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

The Tramway Company had further extended the Girder Rails in Whalley Road from the foot of Milnshaw Brow to Peel Street. They had also taken up the Barker rails from in front of the Market and Town Halls and likewise replaced with Girder Rail. The Company would not however agree to the passing loop at the Market Hall being singled and replaced by a triangular passing place at the junction of Peel Street with Blackburn Road. 1893 (Renewals of the tramway infrastructure continued, with more of the rails being re-laid including sections in the Town Centre. But it was the arrangements at the far end of the Church Section on which the Corporation’s and the Tramway Company’s minds were now mainly focused.) January The Borough Surveyor reported the results of the excavations in the yard of the Tramway Company’s depot on Ellison Street, adjoining the dwelling on Hindle Street, and suggested what might be done to stop damp going through the walls into the neighbouring house. February The Borough Surveyor reported he had suggested to the Tramway Company if they were to substitute Girder Rails for the Barker rails in the loop outside the Railway Hotel on Blackburn Road, the Committee might consider paving the whole of the street adjacent to the crossing. A letter was presented from the Tramway Company stating they would be amenable to this suggestion, if the Committee recommended the Council pave the whole length of Blackburn Road from the Railway Hotel to the Thwaites Arms public house on the corner of Union Street. The Committee however would not recommend that the Council accept this counter suggestion, and the Borough Surveyor should communicate this rejection to them. The Technical Services Committee heard a report from the Town Clerk that a considerable amount of debris had been tipped at the Technical School ( later the Grammar School ) site on Blackburn Road, by one of the Tramway Company’s Carters and this was holding up construction of this new building. It was resolved that notice be served on the Tramway Company, requiring them to remove it, or a claim for damages would be laid against them. The Borough Surveyor had suggested to the Tramway Company that if they were prepared to substitute Girder rails in the passing loop near to the Railway Hotel on Blackburn Road, the Committee might be disposed to pave the whole of the area adjacent to the crossing. March The Committee received a claim from Mr Robert Slinger for the damage caused to his house by reason of water seeping in from the adjoining tram depot. It was resolved to pay Mr Slinger compensation for having to make good the damaged caused by the damp seeping into his dwelling from the tram depot. April A letter ( dated April 6 th ) from the Secretary of the Tramway Company was presented to the Committee , it read as follows - Dear Sirs, I am instructed by my Directors to approach your Corporation through your Committee on a matter of great importance to the shareholders of this Company, with regard to the desirability of obtaining a proper passing loop or terminus at the Church end of the Church Section of our lines. We hold the lease from your Corporation of the lines between Church and a point opposite the Post Office, at present and for some time now this Company have made a passing loop opposite Dr Dearden’s house a terminus, (on the corner of Blackburn Road with Pearl Street). This has been necessary because the Blackburn Tramway Company has demanded from us a heavy rent every year we have used the loop belonging to them, which is situated outside the Commercial Hotel, and joined to this Company’s lines at Church. This demand was carefully considered by my Board and all the pros and cons patiently thought out, but ultimately they came to the conclusion, that they would not be justified in submitting a retrospective and exorbitant demand. We do not currently wish to enter more fully into that question inasmuch as this matter is at present in abeyance and may possibly be entered upon

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