Accrington Railways - Robert Kenyon

The Town Clerk reported to a meeting of the Town Council , on the meeting which had taken place between the deputation and the L & Y’s officials, on their proposed alterations and enlargements to both the passenger and goods facilities at Accrington Railway Station. August At a meeting of the Watch Committee resolved that a notice should be placed at the junction of Oak Street with Abbey Street, pointing down the former and reading - ‘THE NEAREST WAY TO THE RAILWAY STATION’ . It was further suggested that the sign along Manchester Road reading ‘1 MILE TO THE RAILWAY STATION ’ , should be relocated accordingly. November The Legal & Parliamentary Committee heard the L & Y’s proposals for the extension of their goods yard, on the site bounded by Willows Lane in the east, to the north by Back Dale Street and in the west by Barlow Street and part of Porter Street. There were 130 dwellings on this land which would need to be demolished on the top ends of Lang, Wheat and Grimshaw streets, also encompassing Wood Street and Bond Street. These proposals included widening the span of the viaduct over Blackburn Road on the Paxton Street side by 7 yards, and on the town centre side by 5 yards, also the widening of the Scaitcliffe Street Bridge by 3 yards on the Paxton Street side and a further 5 yards on the opposite side, plus the widening on the Blackburn Road side of the bridge over Willows Lane by 9 yards and the bridge over Lonsdale Street by 6 yards respectively. The plans would result in the lengthening of the subway from Crossland Street by almost 100 yards. It was resolved the Council would raise objections to the Bill and petition against it unless they received some concessions from the Railway Company. These were itemised as follows - 1. The L & Y remove the present stone arch over Blackburn Road, and replace it with a ‘girder’ bridge of 20 yards span. 2. Given up land on Blackburn Road amounting to 280 square yards, which the Council wanted for their widening scheme. 3. The whole of the bridge over Scaitcliffe Street be totally reconstructed as provided by the Act of 1897, with the maximum headroom as is practically possible. 4. The Willows Lane railway bridge is reconstructed with a span of 12 yards and Willows Lane widened from its junction with Crown Street co-extensive with the L & Y’s proposed siding to a width of at least 12 yards. 5. The span of the new bridge over Lonsdale Street is at least as great as the existing bridge, with the height to be as great as possible. 6. The L & Y to create a new thoroughfare along the northern perimeter of their new siding, the whole length from Willows Lane to Barlow Street 12 yards wide along the alignment of the back street. 7. The Company to declare the positions of the gateways into their new sidings and their gradients. 8. The new Crossland Street subway to be constructed to the satisfaction of the Council and permanently lit, OR, a replacement footbridge constructed. 9. That all works with regard to alterations to the sewers, drains and pipes are done to the satisfaction of the Council with clauses in order to protect its interests. It was resolved to place these provisions before the L & Y and if they so desired, the Town Clerk and a deputation would be agreeable to holding a meeting with them in order to discuss these provisions. December At a meeting of the Town Council, the proposals of the L & Y with regard to their new goods station were discussed at length along with the proposals concerned with the widening of the aforementioned bridges. Following some slight modifications to the recommendations made by the Legal & Parliamentary Committee it was resolved they be approved and adopted, subject to the width of the subway at the foot of Crossland Street being widened to 4 yards along its entire length. It was resolved the Council object to all the proposals in this Bill unless the railway company were prepared to make some concessions. At a meeting of the Health Committee it was resolved that representatives of the Council would meet with the officials from the L & Y in order to discuss the nuisance caused by water running out of their sidings adjacent to Eagle Street onto the footpath and road. This is a table of trains passing Baxenden Station in the afternoon, evening and night, circa 1900 , with those in the up (south) direction requiring banking assistance from Accrington. ( Information from the Lancashire & Yorkshire Societies’ Records .) TIME UP DOWN 14:5 Colne to Manchester Victoria passenger -

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