REGULATIONS FOR GUARDS AND TUNNEL BREAKSMEN AT LIME-STREET.

GOING DOWN THE TUNNEL.

1. The moment a Train arrives at Edge Hill, the Tunnel-breaksman, whose turn it is to go down the Tunnel, is to examine how many Breaks there are on the Train, and, before the Train is allowed to start, must be perfectly satisfied that the requisite number are in good working order, and must report to the Superintendent on duty that they are so.

2. The Tunnel-breaksman must see that the Guard of the Train is at his post before the Train starts.

3. No Train is, on any account, to go down the Tunnel without a Tunnel-breaksman.

4. Trains going down the Tunnel are never to be allowed to exceed in speed ten miles an hour.

5. In some instances Trains have been allowed to acquire a considerable velocity before the Breaks were applied, the Breaksman relying on the power of the Breaks to stop the Train. This practice is most strictly forbidden; at no period of the descent must the Trains be at a greater speed than ten miles an hour; the Breaks must be applied gradually, and the Breaksman must be sure at all times that he has perfect control over his speed.

6. The Guard of the Train and Tunnel-breaksman will be held equally responsible for the safety of the Train.

7. No Train is to go down without a Guard and one Breaksman; when the Train exceeds ten coaches, there must be an extra Breaksman; if it exceed fifteen coaches, two extra Breaksmen.

8. No Train is to follow another Train down the Tunnel without an interval of five minutes.

9. No Train of any description is to be allowed to pass down the Tunnel without the Signal having been previously given.

10. Whenever, from a number of Trains going down the Tunnel, there is a deficiency of Breaksmen at Edge Hill, the Breaksman, on applying to the Superintendent of the Station at Lime Street, is to be sent up without waiting for a Train.

GOING UP THE TUNNEL.

11. The Tunnel-breaksman in going up is to take charge of the messenger. Before starting, he will take notice of the position of the Breaks, and in case of the rope or messenger giving way, he will be required immediately to get to the Break and put it on fast, so as to prevent the Train going down the Tunnel.

12. In a Train of five coaches, the Train-guard will be sufficient; but if the Train exceeds that number, there must be a Tunnel-breaksman, and for every additional five coaches there must be an extra Breaksman. No more than fifteen coaches must at any time be taken up the Tunnel at once; and any Train exceeding that number must be taken up at twice.

13. No Waggons are to be sent down the Tunnels without special permission.

14. The Station Master at Lime Street will be answerable for the efficiency of the Breaksman, and he, or the Assistants on duty at Lime Street, will see to the carrying out of the regulations.

15. The Station Master, or the Assistants on duty at Edge Hill, will also do the same at the Tunnel top; and before a Train is allowed to start, the Officer on duty will be required to see that the Guard and Breaksman are properly placed.

16. The Officer on duty is required to report forthwith to the Assistant Manager, Lime Street, any instance of a Train being allowed to run into the Station too quickly, even although no damage may have ensued.

17. No person, unless in service of the Company, is allowed to enter the Tunnel without permission of the Manager or Engineer, who will give a printed pass to strangers, when required.

18. On arrival of each Down Train at Edge Hill, it is the duty of the Tunnel-breaksmen to examine particularly the Coupling Chains, the Breaks, and the Loading of the Waggons, before they are brought over the bank head of the Tunnel. After doing which, the senior one of them must sign the Register-book, for assurance that all is right, safe, and ready. The same Breaksman must then go down with the Train to the bottom of the Tunnel, taking care that they hold full and complete control over the speed of the Train.

19. Every train is to be brought to a complete stand upon the bank head, whilst the requisite number of good Breaks are pinned down. The Breaksmen are required not to allow the Train to attain a greater rate of speed than four to five miles an hour in any part of the Tunnel, or fifteen minutes in time of descending, in order that they may be able to get off the Waggons without danger to themselves, and put down or take up any of the Breaks, as necessary.

20. When a Down Train consists wholly of loaded Waggons, and there is not any Break Waggon at hand to be sent down in front, the Breaksmen are first to see that at least one-third of the Waggons are provided with good and efficient Breaks; otherwise they must not venture to proceed with them down the Tunnel, until the deficiency is supplied by attaching an adequate number of empty Waggons, with serviceable Breaks, from the stock in the Sidings: but the Break Waggon must, if possible, in all cases be used.

21. When a Train is composed of loaded and empty Waggons, two empty are to be considered equal to one loaded. Not more than thirty-five loaded Waggons may be taken down the Tunnel at any one time, and two Breaksmen must attend each Train. None but the regularly appointed Tunnel-breaksmen must ever attempt to convoy a Train.

22. Signal Lamps and Hand Lamps must be kept properly trimmed and burning. A Red Signal Lamp, lighted, must always be fixed on the rear of the last Waggon going down the Tunnel, and a Green Signal Lamp lighted and fixed upon the most conspicuous part of the front Waggon in the same Train. They must both be returned to Edge Hill by the first set up. No persons must ever leave any Waggon standing upon the Up Line within the Tunnel, nor upon the Down Line, without fixing a well-lighted Red Signal Lamp thereon, and remaining with it until removed to the bottom. The signal to stop must be made by waving the Hand Lamp Up and Down. The man on duty at the Wheel must look out for Waggons coming Down, and pass the word to the Breaksman whether or not the Line is clear; the exchange of such Signal to be made by waving the Hand Lamps horizontally, and then the Breaksman may with caution proceed. The Signal to “come forward” to be made by waving the Hand Lamps round.

23. Each set of Waggons drawn up the Tunnel to consist of not more than six, until further orders. The man on duty at the Wheel must examine the Endless Rope, the Messengers, the Coupling Chains, the Van Doors, and the Loads upon the Waggons, to see that all is right and safe to pass upwards, that the Coupling Chains are properly hooked, that the last Waggon is provided with a good and powerful Break, and then the same Breaksman must proceed with the set, and look out for Down Trains, to apprize the other men in charge thereof whereabouts any Waggons are before them, to report any impediments in the Tunnel to the Superintendent or Goods Manager.

24. When the Rails on the Bank Head, or within the Tunnel, are wet and slippery, they must be sprinkled with sand, a large stock of which is kept constantly at the top of the Tunnel to supply the Break Waggons.

25. All Breaksmen are expected to take charge of and deliver the Despatch Bags, Parcels, &c., as sent Up and Down the Tunnel; to keep in repair the Endless Ropes, Messengers, and Drag Lines; and whenever all the Breaksmen are unavoidably absent from the Bank Head, the large wooden chock upon the Down Line, near the Tunnel Mouth, must always be put across the Rails, and a man placed in charge until the return of one of the Breaksmen to relieve him. The Gates to be closed every night before 12 o’clock.