In late September 1887 Mr Farrell, the Tramways Manager, retired and a diner and presentation was held at the Intack Inn. After a “...very excellent supper..”, Mr Farrell was presented with a handsome marble timepiece, a couple of pipes in a case and tobacco pouch. Mr Farrell thanked the employees for “.. the greatest honour they had done in the presentation of the gifts as a mark of the good feeling that existed between them during the short time they had worked together.” He further stated that he would look back on the experience he had had in Blackburn with pleasure and always remember his workmen with the deepest of respect and esteem. Mr Farrell, in his experience of tramways had been connected with the organising and opening of some 16 or 17 tramways in different parts of the Country. Mr Cowell in reply stated that in his ten or twelve years work with trams he had never met with such a master. Mr Wilson, Messrs Crankshaw and Latham (Conductors) and Messrs Umpleby and Reynolds (Drivers) also spoke of the high esteem in which Mr Farrell was held by the men employed under him. After a most enjoyable evening the party broke up around 1:40a.m

In December the Blackburn Corporation Tramways Company requested permission from the Corporation for the liberty to use the line along Railway Road between 9p.m. and 9a.m. to enable them to pass their engines from the depot at Intack and the Cemetery section of the system. Previously this line had only been licensed to carry engines conveying passengers on the Church section. The Committee agreed to this providing that no passengers be carried along the lines.

Proposals for Cemetery route
Also in December the Tramways Company forwarded to the Board of Trade the new proposals for the Cemetery route, which included the new track layout and asked for permission to run in-bound only cars along Penny Street, as the engines could ‘coast’ in and therefore no steam would be emitted. The Board of Trade agreed to these proposals providing the Corporation could obtain the necessary powers, and so a bill was put to Parliament. In the meanwhile, whilst the Bill was being passed, permission was granted to run Penny Street section both ways. Also contained within the Bill was optional powers for the Company to construct an alternative route up Larkhill Street, which would then join the Church route lines.

A small depot was constructed in Ainsworth Street for storage of the Cemetery route engines and cars, though very little information about this depot has come to light, it is believed this depot could only hold two engines along with the same number of trailers.

1888

First Yearly Company Report
In early January the first yearly report of the Tramways Company showed that the authorised capital consisted of £75,000 in shares, the paid-up capital being £36,823 in shares including debenture stock. Expenses of the capital were given as:

On Lines & Works
open for traffic..........…..£28,778
On Locomotives..….....….£5,600
On Cars..........................£1,600
Legal & Parliamentary.…....£700
Other Expenses..........…...£138
Total Expenditure...…....£36,816

The length of the tramway authorised, exclusive of expired powers was:

Double track....1mile, 7chains
single track......9mile, 78chains
Total..............11miles, 5chains

The gross receipts from the line for the year was:

From Passengers.....£1,595
From other sources......£45

Working expenses consisted of:

Locomotive power..........…..£266
Repairs & Renewals.…..…....£13
Traffic Expenses..........…....£262
Direction & Management.……£91
Rent of Offices, Stables
& sheds.....................…......£23
Total expenditure.................…......£658

The net receipts were £982, the number of passengers carried during the year, including season and composition holders, was 183,864 and the number of miles run by the trams was 22,750. At this time the working stock consisted of seven loco’s and eight bogie trailers.

Cemetery route opens
At 8:30a.m. on Friday January 6th, traffic commenced on Cemetery section of the system, the Blackburn Weekly Standard stating that “there was a crowd of people about nearly all day watching their going to and for...”. Many Councillors had expressed concern about steam engines traversing the narrow route up Penny Street, but the ‘Standard’ went on to say “No serious accident happened; so some of our timid Town Councillors will breathe freely...” and further stated that the trams were “a great boom to the public”.

New Trailers
To supplement the cars on the Church section an order for a further 4 trailers was placed with Ashbury’s to the same design as those already operating. These additional cars soon arrived and were allocated the numbers 9-12.

