insideSUSSEX Magazine | Page 40

LONDON
Step back in time , step into an air of glamour , sophistication and elegance , step aboard the

BELMOND BRITISH PULLMAN

EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE ‘ THAT ’ LIST , YOU KNOW , THE ONE THAT CONTAINS THE CERTAIN MUST-DO , MUST-SEE , MUST-EXPERIENCE THINGS THAT YOU WANT ( OR NEED !) TO DO IN LIFE . HAVING STUDIED AND WORKED IN THE TRAVEL SECTOR FOR OVER TWO DECADES IT ’ S NOT SURPRISING THAT MINE FEATURES A HOST OF PLACES TO GO AND SIGHTS TO SEE – AND ALSO THIS ONE – WHICH IS SOLELY ROUTED IN HOW TO GET THERE ! by Samantha Ready
There is something incomparable to our rich history of train travel , those bygone days of the ‘ golden age of travel ’, where the trip itself was as important as the final destination ; “ supreme comfort , silver service and fine dining ”; where every little detail alludes glamour and grandeur .
And offering you the chance to step back in time but most importantly to step into a new class of sophisticated travel is the beautiful and truly breathtaking Belmond British Pullman belonging , of course , to the same family as the legendary Venice- Simplon Orient Express .
Arriving at the dedicated platform at London ’ s Victoria Station to check in for our day trip to Bath no less , there was an air of discreet excitement amongst the assembled passengers ; an eclectic mix of birthday and anniversary celebrants , couples , families and girl ’ s day outers ; who waited with baited breath in the pristine lounge with its plush blue velvet benches and walls bedecked with pictures of yesteryear .
It wasn ’ t long before the gentle excitement bubbled over into cries of “ it ’ s here !” as each of us swiftly proceeded onto the platform to finally marvel in the glory of the glistening umber and cream carriages , pose for some obligatory pictures and find our designated carriage , where we were welcomed on board by the pristinely uniformed staff and shown to our seats .
The carriages themselves have as much of a rich and varied history as the era itself . Having been in previous commission for some of the most famous British services – the Bournemouth Belle , Brighton Belle , the Queen of Scots and the Golden Arrow – many of them fell into disrepair when the trains were removed from service in the 60s and 70s . Thank goodness then for James B Sherwood who strived to reinstate the legendary Orient Express and who painstakingly located all of the lost carriages and set about a remarkable restoration .
And here we are today , climbing aboard our own carriage ‘ Gwen ’, and it was breathtaking !
Built in 1932 and formally part of the Brighton Belle , Gwen is the epitome of 30 ’ s chic : sleek walnut panels , glistening polished luggage racks and sumptuous blue and gold armchairs at each table ( which were mainly laid for two ). The tables themselves were adjourned with the iconic British Pullman pale blue and white crockery , silver cutlery and crystal glasses , ready for the silver-service brunch which is served during the outward journey .
And what a brunch it was !
A truly leisurely affair that spanned a good couple of hours yet was served at a pace that ensured that glasses or teacups were always full , and there was another course on hand .
First up , a classic Bellini with a divine fresh peach juice allowing toasts to be made as the train departed from the station . This was followed by a fresh fruit salad with plump berries and Greek yogurt , before we then embarked upon the most delicious serving of fresh creamy scrambled eggs with chives ( by far the best I ’ ve eaten ) served with Scottish smoked
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