Sunderland 16 - detailed history

SUNDERLAND 16 - A DETAILED HISTORY

History

The Sunderland 16 story begins in Preston, Lancashire in 1900 at the Dick Kerr factory. In that year, eighteen tramcars were constructed there for the recently-opened Sunderland Corporation Tramway. Twelve of these were 56 seat four-wheel open top double deck vehicles to the maker's standard design with three saloon windows each side. However, six of them, Nos.13 to 18, were longer cars with six saloon windows per side, seating 64 passengers and mounted on bogies to the American Brill Company's 22E design. No.16 was one of the latter and probably arrived in Sunderland in November 1900. By this time, track had been laid from Christ Church to Roker and, as this was considered the prestige route, the longer and slightly superior vehicles were intended for this service. No photographs have come to light of any of them on this duty.

By February 1901, what was designated as the 'Circle' route was fully opened. This served the districts to the West of Sunderland, which were made up of industrial sites and high density housing. Very soon, this attracted considerably more patronage than the North-South main line and, to provide accommodation, No.16 and its five sisters were re-assigned to this duty. Unfortunately, this route had a number of tight-radius curves for which the bogie carriage arrangement proved to be unsuitable. Consequently, the bogies were rapidly returned to the makers who provided single four-wheel Brill 21E trucks which were fitted to the cars by the Corporation. In spite of the conversion, the Class were still known as the 'Bogie' cars.

During the next few years, the system expanded and more trams were purchased. The majority of these were four-wheel double deckers like the original twelve, but no more of No.16's style were acquired. By 1904, Sunderland recognised that the open tops of its tramcars had an appeal limited to the summer months and started to provide its double deck cars with top covers. This proved a popular move judging by increased cash takings and was so extended that by 1916 only Nos. 13 to 18 remained unconverted. The reason these trams were not treated was that the four-wheel trucks fitted during the urgent change in 1901 were at the limit of their weight-carrying capacity. Because of war-time shortages, they could not be exchanged for some other pattern until the end of hostilities, so No.16 soldiered on in its 1901 condition.

In 1920, the Tramway Manager, Archibald Dayson, decided that it was time to upgrade the six "Bogie" trams which by then had a distinctly period appearance. His plan went way beyond the simple addition of a top cover and involved quite a radical conversion. The bodywork was re-shaped to completely enclose the top deck and to provide vestibules around the stairs and crew positions on the platforms. Because there was a height limit determined by a railway bridge in Chester Road, the lower saloon had its ceiling dropped by about five inches. To support the weight of the considerably heavier body, Brill 'Radiax' trucks with 8'- 6" wheelbase were fitted. Tramway engineers had been busy trying to devise ways in which longer wheelbases could be used since because of the sharp curves on street tramways, a fixed-axle truck was limited to a maximum of about seven feet. The "Radiax" was one of the hoped-for solutions.

It had been intended to operate the cars with front exits to speed unloading, and the first one to be rebuilt, No.15, had this arrangement. There was a gate and folding steps leading off the driver's platform on the pavement side at the foot of the stairs. Unfortunately, the Board of Trade who were the Government approval office, took exception to this and prohibited its use. Consequently, No.16 and most of the others were completed in a different way. Disposal of all official records make it difficult to be certain about these details after eighty years but, with the exception of the truck which will be explained later, the restoration of No.16 is thought to correctly reflect its appearance in 1920.

The inability to operate the tram as a front exit vehicle must have been a blow to the Corporation, as the stair and platform arrangement are not ideal for quick loading and unloading using only one end. Consequently, about 1933, the new tramway manager, Mr.Charles Hopkins, embarked on another rebuilding programme for the six sisters.

Starting from rail level, this programme involved disposing of the "Radiax" trucks which were not a great success and using other makers' solutions to the problem of accommodating a long wheelbase to sharp curves. Like other municipal undertakings, Sunderland periodically exchanged trucks between vehicles, so it is not possible to be definitive about which particular design was in use under No.16 at any given time. However, it is known that at one stage No.16 was running on a Peckham P35 type and, as will be explained later, this is how she is carried today. To speed up performance, higher horsepower motors were used and magnetic track brakes fitted to shorten stopping times.

