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

between the two towns. The Accrington Trades & Labour Party had written complaining about the tram services on the Church and Oswaldtwistle Sections between 05:30 and 06:00. It was resolved the Tramway Manager would reply that it was this Committee’s desire to operate as good a service as was possible to meet the needs of the travelling public between these specified times. A report on the meeting convened between the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the two Committees held on December 14 th , in accordance with previous passed resolutions. “After careful consideration it was decided that the regulation requiring the minimum single fare on the Whalley route to and from Accrington be fixed at 5 pence, should now be modified to 4½ pence, with further permission to issue a return ticket at a minimum of 8 pence. The application from Ribble Motor Services to modify their workmen’s tickets was also discussed, and it was recommended that permission should be granted for the issue of books containing 6 return tickets, one available for each day of the week at a rate equal to six times the ordinary single fare plus 1 penny. These journeys must however commence before 09:00 on each day.” At a meeting of the Tramways Committee the resolutions of the previous ‘Joint’ Committees were approved and adopted. 1926 (Whereas during World War 1 it had been the demands of duty which had caused staffing problems for the Tramway Department, now the problems were caused by the General Strike. The Council tried to maintain some sort of service without alienating those trade union members who supported the dispute, in the realisation that many would be returning to work when the dispute was ended. At least the facilities for tramway passengers away from the town centre were to a certain extent being addressed.) The following cars, the last to be purchased by Accrington Corporation Tramways Department were added to the fleet - No . Type Seats In Out Disposal 42 Double-deck low height 34 up 26 down 192 6 193 1 Sunderland Corporation January At a meeting of the Tramways Sub-Committee, it was resolved to accept the tender of the Star Architectural Iron Works in Glasgow for the construction of a tramway shelter on Manchester Road at the foot of Harcourt Road with dimensions of 12 feet x 8 feet at a cost of £139. The Committee then considered a number of tenders for the supply of a Motor Ambulance. It was resolved to accept the one from Messrs Alfred Walker & Sons, for a 20 horse-power Austin chassis with a Walker’s body and additional equipment as specified at an all-inclusive cost of £677. It was further resolved to accept the tender of Messrs Hadfield’s of Sheffield for the supply of 50 steel tram tyres, along with that of Alfred Wiseman from Birmingham for 18 gear wheels. Finally, it was decided the Tramway Manager should have a clock fixed at a convenient place at the Hillock Vale tramway terminus on Burnley Road, in order to assist conductors in keeping more regular time with their departures from there. At a meeting of the Tramways Committee, a letter was received from the Lancashire & Cheshire Tramway Authorities Council, asking for all municipal tramway authorities in the North West, to communicate with their Members of Parliament requesting them to attend a meeting to be held in London shortly, to discuss the subject of competition from Omnibus Services. The Borough Treasurer reported that in granting a renewal of the Accrington Corporation (Temporary Increase of Charges) Bill to December 31 st , 1926, the Ministry of Transport had made it a condition that the contribution from the Tramways Revenue Account to the Rates Account should not exceed £558 for the year 1925/26, which was the balance owing by the Tramways undertaking to the Rate Account. He pointed out that in the estimates it was provided that a sum of £2,000 should be appropriated to the Rate Aid. The difference of £1,442 would have to be provided for out of the Borough Fund cash balance, which at March 31 st , 1925 amounted to £2,770. At a meeting of the Tramways Sub-Committee a communication was read out from the ‘local’ Secretary of the T&GWU, asking them to meet with a 43 Double-deck low height 34 up 26 down 192 6 193 1 Sunderland Corporation

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