham town centre, Lees, then out via Cooper Street, Springhead, Heywood Street, Austerlands, Stamford Road and back through Lees to Middleton. The circular element of the service from Oldham to Lees and Springhead has remained unchanged since, but there have been several changes at the western end of the route. By the end of 1993 the 418 started in Moston and then traversed Hollinwood Avenue to Hollinwood before following the 427 route via Hollins. By 1995 this had been curtailed to just run from Oldham Town Square bus station. Then in 1996 the service returned to serve the Royal Oldham Hospital on the way to Chadderton, essentially a shorter version of the 1992 service with some detail route variations, and this is the current form of the service. Bluebird was the original operator but by 1997 Bu-Val had taken over. Checkmate Coaches of Mossley have worked the service since at least 2000. Monday 1 January 1990: These services took some time to work out what they were trying to do, but have since settled down - so much so that the current timetable dates from March 2003 and even then the change was only a slight one to timings. The initial service was the 397. This was very much a Lees area local service which served three districts - Thomas Street, Holts and Springhead. By 1992 the service had become the 418 and worked from Middleton via Mills Hill (serving several roads not otherwise served by bus), Chadderton, Royal Oldham Hospital, Oldham town centre, Lees, then out via Cooper Street, Springhead, Heywood Street, Austerlands, Stamford Road and back through Lees to Middleton. The circular element of the service from Oldham to Lees and Springhead has remained unchanged since, but there have been several changes at the western end of the route. By the end of 1993 the 418 started in Moston and then traversed Hollinwood Avenue to Hollinwood before following the 427 route via Hollins. By 1995 this had been curtailed to just run from Oldham Town Square bus station. Then in 1996 the service returned to serve the Royal Oldham Hospital on the way to Chadderton, essentially a shorter version of the 1992 service with some detail route variations, and this is the current form of the service. Bluebird was the original operator but by 1997 Bu-Val had taken over. Checkmate Coaches of Mossley have worked the service since at least 2000.

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. Bu-Val Iveco 181 leaves the now-closed bus station at Oldham Town Square. This was familiar territory for this bus as it had operated in Oldham when new, on hire to GM Buses for six months as their E181. Photo courtesy Jon Brierley. Checkmate W576 JVV is seen again, this time on High Street in Lees. It has lost its blue skirt down the sides and the shade of blue used elsewhere looks different, but has otherwise changed very little. Photo courtesy Mark Amis.

Published in Saddleworth Buses

]]> Mon Jan 1 1990 Diverted Mossley services http://saddleworthbuses.fotopic.net/c1379591.html In heavy rain a landslip occurred on Stamford Road between top and bottom Mossley. This road carried several bus services and the only way round for large vehicles such as buses was via the hill at Greenfield station. This involved an extension to the journey of around four miles. As a consequence, during this period many unusual vehicles visited Saddleworth working these diverted services. The services affected were: 232-5 - Manchester to Mossley 343 - Hyde to Oldham 350 - Ashton to Hey Farm Estate 353 - Ashton to Uppermill The diversions took place initially in 2000 whilst temporary repairs took place and then again at intervals until 2004 when the major rebuild was completed. Further diversions took place for a week commencing 24th October 2009. This brought a different set of vehicles, operators and services: 217/8 - Manchester -Mossley circular 343 - Hyde to Oldham 350 - Oldham to Ashton S50 - Hey Farm Estate to Ashton These services were diverted as before via Greenfield station, except for the 350. This time that ran from Ashton to Tameside Hospital then via Darnton Road, Ridge Hill Lane,Wakefield Road, through Heyrod to Bottom Mossley and as the normal route. In addition there was a Mossley Brookbottom to Tameside Hospital service. However, during the week the arrangements for the 350 were revised. The through journeys from Ashton to Oldham continued the same way, but the Ashton to Hey Farm journeys were diverted via Greenfield station. It appears that the Mossley to Tameside hospital shuttle continued, surprisingly. I have included all the diverted services together which include services which normally ran through Saddleworth. As a result those pictures on the 343, 350 and 353 are (or will be) also duplicated within those collections. Friday 1 September 2000: In heavy rain a landslip occurred on Stamford Road between top and bottom Mossley. This road carried several bus services and the only way round for large vehicles such as buses was via the hill at Greenfield station. This involved an extension to the journey of around four miles. As a consequence, during this period many unusual vehicles visited Saddleworth working these diverted services. The services affected were: 232-5 - Manchester to Mossley 343 - Hyde to Oldham 350 - Ashton to Hey Farm Estate 353 - Ashton to Uppermill The diversions took place initially in 2000 whilst temporary repairs took place and then again at intervals until 2004 when the major rebuild was completed. Further diversions took place for a week commencing 24th October 2009. This brought a different set of vehicles, operators and services: 217/8 - Manchester -Mossley circular 343 - Hyde to Oldham 350 - Oldham to Ashton S50 - Hey Farm Estate to Ashton These services were diverted as before via Greenfield station, except for the 350. This time that ran from Ashton to Tameside Hospital then via Darnton Road, Ridge Hill Lane,Wakefield Road, through Heyrod to Bottom Mossley and as the normal route. In addition there was a Mossley Brookbottom to Tameside Hospital service. However, during the week the arrangements for the 350 were revised. The through journeys from Ashton to Oldham continued the same way, but the Ashton to Hey Farm journeys were diverted via Greenfield station. It appears that the Mossley to Tameside hospital shuttle continued, surprisingly. I have included all the diverted services together which include services which normally ran through Saddleworth. As a result those pictures on the 343, 350 and 353 are (or will be) also duplicated within those collections.

This photograph was taken at the time of the original slip and shows a Stagecoach Olympian with a rather generous 87-seat capacity working a diverted 353. This bus went directly to Uppermill and I’m not sure how the Uppermill to Mossley section of the route was served on this occasion. Stagecoach 760 returns from Uppermill along Shaw Hall Bank Road, the “no waiting” cones attempting to ensure reasonably smooth traffic flow during the diversion. Well-i-hole had been served by the 355 and later the 354 but until this diversion it was only served by school journeys on the 828. Whilst the diversion was in place it saw a very intensive service indeed. Here Mayne’s Trident V125 DJA has just breasted the hump-back bridge over the River Tame. Heading the other way along Well-i-hole is another Trident 28 (V128 DJA), this time crossing the newly re-opened canal bridge. Scania 8 is another of Mayne’s vehicles, this time in the earlier livery of just red and cream. It is passing the Saddleworth Rangers rugby ground on Shaw Hall Bank Road and a lot of cars belonging to shopping commuters using Greenfield station. Making an interesting comparison with a picture in the 235 collection is this shot some fourteen years later of a different Mayne’s 235 service in a similar location on Oldham Road. Scania 19 is caught in pleasant autumn sunshine. The first diversion of the 343 occurred when the landslip took place in 2000. Olympian 3048 is on Oldham Road near Greenfield station. I don’t know what the passengers made of their rather extended journey! These six-wheel Leyland Olympians were an unusual sight in Saddleworth and even more surprising to find on a Sunday working of the 343. 3004 had come via First PMT but had been new to China Motor Bus in Hong Kong. The six-wheel chassis configuration caused problems at this location as the change in gradient at the top of the hill at Greenfield station caused the driven rear axle to unload and when the driver tried to pull away nothing much happened apart from spinning wheels and a smell of burning rubber! The livery is also of note - First were in the process of introducing their “Barbie 2” livery, a corporate livery for inherited vehicles as opposed to new ones. The vinyls for this were not ready and the bus had to run in this interim livery for a short while. 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. This Wright-bodied Volvo B10 would appear to be on an even longer diversion as it is branded for a route in Falkirk, complete with logos for the Falkirk Wheel. In fact it had just been transferred from Midland Bluebird and is descending the hill at Greenfield station. Photo courtesy Mark Amis. Passengers shiver whilst waiting on Greenfield station platform for their train to Manchester whilst Scania 8 is seen again, this time in a later version of the livery. Photo courtesy Mark Amis. Metrobus 30310 climbs the hill at Greenfield station in the course of the diversion. Photo courtesy Mark Amis. Mayne's 9 is about to turn down the hill. Photo courtesy Mark Amis. From Mossley Road in Grasscroft there is a sweeping panorama of the Tame Valley and Greenfield village nestling under the hills. As a backdrop there is Wharmton with its television relay station. All this makes an atypical setting for Mayne’s Scania 12 heading back to Manchester on a fine summer’s evening. Plaxton Pointer Darts were fairly ubiquitous on the 350 at the time of this photo. 40282 was one that was new to Greater Manchester North and is making the turn at the top of the hill at Greenfield station. With this, their second batch of low floor double-deckers, Mayne's changed from East Lancs to Plaxton as body builder with a rather impressive end product immortalised in a Creative Master model. Having crossed the railway it is descending the hill to return to its route in bottom Mossley. Whilst First’s 40271 looked like many other Dennis Darts in the fleet, it was different as it started life as a Plaxton demonstrator, hence the Hull registration. It is at the top of the hill at Greenfield station in the middle of the long detour between bottom and top Mossley. 40282 is seen again. Only a couple of months later the 350 was extended from Hey Farm to Oldham and used Chew Valley Road which is just visible at the left of the photo. Mayne’s 20 was an East Lancs-bodied Scania N113DR new to Brighton Hove and District and at the time was one of the oldest double-deckers in the fleet. Most of the bus was painted in a livery advertising easyetrader.com. It says they are only a click away, but it seems that was a click away from bankruptcy as they ceased trading around the time of this photograph. A head-on view of Mayne’s 20 (seen earlier) gives more of an impression of a bus in fleet livery. Former Centrewest Dart 40299 leads Optare Prisma 60443 (that was new to Grampian) across the railway at Greenfield station. Both are in the “Barbie 2” livery but there are many differences in the application of the livery. One that is just an illusion is the white roof on 40299. Only the front is white as on 60443, reflections create an illusion for the rest which is also blue. Mayne’s 31 (MX03 KZP) is seen from Ladcastle Road as it approaches Greenfield station. Not readily distinguished from the buses diverted on the 350 at the same time is 40280. It has worked from bottom Mossley and is headed for top Mossley, only to turn round and return to this point on the way to Uppermill! 22117 at the Royal George. The destination display used on this service always looks wrong, as to me Clayton West is a place between Huddersfield and Wakefield. These Alexander-bodied MANs have never been seen much in Saddleworth, I only recall them appearing on the Sunday tendered workings on the 353/183 for a short while. With the Royal George hotel behind, Speedwell's MX06 BPU heads for Hey Farm estate, which is in fact a short distance up the road behind the pub, on a circuitous route through bottom Mossley. Stagecoach Manchester 22117 turns right at the crossroads at the Royal George. The road with the parked cars in the background is the original A635 road, but the sharp bend was eliminated when the Micklehurst Loop line was closed and the bridge over it could be removed. Speedwell's Solos used to be seen regularly in Saddleworth on the 354 but not for a while now. The diversion brings in one in the form of MX06 BOV, dropping down into Well-i-hole from the Royal George. JPT's 306 (VT09 JPT) makes for an unusual sight on Well-i-hole on a diverted 343. A closer view of JPT 306 passing Well-i-hole farm and the entrance to the caravan site. The entrance here was once just a gate in the wall which ran close to the road. The present arrangement allows vehicles towing caravans to stop off the road while they open the gate. JPT 305 (ST09 JPT) is another Alexander Dennis Enviro 200 with a carefully selected registration. A more distant view of JPT 305 on Well-i-hole. The blue and yellow livery makes a refreshing change in Saddleworth. Speedwell R513 YWC is not far off its normal route here on Well-i-hole. Whilst this diversion is in operation a trip on the 353 can be somewhat tortuous as it involves a lot of backtracking. On Shaw Hall Bank Road approaching Greenfield station is Speedwell's V994 DNB on another trip on the S50. This bus spent some years in the Mistral Rentals fleet and surprisingly first operated for Yorkshire Rider. Heading towards Ashton at the Farrar's Arms is Speedwell's MPD V256 BNV. New to Pete's Travel in Birmingham it has led a nomadic life and even worked for First for a while on the Wirral as cover for some failing experimental buses. Heading in the opposite direction, Speedwell's V994 DNB joins Oldham Road at the Farrar's Arms in Grasscroft. The S50 is a fairly recent introduction which has been plagued by road works. Currently it runs from Ashton to Hey Farm estate. One of the few surviving Dennis Arrows, 31933, is seen here on a 350 diverted through Heyrod. It has just passed under Black Rock arch, where nowadays nothing other than minibuses are seen. Also passing under Black Rock arch is Dart 40368, this time heading for Oldham. Speedwell MX06 BPU is also on Shaw Hall Bank Road. It would seem (from observation) that the electronic displays have only been programmed for the full S500 route to Manchester and cannot show the current workings to Ashton, hence the pices of paper in the windscreens. Stagecoach 22121 negotiates the multi-cambered junction of Shaw Hall Bank Road and Chew Valley Road. The Stagecoach MAN had been immediately preceded by First's 40370 on a 350 to Hey Farm estate. Speedwell's Optare Excel N608 JLY passes the site of the former coal drops at Greenfield station. Speedwell N608 JLY again, with First's 40360 very close on its tail working the 343. Speedwell's MX06 BOV descends the hill past Greenfield station, the refurbishment of which is now complete. One of the last items added was the new sign visible to the right of the bus. 40384 in almost exactly the same spot six years later, with changes to the station behind visible. It has just passed a bus stop and this must be a very rare case of a bus on a diversion going past a bus stop for that service! 40366 takes the left turn at the top of the hill. These buses haven't got very good lock and sometimes come to grief on the hairpin bend part way down the hill here. They don't normally make this left turn and it is clear the drivers were taking no chances by swinging well out before turning. 40371 makes the turn at the top of the hill with apparent ease! Carrying a light load - not surprisingly since it was the third 350 to pass this way in four minutes - 40366 crosses the railway at Greenfield station. These Darts are some of the few high floor buses in the First fleet now seen in Saddleworth. 40283 (N651 CDB) is on Oldham Road approaching Greenfield station. Autumn colours surround First's 40370 at the same location. 40283, seen earlier, returns from Hyde is somewhat better lighting than before. It is on the long

Published in Saddleworth Buses

]]> Fri Sep 1 2000 H, 4, 6, 404, 406, 408, 422 Oldham to Denshaw http://saddleworthbuses.fotopic.net/c1181560.html This route has an important part in the history of Saddleworth’s buses as it was on 31st August 1914 that Oldham Corporation started a bus service from Grains Bar to Denshaw which was the first such service to operate in Saddleworth. The genesis of this service lay in the extension of the tram network from Grains Bar to Moorside which was the highest tram route in the country with a terminus at around 1150 feet above sea level. Oldham had started bus operation (from the Town Hall to Coppice) on 12th May 1913. This service only ran on weekdays and the popularity of the hills at Grains Bar led to the buses being used to run a Moorside to Grains Bar service from 16th May 1913 at times when there was a demand. This was usually on early closing day (Tuesday) and at weekends and at busy times two buses would be used. The tram route extension opened on 4th June 1914 which made the bus service unnecessary, but a bus was soon deployed on the new route to Denshaw, at least during the summer. However, the Great War brought about different needs and the service last ran on 27th August 1916. Denshaw was served by North Western buses from 1925, but Oldham Corporation did not start to run to Denshaw until 15th April 1927. A new service was introduced from Oldham to Halifax. This was operated by Oldham Corporation and North Western and in agreement with Halifax Corporation. The initial service ran every 90 minutes but this may have been reduced for the winter as there is a record of a complaint about the reduced winter service. On 26th July 1928 Oldham Corporation Tramways Committee approved a Heads of Agreement with North Western whereby Oldham’s operation would be restricted to a local service from Oldham to Denshaw. The timing avoided a dispute with West Riding County Council who had complained that Oldham’s operation on the route was unauthorised in the WRCC area apart from a short stretch which was presumably that in Saddleworth. They were threatening to institute proceedings for operation in excess of statutory powers but the North Western agreement allowed Oldham to say they were ceasing operation anyway. The Halifax service had been given the route letter ‘H’ in line with Oldham’s practice of using letters for bus services. Letters were allocated in order as new services were introduced and it is just a coincidence that H is the first letter of Halifax. The route letter continued to be used for the Oldham to Denshaw service until September 1957, when a reorganisation of services saw the introduction of a modified service 6 running from Chadderton Burnley Lane to Denshaw. One unusual feature of the timetable was the lack of a morning service to Denshaw. For example in 1964 there were morning peak journeys from Denshaw every 15 minutes up to 0827, then there was a bus at 1030 and the next was at 1250 after which the service ran every 30 minutes (15 minutes in the evening peak). From 22nd September the route was extended in Chadderton from Burnley Lane to Chadderton Hall Park. A more gradual development was the massive housing estate at Sholver and in 1969 some buses to Denshaw were diverted to serve this estate and given the service number 4. Due to the extra traffic from this development most journeys on the 4 were ones that terminated in Sholver. The through journeys to Denshaw were mainly in the evenings and on Sundays, the detour through Sholver adding seven minutes to the journey time. The 4 and 6 were renumbered 404 and 406 respectively on 2nd December 1973. From 17th August 1975 the Denshaw service was separated from the other services using Ripponden Road (those to Sholver and Strinesdale) and linked with the 422 service to give a through service from Moston Greengate to Denshaw. This was a Limited Stop service between Oldham Mumps and Moorside and was co-ordinated with a 423 Moston to Strinesdale service. A further rationalisation of services followed from 21st January 1985 when the 422 and 423 were withdrawn and the section to the north-east of Oldham replaced by extending the 408 service which had run from Stalybridge to Oldham. Buses for Denshaw turned off at Moorside to go to Pennine Meadows, which was the name for Strinesdale following the selling-off and refurbishment of the former council estate. They then returned to Moorside before continuing to Denshaw. This service continued until deregulation, when Denshaw was served by the 556 and later on the 407 (q.v.). The last 408 to Denshaw ran on 25th October 1986. Monday 31 August 1914: This route has an important part in the history of Saddleworth_s buses as it was on 31st August 1914 that Oldham Corporation started a bus service from Grains Bar to Denshaw which was the first such service to operate in Saddleworth. The genesis of this service lay in the extension of the tram network from Grains Bar to Moorside which was the highest tram route in the country with a terminus at around 1150 feet above sea level. Oldham had started bus operation (from the Town Hall to Coppice) on 12th May 1913. This service only ran on weekdays and the popularity of the hills at Grains Bar led to the buses being used to run a Moorside to Grains Bar service from 16th May 1913 at times when there was a demand. This was usually on early closing day (Tuesday) and at weekends and at busy times two buses would be used. The tram route extension opened on 4th June 1914 which made the bus service unnecessary, but a bus was soon deployed on the new route to Denshaw, at least during the summer. However, the Great War brought about different needs and the service last ran on 27th August 1916. Denshaw was served by North Western buses from 1925, but Oldham Corporation did not start to run to Denshaw until 15th April 1927. A new service was introduced from Oldham to Halifax. This was operated by Oldham Corporation and North Western and in agreement with Halifax Corporation. The initial service ran every 90 minutes but this may have been reduced for the winter as there is a record of a complaint about the reduced winter service. On 26th July 1928 Oldham Corporation Tramways Committee approved a Heads of Agreement with North Western whereby Oldham_s operation would be restricted to a local service from Oldham to Denshaw. The timing avoided a dispute with West Riding County Council who had complained that Oldham_s operation on the route was unauthorised in the WRCC area apart from a short stretch which was presumably that in Saddleworth. They were threatening to institute proceedings for operation in excess of statutory powers but the North Western agreement allowed Oldham to say they were ceasing operation anyway. The Halifax service had been given the route letter _H_ in line with Oldham_s practice of using letters for bus services. Letters were allocated in order as new services were introduced and it is just a coincidence that H is the first letter of Halifax. The route letter continued to be used for the Oldham to Denshaw service until September 1957, when a reorganisation of services saw the introduction of a modified service 6 running from Chadderton Burnley Lane to Denshaw. One unusual feature of the timetable was the lack of a morning service to Denshaw. For example in 1964 there were morning peak journeys from Denshaw every 15 minutes up to 0827, then there was a bus at 1030 and the next was at 1250 after which the service ran every 30 minutes (15 minutes in the evening peak). From 22nd September the route was extended in Chadderton from Burnley Lane to Chadderton Hall Park. A more gradual development was the massive housing estate at Sholver and in 1969 some buses to Denshaw were diverted to serve this estate and given the service number 4. Due to the extra traffic from this development most journeys on the 4 were ones that terminated in Sholver. The through journeys to Denshaw were mainly in the evenings and on Sundays, the detour through Sholver adding seven minutes to the journey time. The 4 and 6 were renumbered 404 and 406 respectively on 2nd December 1973. From 17th August 1975 the Denshaw service was separated from the other services using Ripponden Road (those to Sholver and Strinesdale) and linked with the 422 service to give a through service from Moston Greengate to Denshaw. This was a Limited Stop service between Oldham Mumps and Moorside and was co-ordinated with a 423 Moston to Strinesdale service. A further rationalisation of services followed from 21st January 1985 when the 422 and 423 were withdrawn and the section to the north-east of Oldham replaced by extending the 408 service which had run from Stalybridge to Oldham. Buses for Denshaw turned off at Moorside to go to Pennine Meadows, which was the name for Strinesdale following the selling-off and refurbishment of the former council estate. They then returned to Moorside before continuing to Denshaw. This service continued until deregulation, when Denshaw was served by the 556 and later on the 407 (q.v.). The last 408 to Denshaw ran on 25th October 1986.

This photograph shows first two buses (BU 401 and BU 402) parked together carrying route boards for the Moorside to Grains Bar service. It was these and a third similar vehicle (BU 11) which worked the Denshaw service. All were Tilling-Stevens petrol-electrics, a form of transmission not ideally suited to such hilly terrain but one that was easy for new drivers to master. Photo from David Beilby collection. This enlargement from a commercial postcard shows one of Oldham Corporation's normal-control Guy BKX six-wheelers at Denshaw. These buses had Daimler sleeve-valve engines and were bodied by Guy. New in 1927 they only lasted until 1932/3, although such a short life was not unusual in an era when design was progressing so rapidly. Photo courtesy Peter Fox. English Electric supplied bodywork for a significant number of Oldham buses before the war. 140 is one of the last batch of twenty-one which were new in 1937 on Leyland Titan TD5 chassis. It is posed at Denshaw for a Leyland Motors official photograph. The building behind is the Junction Inn and at the corner can be seen a petrol pump; at the time of this photograph on-street fuel dispensing was still common practice, particularly in rural areas. Just visible on the wall is a North Western timetable case. Photo courtesy Roy Marshall. Oldham's first post-war buses comprised a batch of fourteen Leyland PD1s which were the last narrow (7'-6 327 was one of a batch of unusual Crossley-bodied Daimlers that Oldham bought. With the Daimler engine these were smooth-running buses but probably not ideal for Oldham's hills. It is also seen on Peter Street. The building to the right of the bus is Cleeg's print works; to the right of that was Yates's Wine Lodge (which fronted onto High Street). At the rear on Peter Street was tucked away Yates's Tea-Total Tavern. Photo courtesy Roy Marshall. Oldham PD2 357 is on Henshaw Street by the corner of the Victoria Market, better known as the Market Hall. This much-loved facility was destroyed by fire on 5th October 1974. The name of Haigh's Walk Round Stores (the shop to the right) takes us back to the days when Flooding washed away Oldham Road in Denshaw and to keep traffic moving the gap was bridged by a Bailey Bridge, a portable structure developed for military use. This was my first encounter with one but not my last as two appeared in Greenfield whilst the canal and river bridges there were renewed (see the 10 and 180 collections). 428 is still in original lined-out livery at this time. It's difficult to imagine now the traffic being controlled by these two-aspect traffic lights, but temporary ones were always like that then. Photo courtesy Peter Greaves. Oldham PD2/Roe 395 negotiates the bends above Old Tame before the road was re-aligned here. 395 was one of several members of this batch to lose their staircase windows. It's not clear why the modification was made - it may have been a way of getting more advertising revenue from Stardrops, whose adverts were usually found in this location! Photo courtesy Colin Routh. This small batch of six Northern Counties-bodied Leyland PD2s is very well represented in this gallery. Here 416 is leaving the 'grotto' (Wallshaw Place) at Mumps on its way to Denshaw. In the main only buses used this street but on this occasion the finishing touches are being applied to the new roundabout and all traffic is going that way - the tail-back can be seen in the left distance. North Western Fleetline 4 is still in its old company's red and cream, but has an Orange SELNEC flash rather than the brown The first of Oldham's PD3s, by now in GMT livery as 5101, approaches Bottom o'th Moor. Even in the last years of Oldham Corporation, Grains Bar was only used as a terminal point on Sunday mornings, so the destination display seen here on 5888 was almost certainly incorrect as the 422 never terminated there. 5888 has recently been repaired after a rear-end accident which left it without the waistrail moulding in that area, as can be partly seen in the picture. At the back of the bus can be seen the art deco facade of the UCP restaurant, where tripe would most certainly be on the menu - UCP stood for United Cow Products. Photo courtesy Paul Wreghitt. Where once Manchester trolleybuses congregated in large numbers (until their abandonment here in 1955) former Wigan PD2 3294 stands virtually alone in the bus station at Moston Greengate which served the former AVRO factory opposite. It is about to work one of the two evening peak journeys which worked from here the full length of the route to Denshaw. Photo courtesy Paul Wreghitt. The terminus later moved slightly up Rochdale Road to the end of Dumfries Avenue and this is where 3294 stands waiting time to return to the garage as it is only working to Mumps Bridge. At either side of the destination display can be seen, painted over, the green lights which were used in Wigan (whence this bus originated) to distinguish Corporation buses at night from Ribble ones. Photo courtesy Paul Wreghitt. Leyland National 178 is seen in almost the same location many years later as it completes a journey from Moston on the 422. Photo courtesy Paul Wreghitt. 5335 makes an unusual manoeuvre at the roundabout at Mumps whilst on a Sunday working from Denshaw to Chadderton on the 4. The finishing touches were being put to the roundabout at Mumps prior to the opening of the by-pass and on this day the slip road off the roundabout into the town centre was being re-surfaced. This meant traffic going the wrong side of the island whilst traffic in the other direction went through the

Published in Saddleworth Buses

]]> Mon Aug 31 1914 160 - Oldham to Huddersfield http://saddleworthbuses.fotopic.net/c1162853.html This roots of this service between Oldham and Huddersfield lie in North Western’s Oldham to Pinfold service which commenced operation on the 8th April 1925. This went from Oldham through Lees to Uppermill, over Standedge and then through Marsden to Pinfold, which was near Milnsbridge and most importantly was the Huddersfield boundary. Huddersfield Corporation would not grant North Western licences to operate buses within the Borough, however Marsden and Linthwaite Councils were happy to do so for their part of the route. Huddersfield’s reasons were largely with the aim of protecting their tram revenue, but as the trams ran as far as out as Marsden this objective wasn’t really achieved. However, the frequency of the bus service at this stage would have meant the impact was minimal. The initial service only ran the full length of the route on Saturdays and Sundays and it took a bus one and three-quarter hours to get from one end to the other! When you consider the hill-climbing abilities (and braking) of the contemporary Tilling-Stevens petrol-electrics the journey time is perhaps not too surprising. On other days of the week the service ran from Saddleworth Station to Marsden, whence passengers could catch a tram to Huddersfield. The rather unusual starting point of Saddleworth Station was the result of complex inter-working, whereby the one bus worked parts of three separate services. I believe even these weekday workings ceased by the end of 1928, but things improved a little from 23rd March 1929 when the service was extended into Huddersfield. The one remaining change was for the service to be routed through Scouthead and Delph instead of Lees and Uppermill, but I do not currently have any details of when this change took place. The revised route mainly followed the A62, but coming from Oldham would leave it at Delph Cross Roads, head through Delph High Street and then use Delph Lane to regain the A62 to continue to Huddersfield. Demand for the service was clearly very variable as small Dennis Aces are believed to have been used during the 1930s, yet in this same era the weekday service which was every two hours was replaced with an hourly one on Saturdays. However, the service was completely suspended during World War II. The postwar service settled to a two-hourly frequency although as time progressed some journeys were changed to only run on certain days. Continuing decline in demand saw North Western withdraw the service completely after operation on 30th December 1970. Wednesday 8 April 1925: This roots of this service between Oldham and Huddersfield lie in North Western_s Oldham to Pinfold service which commenced operation on the 8th April 1925. This went from Oldham through Lees to Uppermill, over Standedge and then through Marsden to Pinfold, which was near Milnsbridge and most importantly was the Huddersfield boundary. Huddersfield Corporation would not grant North Western licences to operate buses within the Borough, however Marsden and Linthwaite Councils were happy to do so for their part of the route. Huddersfield_s reasons were largely with the aim of protecting their tram revenue, but as the trams ran as far as out as Marsden this objective wasn_t really achieved. However, the frequency of the bus service at this stage would have meant the impact was minimal. The initial service only ran the full length of the route on Saturdays and Sundays and it took a bus one and three-quarter hours to get from one end to the other! When you consider the hill-climbing abilities (and braking) of the contemporary Tilling-Stevens petrol-electrics the journey time is perhaps not too surprising. On other days of the week the service ran from Saddleworth Station to Marsden, whence passengers could catch a tram to Huddersfield. The rather unusual starting point of Saddleworth Station was the result of complex inter-working, whereby the one bus worked parts of three separate services. I believe even these weekday workings ceased by the end of 1928, but things improved a little from 23rd March 1929 when the service was extended into Huddersfield. The one remaining change was for the service to be routed through Scouthead and Delph instead of Lees and Uppermill, but I do not currently have any details of when this change took place. The revised route mainly followed the A62, but coming from Oldham would leave it at Delph Cross Roads, head through Delph High Street and then use Delph Lane to regain the A62 to continue to Huddersfield. Demand for the service was clearly very variable as small Dennis Aces are believed to have been used during the 1930s, yet in this same era the weekday service which was every two hours was replaced with an hourly one on Saturdays. However, the service was completely suspended during World War II. The postwar service settled to a two-hourly frequency although as time progressed some journeys were changed to only run on certain days. Continuing decline in demand saw North Western withdraw the service completely after operation on 30th December 1970.

725 heads down Oldham Clegg Street to the bus station at the end of its journey from Huddersfield. It would appear to be a recent arrival at Oldham depot that has yet to be fitted with the correct destination blind. In the left distance is the area that was later to become Town Square bus station. Photo courtesy Colin Routh. North Western 302 has just entered Saddleworth and is halfway up the climb from Waterhead to Scouthead, about to pass the landmark known as Austerlands chimney, a mill chimney that has clearly not been used for a long time, judging by the tree that currently grows out of it! Photo courtesy Photobus. 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. AEC Reliance 724 is in Upperhead Row bus station in Huddersfield waiting to return to Oldham. These buses were delivered in a the This style of Alexander body was referred to as the Highlander and several of these versatile vehicles ended up in Oldham at the end of North Western's days. 839 is about to work the last journey from Huddersfield back to Oldham. Photo courtesy Geoff Lumb.

Published in Saddleworth Buses

]]> Wed Apr 8 1925 Maps and other information http://saddleworthbuses.fotopic.net/c1132362.html Here is a collection of maps and other miscellaneous documents which hopefully will add to the pictures in the other collections. Thursday 1 January 1970: Here is a collection of maps and other miscellaneous documents which hopefully will add to the pictures in the other collections.

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. This is a doctored version of a North Western route map from the mid-twenties which shows the Saddleworth area services at an early stage of development. The graphic on the map, of a Tilling-Stevens double-decker, was hard to resist. This map shows the extent of the tramways proposed for Saddleworth and their connections with those actually built.

Published in Saddleworth Buses

]]> Thu Jan 1 1970 235 Manchester to Uppermill via Littlemoss http://saddleworthbuses.fotopic.net/c1091802.html Mayne’s started operation of the 235 as part of a reorganisation of their core services into Manchester on 16th June 1986, but as the 235 only ran on Sundays the first workings were on 22nd June. The changes were made under the auspices of the 1986 Transport Act but before full deregulation. The 235 was a very small part of Mayne’s operation. The 234 service ran through Mossley to Micklehurst and on Sundays and Bank Holidays was diverted in Mossley to serve Uppermill with its tourist attractions. However, it only ran three times a day, which means that in total only 57 round trips were ever operated! The service to Uppermill had not proved remunerative and was therefore withdrawn at deregulation, with the last journey running on 19th October 1986. As can be seen from the photographs it was normally worked by a Daimler Fleetline, but the first vehicle I saw on the service was a Bristol VR. Sunday 22 June 1986: Mayne_s started operation of the 235 as part of a reorganisation of their core services into Manchester on 16th June 1986, but as the 235 only ran on Sundays the first workings were on 22nd June. The changes were made under the auspices of the 1986 Transport Act but before full deregulation. The 235 was a very small part of Mayne_s operation. The 234 service ran through Mossley to Micklehurst and on Sundays and Bank Holidays was diverted in Mossley to serve Uppermill with its tourist attractions. However, it only ran three times a day, which means that in total only 57 round trips were ever operated! The service to Uppermill had not proved remunerative and was therefore withdrawn at deregulation, with the last journey running on 19th October 1986. As can be seen from the photographs it was normally worked by a Daimler Fleetline, but the first vehicle I saw on the service was a Bristol VR.

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. Fleetline/Park Royal 11 (LRJ 211P) is near Greenfield station headed for Manchester on the penultimate Sunday of operation of the 235. Despite the small number of journeys operated, it is commendable to note that buses were fitted with correct destination displays for the service.

