108-554: Ryhope ( / ˈ r aɪ . ə p / RY -əp ) is a coastal village along the southern boundary of the City of Sunderland , in Tyne and Wear , England. With a population of approximately 14,000, measured at 10.484 in the 2011 census , Ryhope is 2.9 miles to the centre of Sunderland , 2.8 miles to the centre of Seaham , and 1.2 miles from the main A19 . The older village section is centred on
216-579: A Lancaster's 154. Harris continued to have a poor opinion of the Halifax, despite the fact that later Hercules-engined machines had lower loss rates and higher crew survival rates after abandoning the aircraft than Lancasters, and came very close to the Lancaster's speed and altitude performance. The Halifax was progressively outnumbered in front-line service over occupied Europe as more Lancasters became available from 1943 onwards; many squadrons converted to
324-568: A downturn in demand for Sunderland built ships toward the end of the 20th century. The last shipyard in Sunderland closed in 1988. St Benedict Biscop was adopted as the city's patron saint in March 2004. The Local Government Act 1972 created two different two-tier systems for local administration, with different division of functions. As a metropolitan authority, Sunderland retained responsibility for waste collection, although disposal of
432-546: A heart attack whilst on stage in 1976. Sunderland is home to a Nissan car manufacturing plant . Over recent years Sunderland city centre has seen a re-development of the Sunniside area taking place, with new bars, cafes and retailers opening their doors on the Eastern side of the city. The Sunniside area now includes an Empire Cinema, Gala Casino and many surrounding eateries. The Bridges Shopping Centre covers much of
540-572: A heavy bomber, wings mounting two pairs of engines required additional testing at the Royal Aircraft Establishment (RAE). A stronger wing also required additional strengthening of the overall aircraft structure, increasing design weight. In February 1937, following consideration of the designs, the Air Ministry selected Avro's submission, with Handley Page's bid chosen as "second string". Accordingly, during April 1937,
648-427: A high priority; these targets were attacked right up until the end of the war. According to Moyes, within the final few months, bomber losses had fallen to all-time lows while raids were frequently regarded as having been highly successful. During the final months of the war the improved Halifax Mk.VI and Mk.VII were introduced. In particular, these models had been 'tropicalised' with an eye towards their potential use in
756-417: A hospital radio station – Radio Sunderland for Hospitals , and can receive other north-eastern independent radio stations Hits Radio North East , Greatest Hits North East , Capital North East , Heart North East , Nation Radio North East and Smooth North East . The current regional BBC radio station is BBC Radio Newcastle . The city is covered by BBC North East and Cumbria and ITV Tyne Tees , which has
864-473: A larger D type fin (40% bigger) and modified rudder. The Mk.III Halifax had satisfactory stability in all axes, and in fact were more stable in a dive than a Lancaster. A Lancaster tended to go deeper into a dive whereas a Halifax had to be forced to stay in the dive as the speed increased, i.e. it naturally flew out of a dive. Owing to a shortage of Messier-built landing gear and hydraulics , Dowty -built landing gear were used on some aircraft instead. As it
972-436: A million gallons of petrol was delivered to Brussels in support of the advancing Second Army , then engaged in heavy fighting at Arnhem . During the latter half of 1944, the bombing of German-held oil facilities became a major priority of the offensive. On 27 August, a force of 216 Halifax bombers, alongside smaller numbers of de Havilland Mosquitos and Lancasters and a sizable escort of Supermarine Spitfires , conducted
1080-684: A number of glass sculptures. Sunderland has produced a modest number of musicians that have gone on to reach international fame, most notably Dave Stewart of the Eurythmics . Kenickie , which featured Lauren Laverne on vocals, also achieved a top ten album and wide critical acclaim in the mid-to-late 1990s. In recent years, a thriving underground music scene in Sunderland has helped the likes of Smalltown Heroes , The futureheads , Field Music , and more recently Frankie & The Heartstrings gain national recognition. Other famous Sunderland musicians include punk rockers The Toy Dolls , who broke
1188-417: A raid on Nuremberg on the night of 30/31 March 1944. Barton continued to fly the Halifax while other crew members bailed out. He was killed in the aircraft's crash-landing, but the remaining crew survived due to his actions. Large numbers of Halifax bombers were also operated by Coastal Command , which used it to conduct anti submarine warfare , reconnaissance and meteorological operations. The Halifax
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#17327982964971296-413: A range of 1,860 miles (2,990 km). The defensive armaments included power-assisted gun turrets in various positions located across the aircraft. Different models of the Halifax used different numbers and combinations of turrets, effectively trading speed for firepower and vice versa. The bomb aimer's position was in the extreme nose with the navigator's table located behind it, both roles fulfilled by
1404-576: A regional office in the university's Media Centre. Sunderland was named "The Facebook Capital of Britain" by the BBC in February 2010. The statistics showed that people in Sunderland were more likely to log on to the social networking site than anywhere else in the UK. The only professional sporting team in Sunderland is the football team, Sunderland A.F.C. , which was formed in 1879, and plays home games at
1512-527: A seaside destination for centuries. The beach is said to have been a favourite sea-bathing spot for the Bishop of Durham . Located on the Durham coalfield, Ryhope followed the path of many other villages in the area, and abandoned agriculture as the main employer in favour of coal . In 1859 a colliery was opened, causing huge changes in the geography of the village. The settlement of Ryhope extended west toward