The trailers purchased from the Falcon Company, for use on the Cemetery route, differed from the Ashbury trailers. Although double-deck bogie cars, they were considerably shorter, only carrying 42 passengers in total, 24 inside and18 outside, the upper-deck seating being of the more conventional ‘knifeboard’ arrangement. These new cars were given the numbers 13-16. The balance of the order for engines from Thomas Green’s, namely seven loco’s, had arrived shortly before the opening of the Cemetery route and were numbered 9-14. The laast two arriving in late-February and early March respectively

On March 6th, 1888 work commenced on the construction of the Billinge (Preston New Road) route, and also negotiations were entered into with a Mr Aspden to purchase the land of his timber yard on Simmons Street for the erection of stables and a car shed. This route was to be worked by horsepower, so smaller trailers were required and an order for six 32-seat open top 4-wheel trailers was given to the Oldbury Carriage Company. When these vehicles arrived they were numbered 17-22.

A serious accident happened on the night of Friday March 19th, when at about 9:00p.m. a steam engine No.11, driven by Thomas Webb started from the Salford terminus, whilst taking the curve around Salford Bridge something gave way in the driving gear and the engine lifted itself clean off the rails and dashed across the road and into the butchers shop of John Bullock. A young man, engaged in the shop, was standing in front of the window outside and he had a very narrow escape. The driver had tried to prevent the accident and had stayed with the loco, receiving a severe laceration of his hand upon impact. The force at which the engine went against the shop window can be gauged from the fact that a quarter of beef, hanging against the outside wall, was later found in the engine! At the time of the accident it was raining heavily, and it was stated that, had it not been,, there would have been a greater number of people outside the same front.

By Spring of 1888 it was found that the Cemetery route was not attracting the number of passengers as had first been thought would be the case. This was partially put down to the competition from the Blackburn & District Omnibus Company, so the decision was made to reduce the fare from Water Street to the Cemetery from 1½d. to 1d.

Billinge Route
By May 1st the lines to Billinge were practically finished, but delays then ensued due to the Corporation objections to a double crossing at Salford Bridge and the branch line along Simmons Street. The Company’s plans for Simmons Street meant that the track would swing in to the side of the road before entering the depot due to the narrowness of the roadway, the Corporation felt that this would take the track too close to the buildings opposite.

In June the Corporation gave the Company permission to operate the Penny Street line one-way once the Ainsworth Street/Regent Street extension had been built, and that they would not compel the Company to take up the Penny Street lines, as had been allowed for in the Bill put to Parliament..

In the Summer of 1888 a proposal was put forward to lay double track along Richmond Terrace from Sudell Cross and join the proposed Ainsworth Street line. However, due to opposition by residents of Richmond Terrace this idea was put on hold.

On Wednesday August 15th, the 4th general meeting of the Tramways Company was held at the City Terminus Hotel, London, at which the shareholders report was issued. Mr Cramp, chairman of the Directors, stated that though the results were not so great as might have been expected the report was on the whole highly satisfactory. He further said “the directors have done all they can to keep down the expenses, which they thought were not above the average...” As to mortgage bonds Mr Cramp had a fear as to whether they could be raised at 4%, but he thought they could raise the money at 4½%. The engines had been kept in thorough working repair, and thus avoided depreciation to the extent which was usually the case. The chairman pointed out that the exceptional nature of traffic on certain days of the week caused them to require more engines than were absolutely necessary for other days. Mr Cramp also stated that a further £10,000 or £12,000 was wanted to complete the system, and urged the construction of the Witton section as soon as possible, so that “..it would do away with the omnibus competition and at the same time it would not increase working expenses..” The report was adopted by the shareholders and that a dividend of 6% on preference shares and 5% on ordinary shares be paid. It was also resolved to raise £10,000 on the first mortgage debentures bearing interest at a rate not exceeding 4½% for a period of 10 years.