Published in Saddleworth Buses

]]> Sun Jun 22 1986 Rail Replacement Services http://saddleworthbuses.fotopic.net/c1091061.html Railway Replacement bus services are a relatively new phenomenon. Memory tells us that in the good old days the railways kept running, but it is more likely that the less frequent services combined with greater variety of alternative routes meant that when the trains were not able to run, the service was simply suspended if it wasn’t diverted. The local train service currently operates from Manchester to Huddersfield and when the line is closed a bus service is provided calling at all stations and giving a most uncompetitive journey time. Such services have run most commonly late on Saturday night (and occasional weekdays) to give the civil engineers a longer overnight possession. Less common is replacement for a full day, but it does happen as the pictures show. It is likely to become more common when the Sunday service is restored to Greenfield and Mossley stations in December 2006 - the lack of Sunday service has given a level of immunity to the effects of network maintenance. Trans-Pennine express services don’t stop in Saddleworth and in the event of engineering works can be diverted via the Calder Valley route instead of over Standedge. However, the need to serve Stalybridge and Huddersfield stations usually results in a coach service passing through Saddleworth between these two places. The nature of the services means that any operator may be used and a wide variety of vehicles can appear. Paul’s Travel of Huddersfield seems to be a current favourite for local services. Sunday 1 January 1995: Railway Replacement bus services are a relatively new phenomenon. Memory tells us that in the good old days the railways kept running, but it is more likely that the less frequent services combined with greater variety of alternative routes meant that when the trains were not able to run, the service was simply suspended if it wasn_t diverted. The local train service currently operates from Manchester to Huddersfield and when the line is closed a bus service is provided calling at all stations and giving a most uncompetitive journey time. Such services have run most commonly late on Saturday night (and occasional weekdays) to give the civil engineers a longer overnight possession. Less common is replacement for a full day, but it does happen as the pictures show. It is likely to become more common when the Sunday service is restored to Greenfield and Mossley stations in December 2006 - the lack of Sunday service has given a level of immunity to the effects of network maintenance. Trans-Pennine express services don_t stop in Saddleworth and in the event of engineering works can be diverted via the Calder Valley route instead of over Standedge. However, the need to serve Stalybridge and Huddersfield stations usually results in a coach service passing through Saddleworth between these two places. The nature of the services means that any operator may be used and a wide variety of vehicles can appear. Paul_s Travel of Huddersfield seems to be a current favourite for local services.

This shot was taken by Mark Amis immediately following our first meeting. The rail replacement bus at Greenfield station was unexpected and it was only the last train at night that was affected, this being a Tuesday night. Another illustration of the benefits of always having the camera with you! This Scania with Irizar coachwork carries the First express livery, very rarely seen in the area. Photo courtesy Mark Amis. 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! The rear of the Mercedes and the front of the BMC, trying between them to cause a traffic jam! A rear view of the same BMC Falcon waiting for time at Greenfield station (and also waiting for a passenger!). One of Paul's Mercedes minicoaches can be seen in the shadows on a late-running journey in the opposite direction. On this occasion most buses were travelling between Greenfield and Mossley through Greenfield village instead of using Well-i-hole. This will have contributed to the extraordinary long journey time from Huddersfield to Manchester. The buses were provided by Paul's Travel and this vehicle is one of their unusual BMC Falcons.

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]]> Sun Jan 1 1995 349 - Saddleworth Park and Ride services http://saddleworthbuses.fotopic.net/c1090597.html The 349 started life in 1995 and was probably an over-ambitious attempt to get people to park their cars away from pressure spots in Saddleworth. To that extent the service was organised by Peak National Park, Oldham MBC, North West Water , GMPTE and Greater Manchester Police. Every Sunday from 30th April to September 24th 1995 Glossopdale provided two buses which worked on a half-hourly frequency from Uppermill along Carr Lane and Queensway to the Satellite Youth Centre at the end of Wellington Road, Greenfield. This was the “Park and Ride” car park and although it was not very big, it turned out to be more than adequate to meet demand. It was signposted by some very visible signs on Chew Valley Road. The bus waited time here and met the one in the opposite direction. It would then continue to the end of Wellington Road and directly to Dovestones reservoir car park. This reservoir is a popular attraction in summer and has limited parking, the idea of the service was to try to ease pressure here and in Uppermill village. However, people did not like to leave their cars and the buses trundled around Saddleworth empty, the principal source of traffic apparently being churchgoers attracted by the 20p flat fare. 1996’s service was operated by JP Executive Travel and was less ambitious. It still served Dovestones reservoir but proceeded directly through Greenfield to Uppermill and then continued to serve Brownhill Visitor Centre, Diggle and terminated on Standedge at the car park near the Pennine Way. This site had once been the Blue Peter Transport Cafe. This service ran hourly from May 5th to September 29th 1996 (with a break for lunch) but seems to have also attracted little traffic and thus the 349 service quietly disappeared. Sunday 30 April 1995: The 349 started life in 1995 and was probably an over-ambitious attempt to get people to park their cars away from pressure spots in Saddleworth. To that extent the service was organised by Peak National Park, Oldham MBC, North West Water , GMPTE and Greater Manchester Police. Every Sunday from 30th April to September 24th 1995 Glossopdale provided two buses which worked on a half-hourly frequency from Uppermill along Carr Lane and Queensway to the Satellite Youth Centre at the end of Wellington Road, Greenfield. This was the _Park and Ride_ car park and although it was not very big, it turned out to be more than adequate to meet demand. It was signposted by some very visible signs on Chew Valley Road. The bus waited time here and met the one in the opposite direction. It would then continue to the end of Wellington Road and directly to Dovestones reservoir car park. This reservoir is a popular attraction in summer and has limited parking, the idea of the service was to try to ease pressure here and in Uppermill village. However, people did not like to leave their cars and the buses trundled around Saddleworth empty, the principal source of traffic apparently being churchgoers attracted by the 20p flat fare. 1996_s service was operated by JP Executive Travel and was less ambitious. It still served Dovestones reservoir but proceeded directly through Greenfield to Uppermill and then continued to serve Brownhill Visitor Centre, Diggle and terminated on Standedge at the car park near the Pennine Way. This site had once been the Blue Peter Transport Cafe. This service ran hourly from May 5th to September 29th 1996 (with a break for lunch) but seems to have also attracted little traffic and thus the 349 service quietly disappeared.

Glossopdale M636 FJF waits in Uppermill bus station. The bus is carrying quite a lot of publicity about the service but there is no-one around to read it. Photo courtesy Eric Ogden. 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. A green bus surrounded by green trees does not make the best photograph, but it’s the closest I got to photographing one at Dovestones Reservoir, to my regret. The bus has just come up Bank Lane to join Holmfirth Road and drop down to the Clarence Hotel. This was the last day of operation of the service in 1995 and the last time two buses met up at the car park at Wellington Road in Greenfield. M636 FJF is the usual Plaxton-bodied Mercedes but a surprise on this occasion was the ex-National Welsh Freight Rover Sherpa E176 TWO, which had previously worn a yellow livery and called itself a Bustler. Another view of the last meeting of two buses. The service the following year only used one bus. JP's L708 LKY is in Uppermill square on the first day of their operation of the 349 service. The destination is one that I would never have expected to see on a bus! Photo courtesy Jon Brierley. The sign on the right makes it clear where JP’s L708 LKY is. Brunclough Reservoir is one of the reservoirs used to feed the Huddersfield Narrow Canal and made an excellent terminus in theory as it is also where the Pennine Way crosses the A62. As mentioned in the historical notes, this was once the site of the Blue Peter Transport Cafe, a stopping point for lorry drivers in the days before the M62 when the road over Standedge was a busy commercial artery. JP’s Mercedes L708 LKY has just finished the descent from Standedge into Diggle on a working to Dovestones.

Published in Saddleworth Buses

]]> Sun Apr 30 1995 Saddleworth Operators http://saddleworthbuses.fotopic.net/c1088341.html Saddleworth didn't have many indigenous operators. The earliest was probably Butterworth's in Greenfield who operated a char-a-banc but decided to stay in the haulage business. The major operator was undoubtedly Ken Shaw of Dobcross. Their coaching activities were taken over by Stott's Tours of Oldham in the late seventies but the contract bus work lasted a little longer (and the buses themselves lingered some time after that). Ken Shaw had taken over the coach business of Dene Garage of Greenfield in the mid-sixties. The fleetname disappeared as the vehicles were replaced but then made a surprising re-appearance on a brand-new Volvo coach in the mid-seventies. Sam Trundley started operations from Springhead in about 1951 but on buying a new coach in 1970 moved to a garage in Greenfield, which is now the site of Bryn Hilton Motor Engineering. His operation also ceased in the late seventies. Wednesday 1 January 1930: Saddleworth didn't have many indigenous operators. The earliest was probably Butterworth's in Greenfield who operated a char-a-banc but decided to stay in the haulage business. The major operator was undoubtedly Ken Shaw of Dobcross. Their coaching activities were taken over by Stott's Tours of Oldham in the late seventies but the contract bus work lasted a little longer (and the buses themselves lingered some time after that). Ken Shaw had taken over the coach business of Dene Garage of Greenfield in the mid-sixties. The fleetname disappeared as the vehicles were replaced but then made a surprising re-appearance on a brand-new Volvo coach in the mid-seventies. Sam Trundley started operations from Springhead in about 1951 but on buying a new coach in 1970 moved to a garage in Greenfield, which is now the site of Bryn Hilton Motor Engineering. His operation also ceased in the late seventies.

Ken Shaw owned two Plaxton-bodied Bedford SB5s and they are seen here together in the yard at Dobcross. In the foreground is what I believe is the first full-size coach bought new, 10 (BHL 585C). To the left is FPT 872C which had been 72 in the fleet of Wilkinson, Sedgefield. It was bought just before that company sold out to United Automobile in 1967, although sister vehicle 73 survived to become United W12. NFV 319 had only recently come to Ken Shaw's when this picture was taken in the garage yard at Tame Water, Dobcross. The nearside view shows how time was saved on the repaint due to the fortuitous coincidence of the name of the advertiser in Blackpool with the name of the new operator. To the right is the rear of a Bedford SB5 that originated with Wilkinson of Sedgefield. 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. NFV 319 was originally Blackpool 319 and was in remarkably sound condition. It has joined High Street in Lees and is heading towards Lees Brook. The hoarding on the left advertises Weatherseal double glazing, once an important business in Lees. Ken Shaw bought two PD2s from what was, by then, Burnley and Pendle. This one (PCW 947) had been 247 in that fleet and had a Northern Counties body. They both remained in the yard at Dobcross long after Ken Shaw had ceased as an operator and the site was otherwise used for caravans. This view from Ladcastle Road has what was left of Walk Mill as a backdrop (it was once a much larger, albeit not a lot grander) structure. In its latter days it had been occupied by Saddleworth Dyeing Co. Ltd., but is now demolished with the site being the approach to the new primary school in Dobcross, appropriately called Walkmill. Photo courtesy Paul Wreghitt. This bus is neither in Saddleworth or on a route to Saddleworth, but I have stretched the rules to include it as it was new to a Saddleworth operator, namely Ken Shaw. A Ford R1114 new in 1976 it was the last acquisition by Ken Shaw and, I believe, the only vehicle to pass to Stott's of Oldham when he sold up. It is seen at the top of West Street in Oldham on the first day of operation by Stott's of the 422 service to Moston. Photo courtesy Jon Brierley.

Published in Saddleworth Buses

]]> Wed Jan 1 1930 903 & 904 - Huddersfield to Oldham and Ashton http://saddleworthbuses.fotopic.net/c1084946.html These services must have been the least well-publicised ones ever to run in Saddleworth. One of the reasons for this was probably that they were Wayfarer services, leisure transport in West Yorkshire which was sponsored by Metro (West Yorkshire PTE). It was even necessary to cross the Pennines to get timetable information, but even then you had to know it existed! Both services crossed the Pennines using the A635 (Isle of Skye road), but otherwise had little in common. The 903 served Oldham, having left Huddersfield through Holmfirth, using the route which was adopted for the subsequent summer extensions of the 180 and 429. The 904 passed through Netherton and Meltham, climbing up to join the A635 at the Ford Inn. From Greenfield it went through bottom Mossley to Ashton. The poor publicity led to predictably low loadings. However, the idea was clearly good in principle and for several subsequent years the Manchester to Greenfield service was extended to Huddersfield on summer Sundays. It had one other problem apart from the publicity, which was the unrealistic running times leading to poor timekeeping as I recall. For example, the service was allowed just seven minutes to get from Ashton Bus Station to Mossley station. In the one summer of operation the 903 and 904 were worked by Yorkshire Rider. Sunday 1 May 1994: These services must have been the least well-publicised ones ever to run in Saddleworth. One of the reasons for this was probably that they were Wayfarer services, leisure transport in West Yorkshire which was sponsored by Metro (West Yorkshire PTE). It was even necessary to cross the Pennines to get timetable information, but even then you had to know it existed! Both services crossed the Pennines using the A635 (Isle of Skye road), but otherwise had little in common. The 903 served Oldham, having left Huddersfield through Holmfirth, using the route which was adopted for the subsequent summer extensions of the 180 and 429. The 904 passed through Netherton and Meltham, climbing up to join the A635 at the Ford Inn. From Greenfield it went through bottom Mossley to Ashton. The poor publicity led to predictably low loadings. However, the idea was clearly good in principle and for several subsequent years the Manchester to Greenfield service was extended to Huddersfield on summer Sundays. It had one other problem apart from the publicity, which was the unrealistic running times leading to poor timekeeping as I recall. For example, the service was allowed just seven minutes to get from Ashton Bus Station to Mossley station. In the one summer of operation the 903 and 904 were worked by Yorkshire Rider.

This was the chance encounter that made me aware of these services. I had been photographing trains nearby and happened to be in the right place at the right time as 5148, one of the Olympians with Optare bodies, descended the hill at Greenfield station. 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. 5502 has started the climb out of Greenfield over to Holmfirth on a 903 from Oldham. This batch of vehicles were started by Roe but finished at ECW, due to the closure of the Roe factory. They were new in an Executive livery of ivory, brown and red. Their first use, for some time, was as rail replacement vehicles between Littleborough and Todmorden following the disastrous Summit Tunnel fire in December 1984. 5502 is seen again, this time on what was probably the last-ever journey to Ashton. The destination display is “Local Excursion” as Ashton was not on the blind.

Published in Saddleworth Buses

]]> Sun May 1 1994 65 & 365 - Oldham to Huddersfield http://saddleworthbuses.fotopic.net/c1057163.html For a service with such a long and distinguished history, the story of the 365 is relatively simple, although the length of this history might indicate otherwise! It commenced on 21st March 1931 as the Huddersfield to Oldham service of Hanson’s Buses. Thus it remained until 1st October 1969 when Hanson’s Bus services were taken over by Huddersfield Corporation, the same day that the Huddersfield Joint Omnibus Committee was also merged into the Corporation fleet. In the Hanson era it was the only bus service in Saddleworth worked by an independent operator. It had started as an hourly service but before long settled down to a two-hourly frequency, leaving Oldham at five to the even hour and Huddersfield at five to the odd hour. This pattern remained but by 1969 patronage was significantly down and the weekday service was reduced to three return trips, the weekend timetable being unchanged. An early morning journey was introduced from Oldham to Huddersfield by 1971 which involved a bus running dead from Huddersfield to Oldham. By 1976 this journey had become an advertised one and as such was the first bus from Saddleworth into Oldham in the morning. From about 1976 one journey in the morning going to Huddersfield and an afternoon return journey were diverted to serve Colne Valley High School, which involved a rather Alpine climb off the A62 in Linthwaite. The next changes came after deregulation in 1986, when the service was extended to Manchester on Saturdays and also became hourly on that day of the week. From 1st November 1987 the weekday service was improved and the timetable changed, moving from the traditional departure time after over fifty years. From 4th August 1991 the Sunday service was significantly changed to reflect reduced demand and also provide a Sunday service to the village of Diggle. This was achieved by diverting the service from Huddersfield at the top of Standedge to take the road into Diggle village, at the same time running short workings from Oldham to Diggle, which went up Sam Road to use the “Old Station Turning” near the Diggle Hotel. The resulting timetable gave an hourly Oldham to Diggle service and just four through journeys a day. From 2nd November 1992 the weekday service was much improved and now ran hourly. In 1995 a further extension of the service was made to Bradford Interchange (except on Sundays). At this stage a Saturday journey from one end of the route to the other would take two-and-a-half hours! The service took a bizarre twist in 1996 when Blue Bus started a competing service from 2nd June and Kingfisher retaliated by adding a further spoiler journey from 24th June. A service which only ten years earlier had three journeys a day was now seeing that many an hour! This was clearly not sustainable and Kingfisher soon returned to one bus an hour (from 19th August) and Blue Bus ran for the last time on October 25th. The Saturday extension to Manchester had been withdrawn by 1998 and from 13th March 2000 buses no longer reached Bradford. In the meantime, from 25th April 1999, the Sunday service had been revised to a simple two-hourly Oldham to Huddersfield service, still making the detour to the “Old Station Turning”. The service remained like this until the major Saddleworth revisions of 31st October 2004 when the service was replaced by the extended 184 on Mondays to Saturdays. The Sunday service, which had been worked by Speedwell Private Hire since 25th April 2004, remained until the two-year contract expired after operation on 16th April 2006 (although it may have operated on the 17th April also as that was Easter Monday). One strange effect of the change of Sunday (or more particularly Bank Holiday) operator was seen in 2005 and was a result of Huddersfield’s local practice of not taking Good Friday as a holiday, but instead the following Tuesday. Huddersfield ran their Monday to Friday buses on the 184 from Huddersfield to Manchester (Oldham did not) and Speedwell worked the tendered 365 journeys as these were subsidised by GMPTE. As a consequence the tendered 365 and commercial 184 could be seen making their way between Oldham and Huddersfield only minutes apart! This did not happen in 2006. This history started with a mention of the original operator. With the exception of Blue Bus it has always been worked by Hanson or their successors. Huddersfield Corporation became part of West Yorkshire PTE from 1st April 1974 as a result of local government reorganisation. WYPTE operated initially with the fleetname Metro Kirklees, later just Metro and finally as MetroBus. With deregulation the operating company was legally obliged to become a separate entity and thus Yorkshire Rider was born. Later the Huddersfield operation was given the local brand name of Kingfisher. This was perpetuated for some time under First Group ownership but it is now First Huddersfield. Hanson did not use route numbers. When Huddersfield took over they gave it the number 65, but this was little used at first as the service was still operated mainly by former Hanson vehicles which could not show route numbers. West Yorkshire PTE adopted a county-wide system of numbering but this took some time to apply in Huddersfield (and Halifax) as those local authorities had used two-track number blinds which could not easily accommodate the higher numbers. Nonetheless, Huddersfield’s services eventually got a 300 prefix and this one became the 365. The terminal point in Huddersfield was originally on Macaulay Street and remained there until the Upperhead Row bus station opened on 17th January 1949, although as that bus station opened before it was completed due to post-war shortages, it is not clear whether all services moved on the quoted date. From 1st December 1974 the 65 (as it was by then) moved again to the new bus station, as part of the first phase of its opening. The service terminated there for the rest of its existence. Friday 21 March 1930: For a service with such a long and distinguished history, the story of the 365 is relatively simple, although the length of this history might indicate otherwise! It commenced on 21st March 1931 as the Huddersfield to Oldham service of Hanson_s Buses. Thus it remained until 1st October 1969 when Hanson_s Bus services were taken over by Huddersfield Corporation, the same day that the Huddersfield Joint Omnibus Committee was also merged into the Corporation fleet. In the Hanson era it was the only bus service in Saddleworth worked by an independent operator. It had started as an hourly service but before long settled down to a two-hourly frequency, leaving Oldham at five to the even hour and Huddersfield at five to the odd hour. This pattern remained but by 1969 patronage was significantly down and the weekday service was reduced to three return trips, the weekend timetable being unchanged. An early morning journey was introduced from Oldham to Huddersfield by 1971 which involved a bus running dead from Huddersfield to Oldham. By 1976 this journey had become an advertised one and as such was the first bus from Saddleworth into Oldham in the morning. From about 1976 one journey in the morning going to Huddersfield and an afternoon return journey were diverted to serve Colne Valley High School, which involved a rather Alpine climb off the A62 in Linthwaite. The next changes came after deregulation in 1986, when the service was extended to Manchester on Saturdays and also became hourly on that day of the week. From 1st November 1987 the weekday service was improved and the timetable changed, moving from the traditional departure time after over fifty years. From 4th August 1991 the Sunday service was significantly changed to reflect reduced demand and also provide a Sunday service to the village of Diggle. This was achieved by diverting the service from Huddersfield at the top of Standedge to take the road into Diggle village, at the same time running short workings from Oldham to Diggle, which went up Sam Road to use the _Old Station Turning_ near the Diggle Hotel. The resulting timetable gave an hourly Oldham to Diggle service and just four through journeys a day. From 2nd November 1992 the weekday service was much improved and now ran hourly. In 1995 a further extension of the service was made to Bradford Interchange (except on Sundays). At this stage a Saturday journey from one end of the route to the other would take two-and-a-half hours! The service took a bizarre twist in 1996 when Blue Bus started a competing service from 2nd June and Kingfisher retaliated by adding a further spoiler journey from 24th June. A service which only ten years earlier had three journeys a day was now seeing that many an hour! This was clearly not sustainable and Kingfisher soon returned to one bus an hour (from 19th August) and Blue Bus ran for the last time on October 25th. The Saturday extension to Manchester had been withdrawn by 1998 and from 13th March 2000 buses no longer reached Bradford. In the meantime, from 25th April 1999, the Sunday service had been revised to a simple two-hourly Oldham to Huddersfield service, still making the detour to the _Old Station Turning_. The service remained like this until the major Saddleworth revisions of 31st October 2004 when the service was replaced by the extended 184 on Mondays to Saturdays. The Sunday service, which had been worked by Speedwell Private Hire since 25th April 2004, remained until the two-year contract expired after operation on 16th April 2006 (although it may have operated on the 17th April also as that was Easter Monday). One strange effect of the change of Sunday (or more particularly Bank Holiday) operator was seen in 2005 and was a result of Huddersfield_s local practice of not taking Good Friday as a holiday, but instead the following Tuesday. Huddersfield ran their Monday to Friday buses on the 184 from Huddersfield to Manchester (Oldham did not) and Speedwell worked the tendered 365 journeys as these were subsidised by GMPTE. As a consequence the tendered 365 and commercial 184 could be seen making their way between Oldham and Huddersfield only minutes apart! This did not happen in 2006. This history started with a mention of the original operator. With the exception of Blue Bus it has always been worked by Hanson or their successors. Huddersfield Corporation became part of West Yorkshire PTE from 1st April 1974 as a result of local government reorganisation. WYPTE operated initially with the fleetname Metro Kirklees, later just Metro and finally as MetroBus. With deregulation the operating company was legally obliged to become a separate entity and thus Yorkshire Rider was born. Later the Huddersfield operation was given the local brand name of Kingfisher. This was perpetuated for some time under First Group ownership but it is now First Huddersfield. Hanson did not use route numbers. When Huddersfield took over they gave it the number 65, but this was little used at first as the service was still operated mainly by former Hanson vehicles which could not show route numbers. West Yorkshire PTE adopted a county-wide system of numbering but this took some time to apply in Huddersfield (and Halifax) as those local authorities had used two-track number blinds which could not easily accommodate the higher numbers. Nonetheless, Huddersfield_s services eventually got a 300 prefix and this one became the 365. The terminal point in Huddersfield was originally on Macaulay Street and remained there until the Upperhead Row bus station opened on 17th January 1949, although as that bus station opened before it was completed due to post-war shortages, it is not clear whether all services moved on the quoted date. From 1st December 1974 the 65 (as it was by then) moved again to the new bus station, as part of the first phase of its opening. The service terminated there for the rest of its existence.

A poor view but one that at least goes back almost to Hanson days. That company had only been taken over a few months when Huddersfield Joint Omnibus Committee 3 (formerly Hanson 412 and the last bus bought by the company) was captured in Grasscroft. Public Holidays in Huddersfield have differed historically from those in Oldham and my recollection is that this is one such occasion. It is the day after Spring Bank Holiday Monday but the 65 is working a weekend service as it is also a holiday in Huddersfield. Fleetline 473 was working the 1355 journey from Oldham and carrying no passengers as this journey did not normally run on weekdays! In the days before the formation of West Yorkshire PTE the 65 was worked by Huddersfield, but not very often with double-deckers. Fleetline 502 made an unusual sight in Uppermill Square, the juxtaposition with a Salford Atlantean (visible in the background) being even more unusual. Photo courtesy Martin Arthur. West Yorkshire PTEs verona green and cream livery was still something of a novelty at the time of this photograph, which shows an unidentified former Huddersfield Fleetline at Greenfield station. The rather unremunerative nature of this trip can clearly be seen from this elevated angle. These Plaxton-bodied Leyland Leopards were some of the best buses bought by West Yorkshire PTE and made for a lively and comfortable ride over the Pennines. 8528 was one of the last series and only a couple of years old when seen near Greenfield station. Metro Fleetline 7108 has arrived at Town Square bus station on what looks a pretty miserable evening - the passenger upstairs would see precious little going over Standedge in the dark with windows covered in condensation. To the right 7729 from Tameside depot is waiting to run to Hyde via Mossley. The arched window to the left of 7108 is the Oldham Music Centre, a true success story located in the Lyceum building. Photo courtesy Peter Crichton. 4049 is one of the Pennine-bodied Seddon RUs new to Huddersfield that were seen regularly on this service in the seventies, bringing them frequently back to their town of manufacture. Photo courtesy Peter Crichton. 6300 was put into a commemorative livery at the same time as 6299 to celebrate the centenary of municipal transport. This one carried a representation of the tram livery which did not sit so happily on the vehicle. Photo courtesy Jon Brierley. Leopard 8506 drops down to Mumps. Photo courtesy Peter Crichton. After the closure of Clegg Street bus station the Oldham terminus of the 65 was moved to the top of West Street. Metro's 4473 was Huddersfield's first Fleetline when new in 1967. Photo courtesy Paul Wreghitt. 1312 was one of a batch of Leyland National 2s which had a relatively short life in the fleet. It is passing Regent Stores and the bottom of Wallshaw Street, the road leading to the GMT Oldham garage as it was at the time. Photo courtesy Paul Wreghitt. 1312 is seen again leaving the roundabout at Mumps and heading up Lees Road. Photo courtesy Paul Wreghitt. National 1313 roars up Salem Brow (Lees Road). The road here is now wider with the addition of a bus lane. Photo courtesy Paul Wreghitt. 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. On the same stretch of road in much brighter conditions is Fleetline 7057 which has, in common with all the Atlanteans and Fleetlines seen on this service, bodywork by Roe. This shot typifies the operation of the period, former Huddersfield Seddon 4040, by now in MetroBus livery, has cleared the summit. The two-track number blinds used by both Halifax and Huddersfield were fine when they were separate undertakings but were not best suited to the larger service numbers that came with a county-wide numbering system. Two digits have had to squeeze into a small aperture and it was a reluctance to do this tht meant routes in Halifax and Huddersfield were renumbered relatively late. Photo courtesy Paul Wreghitt. This more distant view of 4040 conveys quite well the desolate nature of the road round here. The cutting at the summit was, surprisingly, dug as far back as 1839 - before the coming of the railways. Increased traffic saw it widened in the 1920s. Photo courtesy Paul Wreghitt. Huddersfield Corporation was the first local authority to operate their own public transport and to commemorate the Centenary of that occasion a whole series of events was held during 1983. The first took place on the Centenary day itself when two Leyland Atlanteans were unveiled in commemorative liveries. One (6300) was in a tram livery and the other (6299) was in the traditional Huddersfield Joint Omnibus Committee of red and cream. 6299 did a tour of Huddersfield routes on the day that included a run to Oldham, on which it is seen near the Farrar’s Arms in Grasscroft, pursued by a GMT Leyland National. 4163 had been Huddersfield’s Silver Jubilee bus, but I am not aware that it ran into Saddleworth in that guise. By the time of this photograph near Greenfield station it had received standard MetroBus livery. 1662 was very new when this atmospheric, if slightly fuzzy, shot was taken in Uppermill square. Photo courtesy Noel Ogden. Leyland Tiger 1658 threads its way through Uppermill. Whilst there have been a lot of details changed in the intervening years, this scene still looks pretty much the same today. Photo courtesy Paul Wreghitt. This photograph taken just above the Farrar’s Arms in Grasscroft is showing something I think I can explain, but have no evidence apart from memory. The bus is showing a route number K85 which is in a series for Kirklees (Huddersfield) schools and miscellaneous journeys. I recall that this was used for the journeys that served Colne Valley High School. Although by the time of this photograph pupils had ceased to travel there from Saddleworth, it would still provide a link for pupils in Marsden. I should welcome confirmation of this. I doubt whether the Huddersfield Daily Examiner were too pleased that the bus they had paid to be an allover advertisment for the newspaper was running on the Oldham service as you couldn’t buy the paper this side of the Pennines. Nevertheless, it provided a bit of variety at a time when liveries were standardised, even if it did look rather remniscent of GMTs orange and white. We are in Lydgate and the Top to Toe boutique was still trading in the shop to the left. Beyond the house to the right of it, set back from the road, was a small wooden shop which was originally built by Grasscroft Cooperative Society and was the cause of a lot of friction as across the road was a branch of another society. Co-operative stores were not meant to compete! Standedge can be picturesque but bleak and cold in the winter, but for all the criticism they receive, the local authorities have an excellent track record in keeping the road open. Certainly 6313 was having no problems on this occasion when photographed at Bleak Hey Nook. The late afternoon sun picks out MetroBus 6294 as it approaches Greenfield station. This shot is one of my personal favourites, showing just how difficult the weather conditions can be on Standedge, despite the summit being not much more than 1200 feet above sea level. Snowploughs have cut a way through deep snow and traffic is flowing freely. It was a different matter trying to park a car to get this photograph - the usual off-road parking places were still inaccessible! 4144 was one of the last genuine Huddersfield buses and is seen on the service climbing through Grasscroft. It carries stickers opposing (in vain, as it turned out) bus deregulation which was to take place later on that year. The low winter sun shining through the bare trees gives dappled light on 6349 climbing through Grasscroft. Taken the same day as the previous shot, this bus is also acting as a platform for the campaign against deregulation. 5150, approaching Greenfield station, carried one of the first Optare bodies built and they were virtually identical to the Roe bodies that had previously been built in the same plant. After two small batches for West Yorkshire PTE Optare did not build any more double-deck bodies for over two years. This was mainly as a result of deregulation which led to a nose-dive in orders for double-deckers but a big demand for minibuses. Atlantean 6313 crosses the railway at Greenfield station not long before deregulation made its surprisingly positive impact on this service. MetroBus Olympian 5083 looks a bit shabby, particularly when compared to a very new GM Buses Metrobus 5210, the reflections off which are partly washing out the front of it. Behind the two buses is the Farrar’s Arms and 5083 is heading up Oldham Road, Grasscroft. Leyland Tiger/Duple Dominant 1658 nears the top of the climb as it approaches the Floating Light on Standedge. 7110 heads up Oldham Road in Grasscroft, pursued behind by GM Buses 7740 on the 427. Unlike the Olympian in the previous shot, this bus missed the right turn at the Farrar’s Arms and tried this unconventional turning manoeuvre at the top of High Grove Road in Grasscroft. Although the 353 now uses High Grove Road, only minibuses are used on that service and the junction is not well-suited to such large vehicles. I once saw a Manchester PD2 do the same thing and in both cases I still wonder how they regained Oldham Road at the Farrars, as the angle of the junction is so acute. This photograph of Fleetline 7126 in almost exactly the same location provides a contrast, not only of liveries but also between the Atlanteans and Fleetlines used on this service. The later West Yorkshire PTE Atlanteans had a much higher driving position and consequently the windscreen and cab side window are set higher up. All the earlier Atlanteans were allocated to Leeds and Bradford and were not seen on the 365. The First Calderline livery did not last long before it was overtaken by corporate First colours. It was, of course, a Halifax livery and thus more usually seen on the 562 but Mercedes 2292 had been transferred to Huddersfield and turned out on the 365 on this occasion. Photo courtesy Jon Brierley. Metroriders made only infrequent appearances on the 365. 2021 carries an overall advertising livery. Photo courtesy Jon Brierley. Olympian 5091 is in the lay-by at Lees County End on its way into Oldham. The livery publicises the employee buy-out of Yorkshire Rider which had taken place on 21st October 1988. The bus had previously carried an all-over advertising livery for the Huddersfield Daily Examiner - see the picture of it at Lydgate. Photo courtesy Mark Amis. Crossing the Huddersfield Narrow Canal at Wade Lock, Uppermill, where at the time it was still culverted, is Yorkshire Rider's Daimler Fleetline 7096. Photo courtesy Eric Ogden. When Eric Ogden took this photograph he would little have expected that this bus would still be in service with the descendents of its original operator some eighteen years later in 2008. As First 30652 it has gone on to become one of the last survivors of the West Yorkshire PTE Olympians, running in Bradford for most of its later life. Photo courtesy Eric Ogden. By comparison Fleetline 7061 seen a couple of months earlier looks rather dowdy. I don't think the Yorkshire Rider livery suited these Fleetlines with their low driving positions as it exaggerated the effect of the low windscreen. Photo courtesy Mark Amis. Olympian 5083 loads up for Huddersfield. Photo courtesy Mark Amis. Brand-new Yorkshire Rider Olympian 5215 pauses in Oldham on its way to Manchester. This bus is now 30700 and operating in Bradford. Photo courtesy Mark Amis. A distant view of a former West Yorkshire Road Car Leyland National 2 as it sweeps round the curve at Brownhill on the approach to Uppermill. Olympian 5216 is in Town Square bus station headed for Manchester. Photo courtesy Mark Amis. These Plaxton-bodied Volvo B10Ms made regular but infrequent appearances on the 365 but always eluded me! Photo courtesy Mark Amis. National 2 1347 will be building up some momentum as it passes through Grotton ready for the stiff climb up to Lydgate. Photo courtesy Mark Amis. When you keep your camera with you occasionally Lady Luck favours you with chance shots like this, showing the two 365s heading in opposite directions on a Saturday in Oldham's Town Square bus station. Two buses of the same type add symmetry to the picture. Photo courtesy Mark Amis. The Leyland National 2 came late to Oldham as none had been purchased by GMT. Yorkshire Rider 1346 was one of a fleet of such vehicles taken over from West Yorkshire Road Car, to whom it was new as 1506. Photo courtesy Mark Amis. This was taken on the first day of operation of the revised Sunday service when buses were diverted to serve Diggle village, although this working is through to Huddersfield. The vehicle was the usual type, an MCW Metrorider, which worked on Sundays until the arrival of the Mercedes in 1994. 2021 is approaching the centre of Lees. Photo courtesy Mark Amis.