1620-532: A separate civil parish , on 1 April 1967 the parish was abolished and merged with Sunderland and Seaham. In 1961 the parish had a population of 9796. Ryhope (from the Old English reof hoppas , meaning "rough valley") is first mentioned in 930 AD when king Athelstan granted the land of Bishopwearmouth (including the township of Ryhope) to the Bishop of Chester-le-Street . The land had been reclaimed from
1728-448: A shortage of Merlins with two stage superchargers production of the B Mk.IV was not proceeded with. The definitive version of the Halifax was the B Mk.VI, powered by the 1,800 hp (1,300 kW) Hercules 100. The final bomber version, the Mk.VII, reverted to the less powerful Hercules XVI. However, these variants were produced in relatively small quantities. The remaining variants were
1836-495: A township independent of Sunderland. Carroll's connection with Sunderland, and the area's history, is documented in Bryan Talbot 's 2007 graphic novel Alice in Sunderland . More recently, Sunderland-born Terry Deary , writer of the series of Horrible Histories books, has achieved fame and success, and many others such as thriller writer Sheila Quigley , are following his lead. The Salford-born painter, L. S. Lowry ,
1944-704: A triangular 'green', which contains a war monument. The newer 'Colliery' area of Ryhope flanks the Ryhope Street/Tunstall Bank Road, which lead toward the Tunstall and Silksworth areas of Sunderland. The A1018 'Southern Radial Route', which opened in 2008, bypasses Ryhope along the clifftops and takes traffic toward the Port of Sunderland in Hendon and other routes to the centre and north of Sunderland. The B1287 Sea View Road links Ryhope with
2052-547: A wider wing span with rounded wing tips. With the coming of the MkIII the Halifax's performance finally matched that of the Lancaster though the latter had a larger bomb load and could take larger bombs. The B.VI Halifax's performance improved still further with a cruising speed of 265 mph (426 km/h) and a maximum speed (in 'Full Speed' supercharger mode) of 309 mph (497 km/h) at 19,500 ft (5,900 m). Halifax crews, though admittedly not unbiased, considered
2160-571: Is the largest theatre in the North East, reopened in December 2004 following a major redevelopment allowing it to stage West End shows such as Miss Saigon , Starlight Express and My Fair Lady , all of which have been performed at the Empire. The Empire is the only theatre between Leeds and Glasgow large enough to accommodate such shows. It has also played host to an annual season from
2268-647: The Atlantic Wall defences along the French coast with a reportedly high degree of accuracy. Other common targets were enemy communications and the launch sites for V-1 flying bombs . Bombing activity became increasingly brazen throughout late 1944 as the Luftwaffe became incapable of putting up effective opposition against allied air forces. The Halifax also found itself being increasingly tasked with transport duties around this time; in one instance, around half
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#17327982964972376-494: The Birmingham Royal Ballet for over ten years. The Royalty Theatre is the home of the amateur Royalty Theatre group who also put on a number of low-budget productions throughout the year. Renowned film producer David Parfitt belonged to this company before achieving worldwide fame and is now a patron of the theatre. The Empire also played host to the final performance of comic actor Sid James , who died of
2484-541: The City of Sunderland , is a metropolitan borough with city status in the metropolitan county of Tyne and Wear , England. It is named after its largest settlement, Sunderland , spanning a far larger area, including nearby towns including Washington , Hetton-le-Hole and Houghton-le-Spring , as well as the surrounding villages and hamlets. The district also forms a large majority of Wearside which includes Chester-le-Street in County Durham . The district
2592-521: The Frisian Islands of the North Sea . While the type continued to fly operations after this, these were primarily diversions to other operations and sporadic, uncoordinated attacks against targets of opportunity . Upon the end of the conflict, Bomber Command quickly disbanded the majority of its Halifax-equipped squadrons; the aircraft themselves were transferred to Transport Command. During
2700-578: The German battleship Scharnhorst . At the end of 1941, the Halifax was withdrawn from daylight bombing operations after intensifying fighter opposition had increased the casualty rates to unsustainable levels. In the second half of 1942, No. 35 Squadron and four other squadrons were selected to form the Pathfinder Force , later expanded to become No. 8 Group . Pathfinder crews flying the Halifax would mark routes and identify and mark targets for
2808-498: The Labour Party : In the 1992, 1997, 2001 and 2005 general elections, the former Sunderland South constituency was the first to declare the results, and the tradition was continued by the new Houghton and Sunderland South seat in 2010 and 2015. Sunderland is twinned with two cities: Essen , Germany, and Saint-Nazaire , France. It also has Friendship Agreements with Washington, D.C. , US; and Harbin and Nanjing , both in
2916-654: The Northern League . Ryhope Engines Museum , which is based on the Ryhope Pumping Station , was built in 1868 to supply water to the Sunderland area. Among natural features, Ryhope adjoins Tunstall Hills which have views of the city of Sunderland and beyond (on a clear day, down the coast almost to Whitby ). The Tunstall Hills are located on the southern outskirts of Sunderland between (New) Silksworth and Ryhope. The disused quarries and cuttings at Tunstall Hills provide exposure through part of
