The London Railway of the Dead

tomscott.com - @tomscott - When there's no room left to be buried, the dead will... take a train? It's hard to believe, but the London Necropolis Railway has a history.

[@martijnvanweele6204]

"Railway of the Dead" sounds like it could be a title of a Doctor Who episode...

[@rogerbarton497]

Or Southern Rail

[@Sophiebryson510]

Roger Barton no London midland

[@mrratman9472]

It could be an alternate title to Train to Busan.

[@alecbasba]

Or a heavy metal song. Like if Ozzy's Crazy Train and Iron Maiden's Dance of the Death had a child together. Which would mean Railway of the Dead's sibling's name is Crazy Dance? Who knows.

[@garyclark3843]

@@alecbasba Have Rob Zombie sing it.

[@elYisusdelaNazza]

The only train where the satisfaction of the passengers is so complete that they never, ever, complain.

[@st0rmrider]

I'm not so sure. Are there any return customers?

[@PropaneWP]

"Terminus" indeed.

[@diablo0073]

Good one!!! I laughed quite inappropriately on that one.

[@christophervalkoinen6358]

And it wasn't just the Necropolis railway. Think about it; if you died in Victorian Britain away in a different town from where you lived then how were your family going to get your body home? It might take more than a week by road; can you imagine the smell if that trip was made in a hot summer? Most of the major railway companies had special Hearse or Corpse vans for transporting bodies. It's something that continued long after the war when you could buy a ticket for your relatives body from British Rail. Winston Churchill's body had an entire special train to transport him and the mourners to his funeral. Also don't forget that Britain's railways worked through 2 world wars. In WW1 and WW2 there were special Ambulance trains that carried the injurred and the dead back from the theatre of war to hospitals around the country. The trains were kitted out with beds, pharmacies, operating theatres, morgues and even padded cells for shell shock victims.

[@arwelp]

Indeed, as late as 1979 when I started work for BR, the Conditions of Service included a provision of reduced rates for the conveyance of corpses, though I’m not sure if they still had the vans then. One of the perks of working for the railway!

[@jameslaidler4259]

Quite a morbid train of thought. A grave task indeed. I'll see myself out.

[@TheJmiller1993]

legend

[@snowfloofcathug]

Jack Miller Read that in Gary's voice xD

[@jameslaidler4259]

Panthers?

[@CampGareth]

Every carriage is the quiet carriage.

[@trueaidooo]

Tone it down a little, thats way tomb uch

[@hedgehog3180]

The logo is badass.

[@shawnhutchison7959]

hedgehog3180 have you seen the logo of the SS Totenkopfverbande (deaths head )

[@tou7331]

and the name

[@Mordecrox]

And the motto, "peace to the dead, health to the living

[@TomorrowWeLive]

unlike yours, degen

[@spooky_boi4329]

I love your PFP!!

[@Milesco]

The end of the line really _IS_ the End of the Line.

[@prometheus6835]

omg thats great

[@johns9652]

I guess macabre minds think alike, because I had to let out a little giggle when he was pointing behind him and said "...to this terminus, here in Waterloo". My brain just went to "Terminal Terminus, end of the line indeed".

[@thomashughes_teh]

I can imagine how this made for good closure for friends and family who went for the ride. It was one last thing they could all do together with the deceased.

[@neruneri]

You know what, it sounds weird to us today but any practical method that managed to secure enough dignity in death to at least get everyone, even the poor and destitute who couldn't pay for it, a proper grave in contrast to the mass graves of old, is truly worth celebrating in my book.

[@ashleystephens1434]

REINSTATE THE DEATH TRAINS!

[@TheSkyBaron]

Ashley Stephens sounds like Kaiserreich national focus

[@pug1062]

@@TheSkyBaron yes

[@Lexbian]

imagine finding that you'd gotten on the wrong train and ended up here... at least the quiet carriage would be quiet, i guess.

[@tombombadillo1]

Jesus, I'm binging on these videos atm

[@OsamaRana]

+Hayden Muscat a year later, so am I

[@ConfuSomu]

Yeah,they are so good

[@Feonid1]

Two years later, so am I :P

[@keokiracerhalsteren]

3 years later so am I. All aboard the binge train!

[@Callllum]

Hayden Muscat binge on them daily

[@ajuk1]

What he neglects to mention was that these were just small branches off the main line, and not a purpose built 20 mile railway.

[@HansFranke]

You might not know, but Vienna had a similar situation with the new Zentralfriedhof build in the 1870s. So they thought about building a railway, but in the end, tramways carried the dead until end of WW2

[@uberseehandel]

It is called Brookwood, not Brockwood. It includes the largest Commonwealth war cemetery in the United Kingdom. It is still in use and many well known people are buried there.

