Accrington Railways - Robert Kenyon

Padiham. A reply was received stating that it was the Company’s intention to do so by September 1 st , exactly one year after the line between Padiham and Rose Grove had been opened. Now that goods which once used to be delivered to Rishton Station en route to Great Harwood could be delivered direct, the merchants of the town along with those from Rishton had organised subscriptions for a presentation to Mr Pearson the Station Master there for his services. At a sit down supper at the Walmsley Hotel in the town he was given a gold pocket watch with an Albert to the value of £29. September On Friday, the 21 st , an inquest was held on 7 year old Richard Leach of Marsden Street, the son of a Clogger. On his way to school he had clambered up the embankment near to the Woodnook Bridge in order to take a shortcut, when he was hit by the Manchester to Colne train. At a sitting held in the Britannia Inn on Nuttall Street the Coroner stated, “The Railway Company are not obliged to fence off the lines, except when they border upon land on which livestock is held, and certainly not on lines where there was a steep embankment, where anyone going onto the lines was trespassing”. October On Monday, the 15 th , the Harwood Loop opened throughout for passenger traffic. The first train was the 07:35am from Rose Grove due to arrive in Blackburn at 07:57, whilst the first train going east was the 08:20am from Blackburn, due to arrive at Rose Grove at 08:43. Both trains ran without making any intermediate stops on these inaugural runs. There was no formal ceremony, but several of the local businessmen from Great Harwood were on the first train to Blackburn. Mr T. Stone of Newton-le Willows, was the contractor who completed the section between Padiham and Blackburn, was guest along with other businessmen at a celebratory dinner, held at the Bridge Inn. Several representatives from the local Churches were also invited. Mr Bower offered a toast to the contractor and Mr Robert Stone responded. November On Thursday, the 15 th , 40 year old John Price, of Walmsley Street in Church, was shunting wagons in the ‘crane’ siding at Accrington Station, and was riding on the tyre rod of one of the wagons in the normal manner. However, some baulks of timber had been stacked too close to the line, and he was hit in his back as the wagon went by, knocking him down onto the tracks. Part of his left foot was mutilated and his arm was crushed. He was taken home still unconscious, where doctors Booth and Fox found it necessary to amputate both his arm and foot, but on this occasion he did survive. He had only worked on the railway for a short time having previously being a police constable in Oswaldtwistle. On Friday, the 16 th , yet another inquest was held at the Crown Hotel, on this occasion into the death of 22 year old fireman John Broadley. He was the stoker to driver Henry Dickenson who was in charge of a banking engine which assisted trains up the Baxenden Incline from Accrington Station. The circumstances were that they had arrived back and had been put onto the cattle siding on the Eagle Street side of the Station. As soon as the locomotive had stopped Broadley had jumped down from the footplate, but had failed to notice a heavily laden van being shunted down the incline. This van had struck him knocking him down and had run him over disembowelling him. In his statement Driver Dickenson said, that Robert Taylor who was in charge of this van was not to blame in any way for this tragedy. Taylor said he was about 8 yards away from the deceased when he saw him step down from the locomotive with his back to the van. The van was moving quickly, so he shouted a warning, but he did not believe that Broadley had heard him, even though there was little noise from the freewheeling van. It was upon him before he had the time to pin down the brakes. The Foreman of the Jury, John Royston, in returning a verdict of accidental death said, “This was by no means the first accident of this kind to occur in Accrington, and it was time some means of warning should be devised to indicate that shunting was taking place”. For the L & Y Mr Goodier stated, “Every man knows it is his duty and responsibility to look after himself”. The Coroner agreed with Mr Royston, that Mr Goodier should be taking his suggestion on board, as not only was this a tragedy for the family of the deceased, but Mr Taylor had also been deeply affected by it. December A gift of a goose was made to each of the employees of the L & Y at Accrington Station for Christmas. However, because the Directors considered Accrington to be a ‘covered’ facility, Porters were not issued with winter overcoats. The fall of snow which came down on the 26 th and 27 th was so deep that it constituted a danger to passengers boarding and alighting trains. It was so bad that the attendant at the bookstall, for which W. H. Smith pay a rental for the privilege of selling publications, was forced to shut up shop, as the newspapers and periodicals were covered in snow, despite the ‘excellent canopy’! ( It was

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