Wardle Transport
Encyclopedia
Wardle Transport is a bus operating company based in Stoke-on-Trent
, Staffordshire
, England
. Formed in 1963 as Jack's of Norton, it expanded from 2001 to operate a network of 18 local bus routes using over 60 vehicles. In December 2010, Wardle was taken over by Arriva Midlands
, and now operates as a subsidiary of the larger company.
minibuses hired from Stoke-on-Trent City Council. One of these routes was withdrawn in 2004. Following a reduction in the number of vehicles allowed authorisation for First Potteries
in the same year, Wardle gained three school services, acquiring its first double-decker vehicles to operate the routes.
A new route linking Hanley, Haywood Hospital and Burslem
was launched in early 2006. The route, supported by the city council, replaced a route withdrawn by another operator, but was initially found not to be commercially viable.
In 2007, the company won a contract to operate services to Stoke City F.C.
home matches, initially using four double-deck buses. The services proved popular and the following season saw eight vehicles used, including two new buses together worth £80000. Four new commercial routes were also introduced in 2008.
A new direct service linking Blurton
to Hanley, branded as Plumline, was introduced in 2008. An Optare Versa
single-decker was bought for use on the route.
took over Wardle Transport, which was placed under the control of the Arriva Midlands
subsidiary. Arriva stated that Wardle's identity would be retained. At the time of the takeover, Wardle employed 105 staff and operated a fleet of 64 vehicles including twelve double-deck buses, and ran 18 scheduled services. A new livery of two-tone red and white applied in Arriva's corporate style was introduced in June 2011.
Stoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent , also called The Potteries is a city in Staffordshire, England, which forms a linear conurbation almost 12 miles long, with an area of . Together with the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme Stoke forms The Potteries Urban Area...
, Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Formed in 1963 as Jack's of Norton, it expanded from 2001 to operate a network of 18 local bus routes using over 60 vehicles. In December 2010, Wardle was taken over by Arriva Midlands
Arriva Midlands
Arriva Midlands is a division of Arriva. It operates bus services around the Midlands area of England and is made up of various previous bus operators.-Arriva Midlands North:...
, and now operates as a subsidiary of the larger company.
Creation and independence
Wardle Tranport was founded in 1963 by Doug Wardle. It initially traded as Jack's of Norton, and was run alongside travel agent Wardle Travel. For its first 38 years of existence, the company operated a small fleet of minibuses on school services. In 2001 an expansion plan was introduced, with Keith Stanton appointed as a new general manager. The following year, the contracts to operate two contracted routes in Stoke were won; these were operated with three Optare AleroOptare Alero
The Optare Alero was a low-floor integral minibus built by Optare between 2001 and 2008. It was built as an alternative to van-derived buses such as the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter.Around 300 were built in the first five years of production...
minibuses hired from Stoke-on-Trent City Council. One of these routes was withdrawn in 2004. Following a reduction in the number of vehicles allowed authorisation for First Potteries
First Potteries
First Potteries Limited is a company based in Stoke-on-Trent that operates buses in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, Crewe, and in Chester and The Wirral through its sub-brand First Chester & The Wirral.-History:The company began life as Potteries Motor Traction or PMT...
in the same year, Wardle gained three school services, acquiring its first double-decker vehicles to operate the routes.
A new route linking Hanley, Haywood Hospital and Burslem
Burslem
The town of Burslem, known as the Mother Town, is one of the six towns that amalgamated to form the current city of Stoke-on-Trent, in the ceremonial county of Staffordshire, in the Midlands of England.-Topography:...
was launched in early 2006. The route, supported by the city council, replaced a route withdrawn by another operator, but was initially found not to be commercially viable.
In 2007, the company won a contract to operate services to Stoke City F.C.
Stoke City F.C.
Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
home matches, initially using four double-deck buses. The services proved popular and the following season saw eight vehicles used, including two new buses together worth £80000. Four new commercial routes were also introduced in 2008.
A new direct service linking Blurton
Blurton
Blurton is a small town in Stoke on Trent, North Staffordshire.-Education:Blurton has one secondary school, Blurton High School, a specialist Business and Enterprise College....
to Hanley, branded as Plumline, was introduced in 2008. An Optare Versa
Optare Versa
The Optare Versa is a midibus built by Optare in its Leeds factory. It was officially launched in Britain at the Euro Bus Expo 2006 at the NEC, Birmingham, on 7 November 2006, with the first order of 25 buses being placed by Stagecoach on the same day....
single-decker was bought for use on the route.
Arriva takeover
On 6 December 2010, ArrivaArriva
Arriva plc is a multinational public transport company owned by Deutsche Bahn and headquartered in Sunderland, United Kingdom. It has bus, coach, train, tram and waterbus operations in 12 countries across Europe, employs more than 47,500 people and services over 1.5 billion passenger journeys each...
took over Wardle Transport, which was placed under the control of the Arriva Midlands
Arriva Midlands
Arriva Midlands is a division of Arriva. It operates bus services around the Midlands area of England and is made up of various previous bus operators.-Arriva Midlands North:...
subsidiary. Arriva stated that Wardle's identity would be retained. At the time of the takeover, Wardle employed 105 staff and operated a fleet of 64 vehicles including twelve double-deck buses, and ran 18 scheduled services. A new livery of two-tone red and white applied in Arriva's corporate style was introduced in June 2011.