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

Dear Sir, I have placed your letter of the 14 th instant before my Council at their last meeting. At this same time a letter was received from the Town Clerk of Rawtenstall, which was also placed before them. Following some discussions thereon, I was instructed to write to you to inform Accrington Corporation that Haslingden Corporation was prepared along with Rawtenstall Corporation and yourselves, to purchase now the whole of the Tramway Undertaking. The Tramway Sub-Committee has been requested to fully consider this matter of the terms, and I will inform you when they have dealt with this question. I am also directed to say, that no communication has been sent to the Tramway Company’s letter of last March, beyond acknowledgement of its receipt. Yours faithfully, Walter MUSGROVE. February The Legal & Parliamentary Committee met on the 5 th , and heard a report from the Town Clerk that he had again contacted the town clerks of Haslingden and Rawtenstall pressing them for definite replies to his letter of November 14 th , 1899. He then produced a letter from the Town Clerk of Rawtenstall stating that the said proposals would be before his Council at their next meeting. Another letter, this time from the Town Clerk of Haslingden, stated that his Corporation were prepared to join with Accrington and Rawtenstall to purchase the entire tramway on ‘favourable terms’. He confirmed that a sub-committee were about to fully consider the question of what terms would be acceptable, after which he would again be in touch. On the 18 th the Town Clerk reported to the Legal & Parliamentary Committee since he had examined the first draft of the Blackburn, Great Harwood & Whalley Light Railways Order , a clause had been inserted with regard to the Gas and Water Board’s facilities which would have a detrimental effect on the interests of the Corporation’s tramway. This clause had been inserted without the Corporation being informed. He suggested that either this clause be deleted in its entirety, or that it be amended to allow the Corporation to construct a junction between their tramway terminus down into Blackburn Road to railway number 4 as named in this Order. This would replace the junction suggested in this clause, running from the present terminus of the Accrington Steam Tramway Company at the Load of Mischief public house down over the steep Leeds & Liverpool Canal Bridge to Pickup Street in Clayton. This would be a most difficult and dangerous section to work as in places it has a gradient of 1 in 11 for a considerable distance. It was resolved that the amendment suggested by the Town Clerk be adopted and should be passed on to the Board of Trade. March A letter was received from the Tramway Company requesting the Corporation carry out ‘temporary’ repairs the wooden paving in front of the Market Hall, until the Corporation was ready to renew this paving with ‘new’ wooden blocks, in accordance with the agreement recently entered into with them. It was resolved not to carry out temporary repairs but to proceed with repaving with new blocks, and that the Borough Surveyor proceeds with this work at the earliest opportunity. The Legal & Parliamentary Committee received correspondence from Clayton-le-Moors District Council on the ‘special’ clause affecting Accrington Corporation’s Tramways, which was inserted at the instigation of their District Council, and the proposed amendments to the Blackburn, Great Harwood & Whalley Light Railways Order submitted on behalf of Accrington Corporation by the Town Clerk. It was resolved that a small deputation from the District Council be invited to meet with this committee to discuss these differences. The Town Clerk was authorised to write to the Tramway Company pointing out the ‘great nuisance’ caused by water leaking out of their engines, pointing out that this should be remedied ‘at once’ or take the defective engines out of service. The Legal & Parliamentary Committee heard a copy of a letter ( dated March 20 th ), from Clayton-le-Moors District Council to the Light Railway Commissioners objecting absolutely to any amendment to Clause 59. This was in answer to a copy of a letter the District

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