As a local, I think it would be reasonably easy to restore Barlaston to being usable again (it is only the edge stones that are removed) However, Wedgwood is a much more difficult one. As a wooden platform structure I think it is probably past its best!
Barlaston however can probably not support a bus and rail service. As the bus service is already financially supported, and change to rail will make it uneconomic. However, as the bus goes to the City centre, and the train (obviously) only goes to Stoke station, how many would switch? Then the rail service becomes uneconomic!
With the new World Of Wedgwood attraction, maybe-just maybe-, Wedgwood is the better bet to reopen.
Norton Bridge has no chance of reopening. There are six houses at most, and a small christian conference centre. No way, even if everyone travelled daily, could that be justified!
You could take photo of Barlaston and Wedgwood easily through the fences. Norton Bridge has an area (where access to the bridge was, and the buses now use) where you can see through the fence to the overgrown platform. There's a rail timetable poster on the roadside, with the bus times. But that is it. No shelter, no seat, no nothing else!
Longport is the mystery here. An open station, with London Midland Trains passing through! Southbound, they then sit at Stoke for 5 mins, so could easily of called! Northbound, the extra min or two, is neither here nor there, and there is nothing following close behind anyway. Yet they shun it! With Port Vale Football ground an easy walk away, match traffic would be plentiful!
The eight coach trains don't call Stone. The original reason given was that they would go over the pedestrian crossing, fair enough. However, Network Rail have now built a bridge, but still they don't call! They don't call at Kidsgrove, although noone seems sure why. Alsager could accommodate them, but requires a little undergrowth clearing, so they don't!
The problem isn't the closed stations, but the open ones not being used!