3024-570: The Pacific War against the Empire of Japan . While some of these Mk.VI and Mk.VII machines were deployed to the theatre, they played little meaningful role as the war ended before larger numbers could be brought to bear against Japanese forces. On 25 April 1945, the Halifax performed its last major operation against the enemy in WWII during an attack upon coastal gun batteries on Wangerooge in
3132-693: The People's Republic of China . Sunderland and Washington share historical links, as the ancestors of the first President of the United States of America, George Washington , lived in Washington Old Hall , which is within the municipal boundaries of Sunderland. The Mackem accent and dialect is often mistaken for Geordie by people not from the region, as the two tongues sound similar in pronunciation and diction. The Sunderland dialect also has several variations between different areas of
3240-580: The Queen's Golden Jubilee the city petitioned to be allowed a Lord Mayor , but was unsuccessful. Although the city does not have a cathedral , as it is located in the Diocese of Durham , it does have Sunderland Minster . Between 1939 and 1945 the Wear yards launched 245 merchant ships totalling 1.5 million tons, a quarter of the merchant tonnage produced in the UK at this period. Competition from overseas caused
3348-730: The RAF Bomber Command Memorial in London , which was unveiled in 2012. A number of former RAF Halifax C.8s were sold from 1945 and used as freighters by a number of mostly British airlines. In 1948, 41 civilian Halifax freighters were used during the Berlin Air Lift , operating 4,653 sorties carrying freight and 3,509 carrying bulk diesel fuel. Nine aircraft were lost during the airlift. The low-cost airline business pioneer Freddie Laker bought and serviced war-surplus Halifaxes for Bond Air Services operations in
Ryhope - Misplaced Pages Continue
3456-618: The Rolls-Royce Vulture engine. The Handley Page design was altered to use four Rolls-Royce Merlin engines while the rival Avro 679 was produced as the twin-engine Avro Manchester which, while regarded as unsuccessful mainly due to the Vulture engine, was a direct predecessor of the Avro Lancaster . Both the Lancaster and the Halifax emerged as capable four-engine strategic bombers , thousands of which were used during
3564-627: The Second World War . It was developed by Handley Page to the same specification as the contemporary twin-engine Avro Manchester . The Halifax has its origins in the twin-engine H.P.56 proposal of the late 1930s, produced in response to the British Air Ministry 's Specification P.13/36 for a capable medium bomber for "world-wide use." The H.P.56 was ordered as a backup to the Avro 679, both aircraft being designed to use
3672-456: The Vikings who had captured it in 918 AD. Ryhope has a strong history of farming ; in 1183 there were 22 recorded villeins who provided the landowner with cattle and crops. In 1380 the population had swelled to approximately 150. In 1860 common grazing land was split into plots, which radiated out in strips from the village green. Ryhope's proximity to the sea has allowed it to serve as
3780-408: The 49,000-seat-capacity Stadium of Light . Sunderland also has the north-east's top women's football team, Sunderland A.F.C. Women , who have been financially separated from the men's team since summer 2005. They currently play in the top tier of English women's football, FA Women's Premier League National Division , despite their financial struggles. Sunderland's longest stadium occupancy so far
3888-402: The Air Ministry ordered two prototypes of each design. The introduction of the successful P.13/36 candidates was delayed by orders for Armstrong-Whitworth Whitley and Vickers Wellington bombers. In mid-1937, it was decided to order both the Avro 679 and H.P.56 designs "off the drawing board" in order to speed up delivery timetables. During July 1937, Handley Page was instructed to redesign
3996-641: The British isles. The Halifax was produced in large numbers during the war and over 40%, or 4,046 of the 10,018 heavy bombers produced in Britain between 1940 and 1944 were Halifaxes. In all, 6,178 Halifaxes were built, the last delivered in April 1945. At the peak, 41 separate factories and dispersed units were involved in production, along with 600 subcontractors and 51,000 employees, with one Halifax completed every hour. The first English Electric-built aircraft
4104-557: The H.P.56 to use four engines. The Vulture had already been suffering reliability and performance problems. The rival Avro 679 proceeded into service as the Avro Manchester powered by a pair of Vulture engines, but was only built in limited quantities after suffering substantially from engine-related difficulties. The four-engine redesign increased its wingspan from 88 ft (27 m) to 99 ft (30 m) and added 13,000 pounds (5,900 kg) of weight. In September 1937,
4212-481: The Halifax C Mk.VIII, an unarmed transport that was fitted with an 8,000 lb (3,600 kg) cargo pannier instead of a bomb bay, which could accommodate a maximum of 11 passengers and the Mk A IX paratroop transport, which had space for up to 16 paratroopers and their equipment. A transport/cargo version of the Halifax was also produced, known as the Handley Page Halton . The Handley Page Halifax
4320-463: The Halifax Mk.II Series IA and from the Mk.III onwards, the nose turret was deleted; instead the bomb-aimer occupied a streamlined perspex nose containing a single hand-held machine gun. On later-built aircraft, the two-gun dorsal turret was replaced by a four-gun Boulton Paul turret. The maximum bomb load was 14,500 lb (6,600 kg), which was primarily carried in a bomb bay housed within
4428-424: The Halifax around the same time, and would go on to operate it in each of its 14 squadrons, although it was never solely equipped with the type. At its peak strength, Bomber Command operated a total of 76 Halifax-equipped squadrons. While the early-built models of the Halifax were heavily used by Bomber Command and made valuable contributions to operations, the aircraft's performance was considered unsatisfactory for
Ryhope - Misplaced Pages Continue
