In 1900 Sunderland Corporation bought the Sunderland Tramways Company which had operated a horse-drawn tramway in the town since 1879.[citation needed] Electrification of the service took place rapidly with the first converted service opening from Roker to Christ Church on 15 August 1900. The remaining services were upgraded by 1904.[citation needed]
During the First World War Sunderland, like many other local authorities, employed women on the tramcars as conductresses. There were ten employed by 1915, although on lower wages than their male counterparts – 6s to 10s per week, compared with 11s to 15s per week for the men.[1][pageneeded] In April 1916, the town was attacked by a Zeppelin, and tram no. 10 was badly damaged, along with the tramway offices.[2] By 1920 the conductresses had retired, as the men who had returned from the war returned to their previous employment.[3]
In 1948 the Durham Road line was extended to Grindon Lane, and in 1949 on to Thorney Close Road.[citation needed] In the 1950s tram services began to close, beginning with the Villette Road route on 5 November 1950. On 1 October 1954 a final procession of trams left the town hall for Seaburn. By 1959 the last of the tram lines had been taken up.[3] The system was closed on 1 October 1954.[citation needed]
Surviving trams
Car 16 was withdrawn in 1954 and spent some time at a football ground and then as farm accommodation. It was purchased for restoration in 1989 and was restored in 2003. It is operational at the Beamish Museum.[4]
Lines and depots
Lines
The Sunderland Corporation Tramways had a network of eight electric tram lines at its peak, connecting areas north and south of the River Wear. Three lines were north of the Wear, and five were south of it. The routes north and south of the river were linked by the Wearmouth Bridge.[5][6]
along Bridge Street and Fawcett Street to Borough Road
from Borough Road to the south along Burdon Road to Grangetown
from Borough Road to the east, clockwise until joining the Grangetown line
from Borough Road to the east, clockwise until joining the Bridge Street line (this line was known as 'The Circle').
a branch off 'The Circle' at Southill Crescent, going south-west to Thorney Close Road
Depots
There were two depots. The main tramshed and offices were at the Wheatsheaf depot in Monkwearmouth. Workshops were located at the Hylton Road depot.[7]
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