1 day Ago By Alice Penwill
THE London Necropolis Railway has got to be one of the spookiest train lines in history. For 87 years, the service exclusively transported coffins and corpses from the city to the countryside. 4 Cemetery Station was used to transport dead bodies out of London Credit: Getty 4 The line ran from 1854 to 1941 when the line was destroyed in World War II Credit: Getty In the 1800s, the London Necropolis Railway would transport up to 2,000 bodies a year from the city, to be buried in the countryside due to overcrowding.
Starting at Waterloo Station , the Necropolis Railway transported coffins all the way from London to Brookwood Cemetery in Surrey - which is the largest in the UK. The service began in 1854 when they opened Cemetery Station at number 188, Westminster Bridge Road. Multiple trains would run a day, transporting hundreds of corpses out of London.
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is like stepping in time RAIL NICE 'One of a kind' train with attractions onboard to tour UK & it's free to get on Steam-powered lifts would raise the coffins from the ground floor into the train carriages. The coffins were also loaded onto the train on a class basis, so the bodies of first-class citizens would go into the first-class hearse carriage. Anyone who wanted to visit their deceased loved ones had to make a 46-mile round trip, passing Richmond Park and Hampton Court.
For any mourners who either couldn't afford, or were unwilling to make the journey to Surrey to say goodbye, one of the station's waiting rooms would be turned into a funeral chapel. Most read in News Travel GO SEA 'Caribbean-like' beach is one of the last places in Britain to see sunset each day HOLI-YAY Jet2 launches flights from UK airport for first time ever - flying to 17 locations Devastating floods Paros and Mykonos travel advice: Greek Islands hit by severe flooding PITCH IT The UK's best campsites revealed - with flawless 10/10 reviews from campers In the 1890s, Waterloo Station underwent a huge expansion, and so London Necropolis Railway got a brand new station nearby. They moved to the other side of Westminster Bridge Road and set up at number 121.
New £18m Scots train station near Glasgow set to open next year 4 You can still see where The London Necropolis Company operated Credit: Alamy But just years later, with the population decreasing, the use for their trains did too. In the 1930s, the number of trains heading out to Brookwood Cemetery had been reduced to two trains a week. In 1941, the site officially closed after the majority of the line and trains were destroyed by a bomb during World War II.
The train line wasn't ever rebuilt because of the development of cars and hearses. While you can't take a peek inside the station now, you can still see the outside of the offices of the company that ran the service at on Westminster Bridge Road. Some walking tours around London will also explain more about the history of Cemetery Station.
Read more on the Scottish Sun FAMOUS FACES CBB 2025 full rumoured cast as star pulls out just days ahead of launch CHECKED OUT Historic Scottish hotel goes bust after 160 years as dozens of jobs at risk Plus, the pretty 170-year-old train station that was once the busiest in the world with rooftop running track & ‘lovers clock’ . And the pretty European train ride that goes through medieval cities, ancient castles and beer spas . The Three Station You Can Tour In London This Year Celebrate 200 years of British railway with these tours.
.. As part of Railway 200, a year-long celebration marking two centuries of train travel in the UK, Network Rail is running exclusive tours of London Waterloo, London Victoria and London Bridge stations .
Railway historian Rachel Kolsky will lead small groups of around 15 people on two-hour tours, offering glimpses into hidden areas of each station. Tours of London Waterloo , the UK's third busiest train station, will explore seven areas, including the London Necropolis Railway. Brits can also book tours of London Victoria , where they'll learn more about the station's glamorous past thanks to its ties to the well-known Orient Express .
Tours of London Bridge will also be taking place to mark 200 years of train travel in the UK. The tours last two hours and cost £25 per person, with just 15 people on each tour. Tickets are available through Eventbrite.
4 The building where The London Necropolis Company operated out of still stands Credit: Getty.