Published in Saddleworth Buses

]]> Fri Mar 21 1930 352 - Ashton to Denshaw http://saddleworthbuses.fotopic.net/c1055864.html This service was introduced with bus deregulation and first ran on 27th October 1986 as there was no Sunday service. For a tendered service it had great stability, particularly in the earlier years as the same operator worked it for almost ten years. The route was another constant. Buses left Ashton by Mossley Road, then served top Mossley, bottom Mossley, Micklehurst and passed Hey Farm Estate without leaving the main road. At the Royal George the route was to Greenfield Clarence, Uppermill, Dobcross village, Delph New Road, Delph village, Palin Wood Road and then via New Tame to Denshaw. From Ashton to Delph this route is identical to the present-day 350 with the exception of the loop through Dobcross village. The original operator was S. M. Tandy of Mossley, trading as Checkmate Mini Coaches and the buses ran every two hours Monday to Saturday daytime. Within a year the Saturday operation had been cut back to an hourly Ashton to Greenfield service. One feature that appeared in 1987 for a short while was an early evening service from Denshaw to Uppermill (Saddleworth School) and late evening return on Mondays and Thursdays only. This was provided for adults attending evening classes at the school. There were additional school journeys that also appeared in the 352 timetable. Originally there was the 825, which was between Denshaw and Uppermill and originally worked by Ribble. This later disappeared but by 1996 school journeys had reappeared, but now numbered 352. At this time they were worked by Vale of Manchester and were integrated with their operation of the 407 (q.v.) as they ran as through journeys towards and sometimes even to, or from, Manchester. From 2nd September 1996 the school journeys were worked by Pioneer of Rochdale and were contracted to operate as far as Grains Bar. At the same time the operator for the main service changed for the first time to become Glossopdale. They continued operation until 14th February 1999, when they were taken over by Stagecoach who continued the operations for some time. By 2002 JP Travel were operating the service, usually using a low-floor Optare Solo. In 2004 Speedwell Travel of Glossop took over operation and they continued until 29th October 2004, when the last journey was worked by R944 MDB. This was on a Friday - the Saturday service had ceased running in 1997. Monday 27 October 1986: This service was introduced with bus deregulation and first ran on 27th October 1986 as there was no Sunday service. For a tendered service it had great stability, particularly in the earlier years as the same operator worked it for almost ten years. The route was another constant. Buses left Ashton by Mossley Road, then served top Mossley, bottom Mossley, Micklehurst and passed Hey Farm Estate without leaving the main road. At the Royal George the route was to Greenfield Clarence, Uppermill, Dobcross village, Delph New Road, Delph village, Palin Wood Road and then via New Tame to Denshaw. From Ashton to Delph this route is identical to the present-day 350 with the exception of the loop through Dobcross village. The original operator was S. M. Tandy of Mossley, trading as Checkmate Mini Coaches and the buses ran every two hours Monday to Saturday daytime. Within a year the Saturday operation had been cut back to an hourly Ashton to Greenfield service. One feature that appeared in 1987 for a short while was an early evening service from Denshaw to Uppermill (Saddleworth School) and late evening return on Mondays and Thursdays only. This was provided for adults attending evening classes at the school. There were additional school journeys that also appeared in the 352 timetable. Originally there was the 825, which was between Denshaw and Uppermill and originally worked by Ribble. This later disappeared but by 1996 school journeys had reappeared, but now numbered 352. At this time they were worked by Vale of Manchester and were integrated with their operation of the 407 (q.v.) as they ran as through journeys towards and sometimes even to, or from, Manchester. From 2nd September 1996 the school journeys were worked by Pioneer of Rochdale and were contracted to operate as far as Grains Bar. At the same time the operator for the main service changed for the first time to become Glossopdale. They continued operation until 14th February 1999, when they were taken over by Stagecoach who continued the operations for some time. By 2002 JP Travel were operating the service, usually using a low-floor Optare Solo. In 2004 Speedwell Travel of Glossop took over operation and they continued until 29th October 2004, when the last journey was worked by R944 MDB. This was on a Friday - the Saturday service had ceased running in 1997.

On this first day of operation of the 352, locals would have been forgiven for thinking that a new vendor of ice cream had appeared on the scene. This was Tandy's first vehicle on the service and was a Deansgate-bodied Bedford CF. It is at the Denshaw terminus. Photo courtesy Jon Brierley. Tandy's Checkmate's Sherpa has just left Denshaw village on its way to Ashton. Checkmate Travel's regular vehicle for several years was this Freight Rover Sherpa. It is dropping into the dip at New Tame. The building to the right was once part of Denshaw Co-op. After this photograph was taken it became the Green Ash hotel and restaurant, but this was not a success and the site has now been converted for housing. Stott's Fleetline YNA 300M, new as SELNEC 7345, is at the end of the evening school run which was extended from Denshaw to Grains Bar to provide a direct link for children attending Saddleworth School who lived in Old Tame and Grains Bar. As the signpost indicates, it would be a long walk to the nearest service to Uppermill otherwise! This is an extract of the picture that appears in the 365 collection. It shows Vale of Manchester NNH 191Y, a former United Counties Leyland Leopard, loading up at Uppermill Bus Station before working the afternoon school journey to Denshaw, Grains Bar and Watersheddings. Barely a month later and the same coach is on the same duty and has clearly been one of the first to arrive for the evening exodus. Photo courtesy Eric Ogden. Although this bus was being operated by Glossopdale, it was actually on loan from Cheshire Bus and Coach (a hire company). Having left Denshaw, it is approaching New Tame. The road in the foreground is the site of the culvert works seen in the previous picture. The road sign explains clearly what it is that the bus is trying to negotiate near New Tame. This is on the same day as the previous photo of the same bus. Pioneer of Rochdale generally used their ex-Lothian Leyland Cub on their trips on the 352. As can be seen, display of the correct route number was not considered important! The houses in the background are being built on the site of Kenlyn Garage, which had been the home of Saddleworth coach operator Ken Shaw. 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. Having completed its trip to Palin Wood Road the 352 turns right at the White Lion to head up to Denshaw. The orange signs on the lamp to the right of the bus are route direction signs - the top one is a Tameside style one for the 353 and 355, whereas the one below is a different style (Rochdale?) for the 430, a service that had not run for almost ten years! Glossopdale's Mercedes R899 AVM waits its departure time in Ashton Bus Station Photo courtesy Jon Brierley. Glossopdale's livery was attractive and sat well in the Saddleworth landscape. One of their Mercedes leaves Dobcross village and is passing the original Woolpack Inn. It is quite impressive that only five days after the takeover Stagecoach vehicles were on the 352 with a full destination display already programmed. It is indeed unfortunate that in the process Micklehurst was not spelt correctly! 564 has made its visit to Palin Wood Road and is turning right at the end of Delph Lane towards Denshaw. Note the route direction signs on the lamppost, including one for the 430 which ceased running some twelve years earlier! Stagecoach 569 had been taken over with the Glossopdale fleet and fitted in well as the parent fleet operated many similar vehicles. It is in Uppermill square outside the Commercial Hotel. Photo courtesy Eric Ogden. The combination of fog and snow made Denshaw a rather bleak place on this day. The driver of 564 has parked up the bus in a less-than-ideal place, presumably whilst he pops into Denshaw Post Office for provisions to keep him going in the cold conditions. It is a pleasant spring day on which JP Travel’s V4 JPT passes under Saddleworth viaduct on its way from Denshaw to Ashton. They had not been operating the service long and the bus has yet to receive a suitable destination blind. JP Travel’s Optare Solo V4 JPT passes Carrcote on a journey to Denshaw. Taken almost fifteen years after the previous shot in the same location, JP’s Solo returns to Ashton. Behind the Green Ash is open for business. I was unable to photograph Speedwell's short-lived operation on the 352 but fortunately Ian Roberts was more successful. This picture shows MX04 VMJ loading up in Ashton Bus Station. Photo courtesy Ian Roberts.

Published in Saddleworth Buses

]]> Mon Oct 27 1986 341 & 342 - Uppermill to Ashton Market and Asda http://saddleworthbuses.fotopic.net/c1055138.html These services were introduced with bus service deregulation, but commenced on 27th October 1986 as there was no Sunday service. Dennis's coaches was a new operator to stage carriage work as well as the Saddleworth area, but in my experience they ran a very reliable service. Dennis's subsequently expanded that side of the business significantly until they were taken over by Stagecoach in 2005. The two services numbers served to distinguish buses using either Stockport Road (341) or Carrhill Road (342) to approach Mossley from Haddens. Sadly, this distinction has subsequently been lost and timetables have been very confusing. The service originally from Uppermill, through Grasscroft to Mossley, thence taking the direct road (the "Barracks Road") to Ashton. It was soon extended to serve the Asda store just north of Ashton. It then settled down to a fairly quiet existence, until service revisions from 8th May 1988 saw the Uppermill to Mossley section covered by a revitalised 353. The road from Mossley to Ashton was already sufficiently well-served and no replacement was needed for that section. The 341 and 342 were always worked by Dennis's, mainly with minibuses. As can be seen though, larger vehicles did appear giving at least a very comfortable ride. The mixture of vehicles does not reflect the actual operating mix - if something unusual appeared I would generally make an effort to photograph it! Monday 27 October 1986: These services were introduced with bus service deregulation, but commenced on 27th October 1986 as there was no Sunday service. Dennis's coaches was a new operator to stage carriage work as well as the Saddleworth area, but in my experience they ran a very reliable service. Dennis's subsequently expanded that side of the business significantly until they were taken over by Stagecoach in 2005. The two services numbers served to distinguish buses using either Stockport Road (341) or Carrhill Road (342) to approach Mossley from Haddens. Sadly, this distinction has subsequently been lost and timetables have been very confusing. The service originally from Uppermill, through Grasscroft to Mossley, thence taking the direct road (the "Barracks Road") to Ashton. It was soon extended to serve the Asda store just north of Ashton. It then settled down to a fairly quiet existence, until service revisions from 8th May 1988 saw the Uppermill to Mossley section covered by a revitalised 353. The road from Mossley to Ashton was already sufficiently well-served and no replacement was needed for that section. The 341 and 342 were always worked by Dennis's, mainly with minibuses. As can be seen though, larger vehicles did appear giving at least a very comfortable ride. The mixture of vehicles does not reflect the actual operating mix - if something unusual appeared I would generally make an effort to photograph it!

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. This Mercedes soon became the regular vehicle on the service and had the advantage of a proper destination display. Also at Greenfield station is the regular Mercedes, heading back to Ashton. On the 25-minute marathon run from Uppermill to Ashton it was reassuring to know there was a toilet available, or at least there was on this day as this DAF coach provides an unaccustomed level of luxury, including the toilet! B910 RDB was the first vehicle used by Dennis’s on this service and was the regular vehicle until the arrival of D607 LSG. The destination board was actually double-sided for each direction of travel, but wasn’t always reversed at the terminus. This DAF coach was only two months old when pressed into service on the 341/342. It is seen at Greenfield station. This Mercedes (ANA 116Y) was similar to the one originally used by Dennis’s, but is otherwise a bit of a mystery. It is not in their livery and I didn’t see it again, so I suspect it was on short-term hire whilst the normal bus was unavailable. As with most of the shots related to this service, it is on Mossley Road in Grasscroft.

Published in Saddleworth Buses

]]> Mon Oct 27 1986 Other works services http://saddleworthbuses.fotopic.net/c1027354.html Saddleworth has seen a variety of works services over the years. Those to Greenfield Paper Mill are considered sufficiently interesting to warrant a section to themselves. This collection covers all others. Some works journeys were simply extra workings on existing services and occasionally these are referred to in the relevant service histories or photograph captions. Others were contract workings, usually for the exclusive use of workers. In PTE days some of these were given numbers in the 800-series. This type of work was important to local independents, particularly Ken Shaw of Dobcross and Stott’s of Oldham. The disappearance of works services is evidence of a decline in industry in Saddleworth combined with greater car ownership. There is now only one survivor, which is a contract worked by Stott’s for Robert Scott’s in Greenfield. Unusually this also works at lunchtime as many of the people working at Scott’s only work mornings or afternoons. In more recent years the Scott’s site has expanded to include Heybottom Mill. Part of that mill was used for eighteen years for the storage of preserved buses - this may form a separate Fotopic gallery some time in the future. Thursday 1 January 1970: Saddleworth has seen a variety of works services over the years. Those to Greenfield Paper Mill are considered sufficiently interesting to warrant a section to themselves. This collection covers all others. Some works journeys were simply extra workings on existing services and occasionally these are referred to in the relevant service histories or photograph captions. Others were contract workings, usually for the exclusive use of workers. In PTE days some of these were given numbers in the 800-series. This type of work was important to local independents, particularly Ken Shaw of Dobcross and Stott_s of Oldham. The disappearance of works services is evidence of a decline in industry in Saddleworth combined with greater car ownership. There is now only one survivor, which is a contract worked by Stott_s for Robert Scott_s in Greenfield. Unusually this also works at lunchtime as many of the people working at Scott_s only work mornings or afternoons. In more recent years the Scott_s site has expanded to include Heybottom Mill. Part of that mill was used for eighteen years for the storage of preserved buses - this may form a separate Fotopic gallery some time in the future.

GMT 5014 was a Marshall-bodied Leyland Tiger Cub new to Oldham Corporation as their 114. These were the first Marshall bodies bought by Oldham and with the exception of two Tiger Cubs with locally-built Pennine bodies, Marshall were to become the coachbuilder of choice for Oldham Corporation's single-deck fleet. 5014 is climbing up to Scouthead and has just passed the top of Wall Hill Road. W. H. Shaw in Diggle ran their own buses transporting staff to and from their pallet works which was the old Dobcross Loom Works. They had been operating a Bristol Lodekka which I set out to photograph in Grasscroft, only to find instead this newly-acquired Leyland Titan PD3 from Southdown. It was still in that fleet’s livery and remained so for the years it worked from Diggle. Shaw’s ex-Southdown PD3 gradually got shabbier and shabbier over the years and finished up in quite deplorable condition. However, in this wintery scene of it at Lydgate it has still retained some respectability. Leyland National 151 passes through Waterhead on the 825. This may have been a service from Compoflex in Delph. I photographed Stott’s former Southdown PD3 in Grasscroft in 1983 when it was returning to Oldham having worked the lunchtime trips to Scott’s in Greenfield. The driver was friendly, we had a chat and I had a short ride on the bus. Since launching this gallery he has been in touch so I now know his name is Paul Wreghitt and he has made a significant contribution to this gallery. I think this bus looked very smart in Stott’s livery. Of course, even if the snow is falling people at work want to get home, so Stott’s PD3 is venturing out in difficult conditions to take workers home at Scott’s. It is just below the Farrar’s Arms in Grasscroft. Stott's 12 had been bought from South Yorkshire PTE but was new to Reliance of Armthorpe (R. Store), one of the many independent operators for which Doncaster was renowned. It has just dropped off the afternoon shift at Scott’s Oak View Mill in Geenfield (which is visible above the rear of the bus). The mill operated morning and afternoon shifts and many of the staff only worked a half day. Similar bus WWH 58L is turning from Oldham Road into Stockport Road at Lydgate. This was once GMT 7293. The registration dates from the early SELNEC era when each of the three divisions of SELNEC (Central, Southern and Northern) registered their buses in the tax office relating to the divisional headquarters. This bus has a Bolton registration showing that it was new to SELNEC Northern. This practice ceased in SELNEC days but would have become less apparent anyway as elimination of local registration offices meant the loss of local marks as we had known them. Photo courtesy Eric Ogden. YNA 284M, which had been 7329 in the SELNEC and GMT fleets, is on Stockport Road in Lydgate before traffic-calming measures were introduced. I believe that this and the following two shots are on a diversion of the works service to Robert Scott's caused by one of the regular closures of the road between Mossley and Grotton. Photo courtesy Eric Ogden. Stott's 12 (TET 747S) has been seen already in this collection. Here it is picked out in the early morning sun at Lydgate. Photo courtesy Eric Ogden. One of a series of Metrobuses re-registered by Stott's, LUI 5801 gives away its origin due to the four-track number blind, a feature of the West Midlands PTE fleet. Harder to determine is that it was 2704 (A704 UOE) in that fleet. It is on Manchester Road, near the Royal George cross roads and had just followed a similar bus once in the Glasgow fleet working on the 355 (see that collection). Arriva is the one out of the big three bus operating groups that is not normally seen in Saddleworth, although the aquamarine and stone livery characteristic of that group was visible for a few years on some class 142 Pacer units that served Greenfield station, ironically only after they ceased to be operated by Arriva. Hence the interest caused by the appearance of some Metrobuses from Merseyside in this livery. Stott's must have needed them urgently as they didn't normally operate buses in their previous operator's colours. F819 YLV was new as Merseyside PTE 819. Stott's M74 WYG is an unusual (at least for Saddleworth) MAN with Optare Vecta body, which came from Black Prince in Leeds. It is on Oldham Road, Grasscroft. A closer view of Stott's Optare Vecta. This was a chance encounter, so I am not quite certain what it was doing. Whilst it could be a working back to depot after a trip from Robert Scott's, it was a bit later than that would be expected to run. F819 YLV, seen earlier in this collection, soon received fleet livery. It is on the lunchtime working from Scott's taking back the staff who work in the mornings and was caught between Mossley and Grotton. Having turned using the turning circle at Grotton, F819 YLV returns towards Mossley taking staff for the afternoon shift. R357 XVX is another East Lancs Olympian. These were new to Harris Bus but had more recently been in the infamous UK North fleet until their operator's licence was revoked. This bus had only just entered service with Stott's, as can be seen from the paintwork, and the destination blind still gives a clue to its former operator. The cards in the windscreen show typical services operated by Stott's at the time - the 122 being one from Hulme Grammar School to Greenfield which it had just worked (see the School workings collection). G602 KTX approaches Lydgate on its way to Robert Scott's in Greenfield for the lunchtime journeys on what is Saddleworth's only remaining works bus service. This Alexander-bodied Scania was one of several owned by Stott's that were new to Cardiff. Photo courtesy Peter Crichton. Also returning to the depot after the lunchtime runs was this East Lancs-bodied Volvo Olympian. It has stopped briefly by the Conservative Club on Chew Valley Road in Greenfield. This was the point where the Micklehurst Loop line from Stalybridge to Diggle once crossed the road. R356 XVX passes the site of Greenfield Service Station, another of the village's institutions to have disappeared in recent years.

Published in Saddleworth Buses

]]> Thu Jan 1 1970 82 - Manchester to Waterhead and Uppermill http://saddleworthbuses.fotopic.net/c1014180.html Certain peak hour journeys on the 82 were extended to start from Uppermill (in the morning) to serve Delph and Scouthead, whilst in the evening they extended to Uppermill. This was done to provide a through peak-hour service from the Scouthead and Austerlands area into Manchester which had been lost as a result of the 183 ceasing operation. Monday 1 November 2004: Certain peak hour journeys on the 82 were extended to start from Uppermill (in the morning) to serve Delph and Scouthead, whilst in the evening they extended to Uppermill. This was done to provide a through peak-hour service from the Scouthead and Austerlands area into Manchester which had been lost as a result of the 183 ceasing operation.

40422 loads up in Manchester whilst working, so I am assured by the photographer and the location of the stop on Oldham Street, a peak hour 82 to Uppermill. It's difficult to understand why no route number is shown and not helpful given the close proximity of the 184 stop (a bus that goes a very different way to Uppermill). The vehicle is not the usual fare - at the time the 82 was worked principally by the Mercedes Citaros. Photo courtesy Mark Amis. 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. 66824 swings round the mini-roundabout at the Woolpack in Dobcross. The number of people about to get off show that this extension of the 82 is a popular facility. 66820 is one of seventeen buses branded for the 82 and 83 which are, not surprisingly, the most common vehicles on this extension to Uppermill. It has completed the loop round Carrcote and is returning through Delph village. Photo courtesy Mark Amis. 66888 has just arrived at Delph cross roads and is about to go up The Sound to do the loop through Delph village and round Carrcote estate. Photo courtesy Mark Amis. 66834 climbs out of Waterhead towards Scouthead. This extension of the 82 route is difficult to photograph as the buses are always coming out of the sun and, because they only run in the peak hours, you need sunny weather to have enough light! 66895 heads along Delph New Road. 66889 is further along Delph New Road. Through the trees behind it would once have been seen Measurements Mill but all that is left of it now is the walls and fences facing the road. Behind the photographer is Tame Water Mill, another piece of Saddleworth's industrial heritage in the process of demolition at the time of the photo.

Published in Saddleworth Buses

]]> Mon Nov 1 2004 183 - Grotton to Limeside http://saddleworthbuses.fotopic.net/c1013385.html This service was introduced with revised timetables from 29th January 2006, but as it doesn't operate on a Sunday the first workings were on the 30th. The 183 replaced the short workings on the 184 operated by First between Grotton and Hollinwood, mainly to limit how much traffic Stott's buses cream off with their 427. The 183, like the 427, only runs during the day to make use of buses between peak hour and schools workings. Monday 30 January 2006: This service was introduced with revised timetables from 29th January 2006, but as it doesn't operate on a Sunday the first workings were on the 30th. The 183 replaced the short workings on the 184 operated by First between Grotton and Hollinwood, mainly to limit how much traffic Stott's buses cream off with their 427. The 183, like the 427, only runs during the day to make use of buses between peak hour and schools workings.

66860 has its lights on (First group policy I believe) as it passes through the bus station at Mumps. Photo courtesy Mark Amis. Olympian 34255 waits outside the Grotton Hotel. Despite its Manchester registration (VU) it was not originally a local bus, instead being new to London Central. 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. 34296 leaves Grotton and heads for Limeside. 34296 is seen again leaving Lees and dropping down into Leesbrook. 66925 is one of the Volvo B7RLEs that were transferred from Oldham to Queen's Road garage in mid-2006 to rationalise the allocation of these buses, which are not as identical as they first appear. It is on Lees High Street with the Cartax taxi office behind and the refurbished Acorn Mill, which had been A. Warren's plumbers merchants, visible behind that. In September 2006 30228 moved from Dukinfield to Oldham and ceased its regular turn on the 180 (see that collection). It now works Oldham garage double-deck turns which tend to be a collection of school journeys and peak hour extras. The 183 is a fill-in operation for such vehicles and 30228 is leaving Grotton terminus. Photo courtesy Mark Amis. 30227 has passed Springhead Post Office and is about to drop down to Lees. 60443 heads through Springhead on a dull and damp day. Normally one vehicle working the 183 is a single-decker. At the same location is 30222, one of the Olympians new to Capital Citybus which currently form the bulk of Oldham's double-deck allocation. Photo courtesy Mark Amis. 30216 was 3311 in the Manchester fleet until the national numbers were applied. It is approaching Clarksfield Road and unlike the other member of the batch shown earlier manages to show a full destination display. Note that this shot has caught the operation of the windscreen washer on the passing car (most of which seems to have missed its intended target)! 30228 has now been repainted in the This Olympian started off with Bristol Omnibus. Despite being in Manchester for five years it is still only displaying a route number on the electronic display. It is crossing the route of the Oldham to Greenfield railway line in Springhead. This bridge was filled in following concerns about its structural strength.

Published in Saddleworth Buses

]]> Mon Jan 30 2006 X84 - Manchester to Carrcote http://saddleworthbuses.fotopic.net/c1013380.html This service started with the major Saddleworth revisions on 31st October 2004, but as it doesn't run on a Sunday the first workings were on 1st November. The service provides a quicker commuter link from Saddleworth to Manchester by using the by-pass in Oldham and thus avoiding the town centre altogether. There is a handful of journeys into Manchester in the morning and the same in the opposite direction in the evening. Monday 1 November 2004: This service started with the major Saddleworth revisions on 31st October 2004, but as it doesn't run on a Sunday the first workings were on 1st November. The service provides a quicker commuter link from Saddleworth to Manchester by using the by-pass in Oldham and thus avoiding the town centre altogether. There is a handful of journeys into Manchester in the morning and the same in the opposite direction in the evening.

Volvo Olympian 30243 was correctly showing X84 as it arrived, but as the last passenger alighted at the bottom of Lodge Lane the driver reset the blind as shown. All perfectly correct, but very frustrating for the photographer! 60228 was one of the large fleet of Mercedes-Benz Citaros which were almost unique in First Group to Oldham depot. They have all moved with the influx of new Volvos in 2005 and Bury depot can now claim the distinction. The X84 caused problems with the older electronic displays as they had not been programmed for it. Most drivers seemed to settle for the 84 instead, although as can be seen this gave a rather incongruous display of Langley via Broughton for this bus turning into Lodge Lane in Delph! The Alexander Royale-bodied Olympians were regular vehicles on the X84 at first, but are no longer seen as they have been transferred away from Oldham garage. They were able to show a full and correct disply, unlike many other vehicles, and that can be seen to good effect here as 30245 crosses the railway at Greenfield station. Photo courtesy Mark Amis. 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. 66867 has just turned at the Woolpack in Dobcross. The shutter has missed the destination display completely, a frustrating quirk of these modern displays, particularly so when the picture is an attempt to show a less-common working. The Optare Prismas were a very common sight in Saddleworth but can now only be seen on journeys on the X84 (and the workings on the 183 in between). They have now been repainted in the 66864 passes through Delph having almost completed its journey from Manchester. Photo courtesy Mark Amis. 60445 passes under the majestic skew arch of the railway viaduct at Brownhill. This was an ambitious composition due to the traffic and I only just managed it, as you can see. 34334 passes the site of Measurements Mill on Delph New Road. The road in the foreground was an access road to Tame Water Mill in its later role as a nightspot, and is now access to the housing development there. A timetable revision saw Dukinfield depot's solitary working on the 180 (q.v.) change to be one on the X84, and as a consequence a single morning journey on the service is usually worked by a Dennis Arrow (still with the same driver). Here 31950 approaches Greenfield station. Approaching Delph along the Sound is 66909, slightly blurred as the evening light was more subdued than the photo would indicate! 66909 returns through Delph village, still displaying the destination it has just visited and is returning to the garage in Oldham. Behind is another simialr bus on one of the evening peak extensions of the 82 to Uppermill, whence that will also return to the garage. 66913 leaves the terminus at Carrcote having completed its evening journey on the X84 from Manchester. Note in the top left corner the direction sign put up by Tameside depot showing the 353 going onward to Denshaw and the 355 turning round at Carrcote using Lodge Lane, as this X84 has just done. The sign dates back to before deregulation in 1986 and the 355 stopped running in 2004!

Published in Saddleworth Buses

]]> Mon Nov 1 2004 356 - Greenfield to Oldham http://saddleworthbuses.fotopic.net/c1013379.html The 356 was created at the same time as the 351, as part of the Government’s Rural Bus Initiative. It is said that the remit when creating these routes was to travel down as many roads as possible that were not already served by buses. This objective was most admirably achieved and as a consequence buses were able to be seen along many roads that you would never have imagined having a bus service. The 356 made a particularly interesting way of travelling from Greenfield to Oldham, particularly the stretch where it climbed above Uppermill and dropped down into Diggle along Running Hill Lane and Ward Lane. The service only ran three trips each way on Mondays and Thursdays and was originally planned to connect with trains at Greenfield station. However, in December 2004 the train times changed by half an hour and an adjustment of that magnitude was presumably too difficult, particularly as I don’t believe the connection facility was much used. The first working of this service was on 11th January 1999 (although the original timetable leaflet shows 1998 in error). The first operator was Universal Buses. They were taken over by Stagecoach in April 2000 and the latter company then operated the service for some years. Bu-Val of Rochdale took over operation from 1st September 2003. Following a change in policy on rural transport, the 356 was replaced by the Local Link service, a demand-responsive service which is effectively a larger-than-average shared taxi. The last 356 ran on April 12th 2007 and was worked by Bu-Val’s Iveco R219 AOR. Monday 11 January 1999: The 356 was created at the same time as the 351, as part of the Government_s Rural Bus Initiative. It is said that the remit when creating these routes was to travel down as many roads as possible that were not already served by buses. This objective was most admirably achieved and as a consequence buses were able to be seen along many roads that you would never have imagined having a bus service. The 356 made a particularly interesting way of travelling from Greenfield to Oldham, particularly the stretch where it climbed above Uppermill and dropped down into Diggle along Running Hill Lane and Ward Lane. The service only ran three trips each way on Mondays and Thursdays and was originally planned to connect with trains at Greenfield station. However, in December 2004 the train times changed by half an hour and an adjustment of that magnitude was presumably too difficult, particularly as I don_t believe the connection facility was much used. The first working of this service was on 11th January 1999 (although the original timetable leaflet shows 1998 in error). The first operator was Universal Buses. They were taken over by Stagecoach in April 2000 and the latter company then operated the service for some years. Bu-Val of Rochdale took over operation from 1st September 2003. Following a change in policy on rural transport, the 356 was replaced by the Local Link service, a demand-responsive service which is effectively a larger-than-average shared taxi. The last 356 ran on April 12th 2007 and was worked by Bu-Val_s Iveco R219 AOR.

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. 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. 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 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. 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. One of Stagecoach’s Alexander-bodied Mercedes turns by the King William in Greenfield down Ladhill Lane. 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. Stagecoach 531 is on Sunfield Lane in Diggle, have just completed the loop through Dorset Avenue. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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 The driver had paused here to take a photograph himself. Behind the bus is the erstwhile Saddleworth Workhouse. 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. 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. Bu-Val's regular vehicle was R219 AOR, seen here also on Ladhill Lane in Greenfield. 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. On the last day of operation of the 356, R219 AOR climbs up Ward Lane in Diggle. 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. 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. 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. 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.

Published in Saddleworth Buses

]]> Mon Jan 11 1999 351 - Friezland to Rochdale http://saddleworthbuses.fotopic.net/c1013378.html The 351 has a very similar history to the 356 and some of the reasoning behind their creation is described in that history. The 351 travels from Friezland to Rochdale and has a strong similarity to the old North Western 156 service (q.v.). The service runs three trips each way on Wednesdays and Saturdays and, like the 356, was originally planned to connect with trains at Greenfield station. However, in December 2004 the train times changed by half an hour and an adjustment of that magnitude was presumably too difficult, particularly as I don’t believe the connection facility was much used. The first working of this service was on 13th January 1999 operated by Universal Buses. They were taken over by Stagecoach in April 2000 and the latter company then operated the service for some years. Bu-Val of Rochdale took over operation from 3rd September 2003. The final working was on 14th April 2007, operated by Bu-Val’s R219 AOR. As with the 356, this service has been replaced by a Local Link service. Wednesday 13 January 1999: The 351 has a very similar history to the 356 and some of the reasoning behind their creation is described in that history. The 351 travels from Friezland to Rochdale and has a strong similarity to the old North Western 156 service (q.v.). The service runs three trips each way on Wednesdays and Saturdays and, like the 356, was originally planned to connect with trains at Greenfield station. However, in December 2004 the train times changed by half an hour and an adjustment of that magnitude was presumably too difficult, particularly as I don_t believe the connection facility was much used. The first working of this service was on 13th January 1999 operated by Universal Buses. They were taken over by Stagecoach in April 2000 and the latter company then operated the service for some years. Bu-Val of Rochdale took over operation from 3rd September 2003. The final working was on 14th April 2007, operated by Bu-Val_s R219 AOR. As with the 356, this service has been replaced by a Local Link service.

