Accrington Railways - Robert Kenyon

the Council would oppose the L & Y’s Bill unless it contained a provision for an alternative means for crossing their lines. May On the 28 th , it was reported that the two new platforms at Accrington Station would be ready for use by the start of the Whitsuntide Weekend. However, the connecting footbridge would not be ready until several weeks later. Passengers would be required to board trains at the Paxton Street sidings, and to enter the station through the old booking office, which meant a queue of any length would still be waiting out in the rain! Over the Whitsuntide weekend ticket sales were as follows - On Saturday to Manchester 220, Bury 88, Haslingden 300, Baxenden 190, Burnley 147, Blackburn 310, Preston 119, and Blackpool 138. On Sunday 971 passengers departed from Accrington, whilst on Monday 300 left on a Co operative excursion to Matlock as part of the 2,802 tickets issued. On Tuesday excursions as well as service trains accounted for 500 passengers. June The new platforms at the station were brought into use, the only downside being that on Tuesday evening the trains were running some ¾ of an hour late. It was at this time that Sixsmith’s Railway Timetable & Diary were published, which also included all of the Lancashire League’s cricket fixtures for the season. July On the 5 th , the lines at Accrington’s Station were blocked for several hours, when the train from Manchester due at 3pm struck some empty carriages that were being shunted across the running lines. The locomotive hit the last carriage telescoping it over the smokebox breaking off the funnel, in the process of losing its bogie wheels, the compartment being reduced to splinters. Mr Crompton, the driver, was slowing down at the time or the damage would have been much worse. As it was the engine came off the rails. The fireman managed to jump clear before the crash, and only two passengers were hurt, one of which, Mr Stott from Haslingden, a dealer in German Balm, required medical treatment administered by Dr Monaghan at the Derby Hotel on St James Street. August Accrington held its fair over the period of Thursday, the 4 th , to Monday, the 8 th , the exodus beginning on the 4 th after the mills had closed. A total of 1,872 people booked tickets to travel by train, with 570 off to Blackpool. On Friday the numbers were - to Manchester 149, Haslingden 144, Blackburn 299, Blackpool 773 and Lytham 29. Company excursions accounted for an additional 316 to Blackpool and Altham Colliery also took 341 to the resort. On Saturday ticket sales to Manchester were 208, to Haslingden 816, Burnley 500, Blackburn 716, Preston 103 and Blackpool 212. Two excursions ran, with 574 going to Liverpool with the Power Loom Weavers Association, and 923 on a St. James’ with St. Peters’ trip to Bangor. On Sunday 1,423 passengers passed through the station. On Monday, Thompson’s ran a works outing to Blackpool, whilst Altham’s train went to Morecambe on top of the 2,424 ordinary fares issued on the day. However, there was a great deal of concern for a number of Accrington people who were on a train returning from Liverpool, when the 2:25pm Scottish Express ran into their train just outside Blackburn Station at 3:19pm. Reports suggested that people were jumping out of the carriages whilst they were still moving due to the force of the impact. Several carriages on both trains including the engines were badly damaged. Along with forty other people injured there were four fatalities, one of which was Mrs William Mitchell of Ranger Street in Accrington. November Just after 5pm on Thursday, the 8 th , a goods train from Baxenden was stopped on the bridge of the Manchester line when the locomotive, which had been uncoupled, left the stock. This then began to roll down the incline at an increasing velocity until it caught up the engine driving it along the lines for a distance of 100 yards before the leading three vans came off the track. They demolished a block signal post containing four signal arms and one other signal post, whilst ripping up the wires controlling them completely destroying a whole section of the block signalling. The L & Y had to resort to using hand signalling until the repairs were completed. 1882 By this time the railway boom was reaching its zenith and the facilities in Accrington were almost at their peak. Now instead of just the single platform there were now six and all the passenger facilities were channelled through an enlarged building on the Eagle Street and town centre side of the station. The main buildings of the station on the Eagle Street side also contained the living accommodation for the

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