[@A7V2]

Melbourne used to have (at least) two of these. One, in Springvale, was a siding that no longer exists, but the more interesting one is Fawkner, because while funeral trains no longer run, the line became a commuter line and the cemetery is just an intermediate station on the railway line, so the trains still run through it, and all still stop there.

[@Loo0Lzz]

"Would YOU like to ride the bone train?"

[@-YELDAH]

@@zhoutongyang5185 where are your parents?

[@James-un8io]

@@-YELDAH wanted to give this back to you 🥖

[@-YELDAH]

@@James-un8io ew, why would I take back used wands?

[@James-un8io]

​@@-YELDAH I don't need it anymore I thought you make some of it

[@James-un8io]

@@-YELDAH Your channel is a dangerous to go alone

[@BroonParker]

It's BROOKwood cemetery - and it is thriving. Fascinating place. Nearby Woking station is equally odd with its main entrance NOT on the town side but facing away for funerary purposes. Worth a visit.

[@smudgethekat]

So this was Mr Bones' Wild Ride?

[@Duspende]

I feel so sorry for those bummed out tracks.

[@imveryangryitsnotbutter]

And now I can't unhear it.

[@SollowP]

Necropolis Railway sounds like a bad ass band name honestly.

[@AtoZbyLocalBus]

I like this video, with the extra bit information, about why it was stopped being used. I don’t remember hearing it in any other video, about this train service. Also I did know this before I saw any video on KZbin about it.

[@birdies417]

It's interesting because Sydney also had a railway of the dead taking people to the largest cemetery in Australia, Rookwood Cemetery. Which even has its own postcode

[@YokRzeznic]

Rookwood Necropolis! Lidcombe was originally known as Haslam's Creek, then they built Haslam's Creek Cemetery with the same idea as Brookwood, but the locals didn't like their suburb associated with the namesake, so they renamed the suburb Rookwood. Then it happened again, so they renamed it Lidcombe.

[@liambullard3000]

Vicki from all the stations did a you tube video about this railway not long ago well worth a look

[@roundishwhale]

I always thought that Sunless Sky (an amazing Game, give it a try if you haven't heard about it) had invented the railway of the dead...but noooo it was historically accurate. I keep underestimating how amazing reality can get sometimes^^

[@leewalker101172]

I live close to Brookwood. the cemetery is humongous.

[@jakec4441]

I do to like half a k away

[@TechLaboratories]

Fascinating!

[@sydhenderson6753]

I did know this one because the Necropolis played a major role in the third season of "Ripper Street." I had to look it up on Wikipedia to make sure it was a real thing.

[@Garfie489]

Due to Waterloo international, its unlikely the railway would have still run today as it took over alot of the space of that railway. Its also worth noting however funeral trains do still run on special occasions, winston Churchill comming to mind

[@MKVProcrastinator]

This has to be the inspiration for the corpse trains in Dishonored.

[@spooky_boi4329]

Damn, I lived right next to this a couple years ago, but I never knew the story. Thanks!

[@TheEarthHistorysConfusing]

SYDNEY AUSTRALIA had one as well, biggest cemetery in southen hemepshere. i think its called rockville and it had a chapple the trian actually drove through.

[@RobKinneySouthpaw]

Actually did *not* know this one. Thanks.

[@MollyBlueDawn]

What I really want to know is why hasn't Neil Gaiman written a novel about this yet?

[@B3nnub1rd]

My thought exactly!

[@elizabethveldonstuff]

just spotted this but...he hasn't buy andrew martin has

[@jumhed994]

Would've been perfect for Neverwhere

[@jeffspaulding9834]

Another U.K. writer, Charles Stross, featured the Necropolitan line in his Laundry series. Think James Bond meets H. P. Lovecraft. The folks who work at the agency tap into the necromantic energy where the rail line used to be in order to shorten the distance between the suburbs and the office downtown, making for a shorter commute. The main character narrowly misses being sacrificed by a cult to Nyarlahotep at Brookwood Cemetary as well.

[@TheEarthHistorysConfusing]

Australia had Rockwood Cemetery in Sydney too.

[@mjfitzhenry]

We have a mortuary station in Sydney. Hasn't been used for a while, but still there

[@JohnGeorgeBauerBuis]

The Chicago Elevated Railways and the the interurbans operating over them, as well as the former streetcar lines, used to have a similar service as well. The CTA is still authorized to operate funeral trains in their charter, although they have not yet done so.