The same bus is seen in the same spot travelling in the opposite direction (towards Rochdale). This time the view is from the top of Wall Hill and R219 AOR has lost its advertising livery. This view shows the 351 leaving Delph and making a start on the slog up Stoneswood Road. This section of route was common to both Saddleworth’s rural buses (351 and 356). The advertising livery carried by this bus was for Mr. Thomas’ fish and chip restaurant at Hollingworth Lake. R219 AOR is not hampered by an excessive passenger load as it makes good progress up the hill out of Denshaw towards Newhey. It is about to pass the Alpine restaurant. Stagecoach Mercedes 532 heads through Delph, passing the modern replica lamp that was recently erected near to the place where the original village lamp stood. Universal 813 is on Thurston Clough Road used by this service and the 356. To the right of the bus can be seen the end of houses by the erstwhile Cross Keys Inn, on the A62 which roughly follows Thurston Clough Road but at a lower level. Universal 816 is well above Newhey on its way to Denshaw in almost exactly the same location as North Western 224 in the 156 collection. The panorama behind has Ogden reservoir in the near distance. Behind the hill in the middle distance is Hollingworth Lake whilst Wardle is near the top left hand corner, with Watergrove reservoir on the hillside above the village. A rear view of S925 SVM at Friezland church, with Wharmton and its television relay station clearly visible through the gap in the trees. S925 SVM has just set off from Friezland church and is heading for Rochdale, despite the destination display! This junction here was the original terminus of North Western’s 156 service, but that was latterly extended along Church Road to the bottom of High Grove Road. Stagecoach 405 waits for time on Church Road in Friezland, with the elegant tower of Christ Church visible (and under repair) in the background. The church was consecrated in 1850 following a generous endowment by Ralph Whitehead, the owner of the nearby Royal George Mills, although its construction and extensions took several years. Some of the stone apparently came from excavations associated with the new railway from Greenfield to Oldham. The route terminates at the Friezland end by making a loop through Grasscroft, dropping into Friezland along High Grove Road. Stagecoach’s 405 was an Alexander-bodied Mercedes O.811D and is on High Grove Road and about to cross the formation of the Greenfield to Oldham railway adjacent to the site of Grasscroft Halt. The bridge over the road was quite low and would probably have prevented even these vehicles using this road prior to its removal. With the withdrawal of the 156 service I assumed that was the end of bus operation along Church Road in Friezland. I would never have predicted the possibility of two buses running along there on different services at the same time. That happened for a short period due to the closure of the top of Oaklands Road for wall repair works which resulted in the diversion of the 354 service this way. These two apparently identical Bu-Val buses are actually different sizes. The front vehicle is the diverted 354 and behind is the former Bluebird bus on a 351 working to Rochdale. Bu-Val’s M367 CUF was new to Heron of Crawley and has been a regular performer on Bu-Val’s Saddleworth services. It has just completed a loop into Nudger Green, Dobcross. 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. The 351 service makes use of the A62 for a short stretch from the Star Inn at Scouthead to the top of Wall Hill Road and R801 WJA is seen there heading for Friezland on the first journey of the day. Slightly further back than the previous photograph, R219 AOR climbs out of Thurston Clough. Knott Hill stands above Delph village and the summit is visible to the top right of this view of R219 AOR (again). The advertising livery is clearly visible. Taken from across Thurston Clough shortly before the previous view, this one shows the same bus rounding the curve around Rough Knarr. In the background the A62 can be seen climbing out of New Delph with Harrop Edge (which separates Delph and Diggle) behind. Mid-April is late for snow even at Scouthead. Bu-Val’s R801 WJA turns down Doctor Lane at the Old Original. Seen from high above, Optare Metrorider M933 FTN climbs Wall Hill Road. Barmeadow in Dobcross is visible across the valley. R219 AOR has almost reached the top of Wall Hill Road in crisp February sunshine. It is freshly painted out of the advertising livery previously carried (see other photos in this collection). R219 AOR pauses in Uppermill square where, as it is a Wednesday, the market is present. To the right work can be seen taking place on the development on the site of Central Garage. Photo courtesy Mark Amis. As the other pictures show, the 351 terminates on Church Road but on this final occasion was to be found at the bottom of Oaklands Road. Whilst I suspect it was just a short cut, significantly the 353 went up this way at this time as Church Road was obstructed. The final working on the 351 was only advertised as far as Uppermill but worked direct from there to Rochdale as that was where the bus went to take up its next working. The same bus viewed through the lychgate of Christ Church, Friezland, on the same occasion. The last advertised through working from Friezland to Rochdale leaves Friezland Church. The bus was to return two hours later for the last time. The last-ever 351 leaves Friezland for Uppermill. Earlier on the last day a 351 is seen further along Shaw Hall Bank Road with the terminus in the far distance. A closer view as the bus passes the photographer. There have clearly been some stability problems with the railway retaining wall over the years, leading to the addition of the flying buttresses. In addition the top of the wall dips down at this point - I have vague memories of this wall collapsing in the early 'sixties and being rebuilt in this fashion. The 351 goes up the hill past the station, as a reminder that these services were once timed to connect with trains here. The rear number display is clearly visible in this shot. The 351 was the only bus service ever to use Wall Hill Road and this bus is nearly at the bottom of the hill, having just crossed the bridge over the former branch line to Delph.

Published in Saddleworth Buses

]]> Wed Jan 13 1999 407 (and 82) - Manchester and Oldham to Denshaw http://saddleworthbuses.fotopic.net/c1013376.html The 407 appeared just after deregulation, when on the 4th June 1987 Central Coaches of Moorside (Wild’s) started operating a Denshaw to Manchester service. This service led a straightforward, if somewhat unreliable, existence until about 1992, when problems led to Vale of Manchester taking over the service. They numbered it 82 about the end of 1994, probably in an attempt to attract more custom on its progress from Manchester to Oldham, but the operation did not last much longer. Vale of Manchester briefly reappeared in Denshaw in 2006, (see the 556, 561 and 562 collection). Following the abandonment of the 562 service a new 407 was inaugurated between Denshaw and Oldham on 21st April 2006, operated by Swan’s of Chadderton. Thursday 4 June 1987: The 407 appeared just after deregulation, when on the 4th June 1987 Central Coaches of Moorside (Wild_s) started operating a Denshaw to Manchester service. This service led a straightforward, if somewhat unreliable, existence until about 1992, when problems led to Vale of Manchester taking over the service. They numbered it 82 about the end of 1994, probably in an attempt to attract more custom on its progress from Manchester to Oldham, but the operation did not last much longer. Vale of Manchester briefly reappeared in Denshaw in 2006, (see the 556, 561 and 562 collection). Following the abandonment of the 562 service a new 407 was inaugurated between Denshaw and Oldham on 21st April 2006, operated by Swan_s of Chadderton.

Vale of Manchester used a similar colour scheme to Central Coaches. In Town Square bus station is seen VKE 568S, a Leyland National new to Maidstone and District. Photo courtesy Jon Brierley. Central Coaches had used this former Crosville Leyland National in the early days of their operation and it is just pulling out of Denshaw to pass the Printer’s Arms. Prominent in the background is Christ Church. Central Coaches UMS 93J, approaching Grains Bar, still bears evidence of its last owner Strathtay Scottish, in which fleet it was SD3. The livery is unmistakeably the attractive yellow and cream of Alexander Northern in which fleet it had been NRF11 before the reorganisation of the Scottish Bus Group prior to privatisation. It would originally have been blue as it was new to Alexander Midland as MRF93. Central’s UMS 93J was a Daimler Fleetline with ECW bodywork and is passing throught Old Tame. This former West Yorkshire Bristol VR is also seen (and more fully described) at the other end of the route. It is seen here in bright and sunny weather in Manchester Piccadilly. Photo courtesy Peter Horrex. West Yorkshire adopted the pleasing earlier Tilling red and cream livery after privatisation and this VR is still in their livery when seen at the Junction Inn in Denshaw. It still carries the West Yorkshire fleet number 1959, although as it was originally in the York-West Yorkshire fleet it used to be numbered 3959. Central Coaches 58 rests in the small bus station adjacent to Lever Street in Manchester. The building behind was the GPO sorting office which was slowly constructed in the late 60s - something I witnessed daily whilst waiting for the a 10 or 14 home as they terminated in Lever Street at the time, long before this bus station was built. Photo courtesy Jon Brierley. XLJ 724K was a Bristol RE new to Hants and Dorset as their 1649 in 1972. It is leading a colourful selection of buses along Cheapside in Oldham. Note the C & A store behind - a marque now disappeared from Britain but still to be found in mainland Europe. Photo courtesy Jon Brierley. Central Coaches 58 is also at Besom Hill, this time facing the other way and revealing the quarry in the background that was the source of the raw material for the brickworks. Central 58 is seen again, about to leave Saddleworth as it enters Grains Bar from Denshaw with typical Pennine scenery behind. A Lancaster bus in Yorkshire! This Leyland Leopard originated in that city's fleet but is seen here at the Dumfries Avenue terminus in Denshaw. Photo courtesy Eric Ogden. This East Lancs-bodied Leopard of Hyndburn was almost certainly on hire to Central Coaches at the time of this photo taken at Grains Bar. Hyndburn did good business at the time running a spot-hire fleet. Photo courtesy Eric Ogden. Vale of Manchester were operating this Leyland Leopard that had been new to Trimdon Motor Services. It is seen on West Street in Oldham and is showing the service number 82 which was used latterly as described in the history. Photo courtesy Ian Roberts. Vale's ECW-bodied Leopard CAH 880Y turns out of Manchester Oldham Street into Piccadilly. This vehicle was new to Eastern Counties. Photo courtesy Jon Brierley. Another Leopard used by Vale's on this service was RCH 15R which was new to East Midland. It is in the same location as the previous shot and is again in the latter days of the service when it was numbered 82. Photo courtesy Jon Brierley. The quality of the Willowbrook Spacecar body and Central's operations seem to me well-matched! KIB 7256 climbs West Street in Oldham but is it headed for Denshaw or Manchester? Photo courtesy Jon Brierley. Swan's started operation of the 407 using this hired Enviro, seen here at Besom Hill passing the site of the old brickworks. Swan's Enviro is seen again in Denshaw starting a return trip to Oldham, passing the Junction Inn. This part of Denshaw was once shown on maps as Junction. Soon after they started operating the 407, Swan's introduced this Mini Pointer Dart, which is dedicated to the service by means of the printed destination displays stuck on the glass. Looking at the photographs of it remind me of poorly-edited publicity shots where a destination display has been crudely pasted in and is not aligned properly, even though this one is neat and straight. It is laying over at Oldham Bus Station. Photo courtesy Mark Amis. The MPD is seen at the end of the service at Denshaw terminus. Photo courtesy Mark Amis. Swan's usual Mini Pointer Dart was involved in an accident when very new. Whilst it was being repaired this Mercedes was hired from Ashall's to work the service and is seen descending Lord Street in the centre of Oldham. The Ashall's Mercedes arrives in Oldham along Union Street on a fine evening. The building behind is the old Post Office which now houses the Local Studies Library, a very useful source of information for this gallery. Twenty years to the day from the introduction of the bus regulation that spawned the original 407, Swan's MPD Dart, their regular vehicle on the service, pulls into Oldham Cheapside bus station. Photo courtesy Ian Roberts. R454 PRH was new to East Yorkshire and was newly acquired by Swan's at the time of this photo, taken on Ripponden Road with Hill Stores just off-camera in the left distance. The regular MPD climbs Ripponden Road towards Denshaw, with Oldham Civic Centre prominent on the skyline. The usual MPD has left Old Tame and is continuing the climb up to Grains Bar on a lovely spring day. Swan's MX06 XFT was not the usual vehicle on this service (as seen in the other photos) but looks identical. It is passing the Oldham Pool on Lord Street. Photo courtesy Mark Amis.

Published in Saddleworth Buses

]]> Thu Jun 4 1987 158, 436 & 438 - Mossley to Delph and Denshaw http://saddleworthbuses.fotopic.net/c1013371.html A service was introduced by North Western between Delph and Haddens (the Mossley boundary) in 1925, although it is not clear where this and other services approaching in the opposite direction from Ashton turned round! In the late ‘twenties North Western eventually came to an arrangement with SHMD (who had been trying to run services into Saddleworth) and the service became one from Delph to Mossley (Brookbottom). Although it was technically joint with SHMD, it was operated exclusively by North Western. The service did not change much from that date, although at some time in the ‘thirties some journeys were extended to Denshaw and in the same period it was given the service number 158. It was worked by North Western’s Oldham garage until the Greater Manchester operations became SELNEC Cheshire division. This did not last long and from 21st May 1973 the service was worked from the former Oldham Corporation garage. As part of a general renumbering, the 158 became the 438 from 2nd December 1973. The next change came on 25th September 1977 when certain journeys were diverted to leave Mossley using Carrhill Road (Roughtown) instead of Stockport Road. These journeys were numbered 436 and provided a service again along that road that was once provided by the 157 but had ceased some years previously. This service pattern remained until they ceased with the service revisions from 20th July 1980, replaced by the 353, 355 and 356. Wednesday 11 March 1925: A service was introduced by North Western between Delph and Haddens (the Mossley boundary) in 1925, although it is not clear where this and other services approaching in the opposite direction from Ashton turned round! In the late _twenties North Western eventually came to an arrangement with SHMD (who had been trying to run services into Saddleworth) and the service became one from Delph to Mossley (Brookbottom). Although it was technically joint with SHMD, it was operated exclusively by North Western. The service did not change much from that date, although at some time in the _thirties some journeys were extended to Denshaw and in the same period it was given the service number 158. It was worked by North Western_s Oldham garage until the Greater Manchester operations became SELNEC Cheshire division. This did not last long and from 21st May 1973 the service was worked from the former Oldham Corporation garage. As part of a general renumbering, the 158 became the 438 from 2nd December 1973. The next change came on 25th September 1977 when certain journeys were diverted to leave Mossley using Carrhill Road (Roughtown) instead of Stockport Road. These journeys were numbered 436 and provided a service again along that road that was once provided by the 157 but had ceased some years previously. This service pattern remained until they ceased with the service revisions from 20th July 1980, replaced by the 353, 355 and 356.

Here is North Western 718 on Delph New Road at the bottom of Wall Hill Road. The fleet number is displayed as 718A, the A suffix indicating a vehicle equipped for one-man operation. These Albions were some of the first in the fleet so equipped and often carried a painted metal The driver of Albion Aberdonian 717 stands up in his cab to reset the blinds for the trip back to Carrcote following the arrival of the bus at the Mossley Brookbottom terminus. 717 had been rebuilt at the front end with different headlamps and a pressed registration plate, but none of the others was so treated. Behind is nearly-new SHMD Bristol RE 115 on the Mossley to Oldham service. Photo courtesy Colin Routh. EX55 was one of the two Mercedes O305 buses that feature quite a lot in this gallery. At the time of this photograph it was still carrying its original number in the experimental series as well as the SELNEC flash. It is approaching Greenfield station and heading towards Mossley on the 438. The telephoto lens has distorted the perspective somewhat and in the process rather emphasised the relatively low profile of Metro-Scania 1345, which was one of three of the type allocated to Oldham, one being 1360 which had additional soundproofing and was labelled as GMT 5015 was one of two Leyland Tiger Cubs bought by Oldham Corporation that had locally-built Pennine bodywork. They were quite regular visitors to Saddleworth, in later years on the former North Western services such as this 436 working to Denshaw, seen in Grasscroft. The original negative had some serious emulsion damage which it has been possible to repair digitally, something that was just not possible using traditional photographic techniques. Greater Manchester Transport 147 heads through Roughtown on the 436. The bus is very close to where I believe the terminus of the SHMD 17 service to Roughtown was, the predecessor of this route - see the 157 & 437 collection. Behind the bus was, and still is, the factory of George Sixsmith, church organ builders appropriately occupying what was formerly a church. The evening sun catches National 151 as it passes the Woolpack in Dobcross. Just visible on the left is Woods Lane which climbs up to the centre of Dobcross village. The junction in the foreground now features a mini-roundabout. Note the typical Saddleworth bus shelter. Photo courtesy Paul Wreghitt. Crossing the river bridge in the centre of Delph is 1304, one of the first production series of Leyland Nationals for GMT. It is working the 436, meaning it will enter Mossley via Carrhill Road. The bridge dates from around 1770 and replaced the original ford crossing nearby. Work on this bridge in recent years has to led to the occasional temporary closure of the road here and the diversion of bus services. Photo courtesy Paul Wreghitt. Leyland National 109 heads through Grasscroft on the 436. 224 is on Delph High Street and crossing the bridge over the River Tame. One of my favourite photos is this one of the preserved North Western PD2 on Delph High Street during a photo shoot in Saddleworth (see this and other collections). An unexpected bonus in this instance, when trying to recreate a vintage scene, was the sign to the right which still showed a Saddleworth telephone number. North Western PD2 224 is on the open stretch of road through New Tame, heading from Denshaw towards Delph. Most 158 journeys termin ated at Delph but one or two extended to Denshaw to fill gaps in the 156 service. A closer view of North Western 224 with Densahw village behind. 147 screams up Carrhill Road as it climbs out of Roughtown.

Published in Saddleworth Buses

]]> Wed Mar 11 1925 157, 356 & 437 - Mossley to Diggle http://saddleworthbuses.fotopic.net/c1013364.html This service started life running from Diggle to Roaches, where it connected with SHMD trams. Following an agreement with SHMD it was changed to run from Diggle, through Uppermill and Grasscroft to Mossley and in general, that was how it remained. It ran hourly, combining with the Mossley to Delph service to give a half-hourly service from Mossley to Saddleworth station. It was given the number 157 before the war but buses didn’t generally show it for some years. Even wartime had little impact on the timetable, the only reduction was on Sundays, when the service ran every two hours. I believe that in the early 1960s SHMD ceased operation of their Mossley local service from Mossley to Roughtown and to maintain the link the 157 was diverted along Carrhill Road to serve Roughtown, however I have been unable to confirm this. Certainly only later timetables refer to it going that way, but as even recent 353 timetables have been confusing on that point they clearly cannot be relied upon. By 1970 certain journeys to Diggle were routed down the hill at Greenfield station and then turned left up Chapel Road to return to the normal route. I am not aware that any did the same thing in the opposite direction. I believe it was a link for people in Mossley working in the mills at that end of Greenfield. I used to travel regularly on one of these workings. From January 3rd 1972 some journeys were diverted to serve Dobcross village, the first time buses had done so. Initially there were two journeys from Diggle and four towards Diggle, but more buses soon ran that way. In 1972/3 the terminus at Diggle was changed to a new turning circle in the old railway goods yard. This avoided reversing, although one-man operated buses had been doing that for many years. The 157 was renumbered 437 from 2nd December 1973. From 21st July 1974 the 437 was replaced on every day except Sunday by the new Carrcote to Diggle service (431 to 434), but it still ran on Sundays as the only bus link to Diggle, although not via Dobcross. I believe the 437 stopped serving Carrhill Road at the same time as that road would only have had a Sunday service. The Sunday 437 carried on until 20th July 1980, but was then replaced by the 356. This was essentially the same service, numbered to be associated with the 353 to 355, but Dobcross village was now served by all (three) journeys a day. However, service reductions saw the withdrawal of the 356 by 4th December 1983. I recall reading in the paper in the sixties that North Western had obtained a licence for a direct Oldham to Diggle service, but this didn’t come to pass until the introduction of the 431 to 434 services in 1974. Nonetheless there was a good link from Oldham to Diggle as the 157 always waited for the 14 to arrive in Uppermill before leaving for Diggle. This connection was never publicised in the timetables and in fact at that time I remember it the timetables indicated that they did not connect by two minutes! One of the reasons it was adhered to was that the 14 in that direction was always a North Western bus as well. Although Uppermill would seem a logical point for making crew changes, in my experience many of these were actually done at the Farrar’s Arms. This had the advantage of changing at a quiet stop (always easier) but, knowing North Western, was probably also done to cut to the absolute minimum the driving “on the cushions” to the crew change point. The 157 was worked by North Western’s Oldham garage until the SELNEC took over the Greater Manchester operations from 1st January 1972. The separate company that had been formed became SELNEC Cheshire division from 4th March 1972. This did not last long and from 21st May 1973 the Cheshire division was disbanded, the former North Western garage in Oldham was closed and the service was worked from the former Oldham Corporation garage. SELNEC PTE became Greater Manchester PTE from April 1st 1974 and that was the operator until the cessation of the service. Wednesday 11 March 1925: This service started life running from Diggle to Roaches, where it connected with SHMD trams. Following an agreement with SHMD it was changed to run from Diggle, through Uppermill and Grasscroft to Mossley and in general, that was how it remained. It ran hourly, combining with the Mossley to Delph service to give a half-hourly service from Mossley to Saddleworth station. It was given the number 157 before the war but buses didn_t generally show it for some years. Even wartime had little impact on the timetable, the only reduction was on Sundays, when the service ran every two hours. I believe that in the early 1960s SHMD ceased operation of their Mossley local service from Mossley to Roughtown and to maintain the link the 157 was diverted along Carrhill Road to serve Roughtown, however I have been unable to confirm this. Certainly only later timetables refer to it going that way, but as even recent 353 timetables have been confusing on that point they clearly cannot be relied upon. By 1970 certain journeys to Diggle were routed down the hill at Greenfield station and then turned left up Chapel Road to return to the normal route. I am not aware that any did the same thing in the opposite direction. I believe it was a link for people in Mossley working in the mills at that end of Greenfield. I used to travel regularly on one of these workings. From January 3rd 1972 some journeys were diverted to serve Dobcross village, the first time buses had done so. Initially there were two journeys from Diggle and four towards Diggle, but more buses soon ran that way. In 1972/3 the terminus at Diggle was changed to a new turning circle in the old railway goods yard. This avoided reversing, although one-man operated buses had been doing that for many years. The 157 was renumbered 437 from 2nd December 1973. From 21st July 1974 the 437 was replaced on every day except Sunday by the new Carrcote to Diggle service (431 to 434), but it still ran on Sundays as the only bus link to Diggle, although not via Dobcross. I believe the 437 stopped serving Carrhill Road at the same time as that road would only have had a Sunday service. The Sunday 437 carried on until 20th July 1980, but was then replaced by the 356. This was essentially the same service, numbered to be associated with the 353 to 355, but Dobcross village was now served by all (three) journeys a day. However, service reductions saw the withdrawal of the 356 by 4th December 1983. I recall reading in the paper in the sixties that North Western had obtained a licence for a direct Oldham to Diggle service, but this didn_t come to pass until the introduction of the 431 to 434 services in 1974. Nonetheless there was a good link from Oldham to Diggle as the 157 always waited for the 14 to arrive in Uppermill before leaving for Diggle. This connection was never publicised in the timetables and in fact at that time I remember it the timetables indicated that they did not connect by two minutes! One of the reasons it was adhered to was that the 14 in that direction was always a North Western bus as well. Although Uppermill would seem a logical point for making crew changes, in my experience many of these were actually done at the Farrar_s Arms. This had the advantage of changing at a quiet stop (always easier) but, knowing North Western, was probably also done to cut to the absolute minimum the driving _on the cushions_ to the crew change point. The 157 was worked by North Western_s Oldham garage until the SELNEC took over the Greater Manchester operations from 1st January 1972. The separate company that had been formed became SELNEC Cheshire division from 4th March 1972. This did not last long and from 21st May 1973 the Cheshire division was disbanded, the former North Western garage in Oldham was closed and the service was worked from the former Oldham Corporation garage. SELNEC PTE became Greater Manchester PTE from April 1st 1974 and that was the operator until the cessation of the service.

Seen one day in August 1966 is North Western 714, which has turned round at Diggle station (still open then) but the driver has yet to reset the blind. These Albion Aberdonaians comprised of a small batch of six which spent nearly all their short life in Oldham and as a result were the mainstay of Saddleworth local services. North Western had a lot of similar Leyland Tiger Cubs but these were rarely seen in Oldham and I always considered them noisy by comparison, although the Albions had a few of their own distinctive noises and vibrations! Reliance 726 is one of several of the type that replaced the Albion Aberdonians. It has turned onto the bridge at Diggle station. Photo courtesy Alan Cross. One of the Alexander-bodied Bristol REs (probably 331 or 332) of North Western passes Grasscroft Stores some time in September 1970. Grasscroft Stores was the building of the Grasscroft Co-operative Society, founded in 1858, and was built in 1866. The Grasscroft Society merged with the larger Greenfield one in 1933. AEC Reliance 724 has had the North Western fleetname painted out as it became a member of the SELNEC Cheshire fleet some two months earlier. It is heading for Mossley at Greenfield station. The bus stop on the left was only used by the 10 bus prior to descending the hill and at the time was the last stop before Wellington Road. As can be seen, it was in a rather hazardous position with no pavement and was hardly convenient for those using the stop, who in the main would wish to get to either the station or Shaw Hall Bank Road. It was moved to opposite the station entrance by 1974. Loline 895 is on a Ribble Enthusiast Club tour to commemorate the end of North Western in Oldham. It is waiting on Sam Road in Diggle, with the service bus behind. Loline 895 crosses the railway bridge and pulls round the corner to the original terminus stop for buses headed to Mossley. Lolines were never common in Diggle, but did appear. 895 negotiates the new turning circle in the old railway goods yard at Dlggle. The site is still used today but the surface quality and kerbing are much improved! The first of the GMTS's preserved Bristol was newly restored for the 1994 North Western event and looks superb despite the very wet weather. It is the modern Uppermill Bus Station, now itself disappeared. At around five o'clock in the 'sixties there would be two buses ready to leave Diggle. One was usually a double-decker which ran to Greenfield King Bill and the other was the normal service bus to Mossley, by then a single-decker. The latter was retimed to run ten minutes later than normal and both were aimed principally at traffic from Hutchinson and Hollingworth's Dobcross Loom Works. That factory shut in 1969 but re-opened by 1971 as W. H. Shaw's pallet works which is still an important local employer and even used to run their own staff buses which will appear in another collection in this gallery in due course. This view on the bridge at Diggle station shows a recreation of those workings during the GMTS North Western event. In North Western days buses used to turn round at one end or the other of the bridge over the railway at Diggle station. In both cases it involved doing a three-point turn in the junction. The choice of which to use seemed to depend on the driver. A new turning circle was opened around 1972 on the site of the old goods yard and is still in use today. 224 stands at the bus stop ready to depart. North Western 224 heads along the open stretch of road between Grasscroft and Mossley, with Wharmton behind. Some journeys ran from Diggle to the King Bill in Greenfield and North Western 224 here recreates such a working on Chapel Road in Greenfield. It was typical of North Western's attention to cost-saving (

Published in Saddleworth Buses

]]> Wed Mar 11 1925 156 Friezland to Newhey http://saddleworthbuses.fotopic.net/c1013344.html The 156 was one of Saddleworth's most elusive routes and was rarely troubled by photographers as it didn't go through anything that would call itself even a town. It started c.1925 as a High Crompton to Uppermill service which was numbered 65 in the timetables, but not shown on the buses. The full length of the service was only operated at weekends; on weekdays it ran from Saddleworth station to Denshaw as part of a complicated system of vehicle working. On these days a bus would leave Oldham for Denshaw on a short working of the Oldham to Halifax (via Greetland) service (the 62), then go from Denshaw to Saddleworth station as a 65 and thence to Marsden as a 61 as a short working of the Oldham to Linthwaite (for Huddersfield) service. This round trip took three hours and was only done three times a day. The route was soon curtailed at the High Crompton end to Newhey and extended along Chapel Road and Shaw Hall Bank Road to Friezland Church, after which it remained quite settled with a timetable that changed little. It was recorded as being one-man operated from May 1958, I believe it was the only such route at first. However, I remember travelling on it on a Sunday with crew operation after that date. The only change to the route came about in the early sixties when most journeys were extended a short distance along Church Road in Friezland to Armit Road, turning round at the bottom of High Grove Road. It was one of the first routes in the area to disappear, being withdrawn around 1969. Thursday 1 January 1925: The 156 was one of Saddleworth's most elusive routes and was rarely troubled by photographers as it didn't go through anything that would call itself even a town. It started c.1925 as a High Crompton to Uppermill service which was numbered 65 in the timetables, but not shown on the buses. The full length of the service was only operated at weekends; on weekdays it ran from Saddleworth station to Denshaw as part of a complicated system of vehicle working. On these days a bus would leave Oldham for Denshaw on a short working of the Oldham to Halifax (via Greetland) service (the 62), then go from Denshaw to Saddleworth station as a 65 and thence to Marsden as a 61 as a short working of the Oldham to Linthwaite (for Huddersfield) service. This round trip took three hours and was only done three times a day. The route was soon curtailed at the High Crompton end to Newhey and extended along Chapel Road and Shaw Hall Bank Road to Friezland Church, after which it remained quite settled with a timetable that changed little. It was recorded as being one-man operated from May 1958, I believe it was the only such route at first. However, I remember travelling on it on a Sunday with crew operation after that date. The only change to the route came about in the early sixties when most journeys were extended a short distance along Church Road in Friezland to Armit Road, turning round at the bottom of High Grove Road. It was one of the first routes in the area to disappear, being withdrawn around 1969.

Albion Aberdonian 715 breasts the summit near the Moorcock above Denshaw. 715 was notable for being in an all red livery and was unique in the North Western fleet in this respect apart from, curiously, Royal Tiger 517 at Matlock. Those who travelled on North Western buses in Saddleworth at the time would have no difficulty recognising the driver as Clifford, notable due to his girth. The spelling of Newhey is worthy of comment. It is believed the place was originally called New Hey but this changed many years ago to the single word Newhey, which is the version I have used in this gallery. However, this photograph shows that North Western always displayed This charming picture contains a wealth of interesting detail. It is taken at Delph cross roads when it was exactly that. Some years after the withdrawal of the passenger service to Delph the stationmaster's house (visible on the right) was demolished on 4th June 1963 and the the land sold to the Ministry of Transport nine days later. The line continued to supply coal to the nearby Bailey Mill until the following December. The sale to the MoT allowed the junction to be re-modelled in its present form as a staggered cross roads. The bus is an ECW-bodied Bristol L5G, very common throughout the country but less so in Saddleworth, North Western only running a few from Oldham depot. I have to thank Bernard Halliwell for telling me that the destination blinds originally showed New Hay, close examination shows that it has been crudely altered! Photo courtesy Colin Routh. This picture is neither on service nor in Saddleworth but I have included it as it shows several points of interest. It is the only photograph I have which shows a bus going to Friezland, it seems most photographers picked buses running the other way. The destination blind appeals more as it is the original, more comprehensive type. The bus was numerically the last on a large fleet of Bristol Ls bought by North Western, although the last one to enter service was 309. It is in the yard of the Crofton Street garage in Oldham. Photo courtesy Tony Moyes. This splendidly evocative shot of Saddleworth of yore shows, I am assured by Tony Moyes who took it, North Western Bristol L 298 working a journey on the 156 to Newhey. The combination of buses leads me to believe it is the 2.30pm bus from Friezland passing 767 working a 160 from Huddersfield. The Swan Hotel behind the bus is having a new sign affixed, which will mean the removal of the wonderful old AEC Reliance 726 passes the finger post in Delph opposite the White Lion. It appears that the sign has suffered several industrial injuries. This style of sign was common in the West Riding and contains in the roundel on the top the location name and grid reference. The driver is Clifford Harrison - see next photo. Photo courtesy Colin Routh. One of the Albion Aberdonians which I associate so much with this service is descending towards Newhey. This stretch of road was particularly desolate but I believe once yielded a workable amount of coal. Photo courtesy Colin Routh. The wildest section of this route was between Newhey and Denshaw. North Western 224 climbs above Piethorne displaying Delph Station. This shot is a re-creation and it is unlikely that double-deckers ever worked these journeys. 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.

Published in Saddleworth Buses

]]> Thu Jan 1 1925 P, 153, 155, 433 & 434 - Uppermill Circular http://saddleworthbuses.fotopic.net/c1011369.html This was one of the initial North Western routes in Saddleworth and started in 1924. North Western were noted as having applied for licences for twenty buses (and for drivers and conductors) at a Saddleworth UDC meeting on 23rd April 1924. Oldham Watch Committee had approved the proposal in February, subject to minimum fares when competing with the trams to Waterhead and Lees. It started originally from Egerton Street in Oldham but by 1930 the terminus was (officially) Greaves Street (GPO), in which area it was to remain for many years. At a special meeting with Mr Cardwell of North Western on 6th April 1925 Saddleworth UDC agreed to the use of double deck buses. This followed a demonstration and an undertaking to prune trees (which were quite dangerous on an open-top bus!). North Western drew up a Heads of Agreement in 1928 with Oldham Corporation which resulted in co-ordination of the Oldham to Saddleworth services and led to North Western involvement on the 10, 13 and 14 (q.v.). Part of this agreement was that North Western would give up the Uppermill circular, but that does not seem to have happened and instead the operators realised it played a useful part in giving a more balanced service to Uppermill by providing a bus via Lees when the Manchester one went via Scouthead and vice versa. Oldham Corporation gave it the route letter P and North Western eventually gave it the number 153, although it was only in the postwar period that North Western actually displayed service numbers. Originally Oldham worked clockwise (out from Oldham via Scouthead) and North Western anticlockwise, but at some time in the ‘fifties someone realised that North Western were always working on the ‘inside’ of the circle (their workings on the 13/14 were the same) and they were working less mileage as a result. As a consequence the workings were exchanged. Oldham’s use of letter P was dropped about the same time, although this was a gradual process as older buses did not have 153 on the number blind. I recall seeing a PD1/3 working a P to Delph Station in the mid-sixties , although at the time I didn’t quite know what it was as the P was not in the timetable! The service was hourly, except on Saturdays when there were two journeys an hour which were combined with the 13 and 14 to give a twenty-minute frequency to Uppermill. There were also peak hour extras, mainly provided by North Western, and these caused a problem as they left Oldham via either Scouthead or Lees, but more modern North Western buses just displayed ‘153 Uppermill’. That could mean either way, as I once found to my cost! Consequently, North Western renumbered their workings on the 155 Rochdale to Shaw service as 15, the number already used by the joint operator, Rochdale C.T. This freed 155 which was then used for clockwise journeys, which were the ones mainly worked by North Western. The terminus in Oldham had been in Ashworth Street (behind Central baths) for many years, but North Western opened a new garage and bus station off Clegg Street and the 153 and 155 moved there when it opened on 15th May 1966. It was one of the few service buses to use this bus station (the others were the North Western and Hanson services to Huddersfield), otherwise it was principally long-distance routes. The bus station had a relatively short life, being closed with the merging of SELNEC Cheshire division (which was the remnant of the old North Western in Greater Manchester) with SELNEC Southern Division. The closure took place on 21st May 1973 and the 153 and 155 then terminated in West Street. As part of a general renumbering of Oldham area services into a common Greater Manchester series, the 153 and 155 were renumbered 433 and 434 on 2nd December 1973. They did not last too long in that form, as from 21st July 1974 they were withdrawn and replaced be new services 431-4, which gave through links from Oldham to Carrcote and Diggle, but that is another story... Saturday 1 March 1924: This was one of the initial North Western routes in Saddleworth and started in 1924. North Western were noted as having applied for licences for twenty buses (and for drivers and conductors) at a Saddleworth UDC meeting on 23rd April 1924. Oldham Watch Committee had approved the proposal in February, subject to minimum fares when competing with the trams to Waterhead and Lees. It started originally from Egerton Street in Oldham but by 1930 the terminus was (officially) Greaves Street (GPO), in which area it was to remain for many years. At a special meeting with Mr Cardwell of North Western on 6th April 1925 Saddleworth UDC agreed to the use of double deck buses. This followed a demonstration and an undertaking to prune trees (which were quite dangerous on an open-top bus!). North Western drew up a Heads of Agreement in 1928 with Oldham Corporation which resulted in co-ordination of the Oldham to Saddleworth services and led to North Western involvement on the 10, 13 and 14 (q.v.). Part of this agreement was that North Western would give up the Uppermill circular, but that does not seem to have happened and instead the operators realised it played a useful part in giving a more balanced service to Uppermill by providing a bus via Lees when the Manchester one went via Scouthead and vice versa. Oldham Corporation gave it the route letter P and North Western eventually gave it the number 153, although it was only in the postwar period that North Western actually displayed service numbers. Originally Oldham worked clockwise (out from Oldham via Scouthead) and North Western anticlockwise, but at some time in the _fifties someone realised that North Western were always working on the _inside_ of the circle (their workings on the 13/14 were the same) and they were working less mileage as a result. As a consequence the workings were exchanged. Oldham_s use of letter P was dropped about the same time, although this was a gradual process as older buses did not have 153 on the number blind. I recall seeing a PD1/3 working a P to Delph Station in the mid-sixties , although at the time I didn_t quite know what it was as the P was not in the timetable! The service was hourly, except on Saturdays when there were two journeys an hour which were combined with the 13 and 14 to give a twenty-minute frequency to Uppermill. There were also peak hour extras, mainly provided by North Western, and these caused a problem as they left Oldham via either Scouthead or Lees, but more modern North Western buses just displayed _153 Uppermill_. That could mean either way, as I once found to my cost! Consequently, North Western renumbered their workings on the 155 Rochdale to Shaw service as 15, the number already used by the joint operator, Rochdale C.T. This freed 155 which was then used for clockwise journeys, which were the ones mainly worked by North Western. The terminus in Oldham had been in Ashworth Street (behind Central baths) for many years, but North Western opened a new garage and bus station off Clegg Street and the 153 and 155 moved there when it opened on 15th May 1966. It was one of the few service buses to use this bus station (the others were the North Western and Hanson services to Huddersfield), otherwise it was principally long-distance routes. The bus station had a relatively short life, being closed with the merging of SELNEC Cheshire division (which was the remnant of the old North Western in Greater Manchester) with SELNEC Southern Division. The closure took place on 21st May 1973 and the 153 and 155 then terminated in West Street. As part of a general renumbering of Oldham area services into a common Greater Manchester series, the 153 and 155 were renumbered 433 and 434 on 2nd December 1973. They did not last too long in that form, as from 21st July 1974 they were withdrawn and replaced be new services 431-4, which gave through links from Oldham to Carrcote and Diggle, but that is another story...

