The station, prior to reconstruction, seen in June 1953.
Opening in 1836, the first railway passenger services to Sunderland were provided by the Durham and Sunderland Railway Company, initially linking the then port town with Haswell and Hetton-le-Hole.[1] Approaching from the south along the coast, the terminus, known as Town Moor was located near South Dock. The Durham and Sunderland Railway Company slowly extended their route towards the intended terminus in Durham – though the eventual terminus, which opened in 1839, was located outside the city at Shincliffe Town.[2] The line reached Durham in July 1893, when the North Eastern Railway opened the extension to Durham Elvet.[3]
Undistinguished either in architecture, convenience or accommodation, Town Moor was replaced 22 years later by Hendon. It was situated half a mile to the south, at a point where the line had to be joined by the Newcastle and Darlington Junction Railway Company's line Durham via Penshaw, which opened in 1853.[4]
In 1854, the Marquis of Londonderry opened the Londonderry, Seaham and Sunderland Railway, which linked the existing Londonderry and South Hetton Collieries to the South Dock. From 1855, the line carried passengers between Seaham Harbour and a terminus at Hendon Burn. The Londonderry, Seaham and Sunderland Railway began to use the Durham and Sunderland Railway's terminus in 1868.[2] Meanwhile, the York, Newcastle and Berwick Railway had built their station, Fawcett Street, which opened in 1853.[2][5] It was situated just south of the site of the present station.
On 4 August 1879, the North Eastern Railway opened a line from Ryhope Grange Junction over the River Wear to Monkwearmouth, and a new station was built on the present site, to the designs of architect William Peachey.[4] Both Fawcett Street and Hendon were closed on the same date. The new station served passengers of both the North Eastern Railway and Londonderry, Seaham and Sunderland Railway, until the latter sold the Sunderland–Seaham route to the former in 1900. This, in turn, allowed the North Eastern Railway to extend the line along the coast to create a new through route to (West) Hartlepool, which opened in 1905.[2]
Present station
The southern entrance of the station, seen in October 1965.
The current station, known as Sunderland Central until 5 May 1969, has tracks which lie in a cutting running north and south, bounded by retaining walls to the east and west. The platform area was previously covered by an overall semi-elliptical arched-rib roof, which together with the buildings at the station's north end, suffered significant damage following an air raid in March 1943.[6] In 1953, the roof was replaced by umbrella-type roofing, and the buildings at the southern end of the station were given an interim facelift. The complete rebuilding of the station was deferred, in order to enable advantage to be taken of the site's potential for property development, as well as to ensure compatibility with the town's proposals for the redevelopment of the surrounding area.
The redeveloped station was designed by Frederick Francis Charles Curtis of the British Rail Architects' Department,[7][8] with construction completed on 4 November 1965. At the time, the development formed part of a complete rebuilding scheme involving almost the entire area of the station site, which was decked over and developed at street level. A single entrance and street-level buildings were located at the northern end of the station, with a second entrance and associated buildings at the south being added five years later.
Following the Beeching Axe, and subsequent withdrawal of local stopping train services to Durham, (West) Hartlepool and South Shields, passenger trains were concentrated on a single island platform, with access to the concourse area by a dual one-direction stairway. At the time of reopening, services consisted of a half-hourly service each weekday to Newcastle and an hourly service to and from Middlesbrough via (West) Hartlepool, with additional trains at peak periods. There were also through morning trains to Liverpool and London, as well as a sleeping car service to London each evening.
The second island platform was given over to the working of parcels traffic, as a new parcels office premises was to be built at the northern end of the station. Prior to this, parcels traffic was dealt with at the northern end of the station, using the old stables block to the west for deliveries, with a similar sized room at the eastern side for incoming parcels.
The revised station working enabled the running lines and sidings at the southern end of the station to be simplified. The consequent reduction in permanent way released areas of land at track level, which was available for the erection of support for further street level development around Athenaeum Street and Holmeside.
Further redevelopment took place, ahead of the opening of the Wearside extension of the Tyne and Wear Metro. A six-week closure of the Durham Coast Line between Newcastle and Sunderland took place in early spring 2001, during which the existing track through Sunderland North Tunnel was lowered and two new crossovers introduced. The single island platform was also widened, with a new junction and track arrangement introduced and commissioned to the south of the station.[9]
Refurbishment
In 2006, the Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport Executive announced plans to refurbish of the 140-metre (460 ft) platform areas. The project was to be funded by the Department for Transport in an innovative scheme in which the money 'saved' by reducing a subsidised rail service in favour of the Tyne and Wear Metro was converted into a lump sum for capital investment. Whilst the Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport Executive does not own or manage the station (owned by Network Rail and managed by Northern Trains), the rationale for investment being that they are the station's majority operator.
Work began in January 2008, with the second stage of development commencing in September 2009. The project was completed in July 2010 – at a cost of £7million.[10][11][12][13] The project saw the construction of an entirely new floor, ceilings and lighting, substantial improvements to existing walls and a significant reorganisation of buildings and waiting areas on the platforms.
The Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport Executive appointed Sadler Brown Architecture to develop the design, led by Arup. The project incorporated the work of three artists, Jason Bruges Studio, Julian Germain and Morag Morrison. Jason Bruges Studio have created a 140-metre light wall with individual LED units containing an animated display.[14][15][16] Julian Germain is providing a sequence of 41 photographs of everyday items 'lost' on the Tyne and Wear Metro,[17] while Morag Morrison is designing coloured glass wall panels for buildings along the island platform.
The former south entrance
In October 2015, it was announced that plans were being formulated for the refurbishment of the upper concourse and exterior to improve the station's image and accessibility.[18] Almost six years later, in July 2021, revised plans for the refurbishment were revealed – with an estimated cost of £26million.[19][20][21][22] The six-year project would see the station's south entrance demolished and rebuilt, with the number of tracks passing through the station to be increased to four. Preparatory work commenced in April 2022, with the new southern entrance set to open in early 2023.[23][24][25]
The delayed southern entrance opened in December 2023.[26]
Facilities
The station is on two levels. A staffed ticket office located at street (upper) level, which is open between 06:15–18:00 Monday–Saturday and 08:00–17:00 on Sunday. Retail outlets and self-service ticket machines are also located at street level. A waiting room and seating is provided at platform (lower) level, with the two floors connected by lift and escalator. The island platform is fully accessible for wheelchair users. Information is provided with next train audio-visual displays, as well as paper timetable posters.[27]
Layout
The station has a large central island platform with each side split into two numbered platforms. Services operated by Northern Trains call at platforms 1 and 4, which are located at the northern end of the station. Platforms 2 and 3 at the southern end of the station, are served by the Tyne and Wear Metro. Longer trains, such as those operated by Grand Central and London North Eastern Railway board from two adjacent platforms, due to their length.
On 31 March 2002, the opening of a 18-kilometre (11 mi) extension saw the Tyne and Wear Metro network brought to Wearside – a project costing in the region of £100million.[33][34]
To the north, the track is shared with National Rail services as far as Pelaw Junction,[35] which is situated 1 mile 56 chains (2.7 km) north of Fellgate and 48 chains (0.97 km) south of Pelaw. Existing stations at Brockley Whins, East Boldon and Seaburn were converted for use by the Tyne and Wear Metro, and are no longer served by National Rail services. In addition, three new purpose-built stations were constructed at Fellgate, Stadium of Light, and St Peter's.
Cooke, B. W. C., ed. (January 1966). "Transformation at Sunderland: Opening of modern station by the North Eastern Region". Railway Magazine. Vol. 112, no. 777. pp. 17–18.
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