Oldham
Oldham is the chief town in the metropolitan borough of the same name, in Greater Manchester. It is located high in the Pennines and, at its peak in the 19th century, was an international centre in the textiles industry.
Get in
By plane
Manchester Airport (MAN IATA). [1] in South Manchester is the nearest airport to Oldham. Nearly 100 operators fly to and from hundreds of locations worldwide, including most major cities in Europe.
Direct trains run from the airport station to Manchester Piccadilly run throughout the day while travelling by car is only 30-45 minutes away via the M60 and M56 motorways.
By train
At the moment, there is no train service from the Town Centre of Oldham. The only Train Station in any of the borough is in Greenfield, which is about a 15 minute drive out of the town centre or around 25 minute bus journey on First Manchester services 180 and 184.
By tram
A new Metrolink Tram service through the town centre recently opened, offering travel between Manchester Victoria and Rochdale.
By car
Oldham is located close to two motorways, with the town centre 15 minutes away from both the M60 and M62 motorways. Oldham can be accessed via J22 (A62 Hollinwood) and J21 (A663 Broadway) of the M60 and J20 (A627(M)) of the M62 motorway. The M60 and M62 provides Oldham with links to several other towns and cities within a short drive of the town, including Halifax, Huddersfield, Leeds, Liverpool, Rochdale, Stockport, The Trafford Centre and Warrington.
Manchester is a 25 minute drive from Oldham town centre with the two places linked by the A62, which continues on to Huddersfield and Leeds.
Places that are within 2 hours of Oldham include Blackpool, the Lake District, the North Wales coast, the Peak District and the Pennines.
By coach
National Express is the major coach operator running several services to places across the country. Coaches depart from the main bus station, located at Cheapside.
Get around
Transport in Greater Manchester is overseen and co-ordinated by the GMPTE (Information: 0870 608 2 608) [2]. GMPTE sells a number of tickets which are valid for multiple operators, such as the any bus day ticket or the Wayfarer. If you are planning to do a lot of travelling in one day, these might be your cheapest option. Information can be also obtained from the GMPTE Travelshop located next to the Civic Centre at Oldham bus station.
By bus
The main bus operator in Oldham is First Manchester, whose main headquarters are based in Oldham. They provide frequent bus services to Manchester with the 82 and 83 routes [3] providing a 5 minute frequency service and the 180 and 184 providing a 10 minute frequency service. The services are usually distinguished by their Overground route branding, which is similar to London's Underground network. Buses 82 and 83 are the Orange Line service while the 180 and 184 are the Purple Line service.
There are several buses serving all areas of Oldham. They include the following (Service destinations in brackets):
- Chadderton - Bus 56 (North Manchester General Hospital), 58 (Middleton/Bury) and 59 (Middleton/Manchester)
- Delph - Bus 350 (Ashton-under-Lyne)
- Denshaw - Bus 407 (Denshaw)
- Derker - Bus 81 (Derker) and 410/411 (Oldham East circulars)
- Diggle - Bus 184 (Diggle/Huddersfield)
- Dobcross - Bus 184 (Diggle)
- Failsworth - Buses 82, 83, 180 and 184 (Manchester)
- Fitton Hill - Bus 425 (Fitton Hill)
- Garden Suburb/Hollins - 76/78/180/184 (Manchester) and 183 (Limeside)
- Clarksfield and Glodwick - Buses 410/411 (Oldham East circulars) and 425 (Holts)
- Greenfield - Bus 180 (Greenfield) and 350 (Ashton-under-Lyne) (service runs via Delph & Uppermill)
- Grotton - Bus 180 (Greenfield), 184 (Grotton/Uppermill/Diggle/Huddersfield) and 343 (Mossley/Hyde)