EO 2323 was a Brush-bodied Daimler Y that had been new to the British Automobile Traction (BAT) Company in Barrow and formed part of the initial North Western fleet when it was formed as a separate offshoot of BAT. It clearly formed part of the initial alocation to Oldham and is captured in this fine photograph at the end of Smithy Lane in Uppermill, the building to the right of the bus being long-demolished and the site of the small car park next to the Hare and Hounds, which pub was the timing point in Uppermill at that time, rather than the square. This bus was numbered 361 in the BAT series and was given a North Western number 41 in 1927, but only lasted until the following year. The poster inside the side window of the bus implies that the photograph was taken very soon after the service was introduced, as it advertises a There appear to be two buses outside the Woolpack at Dobcross on this rather blown-up photograph clearly taken when the North Western's first garage in Oldham was on Slater Street, just off Manchester Street and very close to where the first Sainsbury's supermarket was in Oldham. 177 was one of a batch of Tilling-Stevens Petrol-Electric double-deckers which introduced double-deck buses to Saddleworth. The charectersitics of a petrol-electric bus made it easy for a novice to drive but pretty useless for a hilly area such as Saddleworth and it is difficult to appreciate nowadays how slow these buses were. By a miracle one of this type survives in the Manchester Museum of Transport, the only significant difference from the condition shown here being the fitment of pneumatic tyres. This particular bus worked until 1930 and then had an interesting subsequent career as it was converted to a six-wheel dropside lorry by Chivers, the jam people, who seemed to have a predeliction for Tilling-Stevens vehicles. Photo David Beilby collection. 407 was one of a large batch of Bristol K5Gs bought by North Western just before the war and their first major double-deck purchase. In 1950-51 they were given new Willowbrook bodies as seen here and as a consequence the chassis gave very long service to the company. Peeling paint at the front is giving 407 a down-at-heel appearance towards the end of its life. It is at the Ashworth Street terminus and waiting to work a clockwise journey on the 153, going to Uppermill via Scouthead. Photo courtesy Tony Moyes. North Western 299 is from the last batch of Bristol L5Gs with Weymann bodies which were also the last half-cab buses operated by the company in the Oldham area. The fleet numbers didn't correspond with the registration numbers on six of this batch as some vehicles had been built as dual-purpose vehicles but were scattered in a random way through the batch. North Western therefore renumbered them into two separate blocks, 299 being one of the dual-purpose examples thus registered DDB 306. The location is the lower part of Clegg Street, across the road from where the new bus garage and bus station were opened in 1966; at this time the garage was at Crofton Street (almost in Hathershaw) and buses were left parked here during the day between peaks. 299 is waiting to work a 153, whilst behind is 747 set for working a 154 and in the 'black-top' livery. Behind that is 774 in a cream coach livery that has been used on a morning extra on the 10 from Greenfield to Oldham. Photo courtesy Tony Moyes. The first of two very similar shots taken one hour apart showing North Western 431 on Delph New Road. Photo courtesy Tony Moyes. This second shot of 431 shows Rhodes' Mill to the right and the trackbed of the Delph branch can be seen behind, at the time still open for the occasional freight train. Photo courtesy Tony Moyes. At the same location but waiting to work a journey going out via Lees is Oldham 410, one of five Crossley-bodied Leyland PD2s. These were attractive buses and pleasant to ride on as the deep windows gave very good visibility. However the body design (which was actually from Park Royal) proved particularly susceptible to corrosion and these buses had very short lives with only about ten years active service. 409 was the only one to survive and it was the expense of overhauling that bus that led to the decision to cease work on the others. This was particularly undignified for this bus, 410, as work had already started and the stripped-down body shell languished at the back of the garage (along with the more complete other members of the batch) for a couple of years before they were finally disposed of. Photo courtesy Roy Marshall. This later view shows 906 waiting departure time on a similar journey. You can just make out on the bus stop flag where the route letter P has been painted out for the service to Uppermill via Scouthead, which is what this Loline will be working. In the background North Western's new bus station and garage is slowly taking shape. Photo courtesy Colin Routh. North Western Dennis Loline 883 leaves Uppermill towards Lees on the way to Oldham. The barber's shop I seem to recall as being owned by Austin Collier, although someone may wish to correct me on that. Behind the bus is the Waggon and to the left of the photographer is the Saddleworth Museum car park. Photo courtesy Geoff Lumb. One feature of the North Western era was the use of coaches on local services, mainly in the morning and evening peak. This Alexander Y-type Leopard would appear to be 145, but the picture is from a poor Instamatic negative and has been included due to its historical interest. This type of vehicle was the standard coach for North Western and they went on to buy large numbers of them. As a young boy the eyeball ventilators above each seat were a source of great fascination! 937 was one of North Western's 36 foot long AEC Reliances with Willowbrook dual-purpose bodies. Painted in an attractive livery with a broad cream band, they had six-speed gearboxes and were very comfortable. 937 spent its whole life at Oldham, certainly from nearly new until the end of SELNEC Cheshire, when it moved to the former Corporation garage where it was joined by more of the same batch and some with bus bodywork. It is passing Greenfield station on the 155 service. Oldham's Panthers had a relatively short life, like many others of that model. The 153 was a service upon which they were regularly seen and they were powerful enough to perform well on this hilly route. 5024 was new as Oldham 174 and is loading up in Uppermill square - the driver has yet to change the blinds to show Oldham via Scouthead. Photo courtesy Tony Moyes. 939 is in the bus station at Mumps having arrived from Uppermill via Lees. The driver has already set the blind for the next trip. Photo courtesy Adrian Dodsley. Preserved North Western PD2 224 made a photographic tour of Saddleworth in 1995, as can be seen in several collections in this gallery. Here it is seen at Thurston Clough on the climb up from Delph to Scouthead. With the exception of a couple of modern lamp-posts, there is little to indicate that this not a 224 climbs a bit further up from

Published in Saddleworth Buses

]]> Sat Mar 1 1924 350 - Ashton to Oldham http://saddleworthbuses.fotopic.net/c1008706.html The 350 came into being as a result of the major service changes in Saddleworth on 31st October 2004. The origins go back to Ashton Corporation's 14 service, which ran from Ashton to Mossley, which became the 217 in SELNEC days. Pennine Blue initiated competition with GM Buses on this corridor and from that came the 350 service, which ran from Ashton to Mossley and then continued across the valley to Micklehurst and Hey Farm Estate. The destination is not a huge source of traffic but does make for a convenient place to turn buses round. The service to Hey Farm runs every ten minutes during the day on weekdays, but as part of the October 31st 2004 changes, two journeys an hour were extended to Oldham, essentially travelling the short distance from Hey Farm to the Royal George and then picking up the former 355 route. At first the journeys to Oldham were worked by Oldham depot, with the Ashton to Hey Farm journeys operated from Dukinfield, but from 6th June 2005 all journeys were worked from Dukinfield. That has proved a blessing for the Saddleworth bus enthusiast, as Pennine have a varied fleet of vehicles, whereas the large influx of new vehicles at Oldham depot in 2005 has resulted in other First services in Saddleworth seeing little variety. Sunday 31 October 2004: The 350 came into being as a result of the major service changes in Saddleworth on 31st October 2004. The origins go back to Ashton Corporation's 14 service, which ran from Ashton to Mossley, which became the 217 in SELNEC days. Pennine Blue initiated competition with GM Buses on this corridor and from that came the 350 service, which ran from Ashton to Mossley and then continued across the valley to Micklehurst and Hey Farm Estate. The destination is not a huge source of traffic but does make for a convenient place to turn buses round. The service to Hey Farm runs every ten minutes during the day on weekdays, but as part of the October 31st 2004 changes, two journeys an hour were extended to Oldham, essentially travelling the short distance from Hey Farm to the Royal George and then picking up the former 355 route. At first the journeys to Oldham were worked by Oldham depot, with the Ashton to Hey Farm journeys operated from Dukinfield, but from 6th June 2005 all journeys were worked from Dukinfield. That has proved a blessing for the Saddleworth bus enthusiast, as Pennine have a varied fleet of vehicles, whereas the large influx of new vehicles at Oldham depot in 2005 has resulted in other First services in Saddleworth seeing little variety.

This batch of Optare Prismas from Leicester show very well what a mess First made of their national numbering system as they formed nine out of a block of ten consecutive registrations, yet the fleetnumbers are 61149-51, 61247-51 and 62115. 61248 joined the Manchester fleet at the end of 2002 and is entering Uppermill on a rather damp day. Photo courtesy Mark Amis. Northern Counties-bodied Metrobus 30298 loads in Uppermill square. The destination, whilst admirably clear, is wrong, as the 350 has always terminated at the bus station and not on West Street. Photo courtesy Mark Amis. 61150 is another one of the Optare Prismas which came from Leicester. Heading onto Millgate in Delph it is passing the library, now run by volunteers as Oldham Council said they could not afford to keep running it. One of the many Optare Prismas which came from Aberdeen is 60440, heading into Delph along Millgate, with the steep steps up to the theatre just visible. The Glasgow Metrobuses were quite a common sight on the 350 for the first six months or so, when the through journeys were operated from Oldham garage. 30315 heads out of Oldham along High Street with a nowhere-near capacity load! Photo courtesy Mark Amis. The Volvo B10Bs were quite common in Saddleworth at one time but have now gone elsewhere. The very deep blue skirt and the magenta fade have left little room for any white below the windows, giving a very dowdy look. 60117 has just turned at Greenfield Clarence Hotel. Photo courtesy Mark Amis. This Alexander Royale-bodied Volvo Olympian was new as First Bradford 5656 but never used by them, entering service in Manchester. It was an unusual type of vehicle to see on the 350. Photo courtesy Mark Amis. 60440 was new to Grampian as their 534 and made the long journey south to Oldham with several others of the batch. Photo courtesy Mark Amis. Heading the other way at the Clarence is another Dart, 40274, this time with a Plaxton body. Northern Counties-bodied Dennis Dart 40255 at Greenfield Clarence. Whilst most of First Manchester's Dennis Arrows are based to the west, there are a few at the former Pennine depot in Dukinfield which works the 350. 31950 turns into Chapel Road having passed through Greenfield. 30228 appears again on the 350 and is seen in Oldham High Street. By this time Dukinfield garage was responsible for the through 350 workings; since the photo ironically 30228 has been transferred to Oldham. Photo courtesy Ian Roberts. Former London Olympian 30234 passes signs at Thurston Clough which reflect the rather rural nature of this part of the route. Northern Counties-bodied Dart 40255 is seen yet again at Thurston Clough. Wednesday is market day in Uppermill. Dennis Arrow 31950 stops in the square whilst the market stalls reflect the 2006 World Cup theme. Climbing out of Mossley and wearing the brighter and neater 40436 has completed the climb up Plaxton Pointer Dart 40273 has just completed the steep climb out of Mossley and will now drop down into Ashton. Local government elections were looming! Dart 40301 was new to Q Drive Buses in London and features a split-level entrance as well as a not very uniform set of number blinds. It has just turned left at the Brownhill Visitor Centre and is heading from Uppermill to Delph. Dennis Arrow 31950 heads along Dobcross Old Road towards Uppermill. A rear view of 31950 as it waits to turn right at Brownhill under Saddleworth viaduct. The 350 is normally operated by Dennis Darts, but one duty is worked by a double-decker to cover peak demands to and from Saddleworth School. It is normally worked by a Dennis Arrow but other vehicles do appear, in this case Northern Counties-bodied Olympian 34334. It is passing Newbank Garden Centre on Dobcross New Road. 40434 heads up from Hey Farm Estate towards Micklehurst, with the bulk of Wharmton (with its TV relay station) behind. The retaining wall on the left has been newly rebuilt, part of a large programme of such work in the area. 40433 was originally 6527 until First implemented their national fleet numbering scheme. It is heading along Dobcross New Road towards Uppermill. 40255 passes through Uppermill, seen from the elevated window of Ian Barrell's barbers shop. The registration gives away the fact that 40292 was originally a PMT vehicle which moved to the area following PMT's takeover of Pennine Blue which formed the basis of present-day operations from Dukinfield depot. It is heading down Chapel Road towards Greenfield. 40428 passes the site of Ken Shaw's Kenlyn garage, one of the many vanished filling stations of Saddleworth. However, Ken Shaw was an important coach and contract bus operator in Saddleworth. 40428 descends Stamford Road in Mossley. The spire of St. John's church is prominent and the railway can be seen to the right of the bus. Further right is Manchester Road, served by the 354. Dennis Dart 40281 has been carrying no large fleet numbers for some time (see also pictures of it at Diggle in the 354 collection). It is crossing the railway at Mossley station. The descent from the top of Mossley is quite steep and there used to be a compulsory stop half-way down. Despite this in October 1911 a tram ran away down the hill and crashed through the bridge parapet, resulting in the deaths of six people. 40432 has turned left from Manchester Road to climb up to Top Mossley. This unique bus is well-described in the 180 collection, but on this occasion was working a 350 and has almost reached the top of the climb to Scouthead from Delph, with a splendid panorama of rolling Saddleworth hills behind. Photo courtesy Mark Amis. Having completed the loop round Carrcote, Dennis Arrow passes the Bull's Head in Delph on its way to Oldham. Photo courtesy Mark Amis. 40277 is one of the Plaxton-bodied Dennis Darts which are regular performers on the 350. It has just turned out of the Sound in Delph and is heading up the hill to Scouthead and Oldham. Photo courtesy Mark Amis. This appearance of a Solo was most unusual, and on a day when the route was providing plenty of vehicle variety. As well as this Solo, there was a Dennis Arrow, an Olympian and several Darts. 40315 passes through a rather cluttered Delph High Street. 40434 is seen on an earlier occasion in lovely early autumn sun in almost the same place. 40433 is in the process of the long climb from Delph up to Scouthead. The stone wall on the hillside in the background marks the line of the road used by the 351 and 356 services. 40433 pauses in Uppermill square on a filthy evening. One of the more difficult maneouvres on this route can be the right turn at the Royal George, on the border between Mossley and Greenfield. 40309 is making this turn easily as there is very little traffic around. Dart 40302 has completed the horseshoe bend at Thurston Clough - the road can also be seen in the background. 40279 has already been seen in this collection at Micklehurst, but here it is very soon after repaint looking bright and smart in the morning sun. Approaching the Clarence along Chew Valley Road the backdrop to this photo has already changed with the new Millbank development having sprung up on the site of the erstwhile Andrew Mill. 30233 is on Manchester Road in Mossley passing the Friendship Inn. The road that goes off here (which was once served by the 154A/353) was once known as Smith Hill but is now known as Waggon Road, presumably after another pub only a few doors away known as the Waggon and Horses, which closed as long ago as 1908 and is now demolished. 30233 was part of the original fleet of Walthamstow Citybus, as their 153, an operation based at Northumberland Park garage. This later became part of Capital Citybus which was in turn bought by First. This bus was transferred to Manchester in 2001. 31952 leaves the stops at Mossley Brookbottom heading for Ashton. Photo courtesy Mark Amis. 40285 was the last bus to run in the area in this Barbie 2 livery but was repainted in 2007. Here it has joined Chew Valley Road in Greenfield and has just crossed the canal. Carrying the Barbie 2 livery which is no longer seen on this service is 40309 on Station Road in Micklehurst. It is passing the building that gave the road its name, the station which opened in 1886 and closed in 1917. Since the closure of the line in 1966 the station building has been sympathetically restored. Although the use of BR totem-style signs is not historically accurate, they have been used tastefully and are at least in character. This building was the station master's house and entrance, the platforms and other buildings (all wooden) were at a higher level as the railway was on an embankment here - they would have been just above the front of the bus. Heading the other way is 40279, which had recently been repainted and received this unusual style of advertising. By coincidence this photo shows the same bus in almost the same position on a different occasion. 40277 climbs Stamford Road in Mossley. The wall on the right bears plenty of evidence of the major rebuilding carried out between 2000 and 2004 which caused the closure of this road and the very substantial diversion chronicled in the 2007's spring was exceptionally dry and a few grass fires ensued. To deal with a fire well up the hill the fire brigade had to tap into the water supply on Manchester Road in Greenfield, with their hoses leading all the way up Friezland Lane. 40434 carefully crosses the ramps over the hoses in a scene somewhat reminiscent of the blitz. 31930 passes under Saddleworth viaduct at Brownhill in the evening sun. 40274 passes the former Tame Water Mill on Delph New Road. Latterly this building had housed a night club on the first floor (

Published in Saddleworth Buses

]]> Sun Oct 31 2004 Greenfield Paper Mill workings http://saddleworthbuses.fotopic.net/c1007953.html Greenfield Paper Mill was owned by Robert Fletcher’s and was a dominant presence in the village. The location of the mill, in an otherwise very rural corner, and the large amount of other land owned allowed the company to develop private housing and leisure facilities. These latter included tennis courts and a bowling green and as the facilities were grouped around the private road leading to the mill from the Clarence Hotel, a very pleasant environment was created. The Paper Mill was served by peak hour journeys on the 154 (Ashton to Uppermill), but its more interesting service was a contract working that served Mossley, Grotton, Lees and Oldham. This worked in accordance with shift changes at 0600, 1400 and 2200 hours and must have been unique for a contract working as it was worked by three operators! SHMD did the 0600 shift (or at least I believe so, never being up in time to see it). Oldham did the 1400 shift and North Western did the 2200 one. This service was allocated the number 860 from 2nd December 1973, although not always carried. The service lasted until the 1990s when Checkmate Mini Coaches worked the service, which they did until the closure of the mill around 2002. In later years a journey on the 180 was extended from Greenfield Clarence to the Paper Mill and this also continued until the closure. It didn’t make the trip every day and I suspect (from observation) that it did not often have many, or any, passengers. The fare for the journey appears in the fare tables from 1983 but it was not until 1989 that it appeared in public timetables. To show the full extent of workings to the mill, I have duplicated some photographs which appear in other collections. Sunday 1 January 1950: Greenfield Paper Mill was owned by Robert Fletcher_s and was a dominant presence in the village. The location of the mill, in an otherwise very rural corner, and the large amount of other land owned allowed the company to develop private housing and leisure facilities. These latter included tennis courts and a bowling green and as the facilities were grouped around the private road leading to the mill from the Clarence Hotel, a very pleasant environment was created. The Paper Mill was served by peak hour journeys on the 154 (Ashton to Uppermill), but its more interesting service was a contract working that served Mossley, Grotton, Lees and Oldham. This worked in accordance with shift changes at 0600, 1400 and 2200 hours and must have been unique for a contract working as it was worked by three operators! SHMD did the 0600 shift (or at least I believe so, never being up in time to see it). Oldham did the 1400 shift and North Western did the 2200 one. This service was allocated the number 860 from 2nd December 1973, although not always carried. The service lasted until the 1990s when Checkmate Mini Coaches worked the service, which they did until the closure of the mill around 2002. In later years a journey on the 180 was extended from Greenfield Clarence to the Paper Mill and this also continued until the closure. It didn_t make the trip every day and I suspect (from observation) that it did not often have many, or any, passengers. The fare for the journey appears in the fare tables from 1983 but it was not until 1989 that it appeared in public timetables. To show the full extent of workings to the mill, I have duplicated some photographs which appear in other collections.

Oldham 471 started life as Bolton Corporation 426 and was hired by Oldham to help out during a severe vehicle crisis in 1965. At that time it and the other ex-Bolton vehicles could be seen in Saddleworth as they were the preferred choice for peak hour workings on the 10. By the end of 1965 Oldham had bought this bus which continued in service into the SELNEC era and was only repainted from crimson and white to the pommard and cream livery shown here just after the formation of SELNEC. It survived until a few months after this photo, even managing to be rebuilt following an accident only a few months earlier. Most surprisingly, it was then sold for further service to Paton's of Renfrew and along with another more modern Oldham bus which went to the same operator about the same time, were the only postwar Oldham buses to see further service until quite a few years later. 471 is passing through Dacres with the 1400hrs shift change bus, a working that brought older Oldham buses into Saddleworth. Another of the secondhand buses bought by Oldham during the crisis in the mid-sixties was this batch of four Leyland PD2/10s with Leyland's own bodywork. These looked very smart and must have been in good condition as they lasted well into the SELNEC era. This one is 475 which was the very last of all the secondhand acquisitions in service, being withdrawn in August 1971. This batch were the only buses delivered new to Sheffield in the short-lived all over green livery and it was this vehicle, as Sheffield 656, which was used for the manufacturer's photo of the batch. 5284 makes its way up the road to the mill on a pleasant spring day with daffodils in bloom. 5334 heads through Dacres with workers at the end of their shift. 5610 was originally 10 in the SHMD fleet. These were some of the first SHMD buses in orange as their overhaul was due soon after the formation of SELNEC. To put this picture in historical context, that evening I travelled to Bradford to see the last public workings of a trolleybus in the UK. 5341 was one of the 1958 Roe-bodied PD2s which to my eyes were some of the finest buses Oldham ever had. When built they were festooned with a huge amount of lining out and were a real credit to the town. Even in 1972 this bus was in good condition as it speeds through Dacres on the early afternoon special from Oldham. This former Bury Corporation PD2 was working from the old SHMD garage on this tea-time journey from the paper mill, which worked as a 154 to Mossley station and then continued to Stalybridge on the 4 route through Millbrook. 5334 has a correct display of Latterly smaller buses were used to serve the mill, as evidenced by this wintery view of Dodge S56 1863 in Little Gem livery. 224 in very autumnal conditions just outside the Paper Mill. Preserved North Western PD2 224 recreates the late shift journey. Due to the fact that ran in the hours of darkness I don't believe the North Western operation was ever photographed. Checkmate's Iveco E184 CNE loads passengers for Greenfield Paper Mill at Mossley station. A not-quite-sharp photo of Metrobus 5301 on the way back to Greenfield Clarence on the road from the Paper Mill. 5201 leaves the sylvan setting of Greenfield Paper Mill. 5186 approaches Greenfield Paper Mill.This one journey a day on the 180 was an extension from the normal terminus to serve an eight o'clock start at the mill. Metrobus 5186 had been rebuilt with a modified destination blind when this and the other shots were taken. 5186 also leaves the Paper Mill.

Published in Saddleworth Buses

]]> Sun Jan 1 1950 Buses visiting Saddleworth http://saddleworthbuses.fotopic.net/c1007952.html A variety of vehicles seen in Saddleworth over the years, but which cannot be put in any of the route collections. Most are vehicles visiting from relatively far afield (many bringing brass bands to the Whit Friday contests) but there are more local vehicles also. Thursday 1 January 1970: A variety of vehicles seen in Saddleworth over the years, but which cannot be put in any of the route collections. Most are vehicles visiting from relatively far afield (many bringing brass bands to the Whit Friday contests) but there are more local vehicles also.

This shot taken some time in the 'twenties shows a very unusual pair of vehicles. The charabanc is in Dobcross and apparently ready to set off on a trip to Buxton, quite an adventure in those days. Named N 9237 was another charabanc taking part in the same trip. This vehicle was built by Lacre, a company name that is an abbreviation of Long Acre in London where the company originated. This vehicle would have been built in Letchworth but Lacre moved again in 1926 to St. Albans. Production in latter years concentrated on municipal vehicles. Photo courtesy Peter Fox. This has to be one of the best period shots of a bus in Saddleworth that I've come across and I'm grateful to Chris Heaps for allowing me to use it. In the low afternoon sun Oldham PD1/3 267 gives the learner driver quite a challenge in climbing the hill at Greenfield station. There are stone setts galore and the shop on the corner is very much open for business. As for other traffic, there just isn't any! Photo courtesy Chris Heaps. Oldham 231 was one of the first batch of buses bought by Oldham after the war. They replaced the last Oldham trams and were the only 7' 6 5154 was one of the very first Oldham Atlanteans to appear in SELNEC's orange and broken white livery. Whilst they were regular performers on the Saddleworth routes on this occasion the Atlantean is on driver training as it heads past the top of Oaklands Road in Grasscroft. JFM 116 was new to Crosville as KB87 in 1948 and was one of three of the same batch bought by George Dew (contractors) in Oldham in 1963. These vehicles were obviously a sound investment as this shot was taken some seven years later on Oldham Road in Grasscroft at the top of Clough Lane and where the post office was at the time. The graffiti on the bus shelter is of its time! Traditionally, as already seen, driver training was done using a normal service bus with temporary 'L' plate signs front and back. Because it was usual to remove the window behind the driver to improve communication, you would usually find the same buses used on this sort of work as they had been adapted to make removing that window easier. I don't recall seeing Manchester buses on these duties in Saddleworth very often and this one caught me by surprise. It was 3424, one of the first batch of Metro-Cammell PD2s based on the Orion style rather than to Manchester's individual style. Although these were regular performers on the Saddleworth services from new, it is the only picture I have of one in the area. The wooden sign to the left was a temporary hoarding advertising the 1971 Saddleworth Festival of the Arts, an event held every four years which attracts artists of considerable stature to relatively small venues. SHMD bought two Daimler CSG6s which were not particularly popular buses. As a consequence of this, combined with the fact that their manual transmission enabled the obtaining of a full PSV driving licence instead of one restricted to vehicles with automatic or semi-automatic transmissions, these buses were used a lot for driver training. On this occasion 5697 has turned down Chapel Road on its journey between Uppermill and Greenfield. Derby 111 was one of both the last Crossley double-deck chassis built and also to run in service, being withdrawn in 1970. It was one of a batch of five which were the only postwar Brush-bodied Crossleys. It was bought for preservation by Mike Howarth on withdrawal and is seen being driven by him the following summer climbing past Greenfield station on its way to the Astle Park traction engine rally at Chelford. At this stage the station buildings were remarkably intact. Bury 177 was stored in Greenfield in its early years of preservation and is seen crossing the canal in Greenfield on its way to the Crich Transport Extravaganza. At this stage the valley floor was undeveloped and the canal apparently had no future... Yorkshire Traction bought twelve of these Willowbrook-bodied Leyland Tiger Cubs in 1956. JHE 840 was originally numbered 1063 and lasted long enough to be renumbered 419 as part of a general fleet renumbering in 1967. It had been sold and was running for Fairclough (contractor) as their 99 when it was seen in the car park of the Clarence Hotel in Greenfield, with former Oldham (but now SELNEC) PD2 5316 waiting departure on the 10 in the background. Blackburn Corporation's last PD1 (actually a PD1A) was 118 (BBV 913). Following withdrawal it was bought for preservation and attended a few rallies. However, after a few years there was a loss of interest. It was sold to Geoff Lister at Bolton and remained on site there for some years, deteriorating rapidly in the open air. On its way from storage at Greenfield to Bolton it broke down near the Farrar's Arms and is seen here awaiting recovery. The Lydgate on the destination blind referred to a district of Blackburn but had a local connection in this instance. North Western 895's tour of Saddleworth to mark the end of North Western in Oldham appears in other galleries, but here are some additional shots which don't fit in quite so readily. The first sees 895 climbing up Woods Lane into Dobcross Square. North Western buses had only just started running through Dobcross village and as far as I know a Loline never worked that way in normal service. 895 is parked in front of the Commercial Hotel in Uppermill. Two Bristol REs are visible. The rear end of a Marshall-bodied example that originated with North Western is more prominent and is headed for Mossley, having followed the Loline down from Diggle. Behind it can just be seen a former SHMD Northern Counties example, on the 154 to Ashton. The house to the rear of 895 once formed the Saddleworth office of the Oldham Evening Chronicle. A distant view of 895 at the top of the hill at Greenfield station, with former Oldham PD2 5313 passing the top on a 14 from Uppermill to Manchester. 895 has come down the hill and pulled across the road in readiness for negotiating the hairpin bend half-way down the hill. This Oldham PD2 with Northern Counties body became SELNEC 5357 but is shown on its final one-way trip to the bus-breaking yards of Barnsley. The slow speed is prompting cars to overtake. 5357 gets hauled slowly up the hill out of Greenfield, the overtaking cars already well in the distance. This bus was preceded by another which made the journey under its own power. The preserved Bolton Crossley single-decker 8 (DBN 978) was also stored in Greenfield and is on a tour to visit some of the Lancahire municipal operators prior to the local government reorganisation of 1974. Demolition work has started on the station, with the wall surrounding the current You don't expect to find a former Aberdare Guy Arab LUF in Grotton, having brought a wedding party up from Reading. It had turned down Station Road by mistake and was turning round at the bottom of Hillside Avenue. This bus was preserved and possibly still is, but I have not seen it or heard anything more about in almost thirty years since I took the photo. The body was by Longwell Green of Bristol and was one of the first in Aberdare's fleet to have upholstered seats. Wooden seats had been favoured due to the number of miners carried, but the advent of pithead baths improved the ability to keep the seats clean. The Leyland Vehicles Band not surprisingly chose the local independent operator, J. Fishwick, to take the band to the Whit Friday Band Contests in 1979. The band are nearly all on, having performed at Greenfield, and are ready to dash to the next contest. Fishwick’s C4 is a Leyland Leopard PSU4 with Plaxton 41 seat coachwork. This Tiger Cub was new to Wilkinson’s of Sedgefield (yes, Tony Blair’s constituency). They were taken over by United in 1967 but this vehicle had already passed to Dearneway’s by then and was acquired for preservation from that operator in 1978. 54 is climbing out of Greenfield past Binn Green on the way to the Sandtoft Gathering in 1980. Wilkinson’s 54 is seen early the following year towing a former Crosville Bristol LL6B SLB 178 (LFM 759) through Dacres. For a period North Western painted their dual-purpose in this attractive red, cream and black livery. This vehicle sadly now lives abroad and cannot be readily seen. It is seen here on the site of the car park for Saddleworth Pool, before it was fully developed, and was taking part in a special Saddleworth Transport event. Three buses on their way to the Huddersfield Centenary Rally are seen from a distant viewpoint on Standedge. The leading vehicle is LUT Guy Arab 21, the second is Stockport PD2 40 and bringing up the rear is Halifax Regent V 215. Seen at the 1984 Saddleworth Show is this hospitality vehicle for Mandor Flexible Doors in Ashton. It started life as Crosville’s KG 125, later being renumbered SLG 125. On withdrawal it was sold to the Hurst Scout Troop, also in Ashton, who ran it for several years until its conversion in 1983. The bus has since passed into preservation. It’s probably reasonable to claim that this was the only occasion a former Lancashire United Guy Arab has towed an ex-Darwen Crossley through Grasscroft. The Guy Arab was owned by dealer Geoff Lister and he was towing Darwen 40 (KTD 376) away from Greenfield where it had been stored for thirteen years. 40 was a Crossley DD42/7 which had been cut down and shortened for use as a gritting vehicle. It was acquired by the Crossley Omnibus Society in 1971 and I well remember the journey back with it on the M62! The salt had taken its toll of the vehicle - when we went to collect it, on pressing the throttle pedal to try to start it the pedal broke and the engine had to be controlled by a pressing on a rod sticking through the cab floor. This PD3 with Alexander bodywork was new to Edinburgh in 1964. Whilst the livery is still Edinburgh's, the lettering indicates it worked for D Coaches of Swansea. It has stopped just below Lydgate Service Station, another filling station that is now just housing. Perhaps it didn't make money selling petrol at 34p/litre. I don't know what the bus was doing there. Newhey Rugby Club bought this interesting machine to provide their own transport. It is an early Leyland Leopard, being an L1 type chassis with an East Lancs body. It was new to the small fleet of Haslingden Corporation as their 18 but when that fleet merged with neighbouring Rawtenstall to form Rossendale it became 49 in the combined fleet. It has brought its team to play Saddleworth Rangers and is parked alongside the gound on Shaw Hall Bank Road in Greenfield. Morris's of Pencoed were another operator from South Wales and I should not be surprised to find that the coach was doing a Last of the Summer Wine tour, nor that I was temporarily the subject of the commentary. The coach is an unusual LAG-bodied DAF - only 61 coaches with this make of body were ever imported into the UK, between 1983 and 1985. It is passing a West Yorkshire PTE Olympian on the 365 to Huddersfield. Climbing past the Railway Hotel at Greenfield station is this former North Western Alexander-bodied Bristol RE belonging to Higginshaw Rugby Club. This had been bought from Age Concern and still carried their livery. The Ethel 1 destination related to the Ordered by Huddersfield, this bus was delivered to West Yorkshire PTE as 4167 and would have made many trips to Oldham in service. On retirement it had a further lease of life as a driver training vehicle and is seen in that guise in Oldham's Town Square bus station, having worked over the 365 route from Huddersfield. For its new role it was given a special livery and renumbered 9372. Photo courtesy Mark Amis. This Van Hool-bodied Volvo B10M of Webber’s had brought the Bodmin Band up to Saddleworth for the Whit Friday Band Contests, but they clearly made a weekend of it as this was the Sunday morning. It has descended the hill at Greenfield station and is clearly going to pick up the band. In the livery of Walker's Executive of Cheshire is 184 XNO. This Volvo B10M with Duple body was new to Globe in Barnsley as B359 DWF. The cherished mark comes from Eastern National 1608, a coach-seated Bristol FLF6B. The coach is carrying a band round the Whit Friday band contests and is parked on Church Road whilst the band performs at the Friezland contest. SUA 301M working for Oldham Community Transport had an interesting history. It was new to Leeds City Transport in poopy red livery, as it was actually intended to be West Yorkshire 1424 (NWT 721M). Although delivered to Leeds City Transport more than three months before the PTE came officially into being, it was immediately painted in PTE verona green and buttermilk and numbered 1301. It remained the only National in the PTE fleet until some National 2s arrived several years later. The livery it carries in this photo at Binn Green, above Greenfield, shows some evidence of its previous owner's livery. The replacement for SUA 301M was this Leyland National which had been new as Lancashire United 563. It is also seen at Binn Green and carries a colour scheme similar to that used at the time by GM Buses. Routemasters may be common in preservation but they have always been a rare sight in Saddleworth. Preserved RM1152 is seen here posed in the turning circle at Grotton. After sale from London this became one of the large fleet operating around Glasgow, in this case for Clydeside Scottish. Photo courtesy Peter Crichton. The GM Buses Routemasters normally stuck to Wilmslow Road, but the BBC hired RM2202 for a series of outside broadcasts around the region for Northwest Tonight. This date was chosen to visit Saddleworth as it was Whit Friday and there was plenty to see, not least the Brass Band contests. For the day the bus was parked in the car park of the King Bill in Greenfield. The tour featured two of Northwest tonights best-known presenters, Stuart Hall and John Mundy, seen here on the platform of RM2202. Pennine Blue 52 was a Bristol RE which had started life with Eastern National but also operated for Lincolnshire. It has stopped on Manchester Road in Greenfield to pick me up on its way to the Sandtoft Gathering. I’ve been unable to find out anything about this vehicle or its operator and would welcome any information. It is almost certainly a former NBC Leyland Leopard with Plaxton body and is in Greenfield for the band contest. As someone with a long-standing interest in Red and White, it was with great delight I saw this coach transporting the West Country Ozone Friendly Band to the Greenfield Whit Friday Band Contest. The driver told me the band originated from Cinderford. The coach was new to National Welsh as UC1212 (SDW 928Y), but was re-registered as shown and renumbered UC212, then UC912 and subsequent to the photograph, plain old 912. National Welsh re-registrations were always done through a pair of Lodekka driver taining vehicles, which as a result have carried probably a record number of different registrations. Of interest in the background is a Dennis’s Mercedes on one of the tendered 355 journeys. The Littleborough and Saddleworth Liberal Democrats bought this former Tyne and Wear Metropolitan without realising that it would not be doing their green credentials any good at all due to its voracious appetite for diesel! I remember these new to Tyne and Wear and thought they looked rather attractive in the yellow and cream livery of that fleet. On this occasion OTN 444R is rather provocatively supporting a party rally immediately opposite Greenfield Conservative Club. That fact did not escape the letter-writers to the Oldham Evening Chronicle! This Central Coaches vehicle is clearly taking a day off working the 407 (q.v.) and here, I presume, has brought a party to St. Anne's Primary School in Lydgate, parking on Burnedge Lane. Photo courtesy Eric Ogden. This coach was registered MRJ 358W when new in 1980 but by the date of this photo it was carrying the cherished mark MJI 5766. It is seen on Platting Road in Lydgate. Photo courtesy Eric Ogden. This short Dennis Javelin had a Duple body and had been new to Mayne's three years before this photo was taken in Uppermill bus station. Photo courtesy Eric Ogden. Uppermill Bus Station closed in this form in June 2006, but was unusually full on this awful evening in 1994 as it was the weekend of the GMTS North Western event and a trip was made to Diggle. Of course, genuine North Western buses never used this bus station as it wasn't built when they were in service. A rear view of the same group of buses. Parked in Grotton is an ex-Lothian Leyland Cub operated by Pioneer. This is a different bus from the one seen in the 352 collection. Photo courtesy Eric Ogden. Passing through Lydgate for reasons unknown on Whit Friday 1996 is Bluebird's M9 BLU. The filling station here is now but a memory. This bus has the cherished