[@Muzer0]

It's pronounced "brook wood", as in a small river, rather than "brock", is it not? Or am I wrong?

[@microchoc]

+Muzer0 you're right

[@filippodipaola1444]

It is pronounced "brook" like a small river, rather than brock. You're correct.

[@windleshamwanderer3728]

I believe, and I could be wrong, that there is a US military war graves section within Brookwood cemetery, and there was a siding off the Waterloo/Portsmouth mainline. Not sure if the siding is still there or operational.

[@jakec4441]

Ye I live on brookwood developement

[@roblamb8327]

@@jakec4441 be sure not to double dig your veg plot - you might unearth something unexpected amongst you King Edwards!

[@Wonkyth]

Heh, I played Grim Fandango, I already knew this. :3

[@jakec4441]

I live like 1 km from brookwood on the brookwood farm development I must of been like half a km from him and not known it

[@LeoKeidran]

I live not that far from brook wood (it's not brok wood). I heard about this quite a while back and it's still there. I believe the line is still there but I haven't actually visited.

[@LeopardAzure]

It’s taken me this entire time since the video was released to realise this was for Brookwood Cemetery. I drive past the cemetery every day and it never freaking clicked.

[@jakec4441]

I live right next to it brookwood farm

[@SurgStriker]

Hmm, they could have done it crypt/mausoleum style. Make a subway where the walls are lined with coffins, then it would be a real necropolis railway.

[@psammiad]

I knew it. That terminus is near where I work in Waterloo.

[@Vinyl_Dave]

Brings a whole new meaning to ''Lies on the London Underground''...

[@SmokeyVibez]

The fact that it still cost for you to be dead is just mind boggling

[@adamwoodhouse5356]

202 makes this so real, perhaps we need it again!

[@mrzone64]

Hey @Tom Scott, can you do a video on Leinster Gardens? Mostly known from this season of Sherlock?

[@TheKristyMack]

Fascinating

[@CardCaptorKaren]

Did know this one from Dan Snow's History of Railways, which is a good watch if you have 3 hours free.

[@ViaFerrataCH]

You were right, I did not know that ;-)

[@peterl.deegan9059]

really interesting but how on GODS EARTH DID YOU FIND THAT OUT. Your internet history must be dark and crazy. Great Vid :D

[@StartledOctopus]

I know I'm years late, but it's Brookwood - same sound with both double o It's pedantic but that's what this channel is about ;P

[@kammak743]

The line which goes to brookwood is still there but the cemetery was just a branch line. One of the entrances to the station still involves walking through the cemetery and walking directly out of it and into the station.

[@georgechaplin6573]

+kammak743 Omfg what are the chances of finding a comment by you?

[@kammak743]

George Chaplin Pretty reasonable.

[@brookdalefarm7986]

I think it was Melbourne in Australia that had a hurse tram. It was above ground so mourners could line the streets to see it go past

[@bencowie3141]

Why dont they just dig a deeper grave so you can fit more into one space

[@ourresidentcockney8776]

There was a rail link to a major necropolis in Melbourne

[@libarator3]

I know this video is years old but its Brookwood not Brockwood, my family recently owned 5 acres of cemetery land that was sold off due to not being suitable for burial in the 60 or 70s. Which has now been brought by the local council of Woking.

[@ajs41]

Good spot.

[@Frasenius9]

Cool!

[@lukechuckedaspas]

It would unlikely run today. Sydney also had a necropolis railway to a cemetary called Rookwood (pronounced rockwood) that no longer runs today. Though all the stations and some of the tracks are intact. Newcastle, a city north of Sydney, has a necropolis railway that ran until the 80s.

[@celticjohn1]

Sydney's Rookwood is pronounced "Rook Wood". The tracks and stations have all vanished except for the little bit still used at the Lidcombe end for shunting and storage. Sandgate Cemetery in Newcastle is on the main railway west and the station is a regular suburban one.

[@greenredblue]

Holy crap the trains from Dishonored were based on reality...

[@ajs41]

Jago Hazzard has done a video on this recently I think.

[@shanethrelfall416]

The only thing that stopped it was the blitz, Today; I’m sorry but the 1302 to Leeds will be delayed due to shadows on the track

[@jamesburton1050]

Kind of curious for a tour there. Like, what exactly is behind him, who's buried there and why, etc.

[@sirBrouwer]

I think now a days it being used as a underground parking place. So cars.

[@jamesburton1050]

@@sirBrouwer interesting!

[@sirBrouwer]

@@jamesburton1050 If you are in to modern run of the mill cars then who knows.

