Tuesday 29 May 2012

Chippendale, Mortuary Railway Station

Mortuary Railway Station is located on Regent Street, in the inner city suburb of Chippendale. This sandstone building was designed by James Barnet in the Victorian Free Gothic architectural style. The railway station opened as Mortuary on 29 June 1869 but its name was later changed to Regent Street. Funeral trains departed from this station, bound for Rookwood Cemetery, in the western suburbs. It was later used as platform for horses from 1938 and for parcels from 1950. It was restored by the State Rail Authority in 1981 and is now only used as a venue to launch special train services, informative displays and as a hired function centre.

33 comments:

  1. Beautiful building with a creepy history.

    Darryl and Ruth :)

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  2. What a fascinating history. It's great that it has been preserved. Very nice image.

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  3. Interesting history -- I wondered why the name -- thanks for the info.

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  4. Nice post, I always try and imagine what it would have been like back in its hay day..

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  5. Love this post in particular...wonderful and informative blog you have here...I have much enjoyed my stay and will be sure to return weekly!

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  6. Beautiful building-glad to see it was restored. Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.

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  7. Lovely building, interesting history! I, too, am glad it's been restored! Hope you have a great week, Jim!

    Sylvia

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  8. Well researched. Very helpful. Only sorry I've taken so long to get here.

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  9. Beautiful building. I hadn't heard of the idea of stations for funeral trains.

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  10. that's a beautiful building. Glad it still exists even if it is a function centre. Can you go inside or is it locked.

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  11. Ann, I have seen the gates open a few times but I'm not sure whether it gets locked up. My cousin had his wedding photos shot around the gardens and the platforms, so I had a good look around then. Not sure if they knew the history of the place when they chose that location though.

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  12. What a gorgeous building. We used to have a mortuary station for Brookwood Cemetery in Surrey England. Sadly the station was bombed on 16th April 1941 and ceased to ferry the dead to their final resting place.

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  13. One of my favourite Sydney buildings. Must've been an experience to catch a funeral train to Rockwood.

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  14. Never heard of such a special station ! it' s a beautiful building and looks a little like a church.

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  15. Now that's fascinating. I have never heard of a mortuary railway station before. Great architecture

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  16. This has touches of mosque style, ornate Indian-type arch and overall feel of anything but a railway station! Amazing story!

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  17. Beautiful building - nice that it was preserved.
    Wishing you a good day.
    Hanne Bente / hbt.finus.dk

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  18. Luke others, I've not heard of a mortuary railway station before. Surely is handsome.

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  19. Gattina, it's interesting that you say that because it seems that they intended this station to look like a church. The one at the other end at Rookwood was actually later dismantled and reconstructed as a church elsewhere.

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  20. What a cool bit of architecture that I have never seen before. Is it unusual for Sydney?

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  21. What an interesting historical story. When I saw the name Mortuary Railway Station I could not figure it out so it was fascinating to read the story. The architecture is lovely. The old vintage buildings are so special. genie

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  22. Such an exquisite Gothic-style building! I loved reading the history of the Station. Wow! I'm so happy they decided to restore it and use it for special train events now. What an amazing venue!

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  23. mortuary railway station, who would have thought that by seeing this beautiful building? thanks for this interesting post.

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  24. This is a beautiful building from which to be transported to your final resting place.

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  25. now i had never heard of funeral trains!

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  26. Interesting load of comments for this one, Jim. It had not occurred how unusual a mortuary station is. It is a shame that the 4 stations on the other end out at Rookwood Necropolis are not there any longer.

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  27. Funeral trains! New to me too. I guess for the expanses of Australia it makes sense.

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  28. Beautiful building! I can see how it got the name.

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  29. WOW! This was such an amazing read! You are so lucky to have the opportunities to travel to such amazing destinations! And your writing is so good, I feel like I was right there with you! :)

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