By early August the Corporation relented in their objections for the Salford and Simmons Street plans, and the line was duly completed. On Friday August 24th, Major-General Hutchinson of the Board of Trade paid a further visit to the town to inspect the line. In company with Mr Cramp, Mr McCallam and others car No.20 was boarded and ran to Billinge and back to town. After the inspection he expressed his satisfaction and gave permission for the line to open. The public service began at 9:00a.m. on Saturday 25th, when a ten minute service was inaugurated. Much interest was evident in the opening judging from the crowds of people that assembled at the White Bull. The cars were well patronised, for on the first day no less than 2,742 passengers travelled by them. On Sunday there were 2,148 passengers and on Monday 1,055, which made total receipts for the three days of £38!

By the time of the opening, the depot at Simmons Street was quite finished. Though there was accommodation for 70 horses, only 60 of the stalls were occupied, and the construction of stabling for a further 24 horses was in hand. The accommodation for the cars was, however, completed by the time of the opening

Accident on Preston New Road
On the Saturday evening of the opening an accident occurred near to Duke’s Brow. The car, No.22 driven by John Kempster, was coming down the incline, when he attempted to stop the car at Duke’s Brow. Finding that the brakes did not respond he tried to pull the horses up by means of the reins. In doing this one of the traces broke and fell against one of the horses feet, this frightened both animals and they set off at full speed. This alarmed the passengers so much that they began to jump off one after the other, one of them, Charles Thompson, in jumping sustained a fracture of the knee-cap. The horses were ultimately stopped near to Strawberry Bank.

As with the Cemetery route, competition along Preston New Road came from the Blackburn & District Omnibus Company, who charged a 1d. fare, whilst the Tramways Company increased their fare to 1½d. each way and a reduced 1d. fare from town to the top of Montague Street on the upward journey. The Blackburn Times reported that “...the ’buses continue to be well patronised...for it is found that the ’buses are quicker and subject to no delays at passing loops...” the newspaper also stated that “... the Tramway Company have introduced some powerful horses, but it is a great hardship to employ only two horses to draw a crowded tramcar up the steep gradients..”

Purchase of the Omnibus Company
In September a surprise turn of events occurred when overtures were made to the Tramways Company by the Omnibus Company offering the 64 horses, 15 omnibuses and plant for sale, together with a lease-hold stabling in Larkhill, together with the fittings for about 100 horses. After careful consideration the Tramways Company purchased the entire properties of the Omnibus Company for £3,000, of which £1,650 was paid as a deposit.

After the ‘take-over’ it was found that four of the Omnibuses were not required and were either sold or scrapped. The routes to the Cemetery and along Preston New Road were discontinued in favour of the trams, but the route to Ewood was retained and run in direct opposition to the steam trams of the Blackburn & Over Darwen Tramways. Not all the horses bought from the Omnibus Company were required and so 44 of them were sold for £14 each, having been purchased for £12 each.

Wiiton route Construction Commenced
On October 4th, work commenced on the construction of the final section of the tramway system, the route to Witton. A large body of men began the laying of lines in Mincing Lane and St. Peter Street. It was also decided that the cars on the Preston New Road section were too heavy for the route, causing problems of control for the horses on the decent and over-working on the inclines, despite that fact that on the steeper sections, in particular between Montague Street and Granville Road a third, or ‘cock’ horse, was used. It was, therefore, decided that these cars would be transferred to working the flatter, less strenuous Witton route once opened. An order for five lighter constructed cars, designed for use exclusively on the Preston New Road route, was placed with the Falcon Engine & Car Company, when these cars arrived they were given the numbers 23-27.

The horses on the Billinge route were only used for a few hours per day, hence the large stud, though they had a far easier life than their counterparts on the omnibuses, as railed vehicles were easier to pull, although the tramcars were heavier than the omnibuses, the reduced friction on smooth rails required less effort, also the brakes of the cars were fitted to the wheels and applied by the driver, rather than relying on the strength of the animal to pull the tram up.

