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

WAGES

Date

1920

1921

Decrease (owing to reduced services)

April 1 st to June 15 th £1,256 – 8s – 9d It was resolved that having regard to these above statistics and with a view to minimising the serious losses indicated, mainly as a result of a reduced service, the Tramway Manager and the Electrical Engineer should consider the possibility of obtaining an increased supply of coal, in order to operate a full or at least a more extensive service than the one in operation at the present time. The Town Hall & Markets Sub-Committee met to consider the application from the Electrical & Tramway Committee for the provision of sanitary conveniences for the use of Tramway employees, and inspected the ground on the northerly side of the Market Hall adjoining the existing urinals. The Borough Surveyor submitted a sketch showing the proposed building housing two WCs at an estimated cost of between £60 and £70. It was resolved that this be approved and recommended for adoption. July The Electricity & Tramways Committee met and the Tramway Manager reported that the Bell Punch & Printing Company Ltd, had asked the Corporation if their agreement to provide their ticket punching machines on hire to the Accrington undertaking might be renewed for another three years, as from the 1 st of August next. It was agreed to renew this arrangement. With regard to the application from the tramway employees request to be placed in Grade 1 of the Lancashire Area scheme, the Tramway Manager reported that it had been decided by the District Council for the Lancashire & Cheshire Tramway Authorities Council that no alteration could be made to their grading. August The Electricity & Tramways Committee met, when a letter was received from the United Vehicle Workers (local branch), asking the Committee to receive a deputation from them in order to discuss the constitution of a Works Committee. It was resolved the Town Clerk should reply that the Committee were prepared to receive a deputation at Accrington Town Hall on the following Monday at 10 am. A letter was received from the Secretary of the Committee of the Workpeople’s Hospital Fund, trying to arrange a meeting to discuss the existing terms and conditions for the use of the ambulance van. On this same day the Tramway Manager reported on the case of a disabled soldier fraudulently obtaining a free travel pass by giving a false address in Accrington, when he was found to be living outside the Borough. It was resolved to have this offender appear before the next meeting to explain why proceedings should not be taken against him. A deputation from the Tramway employees was in attendance and they asked the Committee to appoint one of its members to act as Chair of the Joint Tramway’s Works Committee. It was resolved that Councillor F. Lord would be appointed and join Alderman Higham and Councillors Barlow, Cunliffe, Lambert and O’Connor. September The Electricity & Tramways Committee met and resolved to accept the minutes of the Joint Works Committee’s meeting held on August 29 th last. The Tramway Manager suggested the advisability of putting four ‘emergency’ men in communication with the Ellison Street depot by installing telephones in their homes. He submitted quotations from two firms for the supply of the instruments and the switchboard connections. It was resolved to adopt this suggestion and accept the tender of the Western Electrical Company Ltd, of £56 – 7s – 0d for this work to be carried out. October The Electricity & Tramways Committee met and referred to the discussion at the last meeting of the Full Council on the subject of running a ‘restricted’ service of trams on Sunday mornings. It was decided that such a service could not be run except at a considerable loss, so no action would be taken. November The Electricity & Tramways Committee met, when it was resolved that members of the Works Committee for the Tramway Department would meet every Monday morning at 11am unless otherwise notified. It was also resolved the Tramway Manager could have a clock installed at the Oswaldtwistle terminus at a cost of about £6. The Tramway Manager then read out a communication from the Lancashire & Cheshire Tramway Authorities Council, asking for the Committee’s support for their recommendations in the event of employees refusing to run a service of trams on Christmas Day. It was resolved the Tramway Manager should put in place the arrangements which had seen a restricted service run in 1920, but failing this the Committee would support the Council’s recommendations. Mr Pilling then submitted correspondence from the Secretary of the Lancashire & Cheshire Tramway Authorities Committee, and from the General Secretary of the Municipal Tramways Association, relating to a £6,153 – 6s – 0d £4,896 – 17s – 3d

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