The major change to the bodywork on all the class was to fit straight staircases with right angle entries at platform level. This meant that passengers boarding and intending to go upstairs did not obstruct those going through the door into the lower saloon, making for an easier and quicker flow and reducing the delay at stops. To do this, the platforms had to be altered and the original semi-circular ends, dating back to Dick Kerr building practice, were exchanged for a more square design but with large-radius rounded corners. Inside, the rather severe wooden longitudinal seats in the lower saloon were changed for mainly transverse swing back seats with comfortable upholstery although upstairs things remained unchanged. A general development which affected all Sunderland trams at this time was the introduction of bow collectors for picking up the electric power. Previously, this had been done using a trolley pole, spring loaded against the overhead wire and able to swing sideways to follow the wire where this was not completely in line with the track. Whilst not suitable for all systems, this innovation was quite a success in Sunderland, the only change made later being to fit a pantograph instead of the bow as it was less likely to be blown out of contact by the wind, particularly along the exposed Roker sea front. Externally, the most noticeable alteration was the adoption of a new livery. The previous smart, if staid, maroon was exchanged for an attractive bright red and cream and the "Shop at Binns" end wrap-around advertising panels became virtually universal throughout the fleet. Since only monochrome photographs of No.16 in its final form have come to light, views about 1950 show it in black and white, with its sister No.13 in colour against a marine background.

The success of this rebuild can be judged by the fact that it extended the life of the class by about twenty years, one of them lasting almost to the end of the Sunderland system in 1954. No.16 was withdrawn in March 1953 and whilst it escaped the funeral pyre, which was the fate of most of the fleet, was substantially dismantled. The lower saloon complete with one of the end canopies survived and was certainly given some special treatment to close off the holes left where the staircases had been removed. It is thought that this was done to make the shell suitable for use as a football changing room at one of the local grounds. All that is known for certain is that at some time in the next twenty years it was bought by a farmer and installed as an apple store/outside workshop at Warden near Hexham. It would probably have remained undisturbed in this role until extinction by natural decay had it not been spotted by some observant tram devotee in the 1980s. News of its existence percolated around the fraternity and as the extension of this account is the description of a resurrection it really qualifies as another story.

Restoration

The survival of the lower saloon of a Sunderland tram at Westwood Farm, Low Warden near Hexham came to the Museum's notice in 1989. At that time thought was being given to the restoration of the Newcastle car No.114 and it seemed appropriate to grasp the opportunity of having a member of another major North East tramway undertaking in the Beamish fleet. Accordingly, the farm owners were approached and readily gave permission for the Museum to recover the relic. The only proviso was that the tenant farmer who had originally paid £50 for it should be reimbursed. This was gladly conceded and in November that year it was uplifted and transferred to Beamish.

At the time of its recovery there was still some doubt about the identity of the tramcar which was, at first, thought to have been No17. Its association with Sunderland was clear enough as the municipal crests on the rocker panels were still discernible. Reference to tramway experts soon provided affirmation that it was in fact No.16, and this has since been confirmed by the number being endorsed on various components which have come to light during dismantling. On its arrival at Beamish, the body was located outside on the site previously occupied by Newcastle 114 which had just been taken into the workshops for its pre-restoration treatment.

It is useful to explain here that, prior to any major restoration, there is a necessary period during which the subject is stripped of superficial components, many of which may be in a suitable condition for reuse, and the structure examined to decide to what extent it can be retained for a service vehicle. At this time, all material removed has to be methodically identified for possible reinstatement and, if not available, drawings prepared from careful measurements of the structure of the tram itself. It is really only during this phase which reveals the potential costs that a final decision can be taken whether or not to proceed with restoration. Needless to say, Newcastle 114 had qualified and future work on it was greatly helped by the fortuitous discovery of an extremely accurate and detailed General Arrangement plan.

To return to No.16, by 1992 serious consideration was being given to programming its restoration on completion of Newcastle 114. The first decision to be taken was the style of any rebuild. As will be evident from the above account, there were three possible styles to which it could be reconstructed, 1901 to 1920, 1920 to 1932 or 1932 to 1953. Operationally and with an attractive red livery which older Sunderland citizens would remember with some affection, the last of these had some appeal but it was well outside the Museum's curatorial period; additionally its bow collector could not be used on the Beamish overhead. The first period was the most appropriate for the date the Museum tries to reflect but would have involved another open-top tram. With our rather unreliable summer weather, it was felt that two open toppers in our fleet, Nos.31 and 114, were sufficient. Also, as the high-capacity enclosed double decker, Sheffield No.513, was destined to go to Blackpool, it seemed that the 1920 to 1932 'Dayson rebuild style' was the one to go for. Accordingly, quite literally, plans were made based on this decision.

