Established in 1854, the London Necropolis Railway aimed to relieve pressure on overcrowded city churchyards by whisking the dead out to Brookwood Cemetery, Surrey. Its station, near Waterloo, featured a steam-powered coffin lift & a glass roof so no shadow would be cast on the hearse carriage. Nearby railway arches acted as mortuaries and coffins were kept in stock so guests dying unexpectedly in hotels could be discreetly removed. The station contained many waiting rooms, in which funeral services could be held, and customers could purchase first, second and third-class funeral packages. The service wound down after World War II, but the station office building can still be seen on Westminster Bridge Road. #WyrdWednesday #history #gothic #folklore #architecture #death #weird #trains #railway #London #psychogeography #graveyard
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