Brookwood Cemetery Necropolis Line

Description

Dumpman Films reveals the charms of another disused branch line.

This little three quarter mile stretch of track bed, used to be part of the London Necropolis Company line from Waterloo. Following the need for additional burial space in the 1850s, the huge plot at Brookwood was obtained and funeral trains ran here from London. On arrival at Brookwood, the trains then travelled in to the cemetery itself, stopping at either the northern station (for non conformists) or southern station (Anglicans) to drop off coffins and mourners.

Both stops in the cemetery had specially built platforms with a lowered section, to ease the removal of coffins from the funeral wagons and this unusual feature can still be seen today.

The aim of this film was to travel the track bed as faithfully as possible on foot and by bike, starting at Brookwood station and moving respectfully through the cemetery.

Various features are seen along the way, including the overgrown embankment immediately behind Brookwood station, the commemorative section of track put in place by Network Rail in 2005, the north station platform, the site of the crossing at Cemetery Pales (previously Pirbright Road) and the south station platform and chapel.The remaining terminus building at Waterloo in Westminster Bridge Road also features in a series of stills.

Includes constant, well-informed commentary, reference to a vintage map and a slide show of stills taken during filming.