[@jamesburton1050]

@@sirBrouwer 😂😂

[@jakec4441]

It isn't I live half a km from it that's a lie

[@johnnyboy3949]

Surprised Geoff hasn't done a video on this yet

[@harrytodhunter5078]

I think Londonist has. Not 100% sure though

[@BigChief014]

Reminds me of Grim Fandango

[@dziltener]

Oooh has this train been the inspiration for the train in Grim Fandango?

[@kdmedia1534]

The Necropolis Express... J&L ;)

[@guy_th18]

I hope they played Railroad Wrath on loop.

[@microchoc]

Brookwood is pronounced brook wood

[@dee-kay4311]

Water is wet

[@TheLocomotiveMan]

Dkmaxytp and brookwood is pronounced brookwood.. Not brockwood ;)

[@StartledOctopus]

Being a Woking lad this caught me too 😅

[@jakec4441]

I'm from Woking too

[@BvousBrainSystems]

My thought on the issue is summarized by the Budgie song: All At Sea. Seriously, the ocean is the world's largest, easiest and safest graveyard for a 1700's society.

[@shingshongshamalama]

Time to open it up again.

[@connormoore3297]

sounds cool

[@danielmazin6153]

Now that's my kind of funeral procession.

[@idontgiveafrank]

21st Century Hearse Train is my new band name

[@peterjj416]

Something else I don't know is what the Latin motto - "Mortuis quies vivis salus" - means. Google translate says it's "Rest safety of the living dead" but I don't think that's quite right, even though my high school Latin was a long time ago.

[@johnopalko5223]

Repose for the dead, safety for the living.

[@icebuildsrobots]

This is like the real life equivalent of The Flying Dutchman.

[@jordan3012000]

Why not fix the tracks?

[@HeartYgo]

how about you re search that

[@chelseawhite7117]

I feel like there’s hours’ worth of info to be found behind this less-than-two-minute-long video

[@KyrstOak]

Why don't they rebuild it and use it again?

[@RoelvandenBergWillemWasbak]

that is 180 degrees difference than the walking death!

[@TonksMoriarty]

*walks past Westminster Bridge House* *wonders where I know it from* *lightbulb* It's the corpse railway!

[@Memerson]

Sherlock The empty hearse

[@MarkHilton1]

wow, I had no idea there was a train network for dead people

[@catlee8064]

500k views....and now he gets 1.5 million on every video.

[@thekevin26167]

First tom scott video I've seen with less than 301 views :D

[@sIightIybored]

Still got wind though

[@thekevin26167]

Yup

[@James-un8io]

@@thekevin26167 Tom's been making video's for a long time now

[@ajs41]

Now half a million.

[@Rienspy]

I'm going on a school trip to London this Thursday, are there any things I should visit when I'm there?

[@subh1]

I have heard they have a queen living there and a palace of some sort. Might be worth getting a glimpse of. Those things are getting obsolete pretty fast.

[@KinguCooky]

Some great places to visit here in this link...a lot of places are very close, so it is possible to plan a small excursion - I'd probably end up in the pub with Kate Moss, though...oh wait, that happened in Oxford :) www.secret-london.co.uk/Welcome.html

[@James-un8io]

so how was your trip

[@lohphat]

Google Maps shows "Westminster Bridge House" as a white building just northwest of Waterloo station. Where's this façade located?

[@mas_aco309]

Could it have inspired the ghost train trope?

[@NothingToNoOneInParticular]

Why was it not rebuilt as part of postwar infrastructure? Or did you shift en masse to cremations?

[@odysyr]

Tracks are easy enough to repair; I'll bet the real reason it's no longer running is someone suplexed the train.

[@kujmous]

I propose Wyoming as the cemetery for the states.

[@Nat-jf2ge]

There's something romantic about old steam trains carrying the dead off their resting place.

[@willpower89]

Manny Calavera would have been proud!

[@KlaxontheImpailr]

It was time for Thomas to leave, he had seen everything.

[@etheraelespeon1986]

That’s a rather terminal terminus

[@adambacon3517]

Nice

[@Sergeantmajormario]

Huh... And here I was thinking of a ghost story

[@centurybug]

Maybe this is what CCR wrote "Graveyard Train" about

[@harrytodhunter5078]

I doubt it considering CCR are a Californian band

[@sydhenderson6753]

@@harrytodhunter5078 Tom has a video on San Francisco's graveyard town. Maybe they had a shuttle train.

[@justanotherglorpsdaymornin5097]

Now I want to play a ttrpg set in victorian london as a necromancer and steal the bodies from the death train in an odd rip-off of the great train robbery.