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

Receiving Order, 9 (and is still justly and indebted to me in the sum of) £518 - 2s - 7d, for goods sold and delivered as per particulars stated, for which said sum or part thereof, (I) say that I have not, nor hath any person by my own order or to my knowledge or belief for (my) use, had or received any matter of satisfaction. --------------------------------------- Mr Lee had also to invoice Accrington Corporation on three separate occasions during August and September 1885 for payment of £346 – 13s – 1d for a shipment of Granite and Whetstone Setts, Kerbs, Channels and Macadam. 1885 The advent of the steam hauled cars in Accrington required premises in which to house and maintain them. This needed to be sufficiently near to the tramway lines themselves, not too far from the town centre and not too near either, as in the industrialised atmosphere of a mill town there was enough smoke and fumes already pervading the town from mills and the railway. A site was chosen to the west of the railway viaduct in a place which was adjacent to a large plot of open land known as Ellison’s Tenement. One must remember that in 1887 when work was started there was no road traffic other than that horse drawn to compete with the trams. The building was at the foot of Ellison Street with the entrance facing up towards Blackburn Road, and had two levels. The uppermost was the running shed, whilst the lower one was accessed from Hyndburn Road but had no lines, and was used for the storage of spares etc. The garage itself was divided into two parts, for the cars and the other for the steam engines. The reason for this segregation is obvious, as one could not house the engines which had fires in the same section as the trailer cars. The first workshops were constructed and ready for use by 1887 and were situated at the foot of Ellison Street, in an area backing on to Hyndburn Road and facing upwards almost towards the centre of the street. There were five covered roads in this first shed all with points situated under the roof. The construction of the roof could not have been as robust as one might have expected, as on two separate occasions it was damaged by high winds and had to be repaired. At the rear of the shed were the workshops, whilst offices were in a building just inside the entrance to the right. Steam engines themselves were serviced in the road to the far left, adjacent to a lean-to where the coal was kept. This was supplied through a hatch on the Taylor Street East side wall. Trailer cars were serviced on the remaining four roads. June 9 th . In June the Tramway Committee consisted of Alderman Hindle (Chairman), His Worship the Mayor Alderman Smith, and Councillors Green, Lupton, W. Maden, J. Maden, Moorby, Ormerod, Waddington & Woolley. Later Cllr Herald would replace William Maden and by January 1886 Cllr Haythornthwaite had joined this group, hereafter referred to as the Committee. The following are extracts from the earliest minute book of the Corporation. The Town Clerk would write to Clayton-le-Moors Local Board, if the intention to extend the Tramway through Church and into Oswaldtwistle was proceeded with. The Borough Surveyor reported on a meeting with both Church and Oswaldtwistle Local Boards to inform them he was preparing a plan for a proposed extension to the Tramway. Also no steps would be taken towards the purchase of a travelling crane for the Ellison Street Tram Sheds. June 15 th . The Borough Surveyor was instructed to prepare balance sheets for all the new Tramways accounts, and report on the financial situation of the Council with regard to same. Also entries are published in two local papers advertising that the Corporation would be prepared to lease the Tramway to a company formed in Accrington or a neighbouring area on “most favourable terms”. June 23 rd . A letter was presented to the Committee from Mr J. H. Heap suggesting he was intending to tender for the lease of the Tramway Company. The Borough Surveyor was instructed to investigate and report back on the specifications of the ‘Model’ crossings, supplied to the Tramway by Smith – Paterson, who had submitted their account for £50. June 29 th . A ‘Special’ meeting of the General Works Committee was convened to receive two tenders for the lease of the Tramway, from Messrs Green & Burleigh and a Mr John Sharples. Also a report by Messrs Broome, Murray & Company dated April 29 th , on the subject of these tenders. This report was approved and unanimously adopted.

7