4536-527: The Halifax were introduced, incorporating more powerful engines, a revised defensive turret layout and increased payload. It remained in service with Bomber Command until the end of the war, performing a variety of duties in addition to bombing. Specialised versions of the Halifax were developed for troop transport and paradrop operations. After the Second World War, the RAF quickly retired the Halifax,
4644-520: The Handley Page Halifax entered service with No. 35 Squadron at RAF Linton-on-Ouse . Its operational debut occurred on the night of 10–11 March 1941, when six Halifax bombers flew a bombing raid against Le Havre , targeting the area around the docks and any shipping that might be present. The existence of the Halifax was not officially acknowledged until July 1941, after it was used in a daylight attack on La Pallice , France , against
4752-523: The Hercules-powered Halifax was available in quantity and quickly proved to have superior performance in the face of German fighter defences. Early on, Air Chief Marshal Arthur Harris, head of Bomber Command, was scathing in his criticism of the Halifax's performance in comparison to the new Avro Lancaster , primarily of its bomb-carrying capability: an average Halifax was calculated to drop 100 tons of bombs in its lifetime, compared to
4860-593: The Labour Party, three councillors resigned the whip at the end of 2006 and, joined by one of the Liberal Democrat members formed an independent group, which is the minority party in opposition. At the elections of May 2007 , Labour lost three seats to the Conservatives, whilst former Labour Mayor Julianna Heron lost to an independent: the same person who had defeated her husband in 2003 and who
4968-408: The Lancaster. Production of the Halifax continued, supposedly because it was more efficient to keep building it than to stop its production and convert to building another aircraft. But any new facilities were devoted to the Lancaster. Harris's view of the Halifax changed sometime after spring 1942. On 2 June 1942, in a response to a telegram sent by Frederick Handley Page, congratulating Harris on
5076-401: The Lancaster. On average 25% of Halifax and Stirling crews successfully bailed out from a damaged aeroplane, but only 15% did so from Lancasters. The pilot sat on the left side in the cockpit above the wireless operator. The flight engineer filled in as a co-pilot, seated on a folding seat to the right of the pilot, during crucial manoeuvres such as take-off. Aft of the pilot and set lower than
5184-676: The Magnesian Limestone succession of Permian age. The slopes on the "Maiden Paps" section support species such as blue moor-grass, common rock-rose, perennial flax and locally uncommon plants such as Frog Orchid , Autumn Gentian and Purple Milk-Vetch. These areas have been designated a "site of special scientific interest" (SSSI). Ryhope is also home to the world's first (and so far only) listed Pigeon Cree. Anticlockwise Grangetown Ryhope Clockwise Seaham , County Durham City of Sunderland Sunderland ( / ˈ s ʌ n d ər l ə n d / ), also known as
5292-582: The Main Force. Effective marking greatly increased the accuracy and destructive power of Bomber Command. As a Pathfinder and Main Force aircraft, the Halifax was a core part of the bombing offensive against Germany and its Axis allies. By the end of 1943, No. 4 Group had been entirely equipped with the Halifax, and would continue to operate the aircraft until the end of the war. No. 6 Group , formed of Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) squadrons, also adopted
5400-668: The Merlin engine did not suit the Halifax as much as the Hercules (fitted from the Mk.III on) which suited the Halifax better both aerodynamically and power wise. The Halifax Mk.I was quickly followed by 25 of the Mk.I Series II; these featured an increased gross weight from 58,000 lb (26 t) to 60,000 lb (27 t) but with maximum landing weight unchanged at 50,000 lb (23 t). The Halifax Mk.I Series III featured increased fuel capacity (1,882 imp gal (8,560 L; 2,260 US gal), and larger oil coolers,
5508-573: The Ministry specified the use of four Rolls-Royce Merlin engines; according to aviation author Phillip J. R. Moyes, this redesign to four Merlin engines was done "much against the company's wishes". Towards the end of the year, a full size mock-up was assessed and production of a pair of H.P.57 prototypes commenced in March 1938. Further design modifications resulted in the definitive aircraft, now considerably enlarged and powered by four 1,280 hp (950 kW) Rolls-Royce Merlin X engines. Such
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#17327982964975616-419: The Mk.I aircraft. Aircraft of the first batch of fifty Mk.I Halifaxes were designated Mk.I Series I. Handley Page were initially disappointed with the performance of the Halifax which was below their predictions, much of this was because they had under estimated the aircraft's drag. The Mk.III Halifax had a wider span of 103 ft 8 in (31.60 m) and had significantly improved performance. Arguably
5724-557: The MkIII Halifax to be the equal of any other bomber, including the Lancaster, and further improved versions (with more powerful Hercules engines) to be superior to all. The improvement in the Halifax MKIII's performance could be measured objectively. In 1943 4 Group's Halifax squadrons flew 11,607 sorties for a loss of 485 aircraft, a loss rate of 4.2%. Halifax MKIII production started in early Autumn 1943 and for 1944, when
5832-533: The MkIII constituted an increasing percentage of the Halifax force, 4 Group flew 25,454 sorties for a loss of 402 aircraft, a loss rate of 1.6%. The Halifax B Mk.IV was a converted B Mk.II non-production design using the Rolls-Royce Merlin 65 engine with a two-stage supercharger and a four bladed propeller fitted. This resulted in an increase in top speed by 60 mph (97 km/h) to 324 mph (521 km/h) at 19,000 ft (5,800 m). Due to
5940-635: The Passenger Transport Authority is exercised not by committees of directly elected county councillors but by nominees chosen by the elected members of the five district authorities. Sunderland has not had a separate police force since 1967, when the Borough of Sunderland Police merged with Durham Constabulary. The city is now part of the Northumbria Police Force area. This force was set up in 1974, and covers