1889 Opening of Witton route
The line to Witton was completed within three months, though the actual working days were a little over six weeks, and on Friday January 25th, the line was inspected, again by Major-General Hutchinson of the Board of Trade. An ‘Oldbury’ car from the Preston New Road section was used for the inspection. Representatives of the Chapel Street Congregational Church met the Major-General afterwards to suggest that “...as the noise of the cars would interfere with their services, they should not run past their place of worship on Sundays...”. To this the Major-General replied that the matter lay with the Corporation and Tramways Company, though it would appear nothing was done about the ‘problem’.

The line was officially opened on Saturday 26th January, with the starting point being on the Boulevard, though “...it is expected within a few days that they will run from Salford.” This 1¼-mile route terminated at the Griffin Inn, Witton, but it was proposed that this should be extended to Spring Lane (Witton Stocks) as soon as permission was granted.
The opening of the Witton route completed the entire scheme of the Blackburn Corporation Tramways Company, the total length of the routes being 8¾ miles, the work constructing them taking a little over two years.

Fare increase on Billinge route
On February 7th, the Tramways Company increased the fares on the Preston New Road route from 1½d. to 2d. from town to the Fox & Grapes, and from 1d. to 1½d. along Whalley New Road to the Cemetery much to the annoyance of the local newspapers:

From the Blackburn Times: “...several points in connection with our tramway service ought to be brought to the public attention...We hold that cars up Preston New Road ought to be run as quickly and as cheap as the ’buses used to. The attempt of the Blackburn Tramways Company to raise their fares has given to a strong feeling of resentment among the regular customers, especially those along the Cemetery route. The popular 1d. fare assumes alarming proportions when increased by fifty percent, and a considerable number of residents in the Cemetery district have ’struck’ against the increase...

“...The fare charged by the Tramway Company down hill from the Fox & Grapes to Salford Bridge is exactly double what used to be charged by the old ‘Bus Company. Having bought out the opposition, the Tramways Company think to have their own way about charges, but they are already finding that it is not all plain sailing...the Blackburn Tramway Company is taking advantage of it’s monopoly to charge more than a fair price, monopolies must be carefully guarded against...”

The Times went on to urge that “workmen are entitled to have cheap cars run especially for them at suitable hours of the day, and that every townsman is entitled to demand that the tramway service should be a regular one...extra cars should be put on in wet weather when there was a great demand for them; and when the Company gets into thorough working order, waiting rooms should be provided at convenient places en route. The cars should run to time, and the time-table should be published in a reliable form; sectional fares should be equitably arranged.”

The newspaper also stated that on wet days the cars were too crowded to pick up passengers along the route, and “....those who do want the tramcars on fine days have often to wait an unconscionable length of time before one comes in the right direction.”

In the opinion of the newspaper, someone should take up the reins of running opposition ‘buses again as “..competition is a grand thing for the public, and nothing is better calculated to break down monopolies...and so treat the Blackburn Tramways Company as the Blackburn Tramways Company are treating their friends of the Darwen line.”

Some shareholders of the Tramway Company were most incensed by these remarks and the Blackburn Times received several letters putting forward the Company point of view:

“Sir - I understand you to say on February 9th much to the effect about the Preston New Road Tramway, that because the ‘Bus Company used to run at very low fares, and the Tramway Company had bought them up, that they were called upon to do the same, or competition might be brought forward to induce them to do so. I have most excellent authority for stating that the ‘Bus Company were bought up at about auction price, because during their short career they lost many thousands of pounds, so I fail to see the force of your argument, as if the ‘Bus Company gave each passenger a ride for 1d. or 1½d. which cost them 1½d. or 2d., that is no reason why the Tramway Company should do the same.”

and from another shareholder:

“Sir - I think that this company has hardly been fairly dealt with in the strictures that have been recently passed on and it’s doings.

