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

b) By starting cars with the brakes fully or partially on. c) By running cars too closely together either on the level or on an up gradient. d) By bringing the motors into parallel when ascending a steep incline, or by running part of the way up in series and then the remainder in parallel. If the road in front is clear then there is no harm in running quickly, but speed should be attained on the level before the rise is felt. e) By stopping on curves and on gradients when they can be avoided. f) By using current on the down-grades, where good speed can be achieved solely by momentum. g) By running too close to a stop before shutting off power. h) Where the stop is at the crest of an incline the drivers often bring their cars to a stop before this point is reached, when stopping on the crest a downhill start could be made. AUTOMATIC POINT CONTROLLERS These are situated at the following locations – (1) At the Market Place on Peel Street. Drivers must observe the following rules – For (1) – When wanting to go to the left, pass under the skate with the controller in the on position, when wanting to go to the right pass under the skate with the controller in the off position. For both (2) and (3) vice-versa. MAGNETIC BRAKE INSTRUCTIONS. A. Braking Effect & Speeds – Drivers using the Westinghouse Magnetic Brake will notice that the braking effect varies with the speed of the tramcar. On a fast running car the brake will be effective when the controller handle has been moved over to the first braking notch, but with a car travelling at a slower speed this handle may have to be moved over to the second, third or even fourth notch before the required slowing is obtained. This is due to the fact that the braking current is generated by the car’s motors, and this is proportionate to the speed which provides the current supplied to the brake magnets. By experiencing the different braking effects a varying speeds practice will enable drivers to move the controller handle to the appropriate brake notch on the controller for slowing down or making emergency stops. B. Emergency Practice – Drivers should practice throwing the control handle from full power to off and applying the brake with a view to acquiring rapidity and certainty of action in the event of an emergency. This practice can take place on a stationary car. C. Brake Trials – Drivers should always try the magnetic brake when taking over a car and at the last stop before commencing the descent of an incline. D. Drivers should never apply the magnetic brake and the handbrake at the same time. When a car has been brought to a standstill using the magnetic Brake the handbrake must be applied to hold the car at a standstill. The control handle should never be used at more than one notch at a time, for by taking a short pause on each notch stops can be achieved smoothly and rapidly without jerking. When making ordinary stops these pauses should be longer in duration than those used in an emergency. Magnetic stops are not to be used when the rails are in good condition. E. When the Magnetic Brake is applied for the purpose of slowing down, but not for a full stop, the controller should be moved from notch to notch as for an ordinary stop until the speed has come down to 6mph, before moving it back to the ‘off’ position. F. When descending a gradient the driver should first bring his car to rest at the start of the descent, set the controller over to the final braking notch and keep it that position until the car has reached a sufficient speed to put the magnetic brake into operation. This will hold (2) At the corner of Peel Street with Whalley Road. (3) At the corner of Whalley Road with Burnley Road.

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