6048-482: The RAF decided to investigate the feasibility of a four-engined bomber. During the mid-1930s, the British Air Ministry released Specification P.13/36 , seeking a twin-engine heavy-medium bomber suitable for "world-wide use". Further requirements of the specification included the use of a mid-mounted cantilever monoplane wing and all-metal construction, and encouraged use of the Rolls-Royce Vulture engine then in development. In response, Handley Page produced
6156-593: The RPAF Commanders decided not to enlarge the Halifax fleet too much. These airplanes were later transferred to the newly raised No. 12 Squadron PAF, where they were only used in emergency situations. Gradually, they were transferred to long term storage and were later scrapped. In September 1997 Halifax 57 Rescue of Canada excavated Halifax LW682 from a bog near the River Dender in Belgium . The plane
6264-647: The War. The Halifax performed its first flight on 25 October 1939, and entered service with the RAF on 13 November 1940. It quickly became a major component of Bomber Command , performing strategic bombing missions against the Axis Powers , primarily at night. Arthur Harris , the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Bomber Command, described the Halifax as inferior to the rival Lancaster (in part due to its smaller payload) though this opinion
6372-417: The area of Tunstall , creating two distinct areas of Ryhope; the 'Village' and the 'Colliery' (the post-World War II, council-built estate of 'Hollycarrside' forms a third section.) Railway lines were introduced to the area, linking Ryhope to Sunderland, Seaham and other Durham Coalfield mining villages. Now only a single railway line runs through the village, and there is no longer a station . The colliery
6480-546: The city centre and was opened in 1988. It is currently owned by Land Securities Group after they purchased the site in 1990. The centre receives over 26 million shopping visits every year. Sunderland has two local newspapers: the daily evening tabloid, the Sunderland Echo , founded in 1873, and the Sunderland Star— a free newspaper . It also has its own community radio station Spark Sunderland , and
6588-587: The city, as demonstrated when the hoax tapes purporting to be of the Yorkshire Ripper were analysed. The tapes were made by a man who came to be known as Wearside Jack , and were thought by linguistic experts to be made by someone specifically from the Castletown area of Sunderland. When the perpetrator, John Humble was eventually caught he confirmed that he did indeed attend school in the Castletown area of Sunderland in his childhood. Lewis Carroll
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#17327982964976696-484: The cockpit was flush with the upper fuselage. The Halifax was powered by four engines, two on each wing. Early production Halifax bombers were powered by models of the Rolls-Royce Merlin engine; later aircraft were commonly powered by the larger Bristol Hercules radial engine . To contain and attach the engines to the airframe, Handley Page developed their own design for the power egg instead of using
6804-495: The council was Labour 66, Conservative 6 and independent 3. After the 2019 Sunderland City Council election , Sunderland became one of the few British councils with all five major parties represented. The council make up was Labour 51, Conservative 12, Liberal Democrats 8, UKIP 3 and Green Party 1. Since major boundary changes in 2010, there are three constituencies covering the City of Sunderland, all currently regarded as safe for
6912-531: The dissolution of Sunderland Nissan F.C. , Sunderland itself now has only one non-league side, Sunderland Ryhope Community Association F.C. who now play in the Northern League Division One after a successful promotion campaign in the 2009/10 season. However, Washington F.C. also hail from Washington in the city. Handley Page Halifax The Handley Page Halifax is a British Royal Air Force (RAF) four-engined heavy bomber of
7020-518: The first fought under the new boundaries, saw little change in the political representation of the city as a whole, with 61 Labour, 12 Conservative, and 2 Liberal Democrat councillors elected. The Conservative party won all three seats in a new ward whose boundaries spanned several old wards. The Liberal Democrats stronghold ward was abolished entirely, and became part of four new wards, and the Liberal Democrat councillors elected in 2004 were from two very different areas. Following further disputes within
7128-643: The first major daylight operation by Bomber Command against a target inside Germany that year, attacking the oil refinery at Homberg on the Ruhr . In spite of heavy fire from anti-aircraft defenses , no bombers were downed and the refinery was severely damaged in places. Attacks upon oil production facilities throughout Germany would become commonplace within the remaining months of the war. The only Victoria Cross to be awarded to any Halifax pilot went to Cyril J. Barton of No. 578 Squadron for displaying great gallantry in bringing his heavily damaged aircraft back after
7236-423: The first prototype Halifax, serial number L7244 , was performed by chief test pilot Jim Cordes with E A 'Ginger' Wright as flight test observer on 25 October 1939. During this flight, the undercarriage was locked down as a safety precaution. On 17 August 1940, the first flight of the second prototype, L7245 , now complete with full armament and operational equipment, was made from Radlett Aerodrome . The H.P.57
7344-428: The fuselage, divided into six separate bomb compartments, with three bomb compartments in the inboard sections of each wing; this division of the payload between multiple compartments limited the maximum size of the individual bombs which could be completely enclosed to 2,000 lb (910 kg); when carrying the 4,000lb and 8,000lb high capacity (HC) bombs the bomb bay doors could not close fully. In November 1940,
