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

FAULTS 93. Should a car fail to respond in speed to the different positions on the controller or have a higher speed on notch five than by comparison in sixth or seventh notch, the Driver should examine said controller to see that the fingers and contactors are making good electrical contact when the cylinder is revolved. 94.Should it prove impossible to detach the reversing lever when turning at a terminus, the Driver must cut out both motors in that controller and operate the car from the opposite end until arriving back at the depot where another car would be substituted. 95.Should the trolley pole be doubled up, get pulled out of standard, or combust the Driver must obtain a portable trolley from the Traffic Office and attach the end of insulated cable to the fuse, place the trolley on the live wire and proceed back to the depot with some caution. 96.Whenever a portable trolley is used, both canopy switches must be placed in the ‘off’ position. 97.Should the live wire snap and fall into the roadway, Drivers should get a piece of dry stick (a walking stick for example), and draw the wire into the groove of the rails, holding it down so that an electrical contact can be made. He should then dispatch his conductor to the nearest feed pillar to telephone the depot to report this problem. On no account must the live wire come into contact with any part of the body. INSTRUCTION FOR CONDUCTORS 1. Conductors must report to the Inspector at least 10 minutes before their car is due to depart, obtain a ticket box corresponding to the route to be worked, in order to check the contents and make sure they include a snipper and a total waybill. Sign this and pass it to the Duty Cash Clerk, for him to note any irregularities in the ticket contents something for which the Conductor will be held responsible after signing and passing over the waybill. 2. All cars departing the depot must show the proper destination on the blind. 3. Blinds must not be changed until the final stop on the route has been passed. 4. When not collecting fares the Conductor must stand upright on the rear platform, back towards the Driver keeping a sharp lookout for intending passengers. 5. Immediately after the stop the Conductor must call out the next stopping place, and must give every assistance to the elderly and children on or off the car by not starting it in motion until they are seated or holding on to a handrail. They should avoid any unnecessary conversations with passengers but answer questions in a civil and respectful manner. 6. At each stage the Conductor must call out the name of that stage. 7. Each time the car stops the Conductor must give the Driver the signal it is clear to start, and should have an unobstructed view of the rear platform to avoid all possibility of accidents. 8. Passengers must be warned of the dangers of attempting to get on or off a car when it is in motion. 9. Should it be necessary to couple a defective car to the rear of another car, no passengers should be allowed to alight from the car in service until it has been brought to a standstill. 10.Conductors should observe the trolley when going around bends, under junctions and over crossings or points and be ready to signal the Driver should it come free from the wires. 11.When changing the trolley it must be turned in the direction indicated by the arrow on the canopy. In darkness the Conductor must not change the direction of the trolley until all the passengers have vacated the car, and must not attempt to put the trolley back onto the wire until the car has come to a dead stand. 12.Conductors are strictly forbidden to apply the hand brake when the car is brought to a stand at a terminus.

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