This week, Harrison tells the spooky tail of London’s Necropolis Railway, a rather unusual solution to London’s problem in the mid 1800’s of having simply too many dead people. A company was established that would provide a full service railway funeral, taking the body and mourners from Waterloo to their picturesque cemetery in Surrey. It’s creators confidently predicted that it would be able to bury all of London’s dead for hundreds of years and bury more than 50 million people in 100 years. Listen in to find out how they did (spoiler alert, not well).

Then Chris has learnt about War Plan Red, America’s plan to invade Canada that was drawn up in 1930. Imagine it, what if three allies - the United States, United Kingdom and Canada decided to go to war? Well, War Plan Red really focused on the US invading Canada in order to stop the British in their tracks. This episode also includes Canada’s plan to invade the US (they were all at it!) so clearly in between the world wars, the major western powers were very jittery around each other. Fortunately that is no longer the case today…

Harrison’s Sources

London Necropolis Railway

London Necropolis railway station

London Necropolis Railway - From Waterloo to eternity and back

The London Railway of the Dead - YouTube - Tom Scott

LONDON NECROPOLIS RAILWAY: TRAINS FOR THE DEAD

This abandoned railway was London's train for the dead

Chris’ Sources

That Time the U.S. Almost Went to War With Canada 

The secret Canadian plan to invade the US 

War Plan Red 

When, Why, and How did the United States enter WW2? The Date America Joins the Party

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