7452-584: The introduction of many new types of aircraft into service. Power limitations were so serious that the British invested heavily in the development of huge engines in the 2,000 hp (1,500 kW) class to improve performance. However, during the late 1930s, none of these engines were ready for production. Meanwhile, the United States, France, Germany and the Soviet Union were developing bombers powered with four engines with favourable results, including excellent range and lifting capacity. Accordingly, in 1936,
7560-408: The involvement of several other companies in addition to Handley Page. The resulting Halifax Group was established to oversee the manufacturing programme, comprising English Electric (who had previously built Handley Page Hampdens ), various firms within the London Aircraft Production Group , Fairey Aviation , and Rootes Motors . Because of this scheme, Halifaxes were manufactured at sites across
7668-428: The largest settlement in the north east of England. The metropolitan borough was formed in 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972 by the merger of several districts of County Durham – Washington Urban District , Houghton-le-Spring Urban District and Hetton Urban District – with the County Borough of Sunderland . The borough was granted city status on 20 May 1992 to celebrate the Queen's Ruby Jubilee . At
7776-542: The last military user of the type. In 1947, the RPAF inherited two Halifax bombers from the RAF which were later heavily used during the 1st Kashmir War in 1948. RPAF Halifaxes flew several sorties in support of Pakistani and Kashmiri forces (notably in the Battle of Skardu ) during which they conducted night-time Airdrop missions. After the war, six ex-RAF Halifax-BVIs were purchased in 1949. Due to their high operational costs,
7884-432: The latter capacity, each Halifax was built from various sub-assemblies. Surface panels were flush- riveted , although the matt black night bomber camouflage negated its benefit. Handley Page built the assemblies and components at Cricklewood and the aircraft were assembled and flown from Radlett Aerodrome . The first production aircraft flew from Radlett on 11 October 1940. The sizeable production run envisioned required
7992-514: The latter of which having been adopted in order to accommodate the Merlin XX engine. A dorsally-mounted two-gun Boulton Paul Type C turret replaced the beam guns. Introduction of 1,390 hp (1,040 kW) Merlin XX engines and a twin .303 in (7.7 mm) dorsal turret instead of waist guns resulted in the Halifax B Mk.II Series I. The Mk.II Series I (Special) achieved improved performance via
8100-600: The main mental health services complex for the Wearside area. The Ryhope Engines Museum is also located in this area. Ryhope was part of the Houghton and Washington East constituency until its abolition at the 2010 general election . Since then, it has formed part of the Sunderland Central constituency. Ryhope was formerly a township and chapelry in the parish of Bishop-Wearmouth , in 1866 Ryhope became
8208-582: The most part, mainly due to the underpowered Merlin engine, which meant that it could not fly at the higher altitudes needed to avoid enemy fighters, which were becoming increasingly effective throughout 1943. This was answered by the Halifax Mk.III, which was powered by Bristol Hercules radial engines in place of the Merlins. Introduced into service in November 1943, the Mk.III was first delivered to No. 433 Squadron and No. 466 Squadron . By January 1944,
8316-428: The only Liberal Democrat as a "Liberal/Democrat" group. Three councillors resigned from the Labour Party following disputes over the selection of candidates for the 2004 elections. Two became independent members; one joined the Liberal Democrat party, becoming group leader after the 2004 municipal elections. The reorganisation of electoral areas saw major changes in all but two wards, but the elections of 10 June 2004,
8424-400: The pilot was the flight engineer 's compartment with controls on the bulkhead. Another compartment aft of the flight engineer contained two bunks originally intended for resting crew members, but almost always used for treating and berthing injured crew. This area led to the two-gun dorsal turret. The tail gunner occupied a four-gun turret at the extreme aft end of the aircraft. Starting with
8532-482: The removal of the nose and dorsal turrets. The Halifax Mk.II Series IA was fitted with a moulded Perspex nose (this nose became standard upon future Halifax variants), a four-gun Boulton Paul Type A dorsal turret similar to that used in the Boulton Paul Defiant , and Merlin 22 engines. The rudder overbalance / directional instability with engine(s) out problem was solved on the Mk.III with the fitting of
8640-523: The same crew member. Above the navigator's position was the forward gun turret. The wireless (radio) operator was behind the navigator's position, separated by a half-width partition. On the floor just behind the front turret (or later the nose) was the escape hatch. This was 24 in × 26.5 in (61 cm × 67 cm), the same size as the Stirling, and slightly larger than the 22 in × 26.5 in (56 cm × 67 cm) for
8748-523: The shadow of Penshaw Monument , was attended by 30,000 visitors and featured Foo Fighters , Kasabian , KT Tunstall , Chemical Brothers and The Black Eyed Peas . The Empire Theatre sometimes plays host to music acts. In 2009, it hosts Jane McDonald and The Drifters among others. The Sunderland Stadium of Light has hosted regular concerts since 2009, including the likes of Oasis , Take That , Coldplay , Kings of Leon and Red Hot Chili Peppers . The Sunderland Empire Theatre , opened in 1907,
8856-503: The start of 1944, compared to 1,966 Halifax Mk.IIs. The most numerous Halifax variant was the much improved B Mk.III of which 2,091 were built. First appearing in 1943, the Mk.III featured the Perspex nose and modified tail of the Mk.II Series IA but replaced the Merlin with the more powerful 1,650 hp (1,230 kW) Bristol Hercules XVI radial engine . Other changes included the adoption of de Havilland Hydromatic propellers and