To begin with, I believe I can show why the Company cannot run their cars as cheaply as the ‘Bus Company could their ‘buses. The Tramway Company pay the Corporation a rent of about £200 per year for the use of the tramways constructed out of the capital of the company; they pay a large sum in rates; and they also keep that part of the roadways where rails are laid, and a certain distance each side thereof, in repair. The ’Bus Company, on the contrary, were, I contend, subsidised at the expense of the ratepayers of the town, for the damage done to the roads by constant ‘bus traffic must have cost the Corporation a considerable sum to repair, as the ‘Bus Company paid very little in rates, occupying only an old building for stables and a little bit of an office. The capital too, of the ‘Bus Company, bore no comparison at all to that of the Tramway Company. The registered capital of the former being only £10,000, while the capital of the latter is about £85,000. These facts are quite sufficient to account for the increase of fares. It is very easy to be generous with other people’s money. No complaint at all is made about the fares charged by the Over Darwen Tramway Company which are considerably more than those charged by the Corporation Company. It is said, too, that the Tramway Company have driven some hard bargains with the Corporation. Whose fault was that? Surely it is hardly likely that the Company should be made to pay or the Corporation’s mistakes! The Corporation agree to allow the Company to lay the tramway up Penny Street; the Company do so, and then the Corporation find that somebody has blundered, and then want the Company to pull the tramways up and go another road, although, in order to do so, it would cost the Company a good round sum in having to purchase property, to pull down, and buy land to make a new street, to continue Ainsworth Street into Regent Street, and lay down further lengths of rails. £1,000 will not go far towards this. It does not appear to be generally known, either, that the Company were under a penalty of £1,000 to make the Preston New Road section of the Tramways. It did not matter about the public in other parts of the town, so long as Preston New Road people got served. The latter are, I suppose, considered among the moneyed people of the town, and they took good care not to risk their money in the concern, otherwise we should not have heard such an outcry about steam. The wishes of the few are to be considered before supplying the wants of the many. It is a well-known fact that there would have been no tramways at all in the town if the Corporation had insisted on all sections being worked by horsepower. The Company are charged with having used foul means in order to compel the Corporation to grant the Company what had not been originally bargained for. This is not true. Of course, if the Company were earning and paying exhorbitant dividends the whole thing would wear a different aspect, but they are not. I think it ought to be borne in mind that the late Mayor, Mr Appleby, said, I believe at the last meeting of the Corporation over which he presided, that they had made a handsome profit out of the Tramway Company.”

An accident of a “...serious nature...” occurred on March 30th, when one of the Tramway Company Omnibuses, which had just left Salford Bridge and was proceeding along Penny Street, collided with a steam tram engine, which was coming in the opposite direction. The top part of the omnibus was severed from the lower section by the impact and the horses bolted along the street at a terrific speed until stopped by a policeman. Luckily there were no passengers on board, as the omnibus was returning to the depot. The front of the tram engine was damaged, the woodwork and glass being smashed. The accident attracted the attention of a large crowd.

Re-arrangement of Town Centre lines
The town centre termini in Water Street had a very complicated layout of tracks (see map page ) for the four routes which terminated at this point. There was a lot of congestion and so in May 1889, on the insistence of the Corporation, a plan was put forward to ease some of the problems. An Act of Parliament was sought and granted. Also proposed, to help with congestion in the approach roads to the town centre, was a single line along Richmond Terrace, which would allow inward trams from Billinge to avoid the delays at the passing loop in front of the Town Hall in King William Street. In addition a further extension line was planned, though not built, which was the original No.3 from the 1882 proposals, being a line from the junction of Victoria Street and Church Street and continue up Church Street and down Darwen Street and joining up with the line that crossed Darwen Street at the Jubilee Street junction. Cars using a short length of Blackburn & Over Darwen Tramways lines. However, that company did not agree to the proposal and the idea was dropped, as was the Richmond Terrace line.