Published in Saddleworth Buses

]]> Thu Jan 1 1970 School workings http://saddleworthbuses.fotopic.net/c1007951.html In earlier years the demand for school transport, which was in any case much less, was met by putting additional journeys on existing services. These were not usually dedicated services although sometimes they would only be used by schoolchildren. The closest to a dedicated school bus was the early morning journey on the 156 which went from Friezland Church to Uppermill via Dacres. This continued after the 156 service was abandoned as a 157 or 158 journey and still exists even today in an extended form as the 828. The first dedicated school bus operation I am aware of dates resulted from the opening of Colne Valley High School in Linthwaite in 1956. This was a comprehensive school and West Riding County Council started to send pupils from Saddleworth who had passed the 11 plus exam there rather than to the schools in Oldham. This needed dedicated transport as the Oldham to Huddersfield service at the time did not have the capacity, nor did it serve the new school well, as it was on top of a hill some distance from the bus route. By the mid-sixties a coach operator called A. Sevill of Mossley worked these services, but his vehicles were none too reliable and after a few years Stott’s of Oldham provided the vehicles. The contracts led to Stott’s buying double-deck buses for the first time and this introduced a lot of variety into the local scene as they were all second-hand. This operation survived until 1974, when local government reorganisation saw Saddleworth become part of Oldham Metropolitan Borough and all local authority education took place to the west of the Pennines. The Colne Valley service continued for several years until the last pupils had left. Latterly the Oldham to Huddersfield service diverted via the school at school start and finish times, something which involved quite a dramatic climb. Deregulation of buses in 1986 saw school workings become more obvious, as they were usually tendered by the PTE and often ended up with a different operator to the normal service. This situation still applies today. There has also been a gradual increase in the number of dedicated bus services to schools. This started many years ago with Rishworth School, which had not in any case got good existing links with most of Saddleworth. Nowadays there are school buses serving Blue Coat School, Hulme Grammar School, Manchester Grammar School and Crompton House School. I may even have missed some, but these services are often low profile except to parents of children at the schools. Some numbers allocated to school workings were as follows: 439 - Uppermill to Saddleworth Parochial School (up to 1980) 823 - Diggle to Uppermill 826 - Delph, Bleak Hey Nook, Diggle and Uppermill 828 - Friezland to Uppermill, later Mossley via Friezland to Uppermill There is also a thriving market in school transport when classes go on trips near or further afield. These do not normally appear in this collection with one exception, which is trips to Saddleworth Pool in Uppermill. This involves large vehicles, sometimes double-deckers, going up some most unlikely roads to get to the car park. I have not attempted a detailed history for this collection as it would be too complicated and in any case is not very well documented. Hopefully the photographs give a flavour of school bus operation. Tuesday 1 September 1964: In earlier years the demand for school transport, which was in any case much less, was met by putting additional journeys on existing services. These were not usually dedicated services although sometimes they would only be used by schoolchildren. The closest to a dedicated school bus was the early morning journey on the 156 which went from Friezland Church to Uppermill via Dacres. This continued after the 156 service was abandoned as a 157 or 158 journey and still exists even today in an extended form as the 828. The first dedicated school bus operation I am aware of dates resulted from the opening of Colne Valley High School in Linthwaite in 1956. This was a comprehensive school and West Riding County Council started to send pupils from Saddleworth who had passed the 11 plus exam there rather than to the schools in Oldham. This needed dedicated transport as the Oldham to Huddersfield service at the time did not have the capacity, nor did it serve the new school well, as it was on top of a hill some distance from the bus route. By the mid-sixties a coach operator called A. Sevill of Mossley worked these services, but his vehicles were none too reliable and after a few years Stott_s of Oldham provided the vehicles. The contracts led to Stott_s buying double-deck buses for the first time and this introduced a lot of variety into the local scene as they were all second-hand. This operation survived until 1974, when local government reorganisation saw Saddleworth become part of Oldham Metropolitan Borough and all local authority education took place to the west of the Pennines. The Colne Valley service continued for several years until the last pupils had left. Latterly the Oldham to Huddersfield service diverted via the school at school start and finish times, something which involved quite a dramatic climb. Deregulation of buses in 1986 saw school workings become more obvious, as they were usually tendered by the PTE and often ended up with a different operator to the normal service. This situation still applies today. There has also been a gradual increase in the number of dedicated bus services to schools. This started many years ago with Rishworth School, which had not in any case got good existing links with most of Saddleworth. Nowadays there are school buses serving Blue Coat School, Hulme Grammar School, Manchester Grammar School and Crompton House School. I may even have missed some, but these services are often low profile except to parents of children at the schools. Some numbers allocated to school workings were as follows: 439 - Uppermill to Saddleworth Parochial School (up to 1980) 823 - Diggle to Uppermill 826 - Delph, Bleak Hey Nook, Diggle and Uppermill 828 - Friezland to Uppermill, later Mossley via Friezland to Uppermill There is also a thriving market in school transport when classes go on trips near or further afield. These do not normally appear in this collection with one exception, which is trips to Saddleworth Pool in Uppermill. This involves large vehicles, sometimes double-deckers, going up some most unlikely roads to get to the car park. I have not attempted a detailed history for this collection as it would be too complicated and in any case is not very well documented. Hopefully the photographs give a flavour of school bus operation.

Colne Valley High School had its own bus station to deal with the transport for pupils from a wide area. Stott's used to take two buses over each day and leave one there to avoid dead mileage and former St Helens AEC Regent V 160 is clearly in that role. The school is set well up the hillside and this location can be very exposed. As Stott's didn't use route numbers the indicators of each of the pair of these Regent Vs (HDJ 757 and 760) were set to show the registration numbers. Handy for identifying the bus but not where it was going! Photo courtesy Geoff Lumb. Stott's Tours acquired this Massey-bodied PD2 from Turner's of Brown Edge in Staffordshire and it still showed signs of its origin by showing The paintwork on the Wigan livery seems to have been recently touched-up on JJP 509, which is approaching Greenfield station. This bus had been 133 in the Wigan fleet, later renumbered 3251 by GMT. In the right foreground can be seen the site of the former bus shelter, removed about four years previously. Taken on the same occasion as the previous shot, JJP 508 was working the other special from Colne Valley High School, which ran via Greenfield Clarence, Dacres and Well-i-hole, very much as the 828 does. The background to the right of this shot has changed enormously since redevlopment started and the Kingfisher pub now stands on that site. Having completed its small tour of the valley, JJP 508 has reached the top of the hill at Greenfield station. Behind can be seen early preparatory work to reclaim the site (now used for dog training) between the river and the canal. An offside view of JJP 508 at the same spot. This bus had been Wigan 132 and GMT 3250. I assume that this is a school working but the blind display does not give any clues. 5888 was a PD3/14 which was new to Stockport Corporation but spent most of its life working from Oldham garage. It is making its way carefully down Oldham Road in Grasscroft in the snowy winter of 1979. 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. This morning view shows Ribble 1632 leaving Uppermill on its return to the Manchester depot having worked a school trip from Denshaw to Uppermill. The dead mileage on this working would have been greatly in excess of the revenue mileage. This Leyland Leopard coach was destined to serve Mayne’s well. On this occasion it was returning to garage having worked the 828 service to Saddleworth School. This same coach can also be seen in the “Buses visiting Saddleworth” collection nearly twenty years later less than half a mile from this shot, by which time it had received a cherished registration. Ribble Atlanteans in Saddleworth were a surprising consequence of deregulation. 1630 is between Delph and Denshaw, approaching New Tame on a school journey from Saddleworth School to Denshaw. A closer view of Ribble 1630. This bus was originally Southdown 744. The Mayne’s red and cream livery suited the former GMT “Standards” very well. This one had originated as 7474 in that fleet before becoming Mayne’s 18. It is joining Oldham Road at the top of the hill at Greenfield station after working the afternoon 828 service. Even more variety in Uppermill bus station. To the right can just be seen a Checkmate Travel bus on the Bleak Hey Nook/Grains Bar run (826), whilst behind a Vale of Manchester Leopard waits to leave for Denshaw on the 352. In the foreground Pioneer work a 353 to Mossley and behind that is a Yorkshire Rider Olympian on the 365 headed for Oldham. Lost in the background are two GM Buses vehicles, a Metrobus and an Atlantean. Photo courtesy Eric Ogden. There is plenty of variety in the bus station in Uppermill as pupils start to appear from Saddleworth School. The 365 in the foreground had a delayed departure from Huddersfield to ensure that it arrived at Uppermill at the appropriate time, providing additional capacity in the direction of Grasscroft and Oldham. Checkmate's bus waits in Uppermill bus station for the pupils to finish school - very soon judging by the number of buses waiting. It clearly knows where it is headed and is facing the way it intends to leave, regardles of the other buses! Photo courtesy Eric Ogden. Checkmate’s Iveco F361 FNB has just made a sharp left hand turn at Bleak Hey Nook in front of the old Horse and Jockey Inn. It will now drop down the A62 to Delph Lane and thence to Denshaw and Grains Bar. The rural area served by the 826 means that such a small vehicle is quite sufficient. Checkmate’s N588 WND was new to Cheshire Bus and Coach and quite probably still on hire from them as that was their business. It is seen turning into Delph Lane at Castleshaw, having already served Bleak Hey Nook on its roundabout and scenic tour of Saddleworth. Ex-Cardiff Scanai J610 VDW is seen again, crossing the railway at Greenfield station. It is heading for Uppermill to work the morning 121 service, although showing 123 on the blinds - the 123 is the service from Broadbottom. Checkmate Travel's W575 JVV is on its way from the operator's base in Mossley to Uppermill, to work the afternoon trip to Denshaw. Stagecoach's principal contribution Saddleworth school services has been Alexander-bodied Olympians such as 16761, here waiting at temporary traffic lights on Oldham Road in Uppermill. The 828 turns down Chapel Road here and the bus is indicating that maneouvre. Stagecoach Olympian 16760 is ready to take schoolchildren home from Saddleworth School on the circuitous 828 service mentioned in the text. Photo courtesy Mark Amis. Checkmate Travel have been running in Saddleworth for about twenty years now, but their current operation is limted to a Saddleworth School working to Bleak Hey Nook, Delph and Denshaw. It is regularly worked by this vehicle, which still carries the livery of Nu-Venture of Aylesford, Kent, whence it was purchased. Photo courtesy Mark Amis. This Alexander-bodied Volvo B10M was new to Tayside. It is passing Greenfield station, probably on a working from Rishworth School. Photo courtesy Mark Amis. K Matt Coaches are from Failsworth and provide regular school transport. They have a double-decker, which is a Leyland Olympian new to Merseyside PTE. It has just turned off High Street in Uppermill up Smithy Lane towards Saddleworth Pool. Courtesy Coaches currently operate school buses to Rishworth and Blue Coat schools. However, this one seen at Wade Lock in Uppermill, although masquerading as a Blue Coat working (558) is actually taking a party to Saddleworth Pool. From September 2006 Stagecoach's vehicles were these Volvo B10M single-deckers instead of the Olympians used previously. 20949 has gone over the hump back bridge on Well-i-hole on the 828, now the only service using this road. The 803 is an odd service as it only works in one direction (in the afternoon). The morning working is as a 344. Both services run for the benefit of pupils at Mossley Hollins School and provide a link to top Mossley, Grotton and Lees. Stagecoach 16502 is seen at Mossley Brookbottom. The 121 is the school service run by Stott's from Uppermill to Hulme Grammar School. LUI 5816 is unloading in Uppermill Square following the afternoon return journey. This bus has a motley collection of ventilator styles and is missing one from the front upstairs! Swan's FN55 EDV is an Iveco with French-built Vehixel bodywork, specifically equipped for school bus operation. It is working to Saddleworth Pool on this occasion and is seen on Station Road in Uppermill. The high level viewpoint shows that on 16504, at least, the colours are carried across the roof although that has not been true of all repaints. At the top of the hill at Greenfield station, the bus will continue to Mossley. In contrast to the previous picture, it will be seen that the 828 reverted to double-deck operation. Courtesy Coaches have resurrected the famous Yelloway brand. On this occasion A15 YEL was ferrying schoolchildren back to various schools in Saddleworth following a joint event in Oldham. The previous shot showed this coach crossing the canal in Greenfield. In this shot it is seen from above and behind on Oldham Road, having just climbed the hill at the station. Swan's Iveco Scholarbus is seen again on Chew Valley Road, having dropped off a group of pupils at Shaw Street school. Stagecoach 16508 passes along Mossley Road in Grasscroft on the last leg of its roundabout journey from Saddleworth school to Mossley. Courtesy Coaches YCZ 4812 works the afternoon service from Blue Coat School in Oldham to Uppermill, which takes a circuitous route through Waterhead, Lees, Mossley, Roaches and Greenfield. It is almost at the end of the run, having passed through Greenfield and about to turn up Chapel Road to Uppermill. Service 122 (as displayed on a card in the windscreen) is a similar service to the 121 but serves Greenfield instead of Uppermill. Metrobus F813 YLV is on Chew Valley Road on its way to the Clarence Hotel. The bus working this service then proceeds along Manchester Road to Robert Scott's to work the afternnon service from there (see the Other Works Services collection). At the beginning of the 2007-2008 school year First took over the afternoon contract for the 828 and 31950 is on one of the their first workings on Manchester Road in Greenfield. The morning 828 is worked by Stott's of Oldham. On a glorious June day Metrobus LUI 5802 approaches Greenfield station. Stott's Scania J610 VDW came from Cardiff and is shaded from the bright morning sun on the morning run to Hulme Grammar School.

Published in Saddleworth Buses

]]> Tue Sep 1 1964 429 - Manchester to Greenfield and Huddersfield http://saddleworthbuses.fotopic.net/c1007949.html From 30th September 1996 certain journeys on the 427 (see the 427 and 429 Diggle collection) were diverted into Greenfield and given the number 429. The new 429 completely replaced the 180 on Sundays and in the evening. The daytime weekday service only ran to Hollinwood, but in the evening it continued to Manchester Piccadilly and, from October 14th, made a rather circuitous tour of the City Centre to end up at Victoria Station. On Sundays all journeys terminated at Piccadilly Gardens. The extension to Manchester Victoria was curtailed from 23rd June 1997. The Summer Sunday extensions of the 180 to Holmfirth and Huddersfield continued as the 429 every summer until (and including) 2000 - the fuller story of these is given in the 10 and 180 history. The story of the 429 matches closely that of the 427. From 25th October 1999 the terminal point in Manchester changed from Piccadilly Garden to Cannon Street. At the same time daytime journeys started running through to the City again. However, the situation reversed again from 3rd September 2000. A big increase in the number of 429s came about with timetable changes of 25th February 2001 with no less than three 429s an hour serving Greenfield. Combined with the 180 that gave four buses an hour into Oldham, a peak which was only otherwise seen on Saturdays in the immediate pre-war period. This high frequency service didn’t last long and the 429 was back to one an hour from 23rd September 2001. The final change to the 429 was from 24th February 2002, when Sunday evening services were cut back from Manchester to Hollinwood, meaning at that time Saddleworth had no through bus links to Manchester. The 429 was withdrawn as part of the major Saddleworth service reorganisation of 30th October 2004. It was replaced by withdrawing the Limited Stop status from the 180. The service was only ever worked by First Manchester. Monday 30 September 1996: From 30th September 1996 certain journeys on the 427 (see the 427 and 429 Diggle collection) were diverted into Greenfield and given the number 429. The new 429 completely replaced the 180 on Sundays and in the evening. The daytime weekday service only ran to Hollinwood, but in the evening it continued to Manchester Piccadilly and, from October 14th, made a rather circuitous tour of the City Centre to end up at Victoria Station. On Sundays all journeys terminated at Piccadilly Gardens. The extension to Manchester Victoria was curtailed from 23rd June 1997. The Summer Sunday extensions of the 180 to Holmfirth and Huddersfield continued as the 429 every summer until (and including) 2000 - the fuller story of these is given in the 10 and 180 history. The story of the 429 matches closely that of the 427. From 25th October 1999 the terminal point in Manchester changed from Piccadilly Garden to Cannon Street. At the same time daytime journeys started running through to the City again. However, the situation reversed again from 3rd September 2000. A big increase in the number of 429s came about with timetable changes of 25th February 2001 with no less than three 429s an hour serving Greenfield. Combined with the 180 that gave four buses an hour into Oldham, a peak which was only otherwise seen on Saturdays in the immediate pre-war period. This high frequency service didn_t last long and the 429 was back to one an hour from 23rd September 2001. The final change to the 429 was from 24th February 2002, when Sunday evening services were cut back from Manchester to Hollinwood, meaning at that time Saddleworth had no through bus links to Manchester. The 429 was withdrawn as part of the major Saddleworth service reorganisation of 30th October 2004. It was replaced by withdrawing the Limited Stop status from the 180. The service was only ever worked by First Manchester.

The driver of 5188 was taking no chances with the road conditions and had gone the long way round to avoid Station Brow. 5188 gingerly passes Greenfield Conservative Club on a wintery day. 4640 passes the King Bill in Greenfield on its way to Hollinwood on the last day of 1996. The bus is carrying the 5201 waits at the Greenfield Clarence terminus. Buses have always turned round in this junction at the Clarence. It has been made easier and safer in more recent years since the mini-roundabout was put there. 5314 (seen in an earlier shot) had also been working the extended service the day before (it was a bank holiday weekend) and is crossing Wessenden Moor. 5308 climbs above Greenfield towards Binn Green on the first journey of the day on the extension to Huddersfield. 5308 is in unfamiliar territory as it passes through Berry Brow, between Holmfirth and Huddersfield. 5314 is seen from an elevated viewpoint as it climbs Holmfirth Road with Dovestones reservoir visible behind. This reservoir was built in the early 'sixties and is used to regulate water flow in the River Tame. Conditions further down the valley were not the same as on the tops (see next photo) on the first day of operation for the 1998 season. Volvo 539 has an easy time of it with a very light load climbing above Binn Green. Now this one takes some explaining. This is the first day of operation of the summer extension of the 429 to Huddersfield for 1998 on Easter Sunday and yes, that is snow on the ground! I had been quite keen to photograph this working due to the conditions and was even more surprised to find a standard Metrobus. This was the only time I saw one on these workings although other photographers have captured other occasions. It is rounding the corner close to the sadly infamous Hollin Brown Knoll. Wright bodies were just starting to become a way of life in the area with the arrival of this batch of low-floor Dennis Darts. 6505 is caught by the evening sun as it climbs through Grasscroft towards Lydgate. 6516 nears Binn Green on the long climb out of Greenfield, again on the first journey of the day to Huddersfield. 5201 is seen again on the 429, this time on the summer extension to Huddersfield and repainted in the First Manchester orange applied to buses before the introduction of the new corporate colours on older vehicles. 5201 unloads a solitary passenger by the car park at Binn Green. The millstone in the background is the boundary marker for the Peak District National Park. 5572 was one of several Mark II Metrobuses transferred from Yorkshire Rider, with whom it was 7572. It has arrived at Greenfield Clarence terminus. The rear end advert on 5572 makes it almost disappear into the background in this location and would do so even more if there was a blue sky! The low winter sun has caught Cummins-engined Metrobus 5206 nicely as it starts the climb up the hill at Greenfield station. 5403 rests at the Clarence Hotel terminus with the snow-covered Pennines behind. These former Glasgow Metrobuses were still something of a novelty in the area at the time, but they came to be amongst the last of the type running in Saddleworth. A most surprising appearance on the 429 was this Volvo Citybus. Two of the type had been based at Oldham but as they were specifically for working one route (the 408) they were only rarely seen in Saddleworth and I never managed to photograph one. It was something most unusual when 7009 turned up on this occasion, as it was by then a Bury depot bus and on this occasion I didn't let the opportunity pass. Another view of 7009 at Greenfield Clarence with a Northern Counties Metrobus behind on the 180. Mercedes-Benz Citaro 328 is seen negotiating the bend on the hill at Greenfield station. Although the whole batch of these buses was, at the time, based in Oldham, they were rarely seen in Saddleworth and even less so on the 429. On a Sunday working, 3405 is seen in Leesbrook. This bus later became 30242 under the national numbering system and has now returned to West Yorkshire (whence it came when virtually new), running from Bramley depot in Leeds. On the last day of 2001 Dennis Dart 6506 (now 40412) climbs Oldham Road in Grasscroft, picked out in the winter sunshine. 3314 was a Leyland Olympian new to Bristol Omnibus as their 9604. It came to Manchester in 2000 but, along with its sister vehicles, did not come to Oldham until just before this photograph in 2002. 3314 is seen again just before the previous shot and has just reached the top of the hill at Greenfield station. This batch of buses had an unacceptable display as, despite being electronic, First Manchester only seemed capable of making it show a route number. This situation lasted for several years, in fact I believe some were still like that when the batch left Manchester for Scotland in 2008! Ex-Bristol Leyland Olympian 3314 has arrived at Greenfield Clarence and will shortly turn round at the roundabout. It became 30219 in the national numbering scheme. Dart 40344 was an unusual vehicle for the 429. It is almost at County End in Lees, the border between the old rivals of Lancashire and Yorkshire. Jackson Street, to the left of the bus, is where Oldham Corporation's O route (later 28) used to turn round, on some land a short distance down the street. The pub behind the bus was originally the Railway and Commercial, reflecting the nearby presence of a large railway yard and engine shed. It is better known nowadays as On the last Sunday of 429 operation, yet another Wright Crusader Dart (40430) is seen approaching Greenfield station. In the short time since the photo was taken five of the bus services shown on the bus stop flag have stopped calling there. 40430, seen earlier, is now descending the hill past the station. Rebuilding work in 2008 has seen the tin hut, erected in 1974, replaced by a much more substantial stone building befitting the importance of Greenfield station today. 60434 waits at the Hollinwood terminus with a Stott's Metrobus on the 427 behind, ready to follow as far as Grotton. Photo courtesy Mark Amis. The driver of 60438 seems to have stopped to let a passenger get off at the station, helpfully if somewhat unofficial. This was the last day of operation of the 429. Photo courtesy Mark Amis.

Published in Saddleworth Buses

]]> Mon Sep 30 1996 430 - Bury and Rochdale to Greenfield and Holmfirth http://saddleworthbuses.fotopic.net/c1007947.html The 430 appeared in 1985 as a Summer Sunday service from Rochdale to Greenfield. It was marketed as the "Saddleworth Link”. The route taken was from Rochdale to Newhey, using Buckstones Road to get to Grains Bar, then Denshaw, Delph, Uppermill and Greenfield. For 1986 the service was revised and extended. It now started in Bury and continued from Greenfield to Holmfirth. The route was also changed so that it went directly from Newhey to Denshaw. In its new guise it was marketed as “Pennine Edge”. It brought unfamiliar vehicles into Saddleworth as it was operated by the garages at Rochdale and Bury, The service ran in the 1987 season, but I am not aware of it continuing after that. Wednesday 1 May 1985: The 430 appeared in 1985 as a Summer Sunday service from Rochdale to Greenfield. It was marketed as the "Saddleworth Link_. The route taken was from Rochdale to Newhey, using Buckstones Road to get to Grains Bar, then Denshaw, Delph, Uppermill and Greenfield. For 1986 the service was revised and extended. It now started in Bury and continued from Greenfield to Holmfirth. The route was also changed so that it went directly from Newhey to Denshaw. In its new guise it was marketed as _Pennine Edge_. It brought unfamiliar vehicles into Saddleworth as it was operated by the garages at Rochdale and Bury, The service ran in the 1987 season, but I am not aware of it continuing after that.

7289 descends Buckstones Road with 7498 continuing its climb in the background. During the Rochdale holidays in September 1985 the 430 ran every day of the week. 7498 is climbing Buckstones Road in Shaw which was only used by this route for this one summer. 8485 was an Atlantean working from Bury depot in very unfamiliar surroundings on Chew Valley Road in Greenfield. Despite being a Bury depot bus it is only working as far as Rochdale - the timetable was complicated and it is not easy to follow what each bus did. 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.