8964-503: The success of the first 1000 bomber Cologne raid , he stated: "My Dear Handley Page. We much appreciate your telegram of congratulation on Saturday night's work, the success of which was very largely due to your support in giving us such a powerful weapon to wield. Between us we will make a job of it." Following the invasion of Europe in 1944, the Halifax resumed daylight bombing operations, performing semi-tactical strikes upon enemy troop concentrations, gun emplacements, and strongpoints of
9072-699: The top five of the charts with " Nellie the Elephant " in December 1984; the melodic hardcore punk band Leatherface ; the lead singer of dance outfit Olive , Ruth Ann Boyle , who achieved a UK chart-topper with " You're Not Alone " in May 1997 and has gone on to work with fellow chart-toppers Enigma ; and A Tribe of Toffs , who made number 21 with their cult hit " John Kettley is a Weatherman " in December 1988. On 7 and 8 May 2005, Sunderland played host to BBC Radio 1 's Big Weekend concert—the UK's largest free music festival. The event, held at Herrington Country Park in
9180-585: The town of Seaham to the south. Ryhope is surrounded by farmland meaning it is a relatively isolated suburb of Sunderland. A number of cycle routes run through the village, including the National Cycle Network Route number 1 which is looked after by a local team of Sustrans Rangers. Located to the south-west of the village is Cherry Knowle Hospital which is part of the South of Tyne and Wearside Mental Health NHS Trust. It has long been
9288-666: The twin-engine H.P.56 design to meet Specification P.13/36. Handley Page aircraft designer George Volkert had responsibility for the design. Other candidates were submitted for the same specification, including the Avro 679 , and designs from Fairey , Boulton Paul and Shorts . All submissions used two engines, using the Rolls-Royce Vulture, Napier Sabre , Fairey P.24 or Bristol Hercules engines. All of these engines were under development and while four-engined bomber designs were considered for specification B.12/36 for
9396-761: The type being succeeded as a strategic bomber by the Avro Lincoln , an advanced derivative of the Lancaster. During the post-war years, the Halifax was operated by the Royal Egyptian Air Force , the French Air Force and the Royal Pakistan Air Force . The type also entered commercial service for a number of years, used mainly as a freighter . A dedicated civil transport variant, the Handley Page Halton,
9504-537: The type's service with Bomber Command, Halifaxes flew 82,773 operations and dropped 224,207 tons of bombs. 1,833 aircraft were lost. By 1947, the majority of Halifax bombers were deemed to be surplus and scrapped. The Halifax remained in widespread service with Coastal Command and RAF Transport Command , Royal Egyptian Air Force and the Armée de l'Air until early 1952. The Royal Pakistan Air Force however continued operating them up till 1961, thus Pakistan became
9612-525: The typical, slimmer Rolls-Royce counterpart; despite generating increased drag, this in-house design was readily adaptable to the alternative Hercules engine on later aircraft. Each engine drove a Rotol -built compressed wood constant-speed propeller , enabling the Halifax B.I to attain a maximum speed of 265 mph (426 km/h) at 17,500 ft (5,300 m). With a typical payload of 5,800 lb (2,600 kg) of bombs and 2,242 imp gal (10,190 L; 2,693 US gal) of fuel, it had
9720-520: The waste was a county function, and for education. In 1986, when Tyne and Wear Metropolitan County Council was abolished, most county functions became the responsibility of the constituent districts, whilst new joint boards assumed the co-ordinating roles in the county. Thus control over economic development, of the Museums and Archive Service, of the Tyne and Wear Fire and Civil Defence Authority and of
9828-461: The whole of Tyne and Wear plus the much larger but much less densely populated county of Northumberland . The city is unparished, except for Hetton-le-Hole which is a civil parish , and which has a town council . The city has had a Labour -controlled council since 1974, and often before that. After the elections of May 2003 the political structure was 63 Labour, 9 Conservative , and 1 independent . The only Liberal Party councillor sat with
9936-643: Was a frequent visitor to the area. He wrote most of Jabberwocky at Whitburn as well as " The Walrus and the Carpenter ". Some parts of the area are also widely believed to be the inspiration for his Alice in Wonderland stories, such as Hylton Castle and Backhouse Park. There is a statue to Carroll in Whitburn library. Lewis Carroll was also a visitor to the Rectory of Holy Trinity Church, Southwick; then
10044-527: Was a frequent visitor, staying in the Seaburn Hotel in Sunderland. Many of his paintings of seascapes and shipbuilding are based on Wearside scenes. The Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art on Fawcett Street and Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens showcase exhibitions and installations from up-and-coming and established artists alike, with the latter holding an extensive collection of Lowry's work. The National Glass Centre on Liberty Way also exhibits
10152-424: Was a mostly orthodox design, a mid-wing monoplane with a tail unit featuring twin fins and rudders . The Halifax featured all-metal construction with a smooth, stressed skin covering the majority of the exterior surfaces; the flight control surfaces were an exception, being fabric-covered instead. The slab-sided fuselage contained a 22-foot bomb bay , which contained the majority of the Halifax's payload, while
10260-534: Was also developed and entered airline service; 41 civil Halifax freighters were used during the Berlin Airlift . In 1961, the last remaining Halifax bombers were retired from operational use. In the 1930s, the Royal Air Force (RAF) was primarily interested in twin-engine bombers . These designs put significant demands on engine production and maintenance, both of which were already stretched with