The planned scheme for the easing of the problems in Water Street commenced with the changing of the terminal point for the Billinge and Witton routes to the Boulevard, which involved the construction of a loop being added to the existing Boulevard line. The double track running in front of the White Bull Hotel at Salford and running across Salford Bridge into Water Street was taken up, leaving a ‘Y’ formation in Water Street for use by Cemetery trams entering from Penny Street and Church trams entering from Railway Road. A far more convenient arrangement was achieved and less congestion.

In early Summer work commenced on the alterations to the Cemetery route. Lines were laid along Regent Street and Ainsworth Street and the new section of roadway, this line being then used for outward cars, and the existing line along Penny Street was used for inward cars. An addition line from Penny Street along Larkhill Street to a junction at Eanam was also built which allowed the Cemetery cars to get to and from the Intack depot without entering the Boulevard. This line was also used for the storage of ‘off-duty’ engines, and saved the unnecessary expense of returning the loco’s to Intack. In fact it is believed, that at times, engines were stored over-night on this line

Bye-laws
With completion of the system the Council published the bye-laws in 1889 and along with the usual rules governing fares, smoking in cars, the use of offensive language etc.. it also stated that the speeds of the cars should not be less than 3m.p.h. and not exceed 8m.p.h. except along Freckleton street where the speed was to be no greater than 4m.p.h. (though whether this was a result of the Congregational Church’s objections raised in the early part of the year is not known). No car should follow another car at a distance of less than 30 yards, nor should a car be stopped within 10 yards of a stationary car on an adjoining line, and cars should not be stopped on gradients steeper than 1in25.

The ‘Green’s’ loco’s purchased by the Company had a govenor fitted to the speed regulator, so that any driver who attempted to exceed the speed limits laid down in the byelaws and reach 12m.p.h. would find the govenor would cut off power. Also fitted to the engines, to comply with regulations by the Board of Trade and the bye-laws, were warning bells and two “efficient” lights which were to be used from one hour after sunset.

Introduction of Workmen’s Cars
Partially as a result by a newspaper campaign, workmen’s cars were introduced on all routes, except Billinge, in August. The service commenced at 5:30a.m. and at 5:40p.m. The cars on the Church section commenced at Intack on the inward journey.

By August 1889 the number of employees was about 50 and their wages were for a 96-hour working week:

Steam Tram Drivers.......£1.10s.
Steam Car Conductors.......18s. - 20s.
Horse Tram Drivers........£1. 5s.
Horse Car Conductors........18s.

They worked fourteen hours per day for a six-day week, and twelve hours on Sundays with one day off in ten when they were expected to clean their tram. The difference in wages was probably due to the extra work involved by the steamer as the trailers were larger and so carried more passengers.

The drivers were, under the terms of their employment, engaged as a ‘driver/mechanic’ it being their duty to ensure the good maintenance of the engine. Drivers of the steam trams were licensed by the local Police and badges, which had to be worn at all times whilst on duty, were issued subject to testimonials of character. Licenses were not required for conductors or drivers of horse trams.

On August 28th the Tramway Company held their 5th annual general meeting at the White Bull Hotel. Mr Cramp presided over the meeting which attracted a large attendance. The directors in their annual report stated that traffic and other receipts for the twelve months ending June 30th, 1889 amounted to £13,635.8s. and the working expenses £10,575, leaving a gross profit of £3,119.7s. The passengers carried were 1,913,937 or 5,243 per day, as against 3,958 per day last return. The mileage run was 288,563 or an average of 790 miles per day, against 589 miles per day last year, the average fare being 1.54d.

The rolling stock at this time was given as:

The engines, cars, plant and materials had been fully maintained during the year for a total cost of £789.19s. as against £310.7s. for the same period last year

Since the previous meeting in August 1888, the directors of the Company had issued 535 preference shares and £13,060 of mortgage debentures forming a portion of the issue of £20,000 at 4% per annum. The directors stated that it will be necessary to make further issue of capital to complete the street widening between Ainsworth Street and Regent Street, and to clear up the liability in respect of the purchase of the stabling in Larkhill. The balance available after paying the interim dividend of 6% on the preference shares and 4% on the ordinary shares was £1,424. The decrease in the available balance was owing to a loss of £859.3s.4d. on the two horse sections of Preston New Road and Witton. It was reported that had these sections earned sufficient to cover the working expenses, the balance would have been £2,083, which would have paid a dividend of 5% per annum. The chairman, in his address, stated that there had recently been a considerable increase in the receipts of the two sections, but whether there would be very much profit depended on the weather throughout the Winter.

