When Sunderland was rocked by an explosion in 1974

Echo readers might well remember the year when Sunderland was rocked by an explosion in a telephone exchange.

It happened 50 years ago this year.

Sunderland Antiquarian Society historians Philip Curtis and Ron Lawson, (who was at the scene shortly after the blast), have taken a look back.

The Bishopwearmouth Telephone Exchange, which stood just across the road from the Barnes roundabout, was completely destroyed by a gas explosion in 1974.

A spark ignited gas which had filled the building and there was a terrific explosion that could be heard across the town.

It also rattled the pint glasses in The Barnes. A number of the adjoining properties also suffered damage.

A scene of utter devastation

Thankfully, no lives were lost but the Exchange was completely destroyed. Today the site is a car sales showroom.

First on the scene in 1974 was fellow Antiquarian Ron Lawson, now 90, who was working in the Exchange's construction department at the time.

He had been on a job at Ryton when he got the call to get over to Sunderland.

He arrived at the scene late at night to find a scene of devastation.

A hole in the roof of a building over the road

"The area around it had been pretty badly hit. There was a bungalow on the other side of the road with a big hole in the roof."

"There was nothing much we could do with what was left of the exchange." For the next 6 weeks, Ron worked 13-hour days 'with lots of overtime' to transfer the whole operation to the East Herrington phone exchange."

Mobile exchanges were brought in caravans from Birmingham and one of Ron's jobs was to watch for them coming in to Sunderland off the A19.

Sterling work from Ron and the team

"I had to come up to the Board Inn and watch out the window for them."

The painstaking job involved transferring transcribers over to a new exchange, starting with the emergency services and then visitors and private subscribers.

Ron and his team did such a good job, they were treated to a meal and drinks in the Seaburn Hotel after the project was completed.

Philip's article about the explosion is included in the latest newsletter from Sunderland Antiquarian Society. Our thanks go to Philip, Ron and the Antiquarian Society.

A treasure trove of information

You can also find out more about the Antiquarian Society by getting along to its Heritage Centre which is open in Douro Terrace on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 9.30am to 12pm.

You can also visit the Antiquarian Society’s Facebook page or its website which is at http://www.sunderland-antiquarians.org

And to become a member, email [email protected]

If you have memories of the explosion, email [email protected]