Y R ' s ▁tact ics . ▁ ▁He ▁claimed ▁to ▁have ▁received ▁a ▁letter ▁from ▁the ▁company ▁sent ▁on ▁ 9 ▁March ▁ 1 8 4 9 ▁inform ing ▁him ▁of ▁proposed ▁changes ▁to ▁oper ational ▁procedures ▁resulting ▁from ▁a ▁near - coll ision ▁at ▁Cl if ton ▁J unction . ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁change ▁was ▁that ▁EL R ▁trains ▁would ▁at ▁all ▁times ▁give ▁way ▁to ▁L & Y R ▁trains ▁on ▁the ▁Manchester ▁and ▁Bol ton ▁line ; ▁a ▁stop ▁signal ▁was ▁to ▁be ▁placed ▁ ▁along ▁the ▁EL R ▁line ▁from ▁the ▁j unction , ▁to ▁be ▁activ ated ▁whenever ▁a ▁L & Y R ▁train ▁was ▁in ▁sight . ▁ ▁The ▁second ▁change ▁was ▁that ▁" for ▁the ▁safety ▁of ▁the ▁public " ▁all ▁EL R ▁trains ▁would ▁be ▁required ▁to ▁stop ▁before ▁the ▁points ▁at ▁the ▁j unction , ▁where ▁all ▁passenger ▁tick ets ▁to ▁Manchester ▁would ▁be ▁collected ▁by ▁L & Y R ▁employees . ▁ ▁A ▁daily ▁return ▁would ▁be ▁required ▁of ▁all ▁passengers ▁and ▁other ▁fre ight ▁book ed ▁from ▁S alf ord ▁" for ▁the ▁purpose ▁of ▁keeping ▁regularly ▁and ▁bal ancing ▁pun ct ually ▁the ▁accounts ▁of ▁the ▁two ▁companies ". ▁ ▁H ack ing ▁claimed ▁to ▁have ▁replied ▁stating ▁that ▁the ▁near - coll ision ▁had ▁occurred ▁because ▁the ▁L & Y R ' s ▁engine ▁driver ▁had ▁ignored ▁a ▁signal ▁at ▁Cl if ton ▁J unction , ▁and ▁that ▁the ▁EL R ▁would ▁not ▁accept ▁the ▁changes ▁requested ▁by ▁the