Sunderland Station Improvements

[tavistock]

I saw an article this morning suggesting that Sunderland Station is going to be improved. This includes a full remodelling of the South end and a new car park being added. These two things are very much needed. More interestingly though they have mentioned turning it back into a 4 platform station, using the old disused platforms that are currently hidden behind the light wall.

Good to see investment going in but do we need 4 platforms back? A lot of work will need to be done as one track was taken away and covered with a platform during the Metro conversion.

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Is it still the only city centre rail station in Britain without a toilet?

 

[Killingworth]

Is it still the only city centre rail station in Britain without a toilet?

I was almost caught short there last year after arriving from Newcastle. Walked up and down the platform, nothing. Up the stairs, nothing.

Fortunately I found what I was looking for in the Sunderland Museum and Library building across the road, something I might otherwise have missed. It's well worth a visit.

I walked to St Peter's Church that dates back to 674AD and out to Roker. Looking good that way. On a previous visit I took the Metro to South Hylton and walked back. Totally different impression. Where does litter end and fly tipping begin? It ends on the Metro embankments!

Back to the station, but be prepared. No toilet on Metro either. Good luck to the people of Sunderland. Now a city but first impressions from the station convey a different impression. It's in dire need of major improvement.

 

[tavistock]

I was almost caught short there last year after arriving from Newcastle. Walked up and down the platform, nothing. Up the stairs, nothing.

Fortunately I found what I was looking for in the Sunderland Museum and Library building across the road, something I might otherwise have missed. It's well worth a visit.

I walked to St Peter's Church that dates back to 674AD and out to Roker. Looking good that way. On a previous visit I took the Metro to South Hylton and walked back. Totally different impression. Where does litter end and fly tipping begin? It ends on the Metro embankments!

Back to the station, but be prepared. No toilet on Metro either. Good luck to the people of Sunderland. Now a city but first impressions from the station convey a different impression. It's in dire need of major improvement.

Last time I went I was told to use the bogs in MacDonalds. Not sure if its still there, but what a way to run a station! Poor.

 

[KeithMcC]

Last time I went I was told to use the bogs in MacDonalds. Not sure if its still there, but what a way to run a station! Poor.

I seem to remember it had toilets when built, but then it also had a Travel Centre and a Traveller's Fare buffet! It has been a horrible station since it was rebuilt and the cutting built over. I have a suspicion that the columns and foundations for the Littlewoods store were built where the original northbound platform tracks were, so reopening that as a through platform would be difficult. It was used for years for the huge amount of parcels traffic that used to originate from the mail order firms in Hendon.
Sunderland as a city has completely lost its way - I grew up there but after University I never went back as there were no suitable jobs and London was much more attractive. We visit occasionally to see friends but try and leave the car somewhere well lit!

 

[47271]

Yes, the toilets. But the lack of access is indicative of the attitudes around the management of the place. Sunderland is the only major station I've used where the ticket office refuses to print online purchases and sends you to, what was, the worst TVM in the UK at the opposite end of the site and a walk down the street. There was no Northern TVM on the main concourse at the time, unbelievable. Meanwhile the staff at the office serve noone else and chat amongst themselves.

I don't agree that the city itself is in the sort of terminal decline described by some upthread. The public realm generally is in far better order now than ten years ago, especially at the top end of the High Street and around the Empire theatre, which is major asset ignored so far. Post Covid city centre retail will be a basket case wherever it may be, if anything the major destinations like Newcastle are likely to fall further than satellites like Sunderland.

But, back on topic, the station is almost certainly the worst in the country in relation to the population it serves. If they could rebuild the attitudes in the ticket office when they reconstruct the rest that would be a big step forward.

 

[s'land]

I seem to remember it had toilets when built, but then it also had a Travel Centre and a Traveller's Fare buffet! It has been a horrible station since it was rebuilt and the cutting built over. I have a suspicion that the columns and foundations for the Littlewoods store were built where the original northbound platform tracks were, so reopening that as a through platform would be difficult. It was used for years for the huge amount of parcels traffic that used to originate from the mail order firms in Hendon.
Sunderland as a city has completely lost its way - I grew up there but after University I never went back as there were no suitable jobs and London was much more attractive. We visit occasionally to see friends but try and leave the car somewhere well lit!

