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

January The Borough Treasurer was authorised to renew the tenancy of the shop premises in Church which was now in use as a parcels office, with a period of six months’ notice incumbent on either side. The Tramway Manager read out a letter from the Manager of Blackburn Corporation Tramways, on the subject of the financial arrangements currently in operation in connection with the through running of trams between the two Boroughs. He was instructed to reply in the terms indicated. It was approved that the proposal by the two Managers through tickets would continue to be issued at the existing rates. It was further resolved that a sub-committee should look into the feasibility of making alterations or extensions to the Market Hall doorway in the centre of the building on the Peel Street side, in order to make suitable provision for sheltering passengers whilst waiting for tramcars. February The Electrical & Tramways Committee met when the Sub-Committee discussed the possibility of providing a ‘suitable’ shelter for the tramway passengers, by making alterations or putting extensions on to the central doorway of the Market Hall on the Peel Street side. It was resolved that the Borough Surveyor should prepare plans on the lines laid out, and then submit them to the Sub-Committee for further consideration. At a meeting of the Electrical & Tramways Committee, it was resolved that following consultations with the Town Clerk, the Tramway Manager should initiate legal proceedings against anyone who was in breach of the Tramway Bye-Laws. At a meeting of the Finance Committee the Borough Treasurer submitted the following figures for insuring the Tramway Revenue for a sum of £40,700 at a premium of £116 – 7s – 6d. The Tramway Manager reported on the passing of tramway conductor Joseph Thompson, who had died in a military hospital following accidental injuries he had sustained whilst serving with His Majesty’s Armed Forces. March The Electrical & Tramways Committee met to hear a request from the Borough Treasurer for instructions relating to an accident to an Accrington motorman who was injured at the John Street depot in Haslingden ‘some time ago’. He was empowered along with the Tramway Manager to deal with this matter as they thought fit. Meeting again the Electrical & Tramways Committee heard the Tramway Manager give a comprehensive report on an accident which had occurred on Saturday, March 12 th on the Clayton-le-Moors section of the tramway. It was resolved the Chairman, the Vice-Chairman and Tramway Manager should further investigate the circumstances of this incident. The Tramway Manager referred to the necessity of acquiring extra office accommodation, and the Chairman and Vice-Chairman were authorised to make the best arrangements possible for securing this adjacent to the current offices in the Market Hall. The Borough Surveyor then submitted several designs with their respective costs, for the construction of a shelter around the central doorway on the Peel Street side of the Market Hall. It was resolved that in view of the expense involved, to ask the Market Committee to make whatever alterations as might be possible for using the vestibule of this entrance as a shelter at minimum cost. The Tramway Manager was then authorised to obtain the best terms for the rights to have advertisements on the reverses of the tramway tickets now on order. It was then resolved to have the recently damaged cars in the Clayton-le-Moors accident repaired and returned to service as soon as possible. At a meeting of the Town Hall & Markets Committee it was resolved that in future the outside doors only of the centre entrance to the Market Hall on the Peel Street side would be kept open during the entire day, until the departure of the final tramcar for the purpose of providing a shelter for passengers. The inner doors would be secured at the close of trading, if the Tramway Committee would accept responsibility for locking the outer doors. The General Purposes Committee met and approved the recommendation that the salary of Mr Harry Pilling the Tramway Manager, should go up from £250 to £300 per annum from April 1 st next. ( The most serious accident on Accrington’s tramways occurred on March 12 th , in dense fog. Two Accrington cars collided head-on, whilst working the Clayton section on the single line along Whalley Road. Car number 15 was heading towards Clayton-le-Moors, whilst car number 7 was on its way back to town having just left the passing loop situated at the end of Sydney Street. They collided with such force as to severely damage both leading ends, with car 7 coming off the worse with a controller being totally dislodged. Both motormen were seriously injured, one of which, driver Crabtree, passed away some three years later, on August 20 th , 1919 having not recovered from the injuries he sustained . The driver of car number 15, William Holland, had both his legs broken by the force of the impact, and although he recovered sufficiently was redeployed within the Ellison Street sheds and did not drive again. It was said that visibility was down to about 10 yards at the time of the accident .)

233