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

Tramways & Transport Association, with reference to the National Industrial Council for the Public Omnibus Industries’ proposals to revise the Tramways Agreement of April 11 th , 1922. This letter had contained the following resolution which had been passed by a ‘special’ Committee of that Association’s Council, which had been appointed to consider the subject. The constituent authorities were asked to approve the following - “That in view of the appeal by the Government and the appeals that have been made by the constituent authorities of this Association, three months’ notice be given to terminate this agreement made by the Joint Industrial Council for the Tramway Industry, dated April 11 th , 1922, in order to regulate the hours of labour, and the conditions of the employees on operating and maintenance staffs in the tramway industry, and the decision of the tribunal for the tramway industry dated November 1 st , 1924 on grouping and standardisation, increase in wages, stabilisation and night work, with a view to obtaining relief to the tramway industry under either the Agreement or the decision, and also with the object of arriving at an agreement relating to the Omnibus Industry.” December It was resolved that the Town Clerk reply to this communication intimating that Accrington Council was opposed to a termination of the Agreement as recommended in the above resolution, but that they were favourable to the establishment of an Agreement for the whole of the Omnibus Industry. 1932 (The changeover from operating trams to an omnibus service having been concluded, it was then decided to look at a ‘rationalisation’ of the staff within the depot and also on the operational side.) It was during 1932, after Accrington had closed its tramway operations, that Blackburn obtained eight traction motors from the closed Lanarkshire Tramway Company. These motors were installed in cars to be used mainly on the section to Church, until it closed on January the 16 th , 1949. Those cars so fitted were numbers 42, 44, 48, 56, 57, 68 & 72, with one spare. These were capable of higher speeds and enabled faster running over the ‘country’ section between Intack and the West End of Oswaldtwistle, part of which had been re-laid with double track. This sparked off many complaints from other road users, about cars travelling at “excessive speeds” when overtaking them between Redcap and West End.. The closing of the Burnley Road Section of the tramway caused huge relief to the undertakers of the district. For years they had bombarded the local paper and the Corporation, with complaints about what they thought was unfair competition in the used of sombrely bedecked tramcars, conveying mourners from town to the cemetery gates at Hillock Vale, thus taking away valuable business from them. At a meeting of the Transport Sub-Committee, they considered a reorganisation of the Transport Department’s staff, and their salaries before resolving that - 1. They were satisfied that the existing numbers employed were necessary for the efficient running of the undertaking and therefore could not be reduced. 2. That no alterations could be made to the scale of salaries at the present time, as this Sub-Committee was satisfied that the temporary reductions made in accordance with the Whitley Council’s Award, had already been met. The Transport Sub-Committee met and accepted and adopted the minutes and recommendations of the Sub-Committee made earlier as far as 1 was concerned. However, those contained in 2 would be adjourned for further consideration. February At a meeting of the Transport Sub-Committee, they considered an appeal by the residents of Huncoat for the bus service to be extended. The Transport Manager, then reported he had already received offers for 64 of the redundant tramway standards. It was resolved that the best of these would be accepted. March At a meeting of the Watch Committee, it was resolved that the Transport Committee should give all the redundant tramway standards to them free of charge, for further use as lamp posts. It was then resolved that the order made recently by the Ministry of Transport, authorising the abandonment of the tramway between Accrington and Church be put into effect from April 1 st , next. Also that Blackburn January On January 6 th , the final tram, car number 6, ran from the Burnley Road section back to the depot on Ellison Street, without any ceremony and the tramway was closed.

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