Accrington Railways - Robert Kenyon

An inquest was held into the death of Willie Pollard of Robert Nuttall Street, in Accrington. The 20 year old was a cleaner and part time fireman at Accrington Sheds, and on the night in question was on the footplate of a train which had arrived at Ramsbottom Station where it had terminated. John Briggs, the engine driver, stated one of the tasks the deceased had to perform whilst he was running his engine around the train to return to Accrington was to change the lamps on the engine, and to do this he had clambered up onto the coals in the tender, rather than climb down onto the track. The first he knew there had been an accident, was when he looked out and saw the signalman lifting up a body from the tracks and carrying it into the lamp-room. He said he had warned the lad about the footbridge at Ramsbottom which spanned the tracks and connected the two platforms, before he had gone out onto the tender. A witness, who happened to be on the footbridge, had seen Pollard walking over the coals in the tender and had seen him make contact with his head, the impact of which had knocked him down to the ground. The Coroner said the bridge was of standard height and had been passed by the Board of Trade. Dr Cowie administered what first aid he could and he was taken unconscious to his home where the following day he died of severe head injuries. The jury gave a verdict of accidental death, with a recommendation that in future the lamps on a locomotive should only be changed when it was not in motion. November The GWC received a letter from the L & Y stating they were prepared to accept the Corporation’s offer with regard to the erection of a bridge to replace Meadow Top Crossing. A complaint had been received from residents in dwellings at the foot of Claret Street, about water which was accumulating due to the street not being properly drained or paved. It was resolved to ask the Railway Company for permission to construct a drain alongside their lines in order to remove this problem. December It was resolved by the GWC that subject to the consent of the L & Y the Corporation would proceed with dressing the stonework on the footpath side of the Nuttall Street railway arch. Also the Committee heard a letter from the L & Y with regard to damage allegedly caused on November 29 th , to one of their ‘lurries’ due to the tramway lines on Blackburn Road which were ‘considerably’ higher than the adjacent setts. It was resolved the Town Clerk reply informing the Railway Company, that the responsibility for keeping the permanent way in good order lay with the Tramway Company and not with the Corporation. 1896 January The Nuisance Inspector reported to the Health Committee about water which was draining out from the arch of the railway viaduct over King Street and running over the footpath. It was resolved that a notice was served on the L & Y to put an end to this problem. The General Works Committee heard a letter from the L & Y in which the Company declined to give their consent to the Corporation’s proposal to install a sewer with covers on the railway land between Claret Street and Crosland Street. March The Town Clerk read a letter to a meeting of the Town Council from Haslingden Council requesting their support in persuading the L & Y to run an early train from Ramsbottom to Accrington departing at 05:15, also to make arrangements for a later train from Manchester to Accrington, every Wednesday. This train should depart Manchester at about the same time as the last through train on Saturdays. It was resolved to support Haslingden in these requests, and to write to the Railway Company as asked. The Health Committee received a report from the Nuisance Inspector that a problem was being caused by water ‘flowing’ out of the railway embankment adjoining Hood and Horn streets. It was resolved to serve note on the L & Y to properly drain this water into a nearby sewer. May The General Works Committee resolved to forward a request to the L & Y for them to ‘dress off’ the rough faces of the stonework of the Willows Lane and Scaitcliffe Street railway bridges. Some Freight Workings from Accrington 1896 The Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway produced a Classification of Goods Trains as from July 1 st , 1896, until further notice. 2:30am Accrington Exchange Sidings to Nelson. This ran daily (Mondays at 3am). This train conveyed empties to Huncoat Colliery, then from Huncoat and Hapton detaching traffic at these destinations. Stock for Colne was detached at Burnley whilst attaching traffic for Brierfield and Nelson. ( This train was limited to 45 wagons beyond Rose Grove, where traffic from the Kirkham to Leeds goods was conveyed onwards. )

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