Published in Saddleworth Buses

]]> Wed May 1 1985 556, 561 and 562 - Manchester and Oldham to Halifax http://saddleworthbuses.fotopic.net/c1007944.html These services have their origins in the period just before deregulation. The abandonment by Yorkshire Woollen of the service from Manchester to Bradford led to the extension of certain journeys on the West Yorkshire PTE Halifax to Rishworth service over the moors to Oldham. This was given the number 561 which was once allocated to a much shorter extension as far as Cunning Corner, about one mile from Rishworth. With deregulation from 26th October 1986 a new service appeared on the scene which replaced the 561. This was the 556 which went from Oldham to Denshaw, Rishworth, Ripponden, Barkisland, West Vale and Halifax. This was quite a scenic route and the tender was won by Yelloway, who had decided (unwisely as it turned out) to move from their traditional luxury coach market into stage carriage operation. The decision resulted in the acquisition of a large fleet of second-hand buses which brought great variety for the enthusiast but severely stretched maintenance resources. The biggest surprise was the use of double-deckers on the 556. The service was extended to Manchester Piccadilly from 2nd November 1987 except in the evenings and on Sundays. Maintenance problems led to Yelloway’s operations being handed over to Crosville Motor Services from 20th November 1988. Crosville was traditionally the main operator in North and Mid Wales and it seemed bizarre seeing their vehicles crossing the Pennines. Crosville themselves had only recently been bought by ATL Holdings who also owned Yelloway and the move was intended to start with a clean sheet following the severe maintenance problems. Crosville’s operation did not last long, as from 26th February 1989 Yorkshire Rider started operation of 556. By 1991 the service had reverted to the direct route through Sowerby Bridge between Halifax and Ripponden and became the 562, an extension of the Halifax to Rishworth service. The 562 did not run to Manchester too long and was cut back to Oldham about 1992. In this period certain Sunday journeys were diverted to use the A640 road from Denshaw and were routed through Barkisland, a road that had only previously seen operation by North Western in the ‘twenties - and not without reason, there’s nothing there! The service from inception had diverted off the main road in Moorside to serve Pennine Meadows, but from 15th March 1998 most journeys reverted to the main road. At the same time the Sunday service was revised and through journeys were only every two hours, short workings being introduced to Denshaw to give an hourly service. From this date both Greater Manchester and Calderline operated the service and to utilise vehicles properly the Calderline vehicles worked short journeys from Oldham to Denshaw and the Oldham buses worked journeys on Calderline’s 560 service from Halifax to Commons (above Rishworth). The first through 562 journey on a Sunday was also diverted via Commons, a feature which lasted until the end of 562 operation. A minor change from 25th February 2001 saw the service extended to use the new Cheapside Bus Station in Oldham. The final extension to the service came from 4th April 2005 when daytime journeys were extended to Royton and the service once more served Pennine Meadows during the day. The through service finished after 28th January 2006 except, bizarrely, on a Sunday. At other times a truncated Oldham to Denshaw service was operated by Vale of Manchester. The Sunday operations continued until 16th April 2006, from which date the Oldham to Denshaw service resurrected the 407 number (see that collection). One of the reasons for the renumbering is that 562 was a number in a West Yorkshire series and there was already a 562 service in Greater Manchester. This had resulted latterly in buses with electronic blind displays going to Halifax showing “562 Withins Circular” as they had not been programmed for the Halifax service. The main operation of the 562 has been by the operators described above, although latterly most workings were by First Manchester. It was complicated in latter years as it was transferred between the First depots at Oldham and Halifax without the timetable leaflets reflecting the fact. Other operators have worked school journeys and peak hour short workings from Denshaw to Oldham as shown below: Vale of Manchester - School journeys 1994 to 1997 Bee Line - Evening peak journeys 1994 to 1995 Stott’s - -School journeys 2001 to 2002 Dennis’s - School journeys 2002 to 2005 Stagecoach - School journeys 2005 to 2006 Note that this list may not be complete or fully accurate. Any corrections welcomed! Wednesday 1 January 1986: These services have their origins in the period just before deregulation. The abandonment by Yorkshire Woollen of the service from Manchester to Bradford led to the extension of certain journeys on the West Yorkshire PTE Halifax to Rishworth service over the moors to Oldham. This was given the number 561 which was once allocated to a much shorter extension as far as Cunning Corner, about one mile from Rishworth. With deregulation from 26th October 1986 a new service appeared on the scene which replaced the 561. This was the 556 which went from Oldham to Denshaw, Rishworth, Ripponden, Barkisland, West Vale and Halifax. This was quite a scenic route and the tender was won by Yelloway, who had decided (unwisely as it turned out) to move from their traditional luxury coach market into stage carriage operation. The decision resulted in the acquisition of a large fleet of second-hand buses which brought great variety for the enthusiast but severely stretched maintenance resources. The biggest surprise was the use of double-deckers on the 556. The service was extended to Manchester Piccadilly from 2nd November 1987 except in the evenings and on Sundays. Maintenance problems led to Yelloway_s operations being handed over to Crosville Motor Services from 20th November 1988. Crosville was traditionally the main operator in North and Mid Wales and it seemed bizarre seeing their vehicles crossing the Pennines. Crosville themselves had only recently been bought by ATL Holdings who also owned Yelloway and the move was intended to start with a clean sheet following the severe maintenance problems. Crosville_s operation did not last long, as from 26th February 1989 Yorkshire Rider started operation of 556. By 1991 the service had reverted to the direct route through Sowerby Bridge between Halifax and Ripponden and became the 562, an extension of the Halifax to Rishworth service. The 562 did not run to Manchester too long and was cut back to Oldham about 1992. In this period certain Sunday journeys were diverted to use the A640 road from Denshaw and were routed through Barkisland, a road that had only previously seen operation by North Western in the _twenties - and not without reason, there_s nothing there! The service from inception had diverted off the main road in Moorside to serve Pennine Meadows, but from 15th March 1998 most journeys reverted to the main road. At the same time the Sunday service was revised and through journeys were only every two hours, short workings being introduced to Denshaw to give an hourly service. From this date both Greater Manchester and Calderline operated the service and to utilise vehicles properly the Calderline vehicles worked short journeys from Oldham to Denshaw and the Oldham buses worked journeys on Calderline_s 560 service from Halifax to Commons (above Rishworth). The first through 562 journey on a Sunday was also diverted via Commons, a feature which lasted until the end of 562 operation. A minor change from 25th February 2001 saw the service extended to use the new Cheapside Bus Station in Oldham. The final extension to the service came from 4th April 2005 when daytime journeys were extended to Royton and the service once more served Pennine Meadows during the day. The through service finished after 28th January 2006 except, bizarrely, on a Sunday. At other times a truncated Oldham to Denshaw service was operated by Vale of Manchester. The Sunday operations continued until 16th April 2006, from which date the Oldham to Denshaw service resurrected the 407 number (see that collection). One of the reasons for the renumbering is that 562 was a number in a West Yorkshire series and there was already a 562 service in Greater Manchester. This had resulted latterly in buses with electronic blind displays going to Halifax showing _562 Withins Circular_ as they had not been programmed for the Halifax service. The main operation of the 562 has been by the operators described above, although latterly most workings were by First Manchester. It was complicated in latter years as it was transferred between the First depots at Oldham and Halifax without the timetable leaflets reflecting the fact. Other operators have worked school journeys and peak hour short workings from Denshaw to Oldham as shown below: Vale of Manchester - School journeys 1994 to 1997 Bee Line - Evening peak journeys 1994 to 1995 Stott_s - -School journeys 2001 to 2002 Dennis_s - School journeys 2002 to 2005 Stagecoach - School journeys 2005 to 2006 Note that this list may not be complete or fully accurate. Any corrections welcomed!

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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. Wearing the National Express livery with red and blue stripes was Ribble’s 1032, on hire to Yelloway. Yelloway ECS 58V is in the distance making its steady way up Elland Road out of Ripponden towards Barkisland. 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! The Ribble Leopard coaches hired to Yelloway carried a variety of liveries, including this dual-purpose NBC livery on 1030 crossing Rishworth Moor. 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. 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! 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. 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. 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! 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! 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. 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! 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. 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. DVG 561 heads towards Ripponden and Halifax in the evening sun. This photograph sums up well the revenue-earning potential of this route! 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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! 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. 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. 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. Yelloway 41 has made the steep climb out of Greetland and is headed for Barkisland. This particular National started life as PMT 249. 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. Heading back from Halifax, again on the last day of Crosville operation of this service, re-engined National SNG 422 nears the M62. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. On a sunnier day some years earlier and still owned by Yorkshire Rider, similar 1672 climbs up towards Windy Hill. 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! 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.

Published in Saddleworth Buses

]]> Wed Jan 1 1986 O, S, T, 27, 28, 29, 427 & 429 - Manchester, Hollinwood, Grotton and Diggle http://saddleworthbuses.fotopic.net/c1007940.html TRAM ORIGINS The lines to Hollinwood via Hollins and the Lees boundary at Leesbrook were authorised by the Oldham Corporation Act 1899. The service to the Lees boundary formally opened on 15th June 1901 and to Hollinwood via Hollins on 18th July of the same year. These were short sections of route operated by single cars as at this stage the routes through the town centre were leased to the Manchester Carriage and Tramways Company until 31st October 1901 and still worked by horse cars. During the spring of 1902 the Hollins Road service was extended through the town centre to Middleton Road and the Lees boundary service extended to Hollinwood via Werneth as the town centre tracks were electrified. Later that same year the services changed to become Hill Stores to Hollinwood via Hollins and Lees boundary to Chadderton boundary but the latter reverted to Lees boundary to Werneth Fire Station from 17th January 1903. On 18th May the Hill Stores to Hollinwood service was integrated with the Moorside and Market Place one to give a through service from Moorside to Hollinwood. The Moorside line was extended to Grains Bar from 3rd June 1914. The line from the Lees boundary to County End was authorised under the Lees Urban District Council Order of 1902 and opened on 1st August 1903, by which time the service was operating from County End to Hollinwood via Werneth. Route numbers were introduced in 1920, replacing the coloured lights previously used: 2 - Hollinwood to Lees County End (formerly white) 5 - Hollinwood to Grains Bar (formerly green) 6 - Hollinwood to Moorside (formerly green) BUSES FOR TRAMS Trams to Lees were replaced by buses from 2nd May 1928; these operated from Market Place to Grotton as service O. There was no suitable place for buses to turn round at County End initially so all buses had to go to Grotton. Correspondence having been exchanged with Springhead UDC with regard to widening the end of Station Road to allow it to be used as a bus terminus. In 1930 a bus terminus was created at Lees County End which was actually in Jackson Street, Springhead, whose UDC again were involved in consenting to the proposals. This led to buses going into a different county just to turn round! Trams to Grains Bar ran for the last time on 23rd December 1928 and the tram service from Hollinwood then terminated at Mumps Bridge, only to be further shortened to Market Place from 14th October 1929. From 22nd December 1935 this tram service was replaced by extending the Grotton and Lees bus services to Hollinwood. Shortly after different route letters were introduced for variants. Letter O was used for buses from Lees County End to Hollinwood, S was used for short workings from Clarksfield Road to Heron Street, Hollins and T was used for full-length workings from Grotton to Hollinwood. BUS SERVICE DEVELOPMENT The O, S and T was by far the largest revenue generator for Oldham Corporation’s fleet and as a consequence it generally got the newest buses. An additional variant was introduced in April 1951 when some journeys on the O were diverted in Lees to serve Stamford Road. This service followed the route of a tramway authorised under the Lees Urban District Council Order of 1902 as far as Hey but never built. The S service short workings gradually disappeared in the 1960s, although I recall them making occasional brief reappearances. With increasing traffic levels and numbers of parked cars the terminii in any case became less suitable for reversing buses. From 1st April 1968 the services were renumbered - T to 27, O Lees County End to 28 and O Stamford Road to 29, finally giving this route its own designation. Notably no number was allocated to the erstwhile S service. Under SELNEC control 400 was added to these numbers from 2nd December 1973, although by this time County End was no longer in use as a terminus and 428 was not used. From 19th July 1981 the services were converted to one-man operation and the Stamford Road service became a circular, with buses from Hollinwood to Stamford Road via Huddersfield Road taking the unusued number 428. POST-DEREGULATION VARIATION AND EXTENSION The 428 and 429 services were withdrawn at deregulation, from 26th October 1986 and Stamford Road served by a diverted 343. However Stott’s introduction of their 416 and 417 services from 26th January 1987 saw GM Buses introduce an Oldham to Stamford Road circular in retaliation. Also at deregulation the previous Diggle to Oldham service, the 431, was replaced by extending one journey an hour on the GM Buses 427 (Hollinwood to Grotton) to Diggle through Uppermill and Dobcross village. However, this did not last very long, as from 6th September 1987 a new 429 service was introduced. This linked Diggle with Hathershaw and also involved a diversion from Lees along St. John’s Street and Stamford Road to enter Oldham along Huddersfield Road. Hathershaw was reached directly down Ashton Road. On Sundays the 429 operated from Diggle to Uppermill only, connecting with the 184. An extension was made into Fitton Hill from Hathershaw on 1st February 1988. By 1990 the service had been diverted yet again in Hathershaw, to go along Hollins Road and to Limeside. Yet by 1991 a more significant change resulted in buses from Diggle going to Mills Hill, reaching there via Burnley Lane and Chadderton Hall Road. From 21st April that year the Sunday service was withdrawn and the evening service reduced. Alongside these changes to the 429, the 427 had been extended to serve Uppermill in the evenings and Sundays from 22nd July 1990, replacing the 184 at those times. A more extensive change had taken place by 1992 (unfortunately I don’t have an exact date), when the 429 service ceased and Diggle was served by a further extension of the 427. The last bus from Diggle to Oldham went via Scouthead instead of Uppermill as a 183. From 6th July 1992 some journeys (including most from Diggle) were extended to Manchester Chorlton Street bus station. From 31st January 1994 services were diverted off Oldham Road at Hollinwood to reach Manchester along Roman Road and Ashton Road West in Failsworth. This didn’t last too long and by 1995 the 427 had returned to the original route along Oldham Road. At the same time the terminus in Manchester moved to the Arndale Bus Station. From 30th September 1996 the daytime weekday 427 service only ran to Hollinwood, but in the evening it continued to Manchester, now going into Piccadilly and, from October 14th, it made a rather circuitous tour of the City Centre to end up at Victoria Station. On Sundays all journeys terminated at Piccadilly Gardens, but by this stage no evening and Sunday journeys went to Diggle. The extension to Manchester Victoria was curtailed from 23rd June 1997. Then from 25th October 1999 the desire to seek further terminal points in Manchester led to a change from Piccadilly Garden to Cannon Street. At the same time daytime journeys started running through to the City again. However, the situation reversed again from 3rd September 2000. From 19th March 2003 Stott’s Tours recommenced stage carriage operation when they worked an additional daytime service from Grotton to Hollinwood. This continued until 2nd January 2008, although it is quite possible that the last journeys ran before Christmas 2007. The remaining 427 journeys were withdrawn by First Manchester as part of the major Saddleworth service reorganisation of 30th October 2004. They were replaced by withdrawing the Limited Stop status from the 180 and 184 and, after a short gap, the introduction of the new 183 service (q.v.). In addition to GM Buses and its successors, these services have been worked by other operators as follows: Crosville - 429 evening and Sunday service from 1988 to 1990. Bee Line Buzz Company - 429 evening and Sunday service by 1990 to 1991. One late journey from Oldham to Hollinwood on the 427 from 1991 to 1993. An early Uppermill to Oldham journey from 1992 to 1993. Evening journeys to Diggle by 1994 to 1997 (with a break during 1995). North Western - A school journey on the 429 by 1990 to 1991. Tame Valley - 429 evening service (latterly as 427) from 1991 (ceased by 1994). A solitary 0005 departure from Uppermill to Oldham on Fridays and Saturdays by 1994 to 1995. Bluebird - An early morning Oldham to Hollinwood 427 journey by 1992 to 1993. An early Saturday morning journey from Grotton to Oldham from 1995 to 1996. Citibus - An early Saturday morning journey from Grotton to Oldham from 1993 to 1995, two early morning journeys on Mondays to Fridays 1995. Dennis’s Coaches - Evening journeys to Diggle in 1995. Stott’s Tours - Daytime Grotton to Hollinwood journeys from 2003 to 2008 County Coaches - School journey 2003 to 2004. Stagecoach Manchester - Have also worked schools journeys but these are not noted in the timetables. Wednesday 2 May 1928: TRAM ORIGINS The lines to Hollinwood via Hollins and the Lees boundary at Leesbrook were authorised by the Oldham Corporation Act 1899. The service to the Lees boundary formally opened on 15th June 1901 and to Hollinwood via Hollins on 18th July of the same year. These were short sections of route operated by single cars as at this stage the routes through the town centre were leased to the Manchester Carriage and Tramways Company until 31st October 1901 and still worked by horse cars. During the spring of 1902 the Hollins Road service was extended through the town centre to Middleton Road and the Lees boundary service extended to Hollinwood via Werneth as the town centre tracks were electrified. Later that same year the services changed to become Hill Stores to Hollinwood via Hollins and Lees boundary to Chadderton boundary but the latter reverted to Lees boundary to Werneth Fire Station from 17th January 1903. On 18th May the Hill Stores to Hollinwood service was integrated with the Moorside and Market Place one to give a through service from Moorside to Hollinwood. The Moorside line was extended to Grains Bar from 3rd June 1914. The line from the Lees boundary to County End was authorised under the Lees Urban District Council Order of 1902 and opened on 1st August 1903, by which time the service was operating from County End to Hollinwood via Werneth. Route numbers were introduced in 1920, replacing the coloured lights previously used: 2 - Hollinwood to Lees County End (formerly white) 5 - Hollinwood to Grains Bar (formerly green) 6 - Hollinwood to Moorside (formerly green) BUSES FOR TRAMS Trams to Lees were replaced by buses from 2nd May 1928; these operated from Market Place to Grotton as service O. There was no suitable place for buses to turn round at County End initially so all buses had to go to Grotton. Correspondence having been exchanged with Springhead UDC with regard to widening the end of Station Road to allow it to be used as a bus terminus. In 1930 a bus terminus was created at Lees County End which was actually in Jackson Street, Springhead, whose UDC again were involved in consenting to the proposals. This led to buses going into a different county just to turn round! Trams to Grains Bar ran for the last time on 23rd December 1928 and the tram service from Hollinwood then terminated at Mumps Bridge, only to be further shortened to Market Place from 14th October 1929. From 22nd December 1935 this tram service was replaced by extending the Grotton and Lees bus services to Hollinwood. Shortly after different route letters were introduced for variants. Letter O was used for buses from Lees County End to Hollinwood, S was used for short workings from Clarksfield Road to Heron Street, Hollins and T was used for full-length workings from Grotton to Hollinwood. BUS SERVICE DEVELOPMENT The O, S and T was by far the largest revenue generator for Oldham Corporation_s fleet and as a consequence it generally got the newest buses. An additional variant was introduced in April 1951 when some journeys on the O were diverted in Lees to serve Stamford Road. This service followed the route of a tramway authorised under the Lees Urban District Council Order of 1902 as far as Hey but never built. The S service short workings gradually disappeared in the 1960s, although I recall them making occasional brief reappearances. With increasing traffic levels and numbers of parked cars the terminii in any case became less suitable for reversing buses. From 1st April 1968 the services were renumbered - T to 27, O Lees County End to 28 and O Stamford Road to 29, finally giving this route its own designation. Notably no number was allocated to the erstwhile S service. Under SELNEC control 400 was added to these numbers from 2nd December 1973, although by this time County End was no longer in use as a terminus and 428 was not used. From 19th July 1981 the services were converted to one-man operation and the Stamford Road service became a circular, with buses from Hollinwood to Stamford Road via Huddersfield Road taking the unusued number 428. POST-DEREGULATION VARIATION AND EXTENSION The 428 and 429 services were withdrawn at deregulation, from 26th October 1986 and Stamford Road served by a diverted 343. However Stott_s introduction of their 416 and 417 services from 26th January 1987 saw GM Buses introduce an Oldham to Stamford Road circular in retaliation. Also at deregulation the previous Diggle to Oldham service, the 431, was replaced by extending one journey an hour on the GM Buses 427 (Hollinwood to Grotton) to Diggle through Uppermill and Dobcross village. However, this did not last very long, as from 6th September 1987 a new 429 service was introduced. This linked Diggle with Hathershaw and also involved a diversion from Lees along St. John_s Street and Stamford Road to enter Oldham along Huddersfield Road. Hathershaw was reached directly down Ashton Road. On Sundays the 429 operated from Diggle to Uppermill only, connecting with the 184. An extension was made into Fitton Hill from Hathershaw on 1st February 1988. By 1990 the service had been diverted yet again in Hathershaw, to go along Hollins Road and to Limeside. Yet by 1991 a more significant change resulted in buses from Diggle going to Mills Hill, reaching there via Burnley Lane and Chadderton Hall Road. From 21st April that year the Sunday service was withdrawn and the evening service reduced. Alongside these changes to the 429, the 427 had been extended to serve Uppermill in the evenings and Sundays from 22nd July 1990, replacing the 184 at those times. A more extensive change had taken place by 1992 (unfortunately I don_t have an exact date), when the 429 service ceased and Diggle was served by a further extension of the 427. The last bus from Diggle to Oldham went via Scouthead instead of Uppermill as a 183. From 6th July 1992 some journeys (including most from Diggle) were extended to Manchester Chorlton Street bus station. From 31st January 1994 services were diverted off Oldham Road at Hollinwood to reach Manchester along Roman Road and Ashton Road West in Failsworth. This didn_t last too long and by 1995 the 427 had returned to the original route along Oldham Road. At the same time the terminus in Manchester moved to the Arndale Bus Station. From 30th September 1996 the daytime weekday 427 service only ran to Hollinwood, but in the evening it continued to Manchester, now going into Piccadilly and, from October 14th, it made a rather circuitous tour of the City Centre to end up at Victoria Station. On Sundays all journeys terminated at Piccadilly Gardens, but by this stage no evening and Sunday journeys went to Diggle. The extension to Manchester Victoria was curtailed from 23rd June 1997. Then from 25th October 1999 the desire to seek further terminal points in Manchester led to a change from Piccadilly Garden to Cannon Street. At the same time daytime journeys started running through to the City again. However, the situation reversed again from 3rd September 2000. From 19th March 2003 Stott_s Tours recommenced stage carriage operation when they worked an additional daytime service from Grotton to Hollinwood. This continued until 2nd January 2008, although it is quite possible that the last journeys ran before Christmas 2007. The remaining 427 journeys were withdrawn by First Manchester as part of the major Saddleworth service reorganisation of 30th October 2004. They were replaced by withdrawing the Limited Stop status from the 180 and 184 and, after a short gap, the introduction of the new 183 service (q.v.). In addition to GM Buses and its successors, these services have been worked by other operators as follows: Crosville - 429 evening and Sunday service from 1988 to 1990. Bee Line Buzz Company - 429 evening and Sunday service by 1990 to 1991. One late journey from Oldham to Hollinwood on the 427 from 1991 to 1993. An early Uppermill to Oldham journey from 1992 to 1993. Evening journeys to Diggle by 1994 to 1997 (with a break during 1995). North Western - A school journey on the 429 by 1990 to 1991. Tame Valley - 429 evening service (latterly as 427) from 1991 (ceased by 1994). A solitary 0005 departure from Uppermill to Oldham on Fridays and Saturdays by 1994 to 1995. Bluebird - An early morning Oldham to Hollinwood 427 journey by 1992 to 1993. An early Saturday morning journey from Grotton to Oldham from 1995 to 1996. Citibus - An early Saturday morning journey from Grotton to Oldham from 1993 to 1995, two early morning journeys on Mondays to Fridays 1995. Dennis_s Coaches - Evening journeys to Diggle in 1995. Stott_s Tours - Daytime Grotton to Hollinwood journeys from 2003 to 2008 County Coaches - School journey 2003 to 2004. Stagecoach Manchester - Have also worked schools journeys but these are not noted in the timetables.

The Leyland Titan TD3 certainly marked a visual step forward in design with the deeper radiator. 58 was the first of this model with Oldham and the first of forty-one Titans to be bodied by English Electric in the 1930s, making them the second most important body supplier to Oldham in this period (after Roe). 58 is on High Street and heading for Grotton on the O service, it was only later on that workings to Grotton gained a separate route letter T. Photo courtesy Roy Marshall. This picture of Oldham High Street will no doubt bring back memories for those who shopped there. Firstly there is the news stand at the bottom of Hilton Arcade, a busy and useful facility right next to the express (10/13/14) bus stop. Then there was Market Avenue, another arcade behind the bus. This was more popular with the youth of the time as it contained two record shops! Although the Hilton Arcade has been refurbished, it hasn't recaptured the vitality of these once-popular thoroughfares. Photo courtesy Roy Marshall. Oldham's 382 is still in pretty original condition with lining out, but has now got flashing trafficators instead of its original semaphore indicators. It is also clearly a little battle-weary and due for a repaint. This batch of buses served Oldham well, but were very confusing as the allocation of fleet numbers and registration numbers was mixed up and they didn't correspond, even though they could have done. Photo courtesy Alan Cross. Oldham PD2/3 353 is at the Hollinwood-bound stop at the top of George Street. It is almost new and the tram tracks are still visible in the street although they wouldn't have been used for some years. Where this bus is standing is now part of the Spindles shopping centre. The buses from Hollinwood used to travel part way up George Street before turning into St. Peter Street (just below where 353 is). This street was shared with the H bus to Denshaw (see that collection). Photo courtesy Alan Cross. Also on High Street, but many years before, was Oldham's 178. The interest in this shot is that it shows a working on the S, a service rarely photographed, mainly because its operation was generally confined to peak hours. Behind is another TD5, 201, but this time one of the large batch with Roe bodies. Photo courtesy Ted Jones. There is now a much bigger taxi rank in the same location at the top of Greaves Street, a reflection of changing travel habits. The original cabin at the taxi rank, as depicted here, is long gone. Alongside PD2 448, still in original lined-out livery, heads for Hollinwood. Photo courtesy Ted Jones. This picture shows what I always consider to be the New Oldham PD3 104 looks slightly out of place amongst the traditional Oldham enamel bus stop flags and standards for a tram service that had ceased more than thirty years earlier. However, new concrete lamp-posts are already in place and the scene is about to change considerably, with the exception of the substantial Lees Brook Mill. Photo courtesy Tony Moyes. All-Leyland PD2 371 symbolizes an older order as it passes the same spot. As the next shots show, the buildings in the left background have been demolished, opening up the view somewhat, as well as allowing in some welcome greenery. Photo courtesy Tony Moyes. This is the first of three photographs of Oldham 368 at the terminus in Station Road, Grotton which show just how busy the T service used to be. Four other buses can be seen turning round in the time 368 was there. One reason was that most buses continued to Grotton as the Lees terminus was very restricted and if too many buses tried to turn there everything would gridlock. Photo courtesy Eric Ogden. 368 is seen again in company with a Crossley-bodied Daimler CVD6 and PD2 416. The older buses are showing X which was the universal display for trips back to garage from anywhere. Photo courtesy Eric Ogden. As well as 368 and 416, two Atlanteans from the first batch (121-130) can be seen on this shot. 368 was rescued for preservation (one of the first buses preserved in the area) and today resides at the Greater Manchester Transport Museum in Boyle Street, Manchester. Photo courtesy Eric Ogden. 239 was one of the first postwar buses delivered to Oldham which enabled the last tram route, the 20 to Waterhead, to close. There were fourteen of them and they were the only 7'-6 368 was the last bus in the Oldham fleet that was not a Leyland and made a farewell tour of Oldham just prior to withdrawal at the end of 1967. It is seen here parked at the Lees County End terminus, which was in Jackson Street, although whoever set the blinds had not been very accurate as it was the O that went to here, not the T. Photo courtesy Stan Fitton. Oldham Atlantean 159 passes through the nightmare that was the Market Place of the late sixties and seventies, a concrete creation of ugly subways. Although this stretch of road is now pedestrianised, most of the buildings visible are still in existence. 159 was delivered uniquely fitted with hopper ventilators instead of the normal sliding type, but as can be seen from this photograph taken when it was barely two years old, they were soon replaced with standard units. Photo courtesy Roy Marshall. Just slightly lower down George Street is earlier Atlantean 127. Only this batch was delivered in the crimson and white livery, which I thought looked particularly smart on this type of bus. Photo courtesy Roy Marshall. This is a superbly panned shot of 156 passing under Mumps Bridge having just left Lees Road. The area has been cleared for the new roundabout but the road layout is as yet unchanged. The bus sadly reflects the condition of a lot of the fleet at the time, with all sorts of minor dents and scratches. The bottom trim is also missing from the rear engine housing and I recall this as being quite common then. Photo courtesy Roy Marshall. 409 was the only one of this batch of Crossley-bodied PD2s to actually run for SELNEC. This shot is in very early SELNEC days as the bus has SELNEC legal lettering but still has the small Oldham coat-of-arms on the grille. The story of this batch can be found with the picture of 410 in the 153 collection. Evidence of the rebuilding can be seen in the windows - those downstairs, where the rebuilding took place, are flush fitting whilst the upstairs ones are recessed. Photo courtesy Roy Marshall. The end of Lees Road just before the completion of the roundabout at Mumps (see the picture in the 14 and 184 collection for more details). 438 (as I believe it was) is still in full Oldham Corporation livery, complete with coats of arms and lettering on the upper panels. These were quite quickly painted out and within six months of taking this photo had disappeared completely. This was my first sighting of Atlantean 126 following its return to traffic (possibly that day) after a major rebuild as a result of hitting a lamppost on Broadway almost a year earlier. The bus remained distinctive as one of three of the single-door Atlanteans (the others being 168 and 171) to have the destination display lowered to facilitate operation by the driver from downstairs (you originally had to go upstairs to change the blinds). 126 is leaving a particularly damp and dismal Wallshaw Place. On a chilly St. Valentine's Day in 1970, Oldham Atlantean 141 waits at the terminus in Jackson Street, Lees. By this date it was actually owned by SELNEC but it was too early in that organisation's existence for any evidence of ownership to be visible. To the left is a lorry belonging to Alfred Taylor (Alco) the builder's merchant that occupied much of the site for many years. Former Oldham Atlantean 125 still carries the corporation fleet number plate, SELNEC has been in existence less than a year. It is climbing Copsterhill Road which is completely devoid of parked cars, unlike today. Front-entrance PD3 103 loads up at the top of Copsterhill Road whilst working a 28 to Lees County End. Bottom o'th Moor had taken on an appearance which is still familiar today in 1970. 5121 is leaving Cross Street, the route taken by this service at that time whilst the roundabout was completed. Atlantean 5139 is on the King Street roundabout on a very wet morning and is being hotly pursued by a North Western Loline on the 14 to Uppermill. 124 was one of the first of the Oldham Atlanteans to lose the ventilators on the front windows, a process Alan Holland is still trying to reverse in the restoration of the later, but similar, 163. This shot shows how some buses used the link road and others went to the bottom of West Street. I was never clear which was the official route. The finishing touches are being put to the roundabout at Mumps as Atlantean 144 passes under the railway bridge on its way to Grotton. Copsterhill Road is quiet on this dull September Sunday as Atlantean 136 passes on its way to Grotton. A rather shaky shot, I'm afraid, showing Oldham 396 in Springhead, passing what is now the end of the link road to Shade Avenue but was at this time a small park. The green Ford Transit to the right of the bus belonged to Saddleworth Urban District Council. Another Stockport bus is seen in almost the same location a couple of years earlier, but this one had a Crossley body and spent some years at Oldham. Clearly visible to the left is the cutting through which once passed the Oldham to Greenfield railway line, closed some seven years earlier. The cutting is now filled in. Parking on Lees Road was quite straightforward then! This somewhat shaky shot has been included as it is from an unusual angle. It shows the back of a similar PD2 which has by this stage received Oldham's pommard and cream livery and its SELNEC fleet number 5341. Whilst much in this view is unchanged, to the left of the bus can be seen the former Bardsley's bookshop (closed when they moved into St. Peter's precinct) and Greenwood's. Both these buildings were subsequenctly demolished to make way for the entrance to St. Mary's Way. 5337 is on the link road between Manchester Street and West Street. Traffic now goes the opposite way on this stretch of road. 5297 is at Rhodes Bank working a journey to Stamford Road. In the era of route letters such journeys were shown as 'O', the same as those to County End, but with the change to numbers the opportunity was taken to give a separate identification. Giacomo and Piero was one of two Italian hairdressers here, the other one (not visible) being Mario and Pasquale. The Dunn's shop to the right was in the standard traditional style of that very traditional chain of men's outfitters. This style incorporated coats-of-arms of the various towns in which they had branches in stained glass panels above the main shop window. 5342 has turned into Cross Street and will shortly join Lees Road. This bus was one of the later examples of the batch that did not receive full overhauls by SELNEC, but were given a less thorough overhaul and the paintwork touched-up. The expectation was that these buses would be rapidly replaced by new buses suitable for one-man operation and the additional expense was not worthwhile. The location has not changed significantly since this photograph, but the previous few years had seen considerable re-modelling of this junction. Notable in the right background is the soot-begrimed bulk of St. James's C of E Church on Barry Street. Buses using Lees Road started to leave Mumps along Huddersfield Road and Cross Street in 1970 when work started on the Mumps roundabout and have continued (at least officially) ever since. 5352 heads for Grotton past a disused garage which clearly dates from the halcyon days of motoring. 5293 leaves the then relatively-new bus station at Mumps for Hollinwood. The B & Q store had yet to be built in the background. This bus was the only one of the NBU-registered PD2s to receive orange livery and this was only after withdrawal and entering the training fleet. Sister 5294 was also a training vehicle but retained pommard livery and has been preserved by the GMTS. Another example of the temporary influx of Stockport buses in 1973 (see later photos) is 5946, a Longwell Green-bodied PD2 which is just passing the end of Brewerton Road. A sign of the times is the advert for Belle Vue Zoo Park on the end of the block of houses in the background, which have already been bricked up prior to demolition. 5313 curves off the original alignment of Lees Road onto the new link road to the Mumps roundabout. The VW pickup going the other way on trade plates would have been new! 5954 was a surpise visitor from Stockport and was only in Oldham for a short while. It was probably spare at Stockport due to school holidays and helping out at Oldham. It is climbing Lees Road towards Clarksfield on the stretch of road that now has a bus lane, which runs where the houses on the right are in this photograph. There are still several mills and chimneys to be seen in the background, as well as good view towards Lydgate and beyond. As a contrast to the previous photograph, the scene in 1973 was dominated by Athens Mill. That had ceased to be a cotton mill as long ago as 1933 and I remember seeing many tractors there, which were apparently being packed by a company called Greenwoods Building Industries. That activity ceased in 1970 and it was then used for furniture storage. Following a fire in 1981 the upper floors were removed but it wasn't completely demolished until a clear-up of the area following demolition of nearby Owl Mill in 1993. The bus is also of interest as 5947 had unusual Longwell Green bodywork, built in Bristol. It was another Stockport bus on temporary loan to Oldham garage. Jackson Street, referred to in the previous photo, went off to the left of this photograph; Alfred Taylor (ALCO) builder's merchants used adjacent land as their depot and one of their Bedford TK lorries can be seen waiting at the end of the street. Services had by this time ceased using the County End terminus and all buses went to Grotton as a 27. 5857 was another Stockport bus that spent most of its life in Oldham. It has just passed the West Riding of Yorkshire sign, but the actual boundary is close to where I stood to take the picture. 5344 negotiates road works outside Kershaw's garage in Springhead. This garage was later owned by Paul Abbott but has closed and redevelopment of the site was completed in 2006. To the left of the bus can be seen the yard of W. H. Bridge (Transport) who operated a small haulage fleet from here. They still exist but no longer use this as an operating base. Grotton is still a bustling village but James Shannon's grocers shop has been gone for some years now. They moved in when this new block of shops opened in the early sixties, whilst at the other end of the row was Stanley Ogden. His butcher's shop had formerly been at Mumps and he brought the clock with its Seen outside the Grotton Hotel, 5314 was one of the few buses to survive into Greater Manchester Transport days still in Oldham's livery. Its longevity can be partly attributed to a major overhaul in very early SELNEC days after a long period out of use. The use of the black fleet numbers on the pommard background was not common. This bus has also uniquely lost its nearside destination display. One of the more surprising vehicles to be transferred to Oldham in the SELNEC/GMT era was this former Rochdale AEC Regent V. Oldham's last AEC double-deckers were withdrawn in the 'thirties! 6204 was originally Rochdale 304 and had been the first of the type to receive SELNEC's orange livery in 1970. It is seen on a very dismal January day at the Mumps bus station. 5887 was one of the four ex-Stockport PD3s which worked most of their lives from Oldham garage. It is seen here amongst an array of contemporary cars at the bottom of Balfour Street, outside the offices and depot of Stott's Tours. Five years later and the scene has changed little as 5104 approaches the traffic lights to turn into Cross Street. 5333 was one of just a handful of Oldham PD2s left running by this time and is caught on Lees Road. This bus was bought by GMTS after withdrawal but, sadly, not for preservation but for parts to help the restoration of earlier PD2 394. 3043 was new to Salford City Transport as their 194. Six of these were transferred to Oldham, adding to the already considerable variety of vehicles in the allocation. They do not seem to have been particularly popular. The Salford two-track number blinds were a disincentive to moving them about as Salford were able to retain most of their route numbers which were below 100. This was not the case in Oldham, though, and the need to squeeze the numbers on the first blind can be clearly seen. These blinds would of course have to be specially made. Oldham's second batch of East Lancs-bodied Atlanteans was actually bodied by their Sheffield subsidiary, Neepsend Coachworks. 5151 was one of this batch and has just crossed the bridge over the closed railway from Greenfield to Oldham at St. John's Street, Lees. The station, which closed in 1955, was just to the left here. High Street can be seen in the distance, the bus having turned off to head to the Stamford Road terminus. The small print on the lower sign at the right advertises the mill shop selling

Published in Saddleworth Buses

]]> Wed May 2 1928 431 to 434 - Carrcote to Diggle via Oldham http://saddleworthbuses.fotopic.net/c1007937.html These services were introduced on the 21st July 1974, replacing the 433/434 Uppermill circulars and most journeys on the 437 (Mossley to Diggle). Their introduction gave Diggle its first ever through bus link to Oldham and restored the similar link that Delph village had lost with the cessation of the 160. That link was never very frequent anyway. The principal routes were the 431 and 432, which were the opposite directions of the same service, numbered differently to avoid confusion in Oldham town centre. It would actually have made more sense to split the through service in Oldham as the through link served no useful purpose, but it was perhaps considered that the links previously provided by the circular bus service should be retained, even if they were no longer convenient. The 431 went from Diggle to Carrcote and 432 Carrcote to Diggle. Both these routes served Dobcross village but certain buses did not go that way but took the direct route from Uppermill to Diggle past the Navigation. These were numbered 433 (equivalent to the 431) and 434. The latter two services did not continue very long as by February 1975 all journeys went through Dobcross and the 433 and 434 services had disappeared. The next change came with the big service revision of 20th July 1980. This saw the introduction of the 355, which replaced the Oldham to Carrcote part of the service, which now became just the 431 running from Oldham to Diggle. It lasted in this form until deregulation on 26th October 1986. The service was operated by Greater Manchester Transport, mainly with single-deckers, but one working in the evening peak was worked by a double-decker on Fridays only. I became aware of this when I started using that particular journey on a regular basis. This led to the unusual sight of Oldham Atlanteans in Dobcross village. In later years the 431 service saw regular use of double-deckers, as this collection shows. Sunday 21 July 1974: These services were introduced on the 21st July 1974, replacing the 433/434 Uppermill circulars and most journeys on the 437 (Mossley to Diggle). Their introduction gave Diggle its first ever through bus link to Oldham and restored the similar link that Delph village had lost with the cessation of the 160. That link was never very frequent anyway. The principal routes were the 431 and 432, which were the opposite directions of the same service, numbered differently to avoid confusion in Oldham town centre. It would actually have made more sense to split the through service in Oldham as the through link served no useful purpose, but it was perhaps considered that the links previously provided by the circular bus service should be retained, even if they were no longer convenient. The 431 went from Diggle to Carrcote and 432 Carrcote to Diggle. Both these routes served Dobcross village but certain buses did not go that way but took the direct route from Uppermill to Diggle past the Navigation. These were numbered 433 (equivalent to the 431) and 434. The latter two services did not continue very long as by February 1975 all journeys went through Dobcross and the 433 and 434 services had disappeared. The next change came with the big service revision of 20th July 1980. This saw the introduction of the 355, which replaced the Oldham to Carrcote part of the service, which now became just the 431 running from Oldham to Diggle. It lasted in this form until deregulation on 26th October 1986. The service was operated by Greater Manchester Transport, mainly with single-deckers, but one working in the evening peak was worked by a double-decker on Fridays only. I became aware of this when I started using that particular journey on a regular basis. This led to the unusual sight of Oldham Atlanteans in Dobcross village. In later years the 431 service saw regular use of double-deckers, as this collection shows.

