Hudson dock

The Hudson Dock, the first in a complex known as the South Docks which extend from the harbour entrance to Hendon, revolutionised shipping into and out of the port of Sunderland when it opened in 1850.

The dock was used above all for coal transport, served by a complex of railway lines bringing coal from the Durham pits inland. It was also a hive of other industry, including Bartram's shipyard, which launched ships into the sea from the outer part of the dock, before sailing the vessels into the dock to be fitted out.

The Port of Sunderland now controls the whole vast area, including Corporation Quay, and it is closed to the public. The huge Hudson dock retains its grandeur, its power to surprise and impress. A few of the port's other 19th-century features survive, though not in good condition. The photographs here were taken in April 2009. The view above is looking south from the Gladstone bridge.