10368-623: Was closed in 1966. A bronze statue of a pit pony was erected on a plinth on the Stockton Road entrance to Ryhope in 2009 by the Ryhope Development Trust. The statue was stolen for a second time in October 2021; its subsequently replacement with toys, teddy bears and rocking horses gained viral popularity online in 2023. In August 2024, a second, separate metal statue of a pit pony was also stolen. In March 1944 Ryhope
10476-578: Was flown from Samlesbury on 15 August 1941. The first production standard Halifax, the Mk.I, had a 22 ft (6.7 m) long bomb bay and six wing bomb cells, and could carry a 13,000 lb (5,900 kg) load. Defensive armament consisted of two .303 in (7.70 mm) Browning machine guns in a Boulton Paul Type C nose turret , with an additional four in a Boulton Paul Type E tail turret . Some aircraft included two additional .303 in (7.70 mm) Vickers K machine guns in beam (side, or "waist") positions. Subtle modifications distinguished
10584-555: Was formed in 1974 as part of the provisions of the Local Government Act 1972 and is an amalgamation of four former local government districts of County Durham . It was granted city status in 1992, the Ruby Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II 's accession to the throne. The borough had a population of 575,400 at the time of the 2011 census, with the majority of the population (274,286) residing in Sunderland, making it
10692-763: Was given the service name Halifax upon acceptance. This name followed the practice of naming heavy bombers after major towns, which in this case was Halifax in Yorkshire . In September 1941, a production Halifax Mk.I participated in an official naming ceremony of the type, officiated by Lord Halifax and Lady Halifax. Series production of the Halifax began at Handley Page's factory at Cricklewood and at English Electric 's site in Samlesbury , Lancashire . In order to speed up production, Handley Page implemented several new manufacturing techniques, including two pioneering approaches: photo- lofting and split construction. In
10800-483: Was heavily used to deploy mines in the vicinity of enemy-held ports. It served increasingly in other support capacities as the war progressed, being used as a glider tug, an electronic warfare aircraft for No. 100 Group and to conduct special operations, such as parachuting agents and arms into occupied Europe , for the Special Operations Executive (SOE). As a glider tug the Halifax
10908-416: Was in turn defeated by him in 2004. The Conservative party made further significant gains in the 2008 election , gaining five additional seats. The election in 2010 , held at the same time as the general election saw Labour gain four seats to increase their majority. In the 2011 local elections Labour gained a further four seats from the Conservatives. After the 2015 General election the composition of
11016-753: Was incompatible with the Messier equipment, this led to these Halifax bombers being given new designations: a Mark II built with Dowty gear was the Mark V. The use of castings rather than forgings in the Dowty undercarriage had resulted in an increased production rate but had also led to a reduced landing weight of 40,000 lb (18,000 kg). The Halifax Mark V were manufactured by Rootes Group at Speke and Fairey at Stockport ; operationally, these were generally used by Coastal Command and for training purposes. Some 904 had been built when Mark V production ended at
11124-592: Was not shared by many of the crews that flew it. Nevertheless, production of the Halifax continued until April 1945. During their service with Bomber Command, Halifaxes flew 82,773 operations and dropped 224,207 long tons (227,805 t) of bombs, while 1,833 aircraft were lost. The Halifax was also flown in large numbers by other Allied and Commonwealth nations, such as the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), and Free French Air Force . Various improved versions of
11232-519: Was of Roker Park for 99 years beginning in 1898, with relocation taking place due to the stadium's confined location and the need to build an all-seater stadium. The initial relocation plan had been for a stadium to be situated alongside the Nissan factory, but these were abandoned in favour of the Stadium of Light at Monkwearmouth on the site of a colliery that had closed at the end of 1993. Since
11340-405: Was part of RCAF 426 Squadron, and had been shot down near Geraardsbergen during a raid on Leuven, Belgium on 12 May 1944. During the excavation, the bodies of three crew members were recovered and later given proper burial. Several items from the plane were used in restoration of NA337, while other items were transferred to museums. The airframe was melted down and used to construct the ceiling of
11448-517: Was superior to the Lancaster, the Halifax Mk.III's 59,400 lb (26,900 kg) "tug weight at take off" was higher than a Lancaster Mk.II's 52,800 lb (23,900 kg). Throughout early 1945, the Halifax was frequently dispatched against cities within the German homeland, including Hannover , Magdeburg , Stuttgart , Cologne , Münster , Osnabrück and others. During these months, infrastructure such as oil facilities and railways were given
11556-647: Was the promise of the new model that, in January 1938, the RAF chose to place their first production order for the type, ordering 100 Mk.I Halifaxes "off the drawing board", at which point the serials which had already been assigned to the H.P.56 were switched to the H.P.57. The first prototype was built at Handley Page's facility in Cricklewood , London , It was then dismantled and transported by road to RAF Bicester (the nearest non-operational RAF airfield with suitable facilities) for reassembly. The first flight of
11664-668: Was the scene of the conclusion of the epic last flight of the Handley Page Halifax bomber LK797 from RAF Bomber Command 's raid on Nuremberg , which crash-landed in Ryhope, resulting in Pilot Officer Cyril Barton being posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross . There are two football clubs in the town, Ryhope Colliery Welfare and Sunderland Ryhope Community Association , both members of
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