5004 leaves the turning circle area at Diggle and is working a 433 journey. Photo courtesy Geoff Lumb. 5004 is seen again at the turning circle. This bus still carries Manchester red livery, but it was new to that operator in the two-tone blue and silver livery used for airport coaches. In the batch of ten, four had single doors and the remainder had dual doors; all the latter came to Oldham in 1970/1. Photo courtesy Geoff Lumb. Both the Mercedes O305s passed this point within a few minutes on this occasion. One is shown in the 438 collection, but here EX54 is at Greenfield station on a 431 from Diggle to Carrcote. Unlike EX55, this one has received a GMT fleetname. Seen from an unusual and experimental vantage point is one of the ECW-bodied Leyland Leopards which broke the monotony of the Leyland National on these services. It is just below the Farrar's Arms and a Leyland National is headed the other way, probably towards Ashton. There were three of these ECW Leopards at Oldham, 81, 82 and 87. 81 is on Oldham Road near Greenfield station and has just passed the vintage Atkinson It was still a through Carrcote to Diggle service when 116 descended towards the Farrar's Arms and so it is displaying 432. Lodge Lane in Delph is an unlikely throughfare to see a bus service and as a consequence such use has been recorded regularly as seen in this gallery. GMT National 110 climbs up the road which is, reassuringly, one-way! Photo courtesy Paul Wreghitt. Leyland Nationals were the mainstay of these particular services. Here is 1313 at Oldham Market Place serving as reminder that these services used West Street in Oldham as their stopping point. Photo courtesy Paul Wreghitt. With the demise of the 433 and 434 all journeys on these services served Dobcross village. National 123 enters the square on its way back to Oldham. Note the sign for the Post Office, which was located just around the corner at that time. Photo courtesy Paul Wreghitt. Symbolising the PTE's road and rail integration of the period is 179 heading into Oldham from Diggle whilst a Cravens DMU, so typical of the Manchester-Oldham-Rochdale line, passes overhead. As evidenced by the fresh stonework, this is the new bridge built at Mumps to permit the creation in 1970 of the roundabout we all know and love! Photo courtesy Paul Wreghitt. This attractive photo shows 1336, an early Leyland National (in fact the twentieth production example) heading towards the turning circle at Diggle past the former railway cottages. Photo courtesy Paul Wreghitt. 128 is seen from a distant viewpoint above the mouths of the Standedge railway tunnels. It will turn onto the bridge to reach the turning circle, but in North Western days buses would often use this junction at the end of the bridge to turn round, even when one-man operated. Warth Mill is prominent in the background - this was rebuilt after the original burnt down and was used by the CWS for flannel production, then from 1928 by Tanner Brothers for tyre fabric production. This ceased in the 1970s. Photo courtesy Paul Wreghitt. National 154 breasts the summit at Lydgate with an excellent panorama behind - the Civic Centre on the skyline and Rome Mill nearer, with its Crown Wallpapers sign facing the other way. The Morris Marina behind is painted in a colour redolent of the period. Photo courtesy Paul Wreghitt. A rear view of 120, which has just left Sugar Lane and will immediately turn right into Diggle village. Photo courtesy Paul Wreghitt. 120 returns from Diggle. Photo courtesy Paul Wreghitt. 143 is near Greenfield station heading towards Oldham. My mother had passed this accident on her way home from work at lunchtime and found it a little amusing! Leyland National 178 has been hit in the rear by a lorry from Strivens Abbatoir in Royton and the little Jimpny has made it a meat sandwich. The same combination seen from the other side, at the top of Oaklands Road in Grasscroft. 1309 was one of the Leyland Nationals delivered in plain white and it seems to want to return to that livery here on Oldham Road, Grasscroft. Saddleworth viaduct is behind the photographer here, whilst the view looks over what was at the time the short navigable section of the Huddersfield Narrow Canal at Brownhill. The building on the right is now known as the Brownhill Countryside Centre. Almost lost in the Saddleworth landscape is a Leyland National heading for Diggle via Dobcross and crossing the canal bride carrying Dobcross New Road. This bridge has latterly proved rather troublesome. Photo courtesy Paul Wreghitt. Waiting to turn up Oldham Road at the Farrar's Arms is 129. Atlantean 8640 was one of the last style of Atlantean with gasket-glazed windows. It is about to cross the railway at Greenfield station. The 431 service has exactly two weeks to go. Deregulation caused a huge change and the process of renumbering bus stops had to start well in advance. 431 on this stop at the top of Brookway in Grasscroft has already been replaced by 427. 8672 swings round the same corner during the last weeks of operation of the 431.

Published in Saddleworth Buses

]]> Sun Jul 21 1974 154, 154A, 353 & 354 - Ashton to Uppermill and Denshaw http://saddleworthbuses.fotopic.net/c1007931.html This is a route with a rather complex history. The first public transport on the route, from 1904, was by tram. Initially from Stalybridge to Mossley Station operated by SHMD it later became a through route from Ashton to Roaches, jointly operated with Ashton Corporation. If the 1902 proposals of the Saddleworth and Springhead Tramways had come to fruition the full length of the present day 354 route would have seen tram tracks, but despite revivals of the proposals into the ‘twenties, Saddleworth never had trams. On abandonment of the trams, the bus service initially operated by SHMD, jointly with Ashton Corporation, was from Ashton via bottom Mossley to Haddens and North Western operated a service from Diggle to Uppermill, Greenfield and Roaches, which started on 11th March 1925. Agreement between the two saw North Western’s service from Diggle service changed to operate to Haddens and Mossley, the SHMD service from Ashton curtailed to Mossley and a joint through service operated from Mossley Station to Uppermill. Double deck trams had to be replaced by single deck buses owing to the arched bridge at Black Rock, Heyrod (between bottom Mossley and Stalybridge). Trams had the advantage as they could pass in a predictable way under the arch as the rails dictated where they went. The risk was too great and in fact all SHMD double-deck buses had a notice in the cab saying that they were prohibited from passing under Black Rock Arch. The only reason double-deckers can now go that way (see the 355 collection) is that the road has been narrowed to run under the centre of the arch, controlled by traffic lights. Immediately pre-war the service was extended into Mossley (Brookbottom) and even up Church Road in Uppermill to Saddleworth Fold although war economies saw it return to the former termini. It would appear that North Western buses ran from Mossley Station to Saddleworth Fold and SHMD ones from Brookbottom to Uppermill. By the early 1950’s it had become a through service from Ashton to Uppermill and received the number 154. Although technically joint with Ashton C. T. they never worked the service. Development of a large estate at Micklehurst saw a variant introduced, known as the 154A, which diverged from the original route in bottom Mossley. This soon became the prime route and history almost reversed itself as most of the buses (those outside the peaks and Saturdays) from Uppermill were terminated in bottom Mossley, with connections and through tickets being available. Technically the 154A and its successors are outside the remit of this gallery but the two routes were so interlinked it is difficult to separate them. The old SHMD Daimler single-deckers only had a small number blind aperture and fitting 154A in was quite a squeeze! The service used to terminate in Uppermill Square, reversing up the side of the Commercial Hotel. This became less practical as traffic increased and the buses became one-man operated, so the buses continued to the Navigation at Brownhill, where culverting of the canal and road widening had created a turning circle. The SELNEC era saw little change apart from the colour of the buses and renumbering of the 154 to 354 and the 154A to 353 on 2nd December 1973. The through Ashton to Uppermill journeys were restored by GMT from 20th July 1975 but at the expense of a reduced and rather awkward 90 minute frequency. 20th July 1980 saw a major revision of services in Saddleworth, and the 354 became truncated to an Ashton to Greenfield Clarence service. The 353 ceased to serve Hey Farm Estate and instead served upper Mossley, Uppermill, Delph and Denshaw. To keep things simple it has been given its own collection from that date. By 1985 the 354 had reduced in frequency but most daytime journeys now ran to Denshaw. However, following deregulation on 26th October 1986 the 354 became a minor route with just three trips a day, serving quieter parts of the former 355 along Shaw Hall Bank Road and across Well-i-hole, but it remained an Ashton to Uppermill service. As a tendered service, it has inevitably seen many operators. GM Buses worked the service after deregulation but by 1989 Crosville took over. Their operations in Manchester were taken over by the Bee Line Buzz Company the following year. By 1991 the service had been extended up Church Road to serve Well Meadow Lane in Uppermill. In April 1993 Well-i-hole was closed for work to reinstate the canal bridge and the 354 was diverted using Oaklands Road. It never returned to the Well-i-hole route but it was a little while before the route was permanently changed and the timetables altered. Later in 1993 JP Executive Travel took over operation. From 30th October 1995 the service was significantly extended through Dobcross, Platt Lane, Delph and Palin Wood Road to Denshaw and was also diverted in Uppermill to serve Grove Road. Apart from some detail route revisions from 19th May 1997, things stayed stable until Universal Buses took over operation from 1st June 1998. Following that company’s fall into receivership, their operations were taken on by Stagecoach Manchester in April 2000. The service was extended to Rochdale from 25th February 2002, when Bu-Val became the operator, but these were only journeys the bus had to make anyway to get to and from its base. It became a fully-fledged Ashton to Denshaw route again on 31st October 2004 operated by Speedwell of Glossop. However, evening and Sunday journeys are worked by First from the Dukinfield depot, complicated again by journeys to Diggle in the evening (including Sundays). Wednesday 11 March 1925: This is a route with a rather complex history. The first public transport on the route, from 1904, was by tram. Initially from Stalybridge to Mossley Station operated by SHMD it later became a through route from Ashton to Roaches, jointly operated with Ashton Corporation. If the 1902 proposals of the Saddleworth and Springhead Tramways had come to fruition the full length of the present day 354 route would have seen tram tracks, but despite revivals of the proposals into the _twenties, Saddleworth never had trams. On abandonment of the trams, the bus service initially operated by SHMD, jointly with Ashton Corporation, was from Ashton via bottom Mossley to Haddens and North Western operated a service from Diggle to Uppermill, Greenfield and Roaches, which started on 11th March 1925. Agreement between the two saw North Western_s service from Diggle service changed to operate to Haddens and Mossley, the SHMD service from Ashton curtailed to Mossley and a joint through service operated from Mossley Station to Uppermill. Double deck trams had to be replaced by single deck buses owing to the arched bridge at Black Rock, Heyrod (between bottom Mossley and Stalybridge). Trams had the advantage as they could pass in a predictable way under the arch as the rails dictated where they went. The risk was too great and in fact all SHMD double-deck buses had a notice in the cab saying that they were prohibited from passing under Black Rock Arch. The only reason double-deckers can now go that way (see the 355 collection) is that the road has been narrowed to run under the centre of the arch, controlled by traffic lights. Immediately pre-war the service was extended into Mossley (Brookbottom) and even up Church Road in Uppermill to Saddleworth Fold although war economies saw it return to the former termini. It would appear that North Western buses ran from Mossley Station to Saddleworth Fold and SHMD ones from Brookbottom to Uppermill. By the early 1950_s it had become a through service from Ashton to Uppermill and received the number 154. Although technically joint with Ashton C. T. they never worked the service. Development of a large estate at Micklehurst saw a variant introduced, known as the 154A, which diverged from the original route in bottom Mossley. This soon became the prime route and history almost reversed itself as most of the buses (those outside the peaks and Saturdays) from Uppermill were terminated in bottom Mossley, with connections and through tickets being available. Technically the 154A and its successors are outside the remit of this gallery but the two routes were so interlinked it is difficult to separate them. The old SHMD Daimler single-deckers only had a small number blind aperture and fitting 154A in was quite a squeeze! The service used to terminate in Uppermill Square, reversing up the side of the Commercial Hotel. This became less practical as traffic increased and the buses became one-man operated, so the buses continued to the Navigation at Brownhill, where culverting of the canal and road widening had created a turning circle. The SELNEC era saw little change apart from the colour of the buses and renumbering of the 154 to 354 and the 154A to 353 on 2nd December 1973. The through Ashton to Uppermill journeys were restored by GMT from 20th July 1975 but at the expense of a reduced and rather awkward 90 minute frequency. 20th July 1980 saw a major revision of services in Saddleworth, and the 354 became truncated to an Ashton to Greenfield Clarence service. The 353 ceased to serve Hey Farm Estate and instead served upper Mossley, Uppermill, Delph and Denshaw. To keep things simple it has been given its own collection from that date. By 1985 the 354 had reduced in frequency but most daytime journeys now ran to Denshaw. However, following deregulation on 26th October 1986 the 354 became a minor route with just three trips a day, serving quieter parts of the former 355 along Shaw Hall Bank Road and across Well-i-hole, but it remained an Ashton to Uppermill service. As a tendered service, it has inevitably seen many operators. GM Buses worked the service after deregulation but by 1989 Crosville took over. Their operations in Manchester were taken over by the Bee Line Buzz Company the following year. By 1991 the service had been extended up Church Road to serve Well Meadow Lane in Uppermill. In April 1993 Well-i-hole was closed for work to reinstate the canal bridge and the 354 was diverted using Oaklands Road. It never returned to the Well-i-hole route but it was a little while before the route was permanently changed and the timetables altered. Later in 1993 JP Executive Travel took over operation. From 30th October 1995 the service was significantly extended through Dobcross, Platt Lane, Delph and Palin Wood Road to Denshaw and was also diverted in Uppermill to serve Grove Road. Apart from some detail route revisions from 19th May 1997, things stayed stable until Universal Buses took over operation from 1st June 1998. Following that company_s fall into receivership, their operations were taken on by Stagecoach Manchester in April 2000. The service was extended to Rochdale from 25th February 2002, when Bu-Val became the operator, but these were only journeys the bus had to make anyway to get to and from its base. It became a fully-fledged Ashton to Denshaw route again on 31st October 2004 operated by Speedwell of Glossop. However, evening and Sunday journeys are worked by First from the Dukinfield depot, complicated again by journeys to Diggle in the evening (including Sundays).

Blown up from a contemporary photograph of the Whit Friday marches is this view by the Clarence Hotel showing a Tilling-Stevens double-decker of a type seen more closely in the 153 collection. The bus will have been operating from Roaches tram terminus and running to Diggle. The turn it is making would have been much more difficult a few years previously as there used to be a triangular walled garden in front of the pub which made the junction a very pronounced 'vee'. It is thought that the introduction of bus services may have been a reason for its removal. The roof signs on the pub were a typical feature of Gartside's houses. Photo courtesy Peter Fox. This 1930s shot of Uppermill square shows one of the rarely-photographed Thornycrofts parked alongside the Commercial Hotel waiting to depart for Mossley Station. Photo courtesy Peter Fox. 69 was one of the first pair of Atkinsons bought by SHMD, who bought quite a few of the make including the unique double-decker 70. They came at the time when central entrances were in favour with SHMD, if nowhere else. 69 is in original condition here and in the dark green and cream livery, one feature of which was that single deckers didn't generally show the SHMD This picture of SHMD 94 in Ashton St. Michael's square is a hive of activity as the bus disgorges a pretty full load. The fashions of the time are well-demonstrated with a teddy boy getting off the bus whilst the conductor talks to someone dressed far more conventionally. Photo courtesy Dennis Gill. SHMD 94 (later to become 111 and SELNEC 5071) is approaching Heyrod when the street lamps were still mounted on traction poles from the tramway that used to run on this road. As shown in the next photo, the road on the right led to Hartshead Power Station. Photo courtesy Dennis Gill. Roads were much quieter then! SHMD Atkinson 94 is almost at the end of its journey to Mossley station as the photographer is stood in front of that building, with Stamford Road coming in from the right. High up on the lamp standard to the right is an SHMD clock. Photo courtesy Dennis Gill. Buses to Mossley station reversed into Sun Street, which is opposite the station, a manoeuvre that would be unthinkable today. The District Bank on the right was the scene of a particularly ham-fisted robbery some years ago as the villains stormed in demanding money only to discover it had ceased to be a bank several years earlier and was a doctor's surgery! Photo courtesy Dennis Gill. 94 has taken on a few passengers and is setting off for Ashton. When new (as in this photograph) these buses were designed with a higher capacity in mind and only had single seats in the front half with the intention of accomodating more standing passengers. They were eventually converted to normal seating but the change was always noticeable as the replacement seat frames were of a different style. Photo courtesy Dennis Gill. Those of you who had the March 1960 issue of Buses Illustrated magazine may recognise this photograph as it appeared on the front cover. It shows SHMD 95 leaving Chapel Road and turning into Chew Valley Road and the centre of Greenfield. The building above the bus is long-demolished but was known locally as the lighthouse due to the way it stood prominently above the end of Chew Valley Road which runs in a straight line across the valley. To the right of the building can be seen the road at the top of Station Brow. Trees have completely taken over this embankment now. Photo courtesy Dennis Gill. The first of a trio of shots of SHMD 95 alongside the Commercial Hotel in Uppermill. This was the terminus for many years, as well as being a turning point for other occasional workings that terminated in Uppermill. It's hard to imagine now. Photo courtesy Dennis Gill. A closer view of 95. An unusual feature of these buses visible on this shot is the fuel tank and filler positioned behind the rear axle. Photo courtesy Dennis Gill. The offside of 95. These buses had a simple but clean style of bodywork. The conductor's Ultimate ticket machine can be seen resting on the front dash behind the centre pillar. Photo courtesy Dennis Gill. SHMD 106 was originally 68 but renumbered along with other single-deckers in the 100-series. It is carrying not so much a livery as a colour chart - it is clear that the paint used for patching up was a completely different shade than that originally applied, which means it can be very difficult to define SHMD green. 106 also carries a substantial load on a through journey to Uppermill on what was clearly a warm summer's day. Photo courtesy Remember When (Michael Rooum). North Western 763 was a Leyland Tiger Cub with Willowbrook body and is painted in the attractive 'black top' livery of red and cream with black roof and windows. It also features the italicised fleetname that was used on coaches and dual-purpose vehicles at the time. Photo courtesy Roy Marshall. The five single-deck Daimlers bought in 1950 by SHMD were lovely buses, full of character and it's a great shame none has survived. SHMD were the only municipality in the area to buy this half-canopy arrangement of single-decker postwar, although they were quite common pre-war (notably Stockport and Manchester). The tiny number blind is struggling to do its job. The correct route number for journeys to Micklehurst was 154A. It was probably not even on the blind as it was a variant of the route introduced after the bus was built. 100 (originally 56) waits in Ashton St. Michael's Square. Photo courtesy Peter Relf. This beautiful shot shows North Western Marshall-bodied Bristol RE 281 crossing the culverted Hudersfield Narrow Canal at Wade Lock, Uppermill. 281 was new to Oldham depot and is seen in its original livery. Many were painted with a single cream waistband prior to the dismembering of North Western in 1972. The mill building behind is High Street Mill. This had been a cloth finishing works but was later used as a workshop by George Shaw, the architect who designed Christ Church, Friezland and St. Mary's Church in Greenfield. It was later associated with Victoria Mill next door. High Street Mill was demolished in 1973 and the site is now a garden containing a statue of Ammon Wrigley. Most of Victoria Mill was demolished earlier and has become a car park - what survives now houses Saddleworth Museum. Photo courtesy Photobus. SHMD Bristol RE 114 has just turned into Beaufort Road on the final approach to Ashton. The junction behind is now controlled by traffic lights. 114 shows little evidence of SELNEC ownership after nearly a year - it later became 5074. A scene at the top of Clarence Street in Stalybridge, by Stamford Park, before the traffic lights were installed on this busy junction. 5070 is an Atkinson with an identity crisis. New to SHMD as 93, it was renumbered 110 and then after the formation of SELNEC it was given the fleet number 5070. This shot was taken not long before its withdrawal. Also approaching Bokin is this working from the Paper Mill on a fine spring evening was 5610, one of the SHMD batch of front-entrance Daimlers known as Two surprise vehicles to be transferred to the former SHMD garage at Tame Street, Stalybridge, were Weymann-bodied PD2s from the erstwhile Bury Corporation fleet. 6386 has passed through Dacres and is approaching the Royal George crossroads whilst work is taking place on the road to improve the camber on this corner. Pots and Pans war memorial is notable on top of the hill and over the wall can be seen the old Friezland goods warehouse, which became the subject of an abortive scheme to turn it into a transport museum before it was demolished in early 1983. The bus is on an evening working from Greenfield Paper Mill. The closure of the North Western garage in Oldham in 1973 meant that the working of the 154 moved to the former Oldham Corporation garage and as a result buses from the erstwhile Oldham fleet could be seen on the 154. In the case of Oldham Panther 177 (now SELNEC 5027) seen here in Uppermill square that situation did not last very long as these ill-fated buses were withdrawn in 1974 after a life of only seven years. Whilst some of the batch went on to have new lives in Australia, this was not one of them, although it is believed it was intended to go there. Photo courtesy Tony Moyes. EX40 was one of the very early Leyland Nationals bought by SELNEC, the EX fleet number indicating an experimental series. Whilst Leyland Nationals became quite common in the SELNEC and GMT fleets, dual-door examples were confined to these prototypes, one of which is preserved at the Museum of Transport in Boyle Street. The blinds can't show 154A so they show 154x instead. Photo courtesy Photobus. One of my shots that I am particularly pleased with is this of Metro-Scania saloon 1344 purring through Greenfield village. I liked the refinement of these vehicles compared to the raucous Leyland Nationals but I think I was glad I didn't have to pay the fuel bill. This shot was taken on a Whit Friday, after Whingates Temperance Band had just marched up the road, one of the top bands at the time. Compared to taday the absence of crowds is striking. The summer of 1976 was a famously hot and dry one. This high level view of 5078 in Greenfield shows that both roof vents are wide open to provide a bit of relief on such a hot day - these Bristol REs had no opening windows to let in a cooling breeze. 301 was a North Western Marshall-bodied Bristol RE of a type that had worked the 154 from North Western's Oldham garage, but disappeared from the area until this example was transferred to Tameside. It has just passed through Greenfield village and is about to turn towards Uppermill. 5073 passes the Royal George. The same bus heads away from the photographer towards Greenfield. 5075 approaches the Royal George heading for Ashton. 5073 is also passing Greenfield Post Office. In the distance the bank is still open and Greenfield Service Station is selling Gulf petrol. 5076 passes Greenfield Post Office, passing Harry Sykes (Coal Merchants) office who no doubt saw a lot of trade with that sort of weather! 5075 has just passed under Black Rock arch headed towards Micklehurst. The cooling towers of Hartshead Power Station are prominent, as is the Trans-Pennine railway line. Tameside depot provided National 161 for the 354 on this day, seen approaching Black Rock arch. 5077 is at the turning circle at Brownhill where the 354 terminated for several years. In the background is the Navigation Inn. This scene has changed significantly with the restoration of the Huddersfield Narrow Boat canal. 5076 has arrived in Uppermill square and the remaining passengers are alighting. The bus will then run about half a mile to the Navigation to turn round (see later photographs). Photo courtesy Paul Wreghitt. An unusual sight of two of the former SHMD Bristol REs together as 5073 and possibly 5076 climb up from Black Rock arch to Heyrod. One has come from Uppermill and the other from Micklehurst. Just visible in the background is a four-car Class104 unit coupled to what is probably a Class 108 in the white refurbished livery which was disappearing by this time. 5076 approaches Black Rock arch. A more distant view of 5076. 5073 in Heyrod passing a sign for Hartshead Power Station. The sign, as I recall, outlived the power station itself. 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. These Alexander-bodied Bristol REs had appeared on the 154 when new but moved away with the closure of the former North Western depot in Oldham. They then re-appeared in 1977 when two (320 and 328) were transferred to Tameside depot. 320 is seen here prior to turning round at Brownhill and the driver has set the blind to show 154 for the benefit of the photographer, although the service had been the 354 for some years by then. Photo courtesy Paul Wreghitt. 5076 approaches Bokin with what I consider one of Saddleworth's most impressive backdrops behind. This very distant view of 5073 shows the scenery in which this part of the service runs. The Royal George is just off the shot to the right. In the foreground are the Royal George Mills of R. R. Whitehead which produced high-quality felt. To the left of the shot can just be seen the large goods warehouse at Friezland, demolished in 1983. Photo courtesy Paul Wreghitt. Despite the blind display this is likely to be a 353 arriving at Carrcote by means of the very narrow Lodge Lane. There was one journey that arrived as a 353 and departed as a 354 and I suspect that is what this bus is. 87 was one of the attractive ECW-bodied Leyland Leopards which were rebodied as coaches after only a few years service. Photo courtesy Paul Wreghitt. This splendid action shot shows GMT 301, a former North Western Marshall-bodied Bristol RE, speeding under the bridge at Black Rock before the traffic lights were installed there. Photo courtesy Paul Wreghitt. Former North Western Bristol RE 301 is stood at Greenfield (Clarence Hotel) having just turned round there in the period when the daytime 354 service ran from Ashton to Greenfield. The angle of the photograph disguises the fact that it is at a road junction as this was before the mini-roundabout was put there. The blinds were set to 154 (the original service number) at the request of the photographer. Photo courtesy Paul Wreghitt. By way of contrast in the same location, there's some fairly serious snow as National 165 makes the turn. Not actually on the 354 route, but heading to Uppermill to work a schools journey, is Atlantean 8256. It is leaving Grasscroft and passing the top of Oaklands Road, later used by the 354. I welcomed the adoption by Crosville of a traditional style of livery in the late 1980s, even more so when it started to appear in Saddleworth. Here National SNG 340 has almost reached the middle of Uppermill - I don't recall these making frequent appearances so I am glad that Noel Ogden caught it on this occasion. This bus would have been new as SNL 340, the change in the last letter indicating that a Gardner engine had been fitted instead of the original, troublesome and noisy Leyland 510 engine. Photo courtesy Noel Ogden. Minibuses rule in Uppermill bus station! JP Travel H147 CBU waits departure time whilst another Mercedes of Dennis's is also headed for Ashton on the 353. The 354 will be the 1210 departure as this was the only time the two services were seen together here, helped by the long layover as the bus arrived 35 minutes earlier, giving the driver time for a lunch break. Photo courtesy Jon Brierley. This Mercedes was the more normal fare provided by Crosville to work the 354 and carries the Mini Lynx branding used by Crosville for minibus services. Photo courtesy Eric Ogden.

Published in Saddleworth Buses

]]> Wed Mar 11 1925 E, 16, 343, 344 and 416 - Oldham to Mossley and Hyde http://saddleworthbuses.fotopic.net/c1007916.html This service commenced operation on 23rd January 1926. It was jointly operated by Oldham Corporation and SHMD (Stalybridge, Hyde, Mossley and Dukinfield Joint Transport and Electricity Board, to use its full title the once in this gallery!). There was a lot of wrangling at first about fares but things eventually settled down to a stable pattern. The bus started in Oldham on Greaves Street, next to the Town Hall and finished at Mossley (Brookbottom), confusingly as it is generally known as Top Mossley! Oldham, as was their policy with motor bus routes at the time, gave it the route letter E, whereas SHMD numbered it 16. This schism remained until 1st April 1968, when Oldham abandonded route letters and gave it the same number as SHMD. Thus it remained until after the formation of SELNEC in 1969, under whose administration it was renumbered 416 on 2nd December 1973. 20th July 1980 was a date when many Saddleworth services changed; amongst these was the 416 which ceased to run from that date when it was replaced by an extension of the 343 service which had previously run from Hyde to Mossley. This had started life as the trunk route of SHMD, the 4. After the building of the estate in Micklehurst certain journeys were diverted that way and numbered 4A and it was these that eventually became the 343, the 4 becoming the 344. On deregulation on 26th October 1986 the service was diverted and left Oldham along Greenacres Road and reached Lees along Stamford Road and St. John’s Street instead of directly along Lees Road as previously. On 5th April 1992 some journeys on the 344 were also extended into Oldham but the 344 service disappeared altogether by November that year. By 2001 the route left Oldham along Huddersfield Road instead of Greenacres Road as previously, except in the evenings and on Sundays. The route changed again on 26th January 2004 with the daytime service reverting to its original route from Oldham via Lees Road, although the evening and Sunday service was still through Greenacres. The 344 made a surprise reappearance from 19th April 2004, although not with its original meaning. A single journey in the morning leaves Oldham along Huddersfield Road and has been given that number. Until 2007 First Manchester (as successor to GM Buses, SELNEC and Greater Manchester Transport) had been the principal operator of weekday daytime journeys, but as from 17th April 2007 Speedwell Travel have operated the commercial service as First considered that it was no longer viable. First Manchester now only operate evening and Sunday services. Since deregulation the 343 and 344 have been served by a large number of operators on various other (tendered) journeys: S. M. Tandy (Checkmate Minicoaches) - Sunday journeys between Stalybridge and Mossley from 1987 to 1991 JP Executive - A single, very early (0520) journey from Mossley to Hyde from 1988 to 1998. One evening journey 2001 to 2005. Citibus - Oldham to Hyde journeys on Sundays from 1989 to early 1990, then similar plus evening journeys late 1990 to 1992. Some evening journeys in 1995. Bee Line Buzz Company - Schools journeys from 1991 to early 1992, some evening workings late 1992 to 1995 Dennis’s Coaches - Schools plus some early evening journeys 1991 to 1992. School journey 2002 to takeover by Stagecoach in 2005. Mayne’s - Schools journeys from 1991 to 1995, 1998 to 2001, 2006 to date Pennine Blue - Schools journeys from 1991 to 1995 Tame Valley - Evening and Sunday workings 1992 to 1993 (Sundays) and 1995 (evenings) Red Rider - A school journey in the Dukinfield area 1992 GMS Buses - Sundays and some school journeys from 1995 to 1998. Pennine (later First Pennine) - single late evening journey from 1995, Sunday service from 1998. Still operating but now part of First Manchester. Glossopdale - Evening services 1995 to 1999 Stott’s - School journey 2001 to 2004 Stagecoach - Evening services from takeover of Glossopdale in 1999 to 2001. Schools journe