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

unfit with which to repave with new blocks, as being laid by the Corporation. I received a directive from Mr Newton to take these blocks up and to repave the line using old ones. The Pavior was working on Blackburn Road on the section between St. James’ Street and Birch Street, taking up the centre and the margin paving. The setts that were lifted out were of a fair quality and are being worked in again. I saw Alderman Kenyon opposite the Market Hall, and drew his attention to the loose lines. He said, “ I will see to it that they are attended to ”. The Pavior along with some Labourers were working on the St. James’ Street to Birch Street section repairing as before. I saw Alderman Kenyon for a second time and pointed out to him more loose rails, also the wooden block margins left by the workmen, and I drew his attention to the generally poor quality of the paving of the margins. In the afternoon Mr Jeffs, Alderman Kenyon and a handful of more gentlemen came to observe this work, and afterwards informed me that their men would return to pack the lines, which they did in two instances with dry cement and chippings. They were told they had to attend to anything I required. In October the Pavior was on Whalley Road but now working between Maudsley Street and Dowry Street. Still on Whalley Road but now between Dowry Street and the bottom of Burnley Road, where the Pavior is working on the margins and the centres. The setts taken up today are of a very poor standard, and this workman had only 20 new setts to use in a length of about 20 yards. I said to this man, “ These are a very poor lot of setts ”. His reply was, “ It is sickening, and I cannot get hold of new setts with which to work, as he, (Mr Jeffs), will only order one wagonload at any one time ”. I took up one of these setts and when the Pavior measured it, it was 3 inches deep and there were plenty more like it. I said “ You will not put that back in again will you ?” He replied, “ I shall have to do as I have nothing else with which to work !” ( The following correspondence on this subject was therefore hardly surprising .) COUNTY HIGHWAYS DEPARTMENT 17, Higher Bank Road, Fulwood, PRESTON To A. H. Aitken, (Town Clerk), Accrington, October 13 th , 1897 Dear Sir, With regard to Accrington’s Tramways, in accordance with your request, I beg to report as follows - Since I became County District Surveyor (nearly four years ago), I have had to make repeated complaints on the unsatisfactory manner in which the Tramway paving has been repaired and maintained. I have repeatedly found the paving standing too high above the rails, and I have also found it sunk considerably below rail level, particularly close to the rail joints. The condition of the tracks has been so bad that in January last, the Main Roads Committee found it necessary to complain to your Corporation on the unsatisfactory state of the paving. In June last I made a detailed examination of the Whalley Road and Blackburn Road paving, and discovered in Whalley Road the setts were from 4” to 5½” in depth. In many areas the paving was between ½” and 2” below the level of the rail, whilst on several lengths I found the paving to be 1”, 1½” and ½” above the rails.

71