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

stated that had been arranged. Colonel A. C. Trench had been appointed to inspect the Accrington system and that a further communication would be sent, when the date and time of his inspection. The Borough Surveyor then submitted a sketch of the canopy to be erected against the wall at Oakleigh on Whalley Road. It was resolved to adopt his plans and he was authorised to carry out this work subject to permission being obtained from the owner of the adjacent property. The Town Clerk was then authorised to deal with an offence which had occurred recently on a tramcar. August The Tramways Committee met when it was resolved to appoint the Chairman, Vice-Chair and Alderman Rawson to deal with the purchase of new uniforms for the employees in the tramway department. The Town Clerk then reported on the terms on which he had arranged a settlement of compensation with a tram driver who had been injured in an accident which occurred in November 1926, subject to the approval of this Sub-Committee. This approval was then forthcoming. A ‘Special’ Tramway Sub-Committee meeting was held and it was resolved to accept the tender of Messrs Joseph Hunter & Sons of Liverpool for the supply of uniforms for the tramway staff as follows – Inspectors’ – 8 tunics, 8 pairs of trousers, & 8 overcoats. Motormen’s & Conductors’ 96 tunics, 96 pairs of trousers & 96 overcoats. Parcel Youths’ 17 tunics, 17 pairs of trousers & 17 overcoats. It was also resolved to accept the tender of Charles Mackintosh & Co. Ltd, of Manchester for the supply of Inspector’s mackintoshes. It was further resolved to accept the tender from Mr Albert Perry of Southport for the supply of 8 Inspectors’ caps and 113 Motormen’s, Conductors’ and Parcel Youths’ headwear. October The Tramways Sub-Committee met and the Borough Surveyor requested instructions with regard to the erection of the tramway shelter to be placed at the junction of Ribblesdale Avenue on Whalley Road, and to the canopy to be built against the wall and over the footpath on the westerly side of the road. He was instructed not to proceed with this work for the time being. November At a meeting of the Tramways Committee, the Town Clerk reminded them of a minute passed by the General Works Committee with regard to the old tramway shelter, asking them to take responsibility for its disposal. It was resolved to donate this redundant structure to the Education Committee for use on the school playing fields in the Milnshaw District of the town, if the General Works Committee would agree to pay an equal share of the costs. (The advent of motor buses required that trams share the Ellison Street depot for about four years, which meant that for the period of overlap some buses were actually housed in the lower part of the depot, and accessed from the Hyndburn Road side. This situation changed with the demise of the trams however, and the lower floor was only used for storage of spares and redundant vehicles. This situation remained the same for many years. During the ‘Jubilee’ celebrations of 1928 a procession of cars was headed by the sole surviving Rossendale Tramways Department’s steam engine. This was retained for engineering and snow clearing purposes, and was the last of its kind to run over Accrington’s lines .) 1929 (This was the year when Accrington became an undertaking trying to balance the problems caused by overlapping tramway operations with the new bus services, without compromising any other operators, both municipal or company.) January The Tramways Sub-Committee met when the Town Clerk submitted draft proposals with regard to this ‘joint’ inter-running arrangement with the LMS Railway Company, and these were approved as a basis for future negotiations with them, with another report to be presented in due course. It was resolved that a copy of these proposals along with those of the Railway Company, should be supplied to each member of this Sub-Committee in due course. On the same day at a meeting of the Tramways Committee, the Borough Surveyor presented plans for the extension of the Ellison Street car sheds in order to accommodate the new omnibuses. Consideration of these plans was deferred until the meeting to be soon. The Tramway Manager then submitted a request from Warrington Corporation to hire the ‘rail grinding machine’ used by the tramway maintenance men. It was resolved to allow this request, subject to terms and conditions to be negotiated by the Tramway Manager. The Town Hall & Markets Committee met and the Town Clerk explained, that the Tramway Committee was considering a scheme for extending the car sheds. This would involve procuring some 708 square yards from Ellison’s Tenement, whilst he pointed out that the five-year agreement with Messrs William Mitchell & Sons, for the occupation of this area for the setting up of the Borough’s annual Spring and Autumn Fairs, would not expire until 1930! It was resolved that this Committee at least would acquiesce, and would ‘modify’ the terms of the said

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