- Hathershaw - Buses 409/S49 (Ashton-under-Lyne) and 425 (Fitton Hill)
- Hollinwood - Buses 82, 83, 180 and 184 (Manchester)
- Holts Estate - Bus 415 (Holts (via Greenacres and Lees) and 425 (Holts)
- Lees - Bus 180 (Greenfield), 184 (Grotton/Uppermill/Diggle/Huddersfield), 343 (Mossley/Hyde), 415 (Holts) and 418 (Waterhead)
- Limeside - 76/78 (Manchester) and 183 (Limeside)
- Mills Hill - Bus 56 (North Manchester General Hospital), 58 (Middleton/Bury), 59 (Middleton/Manchester), 64 (Middleton/Manchester) and 406 (Mills Hill/Middleton)
- Moorside - Bus 83 (Sholver) and 407 (Denshaw)
- Royton - Bus 64 (Middleton/Manchester), 402 (Royton), 408/428 (Buckstones/Shaw) and 409 (Rochdale)
- Shaw - Bus 56/58 (Rochdale), 59 (Rushcroft) and 408/428 (Buckstones/Shaw)
- Sholver - Bus 83 (Sholver)
- Thornham - Bus 409 (Rochdale)
- Uppermill - Bus 184 (Uppermill/Diggle/Huddersfield) and 350 (Ashton-under-Lyne) (via Delph)
- Waterhead - Bus 81A (Waterhead), 82 (Waterhead/Uppermill), 350 (Ashton-under-Lyne) and 418 (Waterhead)
- Werneth - Bus 81 (Manchester) (via Moston) and 82/83 (Manchester) (via Failsworth)
Other places outside of Oldham are served by buses from Oldham bus station:
- Ashton-under-Lyne - Bus 409/S49 (Ashton) and 350 (Ashton) (via Saddleworth)
- Bury - Bus 58 (Bury)
- Cheetham Hill - Bus 59 (Manchester) (via Middleton) and 149 (Manchester) (via Moston)
- Huddersfield, Marsden and Slaithwaite - Bus 184 (Huddersfield)
- Hyde - Bus 343 (Hyde)
- Manchester - Bus 59 (Manchester) (via Middleton), 76/78 (Manchester) (via Limeside and Failsworth), 81 (Manchester) (via Moston), 82/83/180/184 (Manchester) (via Failsworth) and 149 (Manchester) (via Moston)
- Middleton - Bus 56 (North Manchester General Hospital), 58 (Middleton.Bury), 59 (Middleton/Manchester) 64 (Middleton/Manchester) (via Royton) and 406/415 (Middleton)
- Mossley - Bus 343 (Hyde) (via Lees and Grotton) and 350 (Ashton) (via Saddleworth)
- Rochdale - Bus 56/58 (Rochdale) (via Shaw) and 409 (Rochdale) (via Royton)
- Stalybridge - Bus 343 (Hyde) and 408 (Stalybridge)
By train
Northern Rail provide the train services in the Oldham area (although not to Oldham town centre, with the line being replaced by Metrolink), running trains to Manchester Victoria. From there, passengers can transfer on the Metrolink to Piccadilly, which they can travel on services to the south of the country or to Scotland.
From Mills Hill (Catch bus 56, 58 and 59 from Oldham town centre):
- Bolton
- Bradford
- Halifax
- Leeds
- Manchester
- Southport
- Wigan
From Greenfield (Catch bus 180 and 184 from Oldham town centre):
- Ashton-under-Lyne
- Huddersfield
- Manchester
- Stalybridge
See
Oldham Coliseum theatre has a full programme of repertory theatre and an annual pantomime. The theatre enjoys an enviable reputation for ambitious productions and excellent performances with appearances from many famous actors. The Coliseum is located within a short walking distance from the shops in Oldham town centre down Yorkshire Street.
Oldham Museum is situated in a former 'Friends Meeting House,' on Greaves Street. The Museum has a programme of changing exhibitions as well as a permanent display, "Going up Town" where visitors can step back in time to the days when the town was dominated by the cotton industry. The museum is a 5 minute walk from the town centre, with plently of bus services heading into Oldham town centre stopping nearby on Union Street.
Tandle Hill Park is a mixture of magnificent beech woodland and open grassland with a wide panorama of the surrounding countryside. There are several walks around the park and links to Crompton Moor. The 409 service provide frequent links from Oldham via Royton with the park a short walk from the main road, the A671 Rochdale Road.
