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

February 3 rd . Following a letter from the Secretary of the Tramway Company, the Town Clerk met with Mr Baker a solicitor acting for the operators, to discuss the protection of the Corporation with regard to the Tramway’s roads. Following this he agreed to insert a covering clause. February 9 th . The Town Clerk was asked to write to the Manager of the Tramway Company to ask why they were taking so much time in equipping the tramway. He was also to correspond with Major-General Hutchinson to enquire what rolling stock would be required in order that his inspection take place. The Borough Surveyor accompanied by Cllr Herald were authorised by the General Works Committee to visit the directors of the Over Darwen Tramway Company, to attempt to arrange for the loan of an engine and car from their system to enable a Board of Trade inspection of the Accrington tramway. ( The Over Darwen Tramways were in 1880 owned by Messrs Busby Carson & Company, whose Head office was in Liverpool. They ran tramways across the North of England including Manchester, in a livery of red and white with gold lining out. Promoters of the Accrington system Cosh and Cramp, were also directors of the Over Darwen system.) February 16 th . On Monday, the 16 th and Tuesday, the 17 th , the wheelsets and frame of an engine were placed on the newly laid tramway rails and pulled by a horse in order to test the trueness of the gauge of the lines, prior to the running of a fully constructed engine over them. They were found to be true and sound without any faults. The Borough Surveyor reported back to the General Works Committee that after a meeting with the officials of the Darwen Tramway Company, it was established they were willing to lend an engine and trailer car to the Accrington system, for the purposes of a line inspection by the Board of Trade’s Inspector. On this day the Clayton-le-Moors Local Board consented to the leasing of the Accrington Tramways for twenty-one years. February 19 th . At a meeting of the General Works Committee the Town Clerk was authorised to write to the Tramway Company about the ‘dilatory’ way in which they were proceeding with equipping the tramway. February 23 rd . The Town Clerk reported his interview with Mr Baker, the solicitor acting on behalf of the Railway Company, ‘proposing’ the new Accrington to Clitheroe extension, to the effect that he was prepared to insert a clause in the Bill, “for the protection of the Corporation with regard to their tramways and footpaths”. He would forward an amended draft to Accrington Council before the next meeting on the following Monday. The Borough Surveyor reported that testing of the gauge of the tramway lines had showed them to be out between ¾ of an inch and 1½ inches out at several places. The Committee requested he should seek rectification forthwith. March 9 th . A General Works Sub-Committee from the Corporation had visited those lines which were out of gauge on the tramway. The town’s Surveyor was called to explain why the blame for these problems should not be placed upon him, as they had occurred whilst the track was being laid. He was then requested to attend before the next meeting of the General Purposes Committee to explain his position. The Secretary of the Tramway Company sent a letter ( dated March 5 th ), with regard to the alterations required at the Ellison Street depot, and the Committee resolved these alterations should be carried out, with the exception of those concerning the offices. Also on this date the Town Hall & Markets Committee received a letter ( also dated March 5 th ) from Mr A. W. Blunt, Secretary of the Tramway Company, requesting permission to erect a waiting room on part of the Market’s grounds. It was resolved a Sub Committee would visit the proposed site of this waiting room and that subject to their approval the Tramway’s Engineer be asked to supply a plan of the structure, its design and details of how much land it would take up. April 5 th . The lease was signed which gave the Accrington Steam Tramways the option to operate the tramway for 21 years. This was divided into three equal parts, each of seven years at the following rental payable to the Corporation of – (1)£1,120 per annum for the period 1886 to 1893. (2)£1,280 per annum for the period 1894 to 1901. (3) £1,600 per annum for the period 1901 to 1908. The Lease contained in addition the usual covenants and powers of distress and re-entry as laid down in the following -

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