Monkwearmouth Bridge

Monkwearmouth Bridge spans the River Wear between Sunderland and Monkwearmouth. Built in 1879, it carries both railway and Metro services across the water. The bridge stands just upstream of the Wearmouth Road Bridge, joining the two banks with a single iron structure. Its main span stretches 91 metres above the river, supported by stone arches at each end. The ironwork was fabricated by Hawks, Crawshay and Sons under engineer T. E. Harrison’s design. At the time it was said to be the largest hogsback iron bridge in the world. The bridge formed part of the Monkwearmouth Junction Line, the first direct railway link between Newcastle and Sunderland. It allowed trains to run from Newcastle to Hartlepool without changing trains at Sunderland. Since 2002 it has also carried the Tyne and Wear Metro, sharing the route with modern Durham Coast Line services. Grade II listed since 1978, the bridge required strengthening in 2007 with 45 new transverse beams. Minor alterations were made around 2000 to add overhead electrification and a Metro station on the northern approach. Visitors see a sturdy iron bowstring bridge rising 26 metres above high water. The elliptical voids in the bracing give the structure its distinctive shape. Stone arches frame both ends, leading onto the wide northern viaduct where St Peter’s Metro station sits. The river flows beneath, carrying boats past the bridge’s piers. From the riverbank paths, the full span of the ironwork is visible against the sky. The bridge remains a working route for trains and Metro, linking Sunderland to the wider network.