Happy news for those of us who are fans of 1930s-style Art Deco luxury travel (even if we may never be able to afford it ourselves!) with this report from the B.B.C. detailing the plan to restore the famous Brighton Belle Pullman engine that first ran almost 80 years ago.
Although not a steam engine it deserves an honourable mention, and certainly preservation, for being the first example of an all-electric Pullman service anywhere in the world when it began travelling up and down the Southern Railway in 1934. The carriages are the last word in beautifully opulent Thirties design and many of them have since found their way onto the current Venice-Simplon Orient Express service (above).
The Brighton Belle was a watershed in the history of locomotion as well as a shining example of 1930s luxury and travel ethos. It's great to see an effort being made to put these delightful pioneers back onto the tracks. I wish the Trust every success and hope that one day I, and many others, may be lucky enough to travel on one of their Pullman services.
Ooooooooooooooooooooh! Pretty!
ReplyDeleteI used to see the Venice-Simplon at Lewes station every now and then when waiting for my extremely unglamourous slamdoor commuter train to Brighton back in the late 90s. Didn't know some of the carriages were from the Belle.
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