Accrington Railways - Robert Kenyon

suspicious Midland railway Company. This included arrangements about the collection, handling and delivery of goods and another on the inter-changeability of railway tickets. The Midland did however explore the possibility of joining this consortium. But when they did not obtain the terms they had applied for, especially for operating in the Red Rose County they withdrew, instead obtaining the London, Tilbury & Southend Railway. ( After 1923, they all became constituent parts of the London, Midland & Scottish Railway Group .) 1910 April The Education Committee thanked the L & Y for the gift of free maps for use in the town’s elementary schools. September In conjunction with the Accrington Shopping Festival, the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway introduced cheap fares between the Friday, the 2 nd , and Saturday, the 10 th , for 3rd class day returns on any trains after 13:00 they were from - Helmshore 8 pence, Haslingden 4½ pence, & Baxenden 3 pence. Hapton 4½ pence & Huncoat 3 pence. Blackburn 7 pence, Rishton 4 pence, & Church 2 pence. Great Harwood 1 shilling, & Simonstone 10½ pence (via Blackburn). October At a meeting of the Health Committee, the Town Clerk was requested to write to the L & Y requesting them to rectify the nuisance caused by water dripping down from the bridge over Scaitcliffe Street, which had given rise to numerous complaints. December At a meeting of the General Works Committee it was resolved the Town Clerk should write to the L & Y requesting the road over their railway at Strawberry Bank on Penny House Lane should be put into a ‘proper’ state of repair. 1911 March At a meeting of the Electrical, Legal & Parliamentary Committee, a letter was received from the Light Railways Commission. It intimated that the ‘provisional’ Clayton-le-Moors Light Railway Order which had been applied for recently would, if successful, be granted to the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Company, who would construct and operate the line, guaranteeing a 3% dividend to any shareholders. It would have two junctions one in Accrington the other in Huncoat. ( Was this in truncated form the mineral railway which eventually connected several brickworks, the colliery and coking plant on either side of Whinney Hill? ) November At a meeting of the General Works Committee, the Borough Surveyor suggested that the L & Y should be approached and requested to draw up plans and make an estimate for the construction of a ‘new’ road bridge over the railway on Queens Road/Penny House Lane, near to Strawberry Bank. It was resolved he should approach the Railway Company accordingly. He was also to bring their attention the nuisance caused by water dripping down from the arch over Blackburn Road and the bridge over Scaitcliffe Street. December Meeting again, General Works Committee urged the Borough Surveyor to put pressure on the L & Y to provide this estimate and produce plans for the construction of a road bridge over the railway at Strawberry Bank, and as they had done nothing, to remind them the problem of water dripping down into Blackburn Road and Scaitcliffe Street. These suggestions were adopted. 1912 On January 1 st , the L & Y abolished 2nd Class passenger carriages, concentrating on 1st and 3rd only stock. January At a meeting of the General Works Committee, it was resolved to ask the L & Y to make adjustments to their hoarding near the station approach on Eagle Street, by setting it back from the highway. They also resolved to make an application to the County Council for their approval of the plans for the reconstruction of the road bridge taking the highway over the L & Y railway close to Strawberry Bank. February The General Manager of the L & Y, Mr John Aspinall, issued a list of guidelines to all stationmasters on the upkeep and administration of their stations, and these included the following - 1. The greatest economy must be observed about the consumption of gas for lighting. The lights in waiting rooms should not be left burning without cause in waiting rooms between train departures. They must be turned down low until ten minutes before the expected arrival of the next train, unless light is required by awaiting passengers. A single light should then only be used when it will suffice.

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