Accrington Railways - Robert Kenyon

The L & Y, as a matter of course, provided uniforms for its staff in order to maintain its image. Annually each employee would receive a new jacket with two pairs of trousers. Porters and signalmen also were issued with a waistcoat. Grades which did not have direct contact with the general public received jackets, trousers in a heavy duty blue cloth. Employees also were issued with caps with badges that identified the position in which the wearer was occupied. December Mr William Rainford sued the L & Y for damages amounting to £6, after a locomotive had set his haystack on fire, after spitting out red hot cinders as it passed close to the cemetery in Great Harwood. It was announced that the old carriage sheds at the Railway Station were to be demolished, in order to construct a ‘central’ platform. This was thought to be only a temporary measure before the plans to improve the facilities at the station, “which were in a desperate state” were put into action. On Christmas Eve some workmen were working close to Helmshore Station when they discovered a wooden fence rail with a large stone placed across the lines. This was only minutes before the 4:45pm express from Manchester to Accrington was due to pass through. These men cleared the line then went to report the incident to the staff at the Station, who summoned the police. A similar attempt had been made to derail a train on this line on November 26 th last, when a set of bogie wheels and an axle had been placed on the tracks. The 9pm Haslingden to Manchester train had struck these objects but had not left the rails but had damaged the locomotive. A reward of £50 had been offered for information leading to the arrest of the culprits. 1880 January With three accidents on the viaduct in recent years which might have resulted in catastrophic consequences, even the Manchester Examiner & Times was moved to report - “ Instead of building a central platform at Accrington Station, the money would be better spent on constructing an iron roof over the Manchester platform, which affords neither shelter from wind or rain. All the spare space at Accrington is taken up for the handling of goods, and an argument has been put forward that an entirely new station should be built in the town, a suggested possible site being beyond the arch over Whalley Road to the east of the viaduct. This would provide better value for money than trying to improve the present set up. All that then would be required at Eagle Street would be a single platform to cater for passengers in the Scaitcliffe Street and Blackburn Road areas of the town. A letter dated January 7 th was received by the Town Clerk as follows - Dear Sir, I have submitted your letter of December 31 st to my Directors, and in reply I am desirous to inform you that the accident, to which your correspondence refers, was the result of a negligent act by one of our servants, who has since been dismissed. On the subject of improving the Railway Station, these facts have not been lost on my Directors and a contract has already been let for the modifications to the way that the station is operated, to reduce the incidence of accidents occurring there. Our contractor is currently making provision for this work to begin shortly. Yours obediently, J. C. Stafford, (Secretary), Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Company. February A shocking accident took place at Rishton Station on the evening of Friday, the 6 th , when 26 year old William Hindle was struck by the Liverpool express as he attempted to cross the lines to reach the Blackburn platform. The circumstances were that if this express was running over 30 minutes late, a stopping train would be dispatched in front of it and at one stage this express had been some 40 minutes down on the booked time. It seems as though when informed that a train was approaching the Signalman did not know if it was the fast train or the all stations stopping train and it made no difference to the way the trains were signalled. However, he rang the bell to inform the Station Master that a train was approaching, so he then told the passengers in the waiting room they should go across the boardwalk to the platform. Four people had crossed the line safely, but on this occasion the express which had originated in Scotland and had made up some time was approaching at speed. Despite warning called out to him Hindle went across and had managed to get one foot up onto the platform when he was hit by the

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