Alexandra Park is located to the south of Oldham town centre. It is a vital link between town and countryside for both people and wildlife. The visitor centre contains displays and information on the history of the park as well as countryside events. These are held both in the park and in other areas. The centre is open by prior arrangement. Please contact if you would like to visit. The 408 is the closest bus service to the park running hourly from the bus station. The 425 service runs close to both the north and south sides of the park. Services heading from Oldham towards Holts Estate will serve the north side of the park, while services towards Fitton Hill serves the south side.
Daisy Nook Country Park is a beautiful area offering people of all ages the chance to enjoy a peaceful walk looking at wildlife amidst varied countryside. The park includes beautiful woodland areas, a lake, a canal and flower filled meadows with bridleways and footpaths, which link to other countryside areas. At the John Howarth Countryside centre there are activities for children and a souvenir shop. There is also a cafe and toilets with access for wheelchairs and pushchairs. The 409 provide frequent links from Oldham travelling towards Ashton-under-Lyne.
- Saddleworth Museum and Art Gallery (The Museum can be reached by bus by the 184 from Oldham, the 350 from Ashton (or from Oldham via Delph, which is a longer route than the 184 which runs via Lees) and is a 10 minute walk from Greenfield train station.), ☏ +44 1457 874093. housed in a former textile mill in the village of Uppermill, which is now part of the Oldham Metropolitian Borough but was part of the West Ridings of Yorkshire. Exhibitions feature local archaeology, handicrafts and customs, from the Romans the present day. There are preserved looms and other items of textile machinery, from some of the many mills in the area. The museum gallery features work by contemporary artists and travelling exhibitions. Guided tours are available by prior request. A shop and Tourist Information Centre provide an opportunity to acquire a souvenir of the visit.
The Huddersfield Narrow Canal runs through the Saddleworth area of Oldham. It re-opened in May 2001 following a £30 million restoration project funded mainly by the Millennium Commission and English Partnerships. It is more than 50 years since the waterway was last open to through navigation. The waterway runs for 20 miles between Ashton-under-Lyne and Huddersfield - passing through the scenic Saddleworth villages of Greenfield, Uppermill and Diggle - before entering the Standedge Tunnel through the Pennines. The 180 and 184 provide a 10 minute frequeny towards Saddleworth from Oldham with the 184 running near to the canal through Diggle, Marsden and Huddersfield.
Hollingworth Lake Country Park and Visitor Centre is a popular location for visitors. It is located outside the Oldham area but is visited by plently of Oldhamers. It was known as the "Weighvers' Seaport". Now once again visitors can enjoy many outdoor attractions and an excellent Visitor Centre. Spanning 118 acres with the dramatic backdrop of Blackstone Edge, the lake is on of the most popular days out in the area. With boating, nature reserve, trails, events, guided walks, visitor centre, community arts, environmental exhibitions, play and picnic areas. The car is the best way to travel there but parking is limited. The 452 service runs an hourly service from Rochdale via Milnrow. The 452 can be connected with the 409 at Rochdale or the 58 service at Milnrow.
Do
Watch local association football team Oldham Athletic at Boundary Park.
Buy
Oldham has two main shopping centres, Town Square Shopping Centre and The Spindles. The two centres are connected together to form one big shopping centre but were until recently run by separate companies. There are several big name shops based in the two shopping centres.
In Town Square shopping centre, there are:
- River Island
- TJ Hughes
- WH Smith
- Boots
- Top Man
- Bank
- Thorntons
The Spindles has:
- Debenhams
- British Home Stores
- Argos (who moved from Town Square shopping centre after taking over Index's store in The Spindles)
- JJB Sports
- Superdrug
- Game
- Waterstone's
- Next
Other stores are located on High Street, including Gamestation, Home Bargains, Poundland, Primark, Sports Direct and Top Shop. There is a Sainsbury's and a TK Maxx located on Union Street and there is also Tommyfield's market, which located to the north of the town centre, offering an indoor modern market hall and an outdoor market, which is steeped in history, character and tradition. Tommyfield is Oldham’s best known market and was established over 140 years ago, Tommyfield prides itself on being one of the largest open air markets in the North West. It is also a highpoint among English markets, as it’s literally the highest market in the country, nestling in the centre of Oldham amidst the impressive backdrop of the Pennines.
