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

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Accrington Dismantled by Accrington Dismantled by Accrington Dismantled by Accrington Dismantled by Accrington Dismantled by Accrington Dismantled by Accrington

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Saloon

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Double-deck balcony Double-deck balcony Double-deck balcony Double-deck balcony Saloon

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1908 January On the opening of the Carnegie Library on St James Street, the Tramway Department took possession of part of the front gallery in the Market Hall when it was vacated, to utilise as offices. It had previously been used as the Ladies Reading Room. At a meeting of the Electrical Sub-Committee the Chairman pointed out a list of articles and appliances which were required in conjunction with the operation of the Tramway. These included oil lamps and ramps for each car, a number of armatures, two standpipes for washing the cars, (which could also be used in the case of a depot fire), overhead insulator testing appliances and any other items the Tramway Manager felt were necessary. He was authorised to obtain the best prices for these and a ‘revised’ price from Brush for the armatures. He himself reported that the price submitted by Mr J. T. Lonsdale of Oswaldtwistle had already been accepted as the best one for the supply of oils and grease. It was further resolved the Tramway Manager should engage a Lineman to keep the lines and points clean and in working order. A report to Haslingden’s Corporation on the advantages of a Municipal Electricity current supply for traction purposes ( extracts only ). The advantages of electric traction on Tramways are becoming so generally recognised by both the Tramway Companies and by the public, that we need not enter into very full details into this part of the subject, our purpose in dealing with the question of traction under a separate heading being rather to point to the advantages of Electric Lighting Works of supplying current for traction purposes etc. In the first place, the buildings, chimney shaft and to a large extent the boilers, steam piped etc, become common to both enterprises, as also does the resident engineer and his staff, and therefore the capital charges and management expenses do not advance in the same ration as the increase in output. As the call on power for tramway purposes is mainly at a time when the lighting plant is lying idle, it is possible to utilise a considerable portion of the lighting plant at periods of light loadings, thereby increasing the efficiency of the works and enabling current for both lighting and traction to be generated at lower cost. In separate works duplicate standby plant for both lighting and traction must be provided, but when the two are combined the same spare plant can be equally available for either purpose. For the above reasons it is obvious that a Municipal Authority owning an Electric Supply Works, is in a position to supply current for traction purposes at as low a cost as a Tramway Company with a separate power house, could generate for themselves, and at the same time can do so at a considerable profit. A further reason why the supply of current for traction should be retained under the control of a Municipal Authority owning their own Electric Works, is the possibility that at some future date it might be decided to ‘municipalise’ the Tramway, in which case it would be necessary to purchase the powerhouse of the Tramway Company. As this power would be of little value owing to the advantages of centralisation of a supply works, it is clearly against the

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