Tram shelter
near Whitburn Road - Seaburn Terrace, Seaburn, Sunderland, SR6 8BZ
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1467684
- Date first listed:
- 16-Mar-2020
- List Entry Name:
- Tram shelter
- Statutory Address:
- near Whitburn Road - Seaburn Terrace, Seaburn, Sunderland, SR6 8BZ
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Location
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1467684
- Date first listed:
- 16-Mar-2020
- List Entry Name:
- Tram shelter
- Statutory Address 1:
- near Whitburn Road - Seaburn Terrace, Seaburn, Sunderland, SR6 8BZ
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- near Whitburn Road - Seaburn Terrace, Seaburn, Sunderland, SR6 8BZ
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- District:
- Sunderland (Metropolitan Authority)
- Parish:
- Non Civil Parish
- National Grid Reference:
- NZ4062259925
Summary
Tram shelter, 1901-1904.
Reasons for Designation
Seaburn tram shelter, 1901-1904 is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
Architectural interest:
* it is a rare, in a national context, and largely intact example of an early-C20 tram shelter;
* it is an elegant and attractive tram shelter design with notable cast-iron work and internal seating.
Historic interest:
* an example of tram-era public transport in Sunderland, enhanced by its association with the heyday of the English seaside.
History
The Sunderland Tramways Company had operated a horse-drawn tramway in the town since 1879, which in 1900 was bought by Sunderland Corporation. Electrification of the service followed rapidly with the first converted service opening from Roker to Fawcett Street in August 1900. Work started on extensions to Grangetown, Fulwell and Sea Lane (Seaburn) the following year, and all had been upgraded by 1904. The tram shelter is depicted on the Third Edition Ordnance Survey map surveyed 1913-1914 (published 1919). The tram system closed on 1 October 1954, but the tram shelter has continued in use as a sea-front shelter and bus shelter.
Details
Tram shelter, 1901-1904
MATERIALS: timber-framed with cast iron columns and timber partitions; Welsh slate roof with terracotta ridging.
PLAN: rectangular of two by four bays.
EXTERIOR: the shelter occupies a site that slopes gently to the north with two-three wide steps up to it at this end. It is a timber-framed structure with chamfered and fluted detailing to its principal uprights. Slender cast-iron columns with fluted bases and crocketed capitals support ornamental arch braces to the boarded ceiling. The end screens have two top rows of small-paned glazing bars (missing to two windows) and one large row at waist height; the original glazing has been removed. The low pitched roof with a mixture of standard and fish-scale slates, has wide eaves with end, louvred half-gables, a plain terracotta ridge and the stumps of former ball finials. End ventilator shafts rise from the public conveniences below and the original rain water goods are retained.
INTERIOR: there are head-height central partitions along both axes creating four compartments, which would have allowed shelter whatever the wind direction. The partitions are boarded and have replacement low bench seating carried on original cast-iron supports.
Sources
Websites
FROM STAGECOACH TO METRO, accessed 31-12-2019 from http://www.searlecanada.org/sunderland/sunderland014.html
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 04-Jun-2026 at 11:01:16.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.