Description:The 'Leek, Waterhouses and Hulme End' North Staffordshire Railway Steam Bus outside Ye Olde Crown, Waterhouses. The buses were built by Straker of Bristol and ferried passengers to and from the Manifold Valley Light Railway. This picture was taken shortly after the service opened as this postcard is postmarked 3 August 1904. The buses had a top speed of 8 miles per hour and they operated on routes from Leek and Ashbourne to Waterhouses and from Buxton to Hulme End. After the link between Leek and Waterhouses was completed the buses were sold to Mr. Wedgwood of Burslem who converted one into a furniture removal van and another into a holiday caravan.