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

4. Should any driver not be satisfied with the condition of his car, he must report this to the depot Superintendent and record it in the Report Book. 5. Before moving the car he must check that the trolley is in proper contact with the overhead wire, and that both canopy switches are in the ‘on’ position and pointing in the intended direction of travel. 6. After sounding a warning on the foot gong the driver must move the handle to the first notch, then on to each position according to the speed required. 7. When a car is worked on the first five notches the motors are ‘in series’, which gives the greatest pulling power, but the car achieves rather less than half maximum speed. 8. When running in the final three notches the motors are ‘in parallel’ which gives full speed. The power handle should only be held for a few seconds in notches 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 & 7, but it may be allowed to stay in notches 5 and 8 for any length of time as these are designated as the running notches. Drivers should never hold the power handle between any notches but always try to make a clean contact every time the handle is moved. INSTRUCTIONS FOR CARS FITTED WITH DICK KERR EQUIPMENT. 9. To start the car put the switch into the ‘on’ position at the driver’s end of the car only. The switch at the conductor’s end should always be at the ‘off’ position. The power handle can only be advanced one notch at a time and drivers must not try to force the power handle over the top of a notch. There are four notches in series and four notches in parallel. Notches 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6 are resistance notches, whilst 4 and 8 are running notches. When a motor is cut out the car can only be driven in series. 10.Rigid economy in the use of current will greatly contribute to the financial success of the Tramways, and it is imperative that drivers pay strict attention to these details as the abuse of motors by improper handling will under no circumstance be tolerated. 11.Drivers should at all times have the car under proper control and be able to stop immediately if called upon to do so. 12.When starting the car the handbrake pressure should be held on a small amount until the car begins to move, then power worked up smartly whilst avoiding jolting or shaking up the passengers. After attaining sufficient speed on level roads the power should be shut off and the car allowed to continue with the momentum gained. This will prevent wasting current and enable it to be halted more rapidly and with less exertion than would be the case if running at full speed. Following these rules the driver will end his shift less tired. 13.The proper handling of the brakes is a good indication of a man’s fitness to operate a car, and the slack of the brake must be taken up without having the brake shoes rubbing against the wheels. 14.Stopping the car by jamming on the brakes will cause the car to skid, so the brake should be applied firmly whilst humouring it. As the car slows the brake pressure may be slightly eased, and this should bring the car to a stand without any unnecessary jolting. 15.Should the wheels skid then the brake should be released immediately, sanding applied to the rails and the brakes re-applied keeping the supply of sand on until the car comes under proper control again. 16.On approaching a steep gradient drivers must bring their cars to a dead stand, and examine the brakes and sanders to ascertain they are in full working order before attempting to descend, proceeding as slowly as is necessary so as never to lose control of their cars. 17.The catch or dog of the handbrake mechanism should only be used when the car is at a standstill and must never be used to hold the handbrake in the on position whilst the car is slowing down or when the car is descending a hill. 18.When under power on greasy rails if the wheels fail to grip shut off power at once, open the sanders and work power up gradually keeping the sanders running until adhesion is achieved and the car has reached a reasonable speed. 19.When the rails are slippery and the car is running without power the driver must be careful to avoid running the car onto a sanded stretch with the handbrake on, and he

221