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

Alderman Kenyon introduced the Company’s deputation, which included the MD of the British Electric Traction Company, Mr Sidney Garcke, along with Mr Kitchener, a new director of the Company. Alderman Kenyon remarked that having entered into an arrangement with BET, whose representatives were in attendance, he thought it would be as well if negotiations with the Corporation were left in their hands. He had come to a proper understanding with them and their object was to make arrangements with Accrington Corporation if this was at all possible. After explaining that although Mr Kitchener was a Director of the local Company, Mr Garcke stated that he himself was not, but that he was the Managing Director of BET. He then went on to say – “My Company has made arrangements with the Accrington Corporation Steam Tramway Company with a view to installing electric traction, if we can arrange terms with your Corporation. And it is with this object in view that we are here today, and with a few words I shall address you whilst I do speak on behalf of the local Company. Mr Kitchener is the Superintendent of BET’s Manchester Area, and it is in this capacity that he has joined the Board of this Tramway Company by reason of an agreement made between the two Companies. I appear before you as MD of BET to express the views of the local Company, also by reason of an agreement made, because under that agreement, my Company has undertaken the responsibility and expense of carrying on negotiations with local authorities, and furthermore we are very much responsible for the course of negotiations entirely on behalf of the local Company. Now the object we have in view is to endeavour to come to some arrangement with local authorities by which the present system of steam traction can be supplanted by a more improved and modern form of traction known as ‘electric traction on the overhead system’. I need not say much about it, as you are no doubt aware this system has already been adopted in Liverpool, and is about to be adopted in Manchester along with the adjoining authority in Burnley. In fact there is scarcely a municipality in the country or a tramway company, which does not contemplate this system in place of horse drawn or steam traction. We are of course, and I do not say this with any regrets, in a position where we cannot do this without your concurrence, approval and support, and the adoption of electric traction means a very large capital expenditure of one form or another, and it is a matter of conjecture whether this is borne by the Corporation or by the Company. But in any event it means a large responsibility which cannot be incurred under a short period of tenure. It is necessary before any expenditure or work of any kind is to be contemplated, that some ‘safe agreement’ should be made. It is a very large question and it could be approached from various points of view, and I hope this occasion may be used for this purpose. We shall be glad to ascertain the feelings of the Committee with a view to formulating some firm proposals. It is therefore difficult for me on this occasion, to place before you any cut and dried scheme because I could submit some so many proposals of different kinds that it is desirable to discuss this subject to explore on what lines it is possible to come to some mutual and satisfactory conclusions, before I attempt to formulate any plans. It may be prudent for me to explain in a few words what the policy of BET as a Company is with regard to the tramways of this district, and what difficulties there generally are. I should explain that having made an agreement with the Accrington Corporation Steam Tramway Company, BET has also obtained a controlling interest in the Rossendale Valley Tramway Company. We are now the largest shareholders in the aforementioned Company, and our desire is to consolidate the tramways of the area so that we may be able to afford the travelling public a through service of an up-to-date kind and with new rolling stock. Then our policy is not too restricted to these two undertakings, we are keen to gain the support of local authorities to make considerable extensions in various directions. Those are matters for careful consideration and for discussion, but our policy will not stop short of anything, but to develop a tramway system in the area to its fullest extent. Wherever there is the prospect of a tramway we are

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