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

reaching the pavements. Some places are higher, some lower, others have not been taken up at all, leaving the pavement in holes next to the lines. On Whalley Road in May, the Tramway margin is in a very bad state and not fit to piece up to with new paving, being very uneven at the top, and also ranging between 13 inches and 18 inches in width. There is a wooden sleeper 9 inches x 5 inches within 5 inches of the top of the setts. The setts have been cut and placed on top of this sleeper. There is also only 2 inches of concrete under this sleeper for a bed. The setts with which this section is being paved vary between 3½ and 6 inches deep. The ashes under the same vary between 2½ to ½ an inch thick. I do not believe that any satisfactory job can be done without the whole of the paving being taken up right up to the rails. In June I had not time to go up to Baxenden, but met Mr Jeffs the Company Secretary on Whalley Road, and he stated he had sent three wheelbarrows of setts up to Baxenden. It appears to me that the few new setts that are being dispatched to the workmen are a deception, as I have been unable up to now to find a single new sett that has been used for relaying. I went over the ground again this afternoon, when I picked one sett out that was ready for relaying. This sett had been turned on so many occasions it was as rounded as a boulder, and there were many others identical to it. I inquired of the workman if he intended to reuse that sort of sett. He stated he was not, and they had new ones to put in. But upon lifting out another sett which had been relaid in situation ready for grouting, I found that it was in a worse condition than the one I had shown to the Pavior. A number 2 length of Barker Rail is being put in, and there were setts on the ground that had been sent up on Saturday, approximately 6 cwts, but none had been used. It appeared to me that the Labourer had completed this length of paving with the straight joints in place and not staggered. There was one Pavior and four labourers on this job. The work left open last evening was filled in, also some more had been opened out and paved up. The work that had been finished was overly grouted with pitch (viz. - The pitch covering not only the joints but also over the setts, and there was no wind to have caused this to happen), that I could not see what sort of setts had been laid in. Also there had been riddling of the chippings put on, and over these a layer of ashes. I asked this workman not to put pitch all over the tops of the setts, but only in the joints where it was required, and to leave off the chippings, dust and ashes until I had been given the opportunity to observe them. I also drew the attention of the Pavior to the piece of work that was being poured over with pitch. There were two-thirds of the setts out of square with their corners also rounded off. I also picked out a sett from another lot and asked him to show Mr Jeffs if he understood what sort of materials he was using. On another piece of work which had been left as completed I said to this Pavior, “I see that you are not using new setts.” He answered, “Yes we are”. “Well where are they?” I asked. He pointed one out to me, whereupon I showed him that tar was stuck to it so it could not have been new! There were 5 new setts on this job, and from that date to July 2 nd , I did not detect any more new setts being delivered for this work. Again there was one Pavior and four Labourers on this job. In July the paving was covered as before, and the men have taken no heed of my request that they do not cover up their work. What work I could see had been done to a fair standard, and the setts were of a better quality. There were no new setts to use if they were required. I informed the Pavior that some of the setts near to the loop line were much worn and therefore unfit for relaying, but when I returned the next morning the men had departed and most of the setts had been put back in and covered over with Pitch as usual. I examined the rubbish left to see if any of these setts had actually been rejected, but could find not a single one. There are a great many places on Blackburn Road between the Railway Inn and the Borough boundary, that required to be lifted and have just been left, and this leaves the work in a very unsatisfactory state. I must say I judge that none of the work which has been completed is of a satisfactory standard. On Whalley Road, they had taken up a long length of Rack and were making a very fair job of this work, laying the new setts pretty regularly and making a much better job. It seems as

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