SWR creates memorial garden at Brookwood Cemetery
The project also serves as a memorial to the London Necropolis Railway, which between 1854 and 1941 carried mourners and coffins from a purpose-built terminus at Waterloo to Brookwood
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South Western Railway (SWR) has opened a new reflective garden at Brookwood Cemetery in Surrey, the historic burial ground that was once served by the London Necropolis Railway.
The garden, built on disused land between Brookwood station and the cemetery, provides a space for visitors to pause and remember lost railway colleagues and friends. Planters made from repurposed railway sleepers and a section of track relocated from beside the station form part of the design.
The project also serves as a memorial to the London Necropolis Railway, which between 1854 and 1941 carried mourners and coffins from a purpose-built terminus at Waterloo to Brookwood. The line was established to meet growing demand for burial space as London’s graveyards reached capacity.
Paula Aldridge, community rail manager at SWR, said: “I’m very proud that we have unveiled the very first reflective garden on the SWR network as one of our special Railway 200 legacy projects.
“It has been created through a fantastic collaboration between SWR contractors, Network Rail and Brookwood Cemetery who have transformed this once barren space into a place of reflection and remembrance for visitors to the cemetery.”
Mark Gibbs of Hackwood Building Services, which supported the project, added: “As soon as I saw the photos of the rather barren looking area and the plans for the proposed garden, I knew it was a job I was going to enjoy managing.
“Paula had a clear deadline that we all wanted to hit, and everyone rose to the challenge, even mother nature. Hackwood Building Services are immensely proud of the end result, and we hope it’s enjoyed by many people for many years to come.”
The opening forms part of SWR’s contribution to Railway 200, a nationwide commemoration marking two centuries since the advent of the modern railway. The operator has held a series of events throughout 2025, including a catwalk show tracing 200 years of commuter fashion, a dedicated “Inspiration” train at Waterloo and celebrations marking the anniversaries of stations and historic railway institutions across its network.