As soon as space in the Depot was available 16's saloon was brought inside and a thorough inspection started. All the internal trim was removed and carefully identified and stored thus revealing the state of the structure. Whilst this was intact, it was doubtful whether much of it was in a condition for re-use in a service vehicle so extensive measurements were taken from which reconstruction drawings could be prepared. None of the builder's plans of this tram had survived, although a few helpful details of other members of the fleet were discovered. A major complicating factor was the need for retro-drawing the body to reflect its condition in 1920 before the 1932 re-building described above. Photographs of No.16 and of other members of the class in its final years were quite easily come by, but, prior to 1932, the only help was two shots taken at Seaburn of No.15 shortly after it was re-launched following Mr.Dayson's upgrading, plus some incidental pictures in the local press, which, fortunately, included partial views of these trams. Because Beamish does not suffer the height limitation imposed on Sunderland by the Chester Road railway bridge, which, in any case has now disappeared, the opportunity was taken to reinstate two of the five inches lost by the lower saloon in its 1920 rebuild. The average stature of our visitors is such that retaining the original ceiling height would be a constant source of complaint.

Nothing had survived of the top deck, and the only clues to its appearance were some pockets in the lower saloon roof showing where the window posts had been positioned. These indicated the window arrangement which was useful as the members of the class differed between themselves in this respect. No.16 is interesting in that there are five upper deck windows corresponding with the six in the lower saloon. Fortunately, when in 1932 Mr.Hopkins introduced his rebuild style, he did not make radical alterations to each tram's top cover, so the photographs taken in latter years proved a reasonable basis for developing the plans. At that stage of the investigation it proved possible to trace the routes of much of the original electrical wiring, enabling the make-up of the lighting circuits and their wiring runs to be deduced and drawn.

By this time, inspection had confirmed that apart from the cant rails and roof timbers i.e. all bodywork above the level of the windows, the structure was not sound enough to form the skeleton of a working vehicle. Disappointing though this was, at least it provided a clear basis from which to proceed and from which an estimate of the cost of restoration could be calculated. Still optimistic that this might be approved, the Tramway Group made a modest start by reforming the canopies at each end of the surviving saloon roof and re-boarding the latter to make what became eventually the upper deck floor. Meanwhile, the Museum were fortunate in being able to acquire, for no great expense although in a somewhat indifferent condition, a Peckham P35 truck complete with motors. Originally this had been fitted under a Leeds tram which was withdrawn in 1959. It escaped the scrapman's torch by being acquired as a spare truck by the Tramway Museum Society for their Leeds tram 180, and came to Beamish after a spell as a demonstration exhibit in the former West Yorkshire Transport Museum in Bradford.

Happily, authority to proceed with the restoration was granted, having secured funding from European and Beamish sources, so a strategy was developed. In its entirety, the work was well outside Beamish physical resources so it was divided into five main tranches:

a) rebuilding the structure of the lower saloon body plus vestibules and refitting the salved roof with canopies;

b) building, purely to drawings, the top cover;

c) adapting and repairing as necessary the Peckham P35 truck;

d) returning to good working order the BTH 509 electric motors; and

e) uniting the above assemblies at Beamish followed by external and internal completion involving extensive electrical, mechanical, bodywork, painting etc.

The programme required that items (a) to (d) above should proceed simultaneously and that, as far as possible, work involved in (e) should be advanced to minimise delay in its installation. Obviously completion of the various items had to be phased so that their arrival at Beamish or elsewhere was in a logical assembly sequence and the following describes briefly their development in this order.

In order that the P35 truck could be the first major component to be delivered to Beamish for the re-assembly process, it was necessary that the two BTH 509 traction motors should be available to the mechanical contractor. After inspection by the electrical specialist it was agreed that these should be completely re-wound and that one should be fitted with a new commutator. In this process, the nominal rating was reduced to 40 hp, which was the power of the motors fitted by Sunderland. As first received at Beamish the maker's brush holders were missing so four roughly similar items were recovered from some surplus motors of a different design in the Museum's stock and a conversion scheme agreed. After finishing at the electrical repair works, the motors were tested on a very light load and despatched to the mechanical contractor.

On its arrival at Beamish, the P35 truck included some redundant braking equipment which required removal. It was also apparent that having survived until the last days of tramway operation in Leeds, any problems which had developed in the twilight years were not given long term solutions but dealt with by welding up the obvious defects. This had answered the immediate difficulty but usually transferred the trouble elsewhere! All this was discussed with our selected Contractor, RW Gear/ Dowding and Mills Engineering Services, and full consideration given to returning the assembly to the form which its designers intended, and replacing any components showing significant wear. Accordingly it was removed to their site which was relatively close to the Museum. In addition to implementing the above, new tyres to the Beamish Tramway wheel profile were fitted, the brake gear was reshaped, missing gear cases were replaced and the electric motors re-installed. Happily the gearing was in a satisfactory condition.