In the next 5 to 10 years it's planned to knock the Littlewoods building down and replace it with a glass building and create a new square in front of this new main entrance, so I'd imagine that the platform level can be redesigned when they upgrade the platforms back to 4 lines, I imagine that one platform will be for the Metro and the other lengthened platform (the council leader confirmed this recently) for mainline trains, thus removing the Metro bottleneck.

 

[timj]

I think it would make great sense to bring back the other island platform so making 4 platforms. Not sure I agree with what someone said about the old concourse dating from the 1970's - this is the best bit, light and airy although some tacky 'improvements' have been made.
What needs to go is that ugly building over the tracks immediately to the South of the station that blocks out all the light. If you look on Google Streetview, its mainly empty apart from police office, citizens advice bureau and a slots machines / casino place. With all the empty retail property they could go somewhere else and that monstrosity be demolished.

 

[Killingworth]

For those who don't know the only heavy rail station in a city of over 180,000 inhabitants, these are pictures taken in February 2020.

They may give some idea of the impression likely to be formed by visitors. My shots taken at platform level are too dismal to add here!

 

[Purple Orange]

For those who don't know the only heavy rail station in a city of over 180,000 inhabitants, these are pictures taken in February 2020.

They may give some idea of the impression likely to be formed by visitors. My shots taken at platform level are too dismal to add here!

View attachment 93031

View attachment 93032

It’s 277,000 inhabitants. Technically you are correct that it is over 180,000.

 

[Andymo]

It is 182k in the city. The borough is 277k which includes Washington, Houghton, Hetton which are entirely distinct from Sunderland.

 

[Killingworth]

It’s 277,000 inhabitants. Technically you are correct that it is over 180,000.

I suppose the figure was bound to be disputed (the figures always are for conurbations), but be it 180,000 or 277,000 the station is a diabolical gateway to the city.

 

[47271]

For those who don't know the only heavy rail station in a city of over 180,000 inhabitants, these are pictures taken in February 2020.

They may give some idea of the impression likely to be formed by visitors. My shots taken at platform level are too dismal to add here!

View attachment 93031

View attachment 93032

I agree that the shots here are accurate, and paint a desperate picture. The only thing missing to complete the picture is a photo of the 'main concourse', jeez.

However, noone has posted photos taken at platform level (funnily enough it's never occurred to me to take one) and, at the risk of repeating myself, I don't believe that Sunderland station's gravest problems are to be found underground. The platform ambience is that of an early 2000s well maintained upmarket multi storey car park. I can think of worse.

 

[jkkne]

The station is grim but...is there really much point?

I can’t see commuter traffic growing that much (the new metro seating design will probably drive more onto northern rail) Sunderland will never be a tourist destination, it’s an oversized town with incredibly weak retail offerings in reality. Its served locally by a decent bus network from two major players. It’s economic strengths lie in outside its own city centre. It’s always going to be Newcastle’s ugly sister.

part of me thinks the money really could be spent better elsewhere in the city.

 

[Killingworth]

The station is grim but...is there really much point?

I can’t see commuter traffic growing that much (the new metro seating design will probably drive more onto northern rail) Sunderland will never be a tourist destination, it’s an oversized town with incredibly weak retail offerings in reality. Its served locally by a decent bus network from two major players. It’s economic strengths lie in outside its own city centre. It’s always going to be Newcastle’s ugly sister.

part of me thinks the money really could be spent better elsewhere in the city.

Rattling along on the current Metro seats for half an hour to Newcastle isn't as comfortable as a Northern train and takes longer but frequency of service at 4 per hour against 1 gives it the edge. I suspect the new seating arrangement will make some adjust their journey timing to use Northern.

 

[47271]

The station is grim but...is there really much point?

I can’t see commuter traffic growing that much (the new metro seating design will probably drive more onto northern rail) Sunderland will never be a tourist destination, it’s an oversized town with incredibly weak retail offerings in reality. Its served locally by a decent bus network from two major players. It’s economic strengths lie in outside its own city centre. It’s always going to be Newcastle’s ugly sister.

part of me thinks the money really could be spent better elsewhere in the city.

I sort of see your point, but what about the terrible experience provided to anyone wanting to leave Sunderland by train, and in particular if they want to buy or print a ticket?

Would you rather leave that that awful main upstairs area for another ten years and let the place fall down all by itself? I agree that there are many parts of Sunderland in need of investment, but there aren't many quite as pressing as the street level section of the station.

