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

45.Cars should never be brought to a standstill on a bend, as this causes an unnecessary waste of current in order to restart. 46.Drivers should be able to recognise the signs denoting the trolley has become detached from the overhead wire. These are an extraordinary agitation of the trolley wire, sudden loss of the trolley’s ‘singing’ noise, an extinction of the car’s lights and the motors no longer ‘humming’. Upon indication by any of these signs the car must immediately be brought to a standstill. 47.Drivers will be expected to become familiar with all the details of the cars and be able to remedy small defects as they occur out in the road. Any driver making intelligent queries with a view to understanding these will be appreciated, whilst at the same time however, drivers must not tamper with any equipment they do not fully understand. 48.The meter readings of the car must be checked by relief drivers when taking over a car, and care must be taken in obtaining an accurate meter reading and entering it on the Meter Reading Sheet, to be handed in to the Office before going off duty. 49.Driver’s attention is specially called to the absolute necessity of keeping punctual time. As parts of the system are single line with passing places it is obvious that any delay will have a knock-on effect, and any culpable neglect in time-keeping will be severely punished. 50.Cars must be brought to an absolute halt wherever there is a sign stating ‘ ALL CARS STOP HERE ’, and having done so the driver must not proceed unless signalled to do so by the Conductor who should have a clear view of the rear platform. 51.Drivers should keep a sharp lookout for intending passengers and on no account refuse to pick anyone up unless having previously received a signal from the conductor that the car is full. 52.Cars will only stop at designated places excepting the case with elderly or infirm passengers, when on signalling the car may stop anywhere to enable them to board or alight. 53.Cars must slow at each stage whether or not there are passengers intending to get on or off. 54.Drivers must sound the foot-gong where approaching outlets, passing other cars and on occasions when a warning is deemed necessary. But sounding the foot-gong when passing a spirited horse or to the annoyance of passengers when not necessary should be avoided generally. 55.Drivers are warned to ignore any signals unless given specifically by their conductors. 56.Drivers should give one tap on the foot gong to acknowledge that they have heard their conductors’ signals. 57.The front platform gate of the car should always be closed when the car is running, and only persons with an official permit should ever be allowed access to this area. 58.Passengers should not be allowed to board or alight from a car via the front platform, with the exception of at a terminus, and even there, the driver must supervise their safety in order to avoid accidents with other cars or vehicles. 59.Each time the car arrives at the central terminus the driver must remove the sand pedal, open the car door and unlock the platform gate to allow passengers to alight safely. 60.Every time the car arrives at a terminus the driver must remove the sanding pedal, open the car door and the platform gate to allow passengers to dismount. 61.It is imperative that the driver’s platform step should not be dropped until the car has reached a terminus, as it would interfere with the proper operation of the car’s lifeguard, and a fatality could occur as a consequence. On no account must the step be heavily dropped as it throws the lifeguard out of gear. 62.If the driver requires any repairs done to his car he must enter these in the Report Book, neatly, clearly and concisely in his own handwriting.

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