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

light of this development for guidance, and the matter was referred to the Sub-Committee for consideration. The Town Clerk made a statement regarding the various insurance policies held in connection with the Tramways Department. It was resolved the Chairman and Vice-Chairman would be empowered to take out new policies ‘without delay’. At a meeting of the Town Hall & Markets Committee it was resolved to grant the Tramway’s Department use of the shop adjacent to their Parcels Office in the Market Hall. 1911 (There was a change of management in the Tramway Department which set off a chain of moves to improve the economy. Adjustments were being made to maximise efficiency both on services and staffing. The welfare of the platform staff was also under scrutiny, and a less complex ticketing system was introduced. In 1911 Accrington Corporation put forward yet another proposal for a ‘light railway’ to run through from Huncoat to Great Harwood, and the Board of trade gave its assent on June 5 th , 1912. If a guarantee of a 3% dividend was granted the L & Y Railway would take over the operation of this line. It was believed that at a time when tramways were electrifying and expanding their systems, there was a delay which lasted to the outbreak of the Great War and it was which this finally put paid to it. ) January At a meeting of the Electrical Sub-Committee, it was resolved that ‘special’ cars would operate at 2am on the mornings of Friday the 13 th and Saturday the 14 th on each section of the Tramway, in order to convey revellers home following the Mayor’s Ball, but double the normal fares would be charged. At a meeting of the Electrical, Legal & Parliamentary Committee, an application from the motormen for the provision of screens on the tramcars for protection from the weather, was passed on to the Sub-Committee for further consideration. The Tramways Manager reported there was a vacant shop on Blackburn Road in Church, which could be used as a parcels office. He stated that Blackburn Corporation had already agreed to pay half of the £15 per year rental, and recommended that this should be secured on a yearly tenancy. It was resolved to carry out this suggestion. It was further resolved to accept the following tenders for scrap - Scrap brass - (H.E. Lupton & Sons) @ 6 pence per lb less 2½% discount. Brass borings - (H.E. Lupton & Sons) @ 4½ pence per lb less 2½% discount. Heavy steel scrap - (Messrs Stringer & Sons) @ £2 – 4s – 0d per ton. Cast iron scrap - (Messrs Stringer & Sons) @ £2 – 10s – 0d per ton. Iron borings/turnings - (Messrs Stringer & Sons) @ £1 – 9s – 0d per ton. Copper scrap - (Messrs Stringer & Sons) @ 5⅝ pence per pound weight. The Borough Treasurer produced the comparative accounts for the amount of current supplied to the Tramway Department over three months for this and the previous year as follows - 1909 1910 Month Units Price Units Price October 94,510 £492 – 4s – 9d 85,440 £419 – 17s – 2d Novemb er 96,462 £512 – 9s – 1d 85,710 £421 – 3s – 8d Decemb er 95,916 £509 – 11s – 1d 93,317 £458 – 11s – 4d TOTALS 286,88 8 £1,514 – 4s – 11d 264,46 7 £1,299 – 12s – 2d February The Electrical Sub-Committee met at the Ellison Street depot and inspected one of the double deck cars which had been fitted on one end with a screen. It was decided that several drivers would test this car in service during the ensuing three months and report back, so that this Committee could judge the ‘desirability’ of fitting glazed screens on the ends of other cars. It was the resolved that ‘several’ cars would be decorated with bunting at the cost of ‘about’ 10 shillings per car, during the week from Wednesday the 21 st up to and including Saturday the 24 th , to coincide with the Coronation celebrations. The Borough Engineer was instructed to prepare an estimate for replacing the Arc lighting of the Tramway shed with incandescent lighting. At another meeting of the Electrical, Legal & Parliamentary Committee it was resolved to invite tenders for the supply of uniforms and stores for the Tramway Department.

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