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Created 17-Sep-11
Modified 8-Mar-24
Visitors 623
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Saddleworth has had nearly twenty indigenous coach operators over the years, although it is over thirty years since the last ceased trading. These operators started with early charabanc operators who more often than not fitted charabanc bodies at weekends on lorry chassis that were otherwise employed during the week.

There was a resurgence after the war, when demand for coach travel boomed until personal transport became available. The 'sixties also saw several new operators start business, but excursion and tours business declined rapidly as private motoring, inherently more flexible, reduced demand.

A lot of the later operators relied on contract work for a lot of their income, operating both works and schools services.

The table below shows the operators I am aware of and the approximate years of operation. There is much work to be done on this subject and I would welcome any additional information and photographs or documents.

J. Taylor, Dobcross 1906-1913
S, V.L. and M.L. Morton, Dobcross 1919-?
M.S. & F.S. Buckley, Greenfield 1919-c1922
Butterworth, Greenfield 1919-?
Saddleworth Carriers, Uppermill 1920-1925
Springhead Garage (J. Kershaw) 1927-1933
F. Sanderson & Sons, Delph 1927-1932
Tom Shaw, Greenfield 1928-1953
Central Garage, Uppermill 1947-1958
Ken Shaw & Son, Dobcross 1950-c1980
Dene Coaches, Greenfield 1951-1961
Sam Trundley, Springhead 1952-1978
Seville's, Greenfield and Mossley 1963-1966
Harold Hirst, Dobcross 1963-?
Hillside Coaches (D. Illing), Greenfield 1964-?
Winterburn, Denshaw 1971-1971
Jay Bee (R.L. Bell), Springhead 1974-c1980

I should like to thank Peter Greaves for his valuable assistance in compiling this section. His long-term research into the coach operators of the Oldham area has provided a lot of this story and quite a bit of the material.
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