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

Mr Newton - “I don’t see the difficulty in that.” Mr Taylor - “You would know if you had it to do!”

Mr Newton - “A running yard I feel, but what do you reckon? This is ordinary stuff.” Mr Taylor - “Not an expensive job for the labour, no more than 3 or 4 pence.” Mr Newton - “Should 2/7d as I estimated if not including any floating?” Mr Aitken - “Instead of making a 6½ inch bed, it means a 7½ inch bed in the centre. How much would this cost?” Mr Taylor - “I could scarcely tell you at this moment as this was a totally different matter.” Mr Newton - “One shilling?” Mr Taylor - “I do not think it would cost any more than that.” Mr Kenyon - “Can you see your way to allowing Mr Taylor to try this?” Mr Taylor - “I believe that if Mr Newton observed it being done he would have different views.” Another general discussion took place in groups to debate this proposal of how the work should be carried out. Mr Jeffs - “Have you had any practical experience on your own lines? Haslingden and Rawtenstall are the same as Mr Newton has said, and they are now spending on that in order to raise it up. Did you put these lines down Mr Taylor? Mr Taylor - “Yes. And the Rawtenstall Section is coming all to pieces!” Mr Aitken - “Is it from the principle of the laying?” Mr Taylor - “It is the concrete which is going bad?” Mr Aitken - “It is the original bed of concrete which has gone bad?” Mr Taylor - “No. The difficulty was getting the rails to lie on a solid bed.” Mr Kenyon - “Would you like time to think this over Mr Newton?” Mr Cronshaw - “I think there could be no harm in trying what Mr Evans has suggested.” Mr Aitken - “We had better adjourn now for the Committee to consider their verdict on this matter.” Apart from Mr Jeffs, the Directors of the Tramway Company then departed. Mr Hindle - “We have considered the matter carefully and see no reason why we should change our opinions. We feel that you should carry out our specifications in a satisfactory way. This means 1 inch of sand underneath the rail then filling in with the setts.” Mr Kenyon - “That means they are to carry on as they are?” Mr Hindle - “No. It means the proper provision as discussed before.” Mr Kenyon - “That is laying the rails as they currently are, and not as Mr Taylor has suggested?” Chairman - “They are of the opinion that the result would not be desirable, whilst we believe that this is all very well from the Contractor’s viewpoint.” Mr Aitken - “It would be neither to the advantage of the Corporation or the Company. Everything must be open and above board before they lay the rails in place.” Mr Hindle - “It is the best course and cannot do any wrong to your interests as well as of ours, and I believe we will all be better satisfied afterwards. I do not think they will trouble us afterwards for anything.” Mr Jeffs - “I am certain that he will. My Directors have stated that they will not allow any deviation from the specifications.” Mr Kenyon - “How do you want that specification carried out then?” Mr Aitken - “Within the Covenants of the Lease as to the maintaining service on the road, and so on.” Mr Kenyon - “We shall have to maintain of course, and if anything should go wrong we would have to repair it.” Mr Sprake - “You will have to keep the road to its proper length.” Mr Hindle - “We are determined that we cannot consent to changes, and take that responsibility, we will not be landed in a hole.”

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