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

It was then decided to adopt a suggestion made for the ventilating of the tram-shed paint-shop, and instruction was given for this work to take place. At a meeting of the Electrical, Legal & Parliamentary Committee, a letter from the Huncoat Parish Council was read out requesting, amongst other things, for a an electric light to be fixed to illuminate the Hillock Vale tramway terminus. It was then resolved the Town Clerk would reply to the effect that all tramway employees had been instructed to make sure in future, that all passengers had alighted from the cars at this terminus before the trolley poles were reversed and the lights extinguished. It was also resolved that a revision of the rates charged for a supply of electrical energy to the tramway, be referred to a Sub-Committee for further consideration. Another resolution was passed to the effect that in all future cases necessitating motormen and conductors having to reside in Haslingden in connection with the carrying out of their duties, which would involve them having to move from Accrington, a grant of £1 – 0s – 0d would be made towards the cost of the removals. On the recommendation of the Tramway’s Manager it was resolved that the following increases in the rates of pay for the staff employed in the Tramways Department could be implemented as follows - All motormen, conductors, car cleaners, coach painters and machinists would receive an extra ¼ of a penny per hour, (a farthing), the motor cleaner 1d per hour, the shed foreman and night brakesman ½d per hour, (a half-penny). The Borough Treasurer reviewed the up to date finances of the Tramway Department for the financial year 1912-13, and requested instructions for the 1913/14 estimates. He then pointed out that the unliquidated losses on the tramway defrayed out of revenue at March 31 st , 1913, would be £8,600 – 8s – 10d. It was resolved that a sum of £1,568, (which was equal to a rate of tu’pence in the pound) could be taken out of the rate fund for the year 1913/14. The Borough Treasurer then reported that the invested funds of the Tramway’s Renewals & Depreciation Fund, which had been previously loaned to the Education Committee, now stood at £12,400 at 3½%. It was resolved that this sum together with any additional sums, be advanced ‘interest free’ to that committee as and from December 31 st , 1912. April At a meeting of the General Purposes Committee, they considered the recommendations made by, amongst others, the Electrical, Legal & Parliamentary Committee, for certain increases in earnings, and it was resolved that from the 1 st of April, the following would be granted - Mr Harry Pilling (Tramway Manager) from £200 per year to £225 per year, with a further increase of £25 in 1914, also William Eva (Chief Inspector), from £2 per week, rising in increments of 2/- each year for five years to a maximum of £2 – 10s – 0d per week. G. E. Birtwistle (Senior Inspector), from £1 – 15s – 0d per week, rising in increments of 1/- per year for five years to a maximum of £2, S. E. Ogden (Chief Clerk in Tramways Department), from £2 per week to £2 – 2s – 0d per week, Edwin Roberts (Clerk in Tramways Department), from £1 per week, rising in increments of 2/6d per year to a maximum of £1 – 10s – 0d, W. P. Holgate (Meter Tester) from £1 – 15s – 0d to £1 – 17s – 6d per week. At a meeting of the Electrical Sub-Committee the Borough Treasurer reported, that he had settled the account with Rawtenstall Corporation in respect of the amount of electrical energy consumed by their cars whilst running on Accrington lines. He requested that if in future he might assume whilst adjusting these accounts, that the Rawtenstall cars which had been converted from the regenerative braking system to ordinary control, were consuming the same amount of current as were Accrington’s cars. It was resolved to the satisfaction of the Chairman and the Tramway’s Manager that the Borough Treasurer could adjust the account in the manner he had suggested. The Tramway Manager then submitted the proposed timetable for the ensuing summer season, which was identical to the one introduced for the summer of 1912. It was resolved that this timetable should come into operation on May 1 st . It was then resolved the Tramway Manager should convert one of the tramcars from a radial truck to a ‘rigid wheel base’ truck, for a period of testing of twelve months, and report back to this Committee on the results of this experiment. It was then resolved the Tramway Manager obtain one new clock to be installed inside the car sheds, and to have a second clock placed in a window of the Market Hall overlooking Peel Street. The Borough Treasurer then presented the revenue account for the Tramway undertaking for the year ending on the 31 st of March, 1913, with a comparison from the previous financial year. INCOME Year 1911 12 1912 13 Traffic £24,83 £26,41

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