Accrington Railways - Robert Kenyon

CHAPTER 5

INTO THE 20 th CENTURY 1900 During the early 1900s several important trains stopped in Accrington, including the Belfast Boat Train on its way between Fleetwood and Leeds. January The Town Council received a letter ( dated January 8 th ), from the L & Y requesting a meeting with the Mayor and Town Clerk, to discuss with the Traffic Manager, Mr Bayley, their proposals for the improvements to Accrington Railway Station. The Health Committee resolved to inform the L & Y about the nuisance caused by water ‘flowing’ out into Eagle Street from their adjacent sidings. March At a meeting of the Town Council a discussion was held about what constituted sufficient facilities for the travelling public of the town. Also that those proposals contained in the L & Y’s plans were given due consideration as was requested by the Railway Company. At their conclusion the Town Clerk was authorised to write to the Company requesting better facilities for passengers and also the ‘necessity’ of an earlier train to Manchester in the mornings. Councillor Dewhurst asked if the Council was disposed to talk about the proposed plans for improvements to Accrington Railway Station, before the work commenced. The Town Clerk in answer said that this was not possible, as the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway was not one of the authorities who were obliged to deposit plans for scrutiny. The Councillor was not appeased by this answer, and felt that the Council should take the initiative and send a strong deputation to meet with the directors of the Company, prior to the start of any work. He reminded them, that a deputation had been formed to look into railway matters a couple of years previously to no avail. He stated he had attempted to travel from Accrington to Haslingden recently, and due to the poor arrangements in the booking hall had not been able to obtain a ticket in time to board the train. Councillor Rawson said he was pushing for an earlier train to be put on from Accrington to Manchester in the mornings. He pointed out that three trains had gone from Bacup and Rawtenstall to Ramsbottom before the first had reached there from Accrington. After a previous meeting the Council had asked the L & Y for a meeting to discuss the proposed improvements to the town’s railway station and the following letter had been received by the Town Clerk, Mr Aitken, in answer. It came from C. W. Bailey, the Chief Traffic Manager - Dear Sirs, Your correspondence has been placed before my Directors for their consideration. They wish me to express their regrets that they cannot accede to your request to see the plans for the station in Accrington, as such a course would be contrary to the established rule. They would however, be pleased to accept any suggestions you may care to voice on the said improvements. I, along with our Chief Engineer, would be pleased to meet with your Mayor, Borough Surveyor, Borough Engineer and yourself at a convenient and early time at this office, which we will endeavour to arrange with you. In answer to Councillor Rawson’s complaint the L & Y responded by saying - Sir, In the current circumstances, due to a general pressure of traffic and an excess of illness amongst our workforce resulting in absenteeism from duty, we have had great difficulty in recruiting sufficient cover. However, I am pleased to inform you the services of an additional booking clerk have now been secured. You suggest in your correspondence that in other towns our plans for improvements to railway stations have been on exhibit. But I must inform that this is definitely not so. The

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