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

Accrington cars. They remained in service, working out of the John Street depot, until September 4 th , 1908, when they were all withdrawn from service and sold off for further use or scrap. The Lancaster cars differed in that they had seats arranged in pairs on the top deck, with ‘rock over’ backs usually termed as garden seats. THE FIRST LIVERY There is little documented evidence to show or confirm how the livery of Accrington’s trams was chosen. The red and cream first appeared on the trailer cars of the Accrington Steam Tramway Company, who successfully negotiated the operating lease for the use of the tracks from Accrington Corporation for a period from 1886 to 1907. However there is a possibility that events leading up to the opening of the system on April 5 th , 1886 may have had an influence on the choice of red and cream. At the closing of 1885 Accrington Corporation had put down all the lines over which the engines and trailer cars of the lessees would operate, and during January 1886 received correspondence from the Board of Trade they were ready to make an inspection of the system. This was of course required by law and no tramway could commence operations unless it had received a certificate passing it as safe to run. The letter said that during March their inspector, Major-General Hutchinson, would be arriving to make his inspection. This left Accrington Corporations officials in something of a dilemma, as at the time when this inspection was to take place there was no stock on which the Major-General could travel. Despite alerting the Company who were to provide all the rolling stock for the tramway to the fact that this inspection was imminent, no engines from Thomas Green of Leeds, or trailer cars from Falcon of Loughborough had been delivered. The last thing the Councillors wanted was to put off this inspection, as it might have shown them in a bad light with the Board of Trade on whom they were relying for a certificate of worthiness, so it was decided to inquire around to see if an engine and car could be borrowed just to allow it to take place. Just how many operators were approached or who they were is not recorded, but the Company who was prepared to loan them an engine and trailer car was Darwen, out of the stock which they contributed to the Blackburn & Over Darwen Tramway, which was part steam hauled and part horse drawn at that time. The livery of the trailer car was described as ‘vermillion’, which is of course a powerful shade of red and cream. Most publications describe the colour used with cream on the Accrington cars as ‘bright red’. Was there a connection? Having seen the Darwen car travelling over the lines in Accrington was it decided that this would then have to form the basis of the livery? There can be little doubt that even this inspection would have attracted a tremendous amount of interest in the local press and members of the public. Perhaps having witness what at the time would have been something of a momentous occasion for the town, and in order not to arouse any adverse comments, the instruction went out to deliver the cars in a similar colour scheme. Of course when the steam-hauled cars were withdrawn to be replaced by electric trams, the colour scheme was continued, and remained so virtually unchanged until they were withdrawn in 1932. Further research may supersede this speculation and prove it just that, but until then! Timetable of Services for 1887 Accrington to Clayton-le-Moors Weekdays at 08:20, 08:50, 09:20, 09:50, 10:20, 10:50, 11:20 and every 20 minutes to 22:00, with one journey at 22:40. Tuesdays & Saturdays as above then from 12:00 every 13 minutes to 22:11, with one journey at 22:37 on Saturdays only. Sunday at 10:20, 10:50, 11:20, 11:40, 12:00, then at every 13 minutes to 22:11. Clayton-le-Moors to Accrington Weekdays at 08:30, 09:20, 09:50, 10:20, 10:50, 11:20, 11:47 and every 20 minutes to 22:27, with one journey at 23:07. Tuesdays & Saturdays as above then from 12:07, 12:25 and every 13 minutes to 23:02, with one journey at 23:38 on Saturdays only.

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