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12th July 2025 marks the centenary of the closure of the ill-fated Sunderland District Electric Tramways Company’s short-lived system. The tramway ran from Grangetown to Easington Lane, serving largely rural colliery villages to the south of Sunderland. Although the line was adjacent to the Sunderland Corporation tramway terminus at Grangetown, the two systems were not linked until 1921, by which time the writing was already on the wall for the Sunderland District tramway.
[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ theme_builder_area=”post_content” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_column _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” type=”4_4″ theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_image src=”https://tramway.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Image-1-sunderland56-SDT-route-map.jpg” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” theme_builder_area=”post_content” title_text=”Image 1 sunderland56 SDT route map” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″][/et_pb_image][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]
Image 1: Map of Sunderland District Electric Tramways. Source: https://www.gordonstrams.net/SDTpage5.htm
The company was formed in 1902 but, as it was underfunded from the outset, services didn’t start running until 10th June 1905. By this time it had already experienced two bankruptcies. Three days after it opened, a runaway tramcar (no. 8) careered down Botcherby Bank, outside Silksworth, crushing a boy to death and seriously injuring several upper deck passengers who were thrown into the road.
The tramway itself was badly designed, as the round-about route was unable to generate sufficient revenue to make it pay. As the line was largely single-track with passing places, progress was slow. This made it vulnerable to competition from motor buses travelling along major roads, which were more direct and therefore quicker.
It was also poorly managed and experienced problems with the power supply, which relied on coal gas to operate the company’s own power station. However, the initial output was only sufficient to operate one third of the fleet until a new power station opened up at a next-door colliery the following year.
Another difficulty lay in the company’s inappropriate choice of rolling stock. At a time when most British tramway operators were fitting top covers to their open-topped fleets, the company’s first batch of 15 trams were ordered from Brush with high glass screens around the upper decks but no roofs.
Image 3: Sunderland District Tramways No. 15 was one of the initial batch of open-topped cars supplied by Brush in 1905. These had full perimeter screens for protection from the wind, but not the rain! Source: Tramway and Railway World (1905) Vol. 13, p. 25.
[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https://tramway.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/rsz_1image_3_sdt_scanned_image_of_brush_tramcar-1.jpg” title_text=”rsz_1image_3_sdt_scanned_image_of_brush_tramcar” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][/et_pb_image][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]A second batch of 15 cars that were, most unusually, ordered from a French rolling stock manufacturer – Arbel – did have short roofs enclosing the upper decks but left the platforms open. They were also fitted with full drop windows on both decks, which meant that the bodies were inadequately braced. As a result, they started falling apart after only three years in service. Despite modifications to rectify the design fault, all had been scrapped by 1913. These were replaced by sixteen Brush cars, which were also top covered, though with open balconies.
By this stage, competition from motor buses was already having an adverse impact on the company’s revenues. However, temporary salvation came from an unlikely quarter when the competitors’ buses were requisitioned by the War Department. After the war, the company ordered a further eight Brush cars, four of which were needed to replace some of the original life-expired trams. By this stage, however, the company was struggling with a large backlog of repairs, manpower shortages and the ravages of inflation together with a resumption of unregulated competition from the operators of war surplus buses.
In January 1921, neighbouring Sunderland Corporation finally agreed to enter a through-running agreement, which enabled company cars to reach Sunderland town centre. However, this concession came too late to stave off the inevitable threat of abandonment, as the company decided to become a bus operator itself. This set in motion a series of line closures, which began in March 1921 and ended when the final tram stopped running on 12th July 1925.
Given its inauspicious start in life and the various mishaps and mismanagements that beset it, it is perhaps surprising that it managed to stagger on for as long as twenty years!
With thanks to Museum Volunteer Jim Dignan for producing this article.
Image references:
1) Map of Sunderland District Electric Tramways. Source: https://www.gordonstrams.net/SDTpage5.htm
2) Sunderland District Tramways car shed and adjoining coal gas production plant. Source: Tramway and Railway World, Vol. 13, 13th July 1905, p. 17.
3) Sunderland District Tramways No. 15 was one of the initial batch of open-topped cars supplied by Brush in 1905. These had full perimeter screens for protection from the wind, but not the rain! Source: Tramway and Railway World (1905) Vol. 13, p. 25.
4) One of the French-built cars, No. 17, photographed in Burn Terrace. Undated photograph reproduced from John Carlson and Neil Mortson (2009), Sunderland Transport, p.92.
