‘Railway termini…are our gates to the glorious and the
unknown,’ wrote novelist E M Forster in 1910, capturing a sense of the romance
of train travel that the average peak-time commuter may struggle to relate to. But
once upon a time train travel was a luxurious prospect that came with a frisson
of glamour and adventure, not to mention fine dining, grand surrounding and
impeccable service.
It’s this Golden Age of rail travel that Orient-Express
company seeks to evoke on its train services, most famously in its namesake
Venice Simplon Orient Express (VSOE) service that runs from Paris to Venice,
and once a year as far as the traditional terminus of Istanbul. The same group
also runs day trips in the UK on the sister trains of the VSOE – the British
Pullman and the Northern Belle, which recreate the same Agatha Christie-era
atmosphere without the need for a pair of tickets.
Some of the Pullman’s ‘20s carriages were used by the royal
family, including steam-hauled signature journey is suitably stately. Within Art
Deco interiors kitted out in wood paneling, mirrors and mosaics, guests are
served a five-course dinner with wine and champagne; beyond the window, the
rolling downs of the Surrey countryside speed past. On the steam-less
alternative, the train winds instead through the countryside of Kent to
Whistable and the sea before returning home.
The 1930s-style Northern Belle, which tours the north on a
varying schedule of routes, offes a similar experience, with the addition of
strolling musicians who serenade passengers as they dine. As well as food-based
signature journeys, both trains run day trips to specific destinations, from a
visit to Loch Lomond to a day exploring Bath. And there’s one trip that goes
even further in conjuring the spirit of the Orient-Express – a murder mystery
lunch on the British Pullman.
