In the background can be seen Besom Hill Reservoir, which was Oldham Corporation Waterworks's smallest reservoir with a capacity of 10 million gallons. It's two-and-a-quarter acres in area and the water level when full is 841ft 7ins above sea level, giving some idea how far up the bus is. A party "beating the bounds" from the Kings' Arms at Grains Bar swim it once every seven years.
