Sunderland North Dock & Branch

North Dock by Meik, 1849

This shows the landward approach to the north tunnel into the Dock.   To the right was another tunnel, long lost to gardens & vegetation. 

An aerial view of North Dock, the north tunnel is the darker passage under the road near top right
(thanks to Peter Vout)

An 1895 OS map shows two rail routes into the dock
(from maps at National Library of Scotland)

The northernmost tunnel was used at least until the 1970s.   The fan of lines to the east of Harbour View were active as a woodyard into the 1970s, with reports of a haulage engine to take wood up the incline to the tunnel.    Use of the southernmost tunnel did not last long into the 20th century, with the dockside lines being rerouted to feed from the timber yard.   The lines on the right feed onto the new north pier.

IK Brunel letter to Michael Lane, 13 April 1838

North Dock was designed by Brunel in 1831, revised in 1834, & Michael Lane was the resident engineer.  By 1838 they were in frequent correspondence to move on to bigger things down south.   Here Brunel is recounting being black & blue following an accident.

Local historian Anthea Lang summarises: "The North Dock was opened in 1837 by the Wearmouth Dock Company which had been formed by Sir Hedworth Williamson. The engineer was Isambard Kingdom Brunel. However, the square 6-acre sized dock was always too small and it became somewhat disparagingly known as ‘Sir Hedworth’s bath tub’. In addition, although it had gates which opened to the river basin, as the basin was tidal the dock could only be used at high tide. It also proved difficult to access in stormy seas as no ship larger than a small collier was able to navigate into it. In 1839, a railway line was laid from the North Dock to the Brandling Junction near Gateshead – shown here as the NER North Dock Branch (always a goods line). Most of its trade was timber but this slumped when a new larger dock was built to the south."

A photo from Steam Powered Wood Yard (1979) on YouTube
(thanks to Matt Ditch)

Read more about the dock in Engineering Timelines & a Canadian site about Sunderland.


Photographs of the branch west of North Dock, taken by Ian Carr, were sent by Alan Thompson:

A very short train of coal empties heads from the branch onto the Sunderland - Newcastle Line at North Dock Junction.   Theses trains served landsale coal yards in Roker.
(Photo Ian S Carr)

A J27 brings an inbound waggon of coal
(Photo Ian S Carr)

Portrait of a South Dock driver on the branch
(Photo Ian S Carr)

Running round the waggon, just south of the level crossing over Fulwell Road.   To the left is the bus depot, formerly tram depot, & before that a rope works, now the site of Redby Primary School.   The dark top of Fulwell Mill is immediately left of the hatch on the cab roof.   To the right the brakevan stands at the entry to Roker carriage sidings - which were at one time very extensive.
(Photo Ian S Carr)

The middle of the branch around Roker Park Sidings.   Fulwell level crossing top left.   Note truncated line to the south bridge at bottom right.

(1941 OS 25" map from National Library of Scotland)

This is a nearby unknown location.   Anyone got any ideas?
(Photo Ian S Carr)