At the A.G.M. a shareholder asked: “What authority have the directors to proceed with the work on the Ainsworth Street and Larkhill routes?”. The chairman stated that the Larkhill section was in relief of the Cemetery route. The arrangements with the Corporation were that they should not use steam along Railway Road after 9:00a.m. Consequently they had to get all their engines over the section before that item, and they were running a great amount of useless mileage, four cars being run where two would suffice for the morning traffic. The chairman went on to say that when they had the Larkhill section open, connecting the Cemetery route with the depot at Intack, they could bring their extra cars and engines out after dinner or as required, and save the expenses of useless running.

Another shareholder asked: “What were the earnings of the omnibus section independent of the trams?”, as it was the opinion of many shareholders that the omnibuses were a great loss as the accounts of the ‘buses and trams were so mixed up that they could not tell whether there was a loss or profit on the ‘buses. The chairman replied that the accounts were kept perfectly separate, and that more expenses had been charged to the omnibuses account than ought absolutely to have been charged. He stated that the directors felt that the Omnibus Company were great opponents, and the increase of 42,181 in the passengers carried by the trams since the purchase of the company showed that to have been the fact. Although the company might not have been able to pay their way, they greatly injured the Tramways Company. The buying out of the ‘Bus Company had helped them considerably on the Cemetery route. It had enabled them to raise the fare from 1d. to 1½d. and that increased fare produced an increase in receipts of 13%, they also got an increased number of passengers - 8,000 as compared with 6,600 - which indicated that the increase of the fare had done them no harm whatever. He further stated that when they come to sell the omnibuses there would be a slight capital profit. Only four of the ‘buses had been sold, the remaining being kept as an excellent weapon against Waggonettes, if there were any disposition to press the company unduly as regards fares.

The chairman moved that the directors’ renumeration in future should be £250 per annum instead of £350 as prior to December 1888, and announced that the directors proposed this reduction in allowances in the interest of the company. The motion was carried.

Alarming Accident at Montague Street
On Sunday November 17th a most alarming accident occurred on the Billinge horse tram route. A car was descending Preston New Road when, near to the junction with Montague Street, the brake chain snapped. The horses bolted, and on reaching Alma Street the driver could see that an accident was about to happen, so he pulled the horses across the tracks, thereby breaking the steering bar allowing the horses to run free before they were seriously injured. The car, gaining speed, dashed down King William Street and left the rails at the Town Hall, ran onto the footpath, damaged the front of Messrs. King & Blackburn’s shop, broke the street lamp-post opposite, then turned into the street and did not stop until it reached New Market Street.

Only two passengers were on board at the time of the runaway, one man jumped off, injuring his knee and shoulder, whilst the other, a woman, lay down on the floor of the car, receiving only a severe shaking and a fright.

The correspondent for the Northern Daily Telegraph stated that: “I think that after this warning the Corporation will be to blame in case of a serious accident if they any longer oppose the use of steam power on the Preston New Road, as it is only by the constant vigilance of the drivers and conductors in applying sand that there have been so few accidents. The danger would be very much less with steam power as sand can be applied so much more readily, and the brakes are much more powerful”.

1890 New regulations
In July 1890 the Board of Trade issued two new regulations affecting steam tram operators, which were that a ‘child or life protector’ was to be fitted to each end of the engine and that each trailer hauled by steam trams had to be fitted with it’s own independent brakes, so that, in the event of separation from the engine, the trailer could be pulled up. Previous to this the braking was achieved via the engines hand and steam braking system All engines and trailers in Blackburn were fitted with both these requirements within six months.

