Dictionary of Sydney

The Dictionary of Sydney was archived in 2021.

Mortuary railway station

Gothic style railway station on Regent Street in Chippendale that was built on a spur line as a terminus for funeral trains to Rookwood cemetery. Designed by James Barnet and built in two colours of Pyrmont sandstone, the receiving station at the other end of the line was in a similar style. The first time the station was used was for the funeral of Dr William Bland on 23 July 1868. In 1938 funeral trains stopped running from Mortuary station and the name was changed to Regent Street Station. The station, with some stationary rail cars, was restored and used as a restaurant in the 1980s. It is occasionally opened for heritage events.

-33.886895083992, 151.20187553485

Milestone
Constructed
1868 - 1869
Closed
13 Mar 1938
Modified
1981
Name
Alternate
Mortuary Terminal
Alternate
Necropolis Receiving Station
Commemorated by
Alternate
Regent Street station
14 Mar 1938 - 1981
Position
1868 - 1869
Type

Funeral trains

CC BY-SA 2.0
,
2016

By the 1840s, Sydney's Devonshire Street cemetery was nearing capacity so planning commenced for a new cemetery at Haslems Creek. From 1867 through to 1948, a branch from the Parramatta to Sydney line brought mourners and coffins into the Rookwood Necropolis, with grand sandstone mortuary stations at both ends.