The refurbished truck arrived back at Beamish ready for the mounting of the next assembly.

The rebuilding of the structure of the lower saloon was entrusted to the Appleby Training and Heritage Centre. The Contractors transhipped the body to their site and removed the roof for subsequent replacement. They were then able to dismantle individual components for inspection, usually - but not always - to confirm the details on the Beamish prepared drawings! They erected the new structure starting from a completely replaced underframe working progressively upwards.

The platforms with fenders and supporting timber and steelwork were new and made entirely to drawing. Their quality and methodical approach to the work led to Appleby being asked to extend their supply to include the glazed vestibules.

On arrival at Beamish it is pleasant to report that it was possible to lower it directly into place on the truck which had arrived a few days before.

The original underframe was also returned to Beamish and it is hoped that it can be exhibited as it still bears evidence of the 1900 bogie suspension arrangement.

Contemporaneously with the work on the lower saloon was the construction of the previously non-existent top cover. This task was entrusted to Heritage Engineering of Glasgow and involved building to drawings what was not unlike an elongated conservatory from which it could be distinguished by the presence of a trolley base on the roof! Because it was to be emplaced on the lower saloon roof it had, of course, to be made without any form of floor and this presented a few problems when it came to transportation by low loader to Beamish. Happily these were resolved and the completed section arrived safely at the Museum. The Good Fairy, whose wand had ensured that the lower saloon landed accurately on the truck, did not desert us and repeated her bit of magic by seeing that the top deck settled fair and square in its intended place. No.16 was at last starting to look like a recognisable tramcar.

The scene was now set for the final phase of the work at Beamish. There had, however, been much preparatory action which, apart from accumulating the major array of components needed to start fitting out, had involved manufacturing or renovating on site some quite substantial work-pieces such as the staircases and the air compressor. The internal trim which had been recovered from No.16's saloon and which was suitable for re-use was given careful treatment but, where beyond redemption, was either matched by new timber parts made by a skilled nearby joinery firm, or replaced by components kindly presented by an enthusiast who had a collection of items recovered from identical trams once in operation in Stockport.

Quite a number of mechanical parts came from an Oporto Tram acquired by the Museum some years ago with a view to cannibalising for this very purpose. Portugal also made a big contribution in providing the driver's Dick Kerr / English Electric controllers, which were obtained from Lisbon. A matching pair of car circuit breakers and other electrical components were refurbished from Beamish Tramway's own stock, whilst a set of splendid porcelain and fluted-brass light switches was found - as new and still boxed - in the Co-op on the Museum site! The tram's electrical resistance unit, housed in a copy of an original cast iron enclosure, was produced by a long-established specialist contractor - EMB Ltd.

Installation work at Beamish was in the hands of the Tramway Group assisted by a craftsman joiner recruited specially for the job. The majority of the remaining equipment which could not be made in house either by Beamish staff or supporting groups was sourced from local sub-contractors. Electrical work figured prominently in the outfitting programme, the installation of restored equipment and the running of traction and lighting cable harnesses proceeding as the bodywork progressed. For operational reasons, an early decision had been taken to equip the tram with air brakes so all the necessary reservoirs, compressor, valves, cylinder and pipe-work was sourced and installed. Detailed attention was also given to supporting systems including the hand-brake and rigging, lifeguards, sanding gear, as well as such matters as seating, handrails, destination blinds, glazing not included in the previous work phases, headlamps etc. Not quite finally, as it had to be co-ordinated with the overall work routine, came the painting, lining out and lettering. The Sunderland livery reproduced disappeared in the early 1930's but, fortunately, sufficient detail of this period had survived to be carefully uncovered from the panel-work of the body recovered from Westwood Farm to help create what is thought to be an authentic Wearside finish.

Throughout the re-construction, important components and systems have been methodically tested culminating in extended trial running of the completed vehicle and formal examination by HM Railway Inspectorate. Because of the variety of trams running on Beamish Tramway, each of which reflects some idiosyncrasies of the original owning municipality or company, our crews have to be familiar with the layout and behaviour of every car. All have been given the opportunity to familiarise themselves with No.16's performance and handling before it joins the fleet, while many of them have seen it develop from a bedraggled shell to its present imposing condition.