In May as a result of the horse tram accident in November 1889, the woman who had been on the car brought legal action against the Corporation to recover damages for injuries sustained by reason she alleged of the negligence of the Corporation’s servants. The shock had prevented her from working ever since the accident. After all statements had been read out, and the jury deliberating for 2½ hours, the Corporation was found guilty and was fined £70.

As a consequence of this and other accidents, caused due to cars ‘running away’ if the horse could not control the weight of the vehicles down the slopes of Preston New Road, an inspection of the route was undertaken by the Board of Trade, Major-General Hutchinson paying yet another visit to the town. He looked at the method of working the route and the type of tramcars in use. Following his report the Corporation issued to the Company an order stating that should any further accidents occur they would insist on the fitting of ‘slipper brakes’, though eventually common on electric tram cars, were unusual on horse cars, and though they were never fitted at Blackburn, this was one of the first proposed useages of this type of braking system in the U.K.

1891
On Friday February 6th, 1891 the new route along Ainsworth Street and Regent Street was opened for public service, the delay being caused due to the amount of work involved in the demolition of property and the construction of a new road. The Corporation reported that £180 and certain deeds relating to the premises purchased by the Company for the purpose of the new road, and retained by the Corporation as security for the carrying out of the contracts with the Corporation, should be returned to the Company.

At Blackburn on Monday, Jon Sharples, a youth employed as conductor by the Blackburn Corporation Tramways Company, and who lives at 179 Audley Range, was summoned for embezzling and stealing threepence, the money of the Tramway Company. Mr Withers prosecuted. On Saturday the 5th inst, three passengers got on a cemetery tramcar, which was going down from the depot at Intack. The passengers paid sixpence, but in return only received three penny tickets. They asked the conductor for an explanation, and he said that he could not give them halfpenny tickets. the passengers asked for two penny tickets each, being the amount of the fare, but prisoner, without giving them as answer left them. The passengers then told the defendant that they would report him at the office. Mr Withers said it was only when passengers gave information that the company could bring such cases before court. The company had no desire to unduly press the charge against the defendant. The defendant was fined 20s.

Blackburn Times 18th April 1891

On February 21st, Henry Eyre in the employ of Blackburn Corporation Tramways Company Ltd. was summonsed for carrying more passengers on an omnibus than it was licensed for whilst plying the route between Ewood and Blackburn Town centre, on the occasion of a football benefit match for the Blackburn Rovers player Nat Walton. P.C. Walmsley of Blackburn Constabulary boarded the omnibus and counted 19 passengers inside and 5 on top, the vehicle only being licensed to carry 15 inside and 4 outside. Mr Eyre was fined the sum of 5shilling for his misdemeanour.

New Lines proposed
In early 1891 the Company requested of the Corporation to look at the possibilities of obtaining powers to lay lines from the terminus of the Church route at the Commercial Hotel to Oswaldtwistle via Market Street, Church and along Union Road to the Black Dog Hotel. The Company also requested that running powers over a short section of track belonging to Accrington at Church be granted by Accrington Corporation, this was duly agreed to, but despite Parliamentary authorisation (54 & 55 Vict.c.148) (Church & Oswaldtwistle Order) being granted, the line was never built by Blackburn, though Accrington Corporation did construct the line along the same route upon electrification of their system. The Company reported that the cost of the Bill for this section was £400 more than they had anticipated.

Fire at Larkhill Depot
A fire broke out at the Larkhill depot on the morning of Sunday 24th May. At about 9:50a.m. a painter named John McNamara, living in Larkhill Street, saw smoke coming out of the windows of the depot, and he raised the alarm with P.C. Cookson. The fire brigades were called out and the flames were quickly extinguished, and it was found that the damage to the building was small. It was deduced that the fire had originated in a lose heap of hay and straw and had been started deliberately by someone climbing over a wall at the back of the building.