The Belmond British Pullman cars are pulled either by a historic diesel engine or by an actual historic steam engine. Often, a brown- and cream-colored engine is chosen, since it coordinates with the train cars. But this particular photograph features a shiny black diesel engine with the service’s name, British Pullman, displayed prominently on the cab’s front. (1000 Words/Shutterstock)
What happens when historic, retired train cars are repurposed and restored? In the case of the Belmond British Pullman, the result is a luxury-level experience so great as to garner the attention of extravagance-seeking passengers far and wide.
The American-born businessman James Blair Sherwood (1933–2020) came up with the idea to give new life to old train cars, some of which once accommodated members of the British royal family. He established a London-based train service that would take passengers to destination sites around the UK.
The 11 revitalized Pullman coach cars date from the 1920s to the ’50s. Although many of the original lamps, hardware, wood panels, marquetry decorations, and mirrors were saved and restored, new decor was added that is primarily influenced by Victorian and Art Deco styles.
Implemented into the current design scheme are quality handcraftsmanship, sumptuous upholstery, and plenty of artistic touches. Heritage fabrics, which are designs that have stood the test of time, cover the luxurious upholstery in each of the carriages, or cars. Mahogany, holly, bubinga (an African hardwood), pear, and walnut cover the walls inside each train car and are used in the marquetry designs.
Only the finest accoutrements are provided to fortunate passengers on board the Belmond British Pullman.
It is not difficult to imagine the Zena carriage used for scenes in a film about author Agatha Christie, especially considering her 1934 novel “Murder on the Orient Express” was a bestseller and features a lavish train as the story’s main setting. Seating in the Zena carriage is covered in a damask print fabric with cranberry, sage, and rose hues. The polished wood walls are dressed in intricate and contrasting marquetry designs. (Mark Fox/Belmond) Original A. Dunn & Son marquetry landscape panels are the main focal points in the Audrey carriage. A blue and pink floral damask covers the Art Deco-style upholstered armchairs at each table. Real crystal glassware, silver cutlery, and fine bone china adorn each table in the Belmond British Pullman cars. (Mark Fox/Belmond) Tufted and plush Art Deco-influenced upholstered armchairs in a cranberry and green print convey the ambiance of the Gwen carriage. Slender Art Deco-style brass lamps grace the cloth-covered tables and the windows feature brocade-trimmed curtains with tasseled tie-backs. (Mark Fox/Belmond) Established in 1895, the family-run and UK-based company A. Dunn & Son was originally responsible for much of the detailed marquetry in several of the Belmond British Pullman cars. The Ibis carriage showcases images of Greek dancing girls against exquisite wood paneling polished to a reflective sheen. Art Deco-style armchairs are upholstered in a golden fabric highlighting vine and floral motifs. (Mark Fox/Belmond) British filmmaker Wes Anderson took on the task of reimagining the interior carriage of the first-class Cygnus car, which was active mainly from the 1950s to the 1970s. Adding touches of art nouveau, Anderson worked around preserved Australian walnut panels and added new marquetry featuring sunbeams, clouds, stars, and waves. The fresh upholstered fabrics and aisle runners showcase hues of aqua, sage, and forest green that are set off by a centralized pastel-pink tray ceiling. The ceiling is accentuated by a silver-leaf frame and sports vintage-style brass and glass lighting. (Oli Douglas/Belmond) Passengers who witness the Belmond British Pullman pull up to the 19th-century Victoria Station platform may feel like they have stepped back in time. Symmetry is evident in all the cars, including the Zena, with its cream-colored panels framing each window and contrasting with the rest of the brown-painted exterior. The cloth-covered tables and the matching lamps are visible through the windows. (Anna Jay/Belmond)
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A 30-plus-year writer-journalist, Deena C. Bouknight works from her Western North Carolina mountain cottage and has contributed articles on food culture, travel, people, and more to local, regional, national, and international publications. She has written three novels, including the only historical fiction about the East Coast’s worst earthquake. Her website is DeenaBouknightWriting.com
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