".... the glory of the Potteries was the Loop Line,...... My sisters and I loved this railway. It was 'ours'. And it was part of the great London, Midland and Scottish Railway, largest of the Big Four — nicest, too, we thought.

You went down a steep track to get into Tunstall Station, a cavernous place under a bridge, of smoke-stained dingy brick, dark and fumigerous. I loved the powerful stamp machine which put the date on our cardboard tickets with a loud 'thoomp'. Stationmaster Greatbatch was in charge, assisted by Porter Hamps, who waved the green flag when it was time for the train to go. Mr Greatbatch sometimes saw us into our carriage and made sure the heavy brass door handle was securely shut. The dignity with which he took out his huge steel watch  - a 'turnip' I was told, to my mystification - consulted it, then nodded gravely to Mr Hamps, was an exercise in the courtly manners which antedated rail and went back to the stagecoaches.

The train would always whistle loudly when it left Tunstall, run fast down the slope which led into The Sytch (or the edge of it) [actually Scotia Road], then chuff and pant laboriously up the hill to Burslem."

"The Vanished Landscape" Paul Johnson