Sunderland's trams making their last journey 70 years ago this year

Trams were once a part of every day Sunderland life but all that changed 70 years ago this year.

The last electric trams of Wearside made their final journeys in 1954 and the historic final journeys were caught on camera by the Echo.

An era which began in 1900

Have a look at our film tribute to a service which had first begun in 1900.

The first electric tram service began then and replaced the horse drawn service which had run since 1879.

Soon, the electric versions were taking people around town. To Sunday church services, maybe home from a day's shopping on a freezing winter's day.

Dykelands to Durham Road

Our archives have preserved photos from Dykelands Road, Durham Road, Mackies Corner, Villette Road.

We have reminders of the last tram from Southwick to Grangetown and the last one for Seaburn going past the Town Hall in a grand 1954 procession.

Once the service was disused, workers dug up the tracks and the Echo was there to see the work in progress in Borough Road, and outside the Palatine.

The memories live on

The last lines were dug up 65 years ago. An era had come to an end.

Tell us about a part of Sunderland's past which you would like to see in an Echo retro film tribute.

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