When the words Buses of North Staffordshire are used most people will think of PMT, and later First running through the urban areas of Stoke-on-Trent, with additional vehicles from a few medium sized family owned operators thrown in for good measure. Our journey, however, taken over the last 50 or so years will also feature the vehicles of the many smaller rural operators. Schools services and works contracts have always been an important part of the bus scene, and many of the vehicles featured will have been mainly used for providing such services. Some of the operators featured are well-known names, with lengthy histories, others will be less familiar, and in some cases short lived too. The traditional independents, Berresfords, Stevensons, Turners etc have all gone now, but in their place are new operators, new ideas, and still a wealth of interesting vehicles to cope with the ever-changing demands of a still shrinking market.