Accrington on Rails - The Tramways: A Complete History - Robert Kenyon

beech or ash. And 50 feet of any wood shall be deemed as 1 ton in weight, and so on in proportion for any smaller quantity. The Company may charge as it believes necessary for the loading and unloading of any articles of great weight. In any dispute arising as to the reasonableness of charges, the matter shall be settled by the Board of Trade. December At a meeting of the Town Council the minutes of the Legal & Parliamentary Committee taken on November 18 th with regard to the Accrington & Burnley Light Railway Bill and the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Bill 1902 were referred to the General Works Committee for further consideration. This Committee had a long discussion on the content of these Bills. The following Motion was moved by Alderman Broughton and seconded by Alderman Rawson - “To call attention to the unsatisfactory state of the engines and cars belonging to the Accrington Steam Tramway Company, and to move that an application be made to the Board of Trade under the ‘Corporation Tramways Act of 1882’, to inspect and if they think fit, to prohibit the use of such engines and cars, as in their opinion may not be safe or suitable for use on the tramway.” The meeting then resolved that the rolling stock of the Tramway Company were in an “unsafe and unsatisfactory condition”, and that notice should be served that if they did not immediately begin to put all of their rolling stock in good working condition, an application would be made to the Board of Trade under the existing Act for them to inspect and prohibit the use of any engines or cars, which they felt were unsafe for use on the tramway. The Legal & Parliamentary Committee had duly considered the proposals contained in the Accrington & Burnley Light Railway Order in order to ascertain the most advantageous policy to be adopted in order to protect the best interests of their Corporation. It was resolved that the Council itself should construct and own all tramways and light railways within the Borough. It was further resolved to request the promoters of this Bill to withdraw the part of it which provided for the laying down of a light railway within the Borough of Accrington. The Council would then be recommended to obtain, either by Bill or Order, the powers necessary to construct a tramway along Burnley Road to connect with a light railway by a physical junction. Also to seek reciprocal running powers for the Corporation in exchange for the promoters of the Bill being granted through running to a convenient point within the Borough. It was resolved that the proceedings and recommendations of the Legal & Parliamentary Committee be approved and adopted by the General Works Committee. 1902 ( The conflict between Accrington Town Council and the Tramway Company continued on two fronts, the issue of problems caused by poor rolling stock, and their refusal to negotiate for the sale of the operation to the Corporation and its neighbouring authorities. The hopes of a direct link between Accrington and Burnley were also rather abruptly ended, without any real explanation. Uneconomical to repair some of the steam engines were now being withdrawn.) January A letter was received from the Tramway Company in reply to the complaint by the Council on the subject of the condition of the rolling stock operating over the tramway system.The Legal & Parliamentary Committee received a letter from the Town Clerk of Haslingden, stating his Tramway Committee would be meeting soon when the question of purchasing the Tramway would be discussed. It was resolved that the Town Clerk be authorised to write again to the Tramway Company, asking if they were prepared to reconsider their views on the sale of the Church and Clayton-le-Moors Sections of the tramway. If so, would they appoint two representatives to meet the Council Sub-Committee to revisit the subject? February Alderman Broughton gave notice of the following motion - “Since the Accrington Steam Tramway Company has not complied with the resolution unanimously adopted by this Council on December 2 nd last, with reference to putting the whole of their rolling stock in a satisfactory condition, application should be made forthwith to the Board of Trade under the Corporation’s Act 1882, to inspect and prohibit the use of any engines and cars, which in their opinion may not be safe or suitable for use on the Corporation’s tramway.”

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