For those who find that Oldham doesn't offer everything they need, a short trip to Manchester and The Trafford Centre provide more options.
Eat
There are several good restaurants in and around Oldham Town Centre:
Italian
Valentino's - 8 Retiro Street, Oldham OL1 1SA. Family run and well established.
Romano's - 5 Rock Street, Oldham OL1 3UJ
Ancora 195 Broadway, Chadderton, Oldham OL9 8RR
The Old Bill 35 Greaves Street, Oldham, OL1 1TJ
Chinese
Fusion Restaurant Radcliffe Street, Royton, Oldham OL2 5QR. Thai and Chinese Cuisine.
Indian
Westwood East Westwood House, Eleanor Street, Oldham, OL1 2NN. Great food but unlicensed for alcohol so take your own.
Blue Tiffin Laurel Trading Estate, Higginshaw Lane, Royton, Oldham OL2 6LH
Simla 32/34 Middleton Road, Royton, Oldham OL2 5PA
New Rubaru - 424 Middleton Road, Chadderton, Oldham OL9 6PY
British
The Black Ladd 487 Buckstones Road, Oldham, OL1 4ST. Traditional pub food, very well established and great reputation in the town.
Toby Carvery Burnley Lane, Oldham, OL1 2QS
Drink
There are several locations scattered around Oldham town centre with the majority of pubs and clubs located on Yorkshire Street, which is located between Oldham town centre and Oldham Mumps.
Sleep
- Swallow Bower Hotel, Chadderton, ☏ +44 161 682-7254, gm.bower@crerarmgmt.com.
Travelodge hotel (a nice hotel which is still being finished: you might get a bargain!)
Stay safe
Oldham, like many other areas in Greater Manchester, has its rough bits and more rundown areas where crime is higher. Avoid drug dealers and users as there is a gang war in Oldham mostly in Glodwick and St. Mary's and rival drug gangs are carrying out "Hits" and it is best to avoid this as you may get caught up in this.
- Glodwick Glodwick is a fairly notorious area of Oldham, paticurly as this is where the race riots where. Although this can be a vibrant community, and a multicultrual area, it is best to avoid Glodwick at all costs as it is known as a "No-Go Area", because there have been incidents where gangs would turn hostile to people they don't like.
- Fitton Hill Although this area is getting better, there is still quite a lot of crime. Just use your common sense and avoid trouble.
- Sholver This area is still quite rough but is now under redevlopment. Avoid Top Sholver at all cost as this area especially the Flats are run down and boarded up.
- Yorkshire street Oldham town centre at night can be rough as there are a lot of intoxicated groups of males wandering around looking for trouble. There has been a 400% rise in crime in the first four months of 2009 and it's getting a reputation for stabbings and violent assaults.
Go next
- Blackpool for Blackpool Pleasure Beach (take train to Manchester Victoria, change on to the Metrolink to Piccadilly or travel from Victoria to Salford Crescent then take train to Blackpool North.
- Chester (take train to Manchester Victoria, change on to the Metrolink to Piccadilly, then take direct train from Manchester Piccadilly)
- Huddersfield (Take 184 service to Huddersfield, 180/184 to Greenfield station and change to local train service or travel to Manchester Piccadilly for frequent train service)
- The Lake District for a bit of greenery in a National Park to the north. Of international poetic repute and one of the most beautiful parts of England.
- Leeds
- Liverpool (take a train from Manchester Piccadilly, Oxford Road and Victoria stations)
- Peak District for grass and hills. About 15 miles to the east of the city. A National Park and one of the most beautiful parts of the country.
- Manchester
- Sheffield
- York