New bridge and Times Inn, Wear Street. This is the north end of the Alexandra Bridge while under construction in 1909. The brick arches carry the rail line on the upper deck away from the lower deck roadway which, hidden behind the arches, curves in the other direction towards Southwick. The rail line was used for coal trains from Washingon to the docks until it fell out of use in 1921 and was subsequently removed from the bridge as was most of this brickwork. The bridge has just been extensively renovated and remains a very important road alternative to Wearmouth bridge.
Photo Norman Kirtlan, info Len Charlton
The Old Mill, The Green.The Green at Southwick and the Old Mill Inn dated from its time as a small village but by 1902 it had became a Sunderland tram terminus and it was the scene of a WW1 tragedy. A pilot from Usworth, a nearby aerodrome, had been testing a new anti-zeppelin gun over the sea and ..."...on his return from the coast at 8:45 p.m. the pilot observed a crowd on the Green at Southwick. In order to gain a closer look the pilot brought his aircraft low over the Green. Unfortunately whilst flying towards the sun the pilot failed to observe a large flag pole on the center of the Green.. The port wing of the aircraft was torn off by the impact, the aircraft falling to the ground at the corner of Stoney Lane......."
The official report raised many questions but did not help the 5 killed and 8 injured.
Photo Norman Kirtlan, info Len Charlton.
