insideKENT Magazine Issue 61 - April 2017 | Page 92

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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