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

officials from the department, the Mayor, members of the Council and a large congregation of the townsfolk in attendance to his final resting place.) Hope, the driver of this bus on the ‘express’ service from Manchester, was found to have been travelling too fast for the prevailing foggy conditions and was later tried and found guilty of manslaughter. However, this was overturned on appeal. The Transport Manager reported to a meeting of the Transport Sub-Committee that having again met with a representative of the British Automatic Company Ltd, who wished to install four automatic weighing machines in selected tramway shelters. It was resolved permission would be granted subject to a payment of an annual rental of £3 for each machine installed, and their removal within six months of the Corporation giving notice of a termination of the agreement after an initial period of one year. The Sub Committee then considered a communication from the T&GWU with respect to compensation for the motorman who sustained injuries whilst driving a tramcar on Manchester Road on February 15 th , 1929. This matter was referred to the Town Clerk with powers to resolve the claim as he thought fit. The Transport Committee met, when a letter was received from the Town Clerk of Haslingden suggesting a meeting of representatives from Accrington, Haslingden and Rawtenstall on Monday the 17 th , to further discuss the substitution of omnibuses for tramcars. It was resolved the Sub-Committee would attend this meeting with powers agree to matters which might arise, if thought advantageous to the Corporation. March The Transport Manager was then authorised to dispose of a quantity of scrap metal, which had accumulated at the Ellison Street depot. It was further resolved the Chairman, Vice-Chair and the Transport Manager could dispose of any tramcars made redundant due to the substitution of omnibuses on the Haslingden Section, “to the best advantage of the Corporation”. He was then authorised to have the tramcar which was damaged in an accident whilst working on the Haslingden section repaired, and to forward the bill for these repairs to Ribble Motor Services. At a meeting of the Transport, Tramways & Electricity Committee, it was resolved that the price charged to the Transport Department for electricity consumed during the current financial year, should be reduced from 1½ pence per unit to 1 penny per unit. The Transport Committee met later on this same day when it was resolved that Alderman Ellis should be appointed Chairman of this committee for the remainder of the current municipal year, and that Alderman Lambert should take his place on the Transport Sub-Committee. The Transport Manager reported on the enquiries he had made following the requests from some employees in the Transport Department with regard to joining the Town Council’s adopted superannuation scheme. It was resolved to investigate further just how many employees would want to join this scheme. The Committee then considered applications from the six inspectors employed in the Transport Department for an increase in salary. These were named as A. Duffy, F. G. Nelson, J. Bickerstaff, W. E. Maudsley, C. Byrne and J. J. Haworth. It was resolved to grant increases from £3 – 7s – 0p per week to £3 – 12s – 0p per week, and that any future appointments would be paid at £3 – 9s – 0p per week, rising to £3 – 12s – 0p per week after twelve months service for a 48-hour working week. It was finally resolved to instruct the Transport Manager to circulate to the members of this Committee the future monthly traffic returns issued by his department. As had been previously agreed, the operation of trams between Accrington and the Rossendale Valley came to an end. April At a meeting of the Transport Committee, the Town Clerk reported on the terms and conditions agreed with the T&GWU with respect to the accident to motorman Thomas Lloyd Griffiths in February, 1929. His actions were approved. At another meeting of this Committee, a letter was received from Oswaldtwistle Urban District Council intimating that Church UDC was prepared to agree that the tram tracks along Market Street could be taken up on the same terms which had been agreed with Oswaldtwistle for their removal along Union Road, with the proviso that they would not grant any concessions for the omnibuses. The Transport Manager then reported that the tram operations on the Baxenden Section would be withdrawn during the coming week, and asked the Committee’s permission to take down the overhead wiring, with the exception of those standards which would be required for the purposes of lighting along Manchester Road. It was resolved to allow for the removal of the said equipment to be exercised to the satisfaction of the Town Clerk and the Transport Manager. May The final tram from Haslingden arrived back in Accrington at 1am on May 1 st . It was driven by the

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