 

[DustyBin]

Good to see Sunderland might be improved. Last time I went to Sunderland only the atom bomb would make the place an improvement

There’s a distinct whiff of Greggs about the place, I notice it every time I visit.

How can you not have heard about the Fans Museum Sunderland?! A massive collection of Sunderland football memorabilia! It's even in the lovely old Monkwearmouth station building!

The Fans Museum Sunderland

Welcome to the Fans Museum Sunderland. View our collection of football shirts, medals and other memorabilia from Sunderland and all over the world

fansmuseum.org

Highly recommended for connoisseurs of empty trophy cabinets!

 

[geordieblue]

Rattling along on the current Metro seats for half an hour to Newcastle isn't as comfortable as a Northern train and takes longer but frequency of service at 4 per hour against 1 gives it the edge. I suspect the new seating arrangement will make some adjust their journey timing to use Northern.

There's 5tph to Sunderland which does put it in genuine turn-up-and-go territory. And I'm not sure 'normals' actually care that much about seats - those getting on at Sunderland will have a decent chance of getting a seat anyway.

 

[ainsworth74]

Highly recommended for connoisseurs of empty trophy cabinets!

Oooof! I'm not exactly a football fan and even I felt that burn

 

[swt_passenger]

There's 5tph to Sunderland which does put it in genuine turn-up-and-go territory. And I'm not sure 'normals' actually care that much about seats - those getting on at Sunderland will have a decent chance of getting a seat anyway.

It’s known to be increasing to 6 tph in a couple of years as well...

 

[BrianW]

Sunderland being at the heart of an area of political interest (aka Red or Blue Wall) I would expect it to be getting attention not seen since the appontment of Lord Hailsham Hogg with special responsibility for Unemployment in the North-East! It will be important/ coincidentally helpful to see 'improvements' happening before the next election! (Similarly Stockton, Darlington, Middlesbro, Bishop Auckland, Blyth, Redcar ....)

 

[camflyer]

There’s a distinct whiff of Greggs about the place, I notice it every time I visit.



Highly recommended for connoisseurs of empty trophy cabinets!

Oi! A trophy was won 2 weeks ago and maybe another coming at the end of the season. Try talking to those in Newcastle about empty trophy cabinets.

Greggs is just the natural aroma of the North East.

 

[Killingworth]

Oi! A trophy was won 2 weeks ago and maybe another coming at the end of the season. Try talking to those in Newcastle about empty trophy cabinets.

Greggs is just the natural aroma of the North East.

Back in the 1960s when I started work in an office on Gosforth High Street I'd never have imagined that the little shop opposite would be the first in a national chain, Gregg's of Gosforth, and now - the natural aroma of the North East!!

 

[Wtloild]

Sunderland is just one stop on a slow, largely single-track heavy line, combined with a metro stop.
It's not really a destination for tourism, business or leisure, just a station for outbound commuters.
Without more routes being added (which not even crayonistas advocate for), the current tube-style station is completely appropriate.

 

[Starmill]

The route in question may well be relatively slow, but it's certainly not 'largely single track'! Overall it serves quite significant population between Teesside and Newcastle.

 

[geordieblue]

Without more routes being added (which not even crayonistas advocate for), the current tube-style station is completely appropriate.

Nexus aren't exactly crayonistas, but they've got plans for at least one more Metro service using Sunderland...

 

[DustyBin]

Oi! A trophy was won 2 weeks ago and maybe another coming at the end of the season. Try talking to those in Newcastle about empty trophy cabinets.

Greggs is just the natural aroma of the North East.

I can’t argue with any of that!

 

[KeithMcC]

Greggs is just the natural aroma of the North East

Well I seem to remember they started out as 'Greggs of Gosforth'.

 

[Killingworth]

Well I seem to remember they started out as 'Greggs of Gosforth'.

See post 52!

 

[Poolie]

DustyBin said:


There’s a distinct whiff of Greggs about the place, I notice it every time I visit.


Actually the aroma at Sunderland station is likely to be Milligans

 

[DustyBin]

DustyBin said:


There’s a distinct whiff of Greggs about the place, I notice it every time I visit.


Actually the aroma at Sunderland station is likely to be Milligans

That is true actually, similar though!