BROOKWOOD CEMETERY

A distinguishing feature of Brookwood Cemetery and the London Necropolis Company between 1854 and the 1940s was its railway funeral service. The main reason for these trains was that Brookwood Cemetery was over 25 miles from central London, and the only convenient method of transporting coffins and mourners was by the London & South Western (and later the Southern) Railway. The funeral trains began to operate from 13 November 1854 when the cemetery opened to the public. 

A private Necropolis terminus was provided just outside Waterloo station (see photograph on the left). The original station (1854-1902) was located between York Street (now Leake Street) and the Westminster Bridge Road. This station was replaced by a more extensive building in 1902. This was due to the complete reconstruction of Waterloo Station. The original terminus was demolished at about this time. 

The new station was located at 121 Westminster Bridge Road and continued to provide railway funeral traffic until the station was bombed on the night of 16-17th April 1941. More information about the destruction of the London station may be found on The Historyplace Website. The terminus was never rebuilt after the Second World War although the entrance at 121 still survives (see photo). Further photos of the remains of this station can be viewed here.

The funeral trains ran from this private station, down the railway company's main line, and was then reversed into the Cemetery grounds at Brookwood. The trains ran once a day, assuming that funerals were booked to take place. The Sunday service ceased after October 1900. Thereafter the trains operated largely on an "as required" basis. By the 1930s they were running about twice a week. The service was never reinstated after the Second World War, and the track in the Cemetery was removed in 1947-48. 

In the cemetery grounds two private stations were provided, one for each religious part of the burial ground. North station served the Nonconformist sections (nearest the main railway line), whilst South station served the Anglican sections (close to the A322). After calling at North station, the railway crossed Cemetery Pales (the road which runs through the cemetery grounds) on a level crossing. 

North station was demolished sometime in the 1960s due to dry rot. South station survived as the "South Bar", providing refreshments to visitors until it was closed in c.1967. The building was burned down in September 1972. The photograph (right) shows the surviving platform of South station as it was in August 1976. The route of the railway may still be followed through the grounds. 

You can read more about the cemetery railway in an article by Paul Slade and there is another article here. Radio 4 broadcast a thirty minute documentary "One Way to the Necropolis" on the cemetery railway on Monday 7th February 2005.

There is a useful virtual walk of the railway route here (but please note this site currently covers only the former Nonconformist section of the railway).

The definitive history of the cemetery railway is contained in John Clarke's book The Brookwood Necropolis Railway. This gives a detailed history of the cemetery railway and includes many photographs and drawings. Now in its 4th edition and published by Oakwood Press. Copies may also be ordered via the Cemetery Office.

Photographs © John Clarke