December 5, 2024
Chicago 12, Melborne City, USA
Travel & Events

5 Go Mad on the Orient Express – Part 1

On Wednesday I told you I was doing something very exciting.

Well now I’m back to tell you all about it. If you follow me on Twitter or Facebook you might have had a sneak preview, if not, I can now break it to you, that I spent Wednesday on the glorious Orient Express British Pullman.

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

It began a few months ago when I got an email from Akeela out of the blue including me on a press trip. I didn’t really believe it was actually happening, so filed it away in my “deal with it later” brain section. But as the date loomed I couldn’t help but excited, and a little anxious. A trip on the Orient Express is the journey of a life time, I get emails from them and occasionally swoon over how one day I will afford such a thing, and suddenly I’m going. Things like this just don’t happen to me, I don’t deserve it.

Well, I don’t know if I deserve it, but it definitely happened, so prepare to be bored to tears with photographs and tales of my adventures. I plan to split into 3 parts, as it was a long old day, and I’m sure you only have so much patience!

The 5 involved, apart from me, were Akeela, Charly from Landgirl1980, Margaret from Penny Dreadful and photographer Claire Pursglove, and thus we found ourselves yawning in disbelief at 8am on Wednesday morning in the Orient Express passenger lounge at London Victoria, clutching embossed leather ticket wallets and waiting for our first glimpse of our carriage ‘Minerva’

Our carriage was built in 1927 by the Midland Railway Carriage and Wagon Co and was used on the Devon Belle from 1947-1951. In 1951 it was used in the special Festival of Britain rake and was then part of the Golden Arrow from 1951-61. She was preserved by the Lytham Creek Railway Museum until Venice Simplon Orient Express obtained her in 1981.

All very interesting, but what does that mean in practice? It means that we entered a beautiful first class parlour car, with Edwardian style marquetry panelling, little table lamps, chairs that are nicer than anything I have in my house and overhead luggage storage that looks too good to be used.

We were all a little over excited, and were then served Bellini’s by a very nice man called Dan in a smart white coat with an amazing ability to pour drinks on a moving train. The only thing stopped us chattering and grinning inanely was the arrival of breakfast.

The train was whisking us to Bristol for a tour of the SS Great Britain, and the journey takes 4 1/2 hours, giving us plenty of time to tuck into our brunch of fruit, yoghurt, pastries, smoked salmon, potato rostis, scrambled egg and caviar. Better than yoghurt and granola in a plastic box on a regular train. The monogrammed Champagne flutes, table lamps, and other paraphernalia were all available to buy in the catalogue, but at Ā£80 for 2 champagne flutes and Ā£300 for a lamp I decided to stick to my normal boot fair rummagings to decorate my house.

Even silver service and polite staff can’t stretch brunch out for 4 1/2 hours, and around the time we finished our brunch it was time for an 11am ish stop at Newbury to take on more water. Apparently steam trains need lots of it, can’t think why….

We took the opportunity to go and take a peek at the outside of the train, and wander up to the engine, which we didn’t really have the time to do at Victoria station.

The steam engine itself is staffed by volunteers who maintain the engine in a workshop, and running the Orient Express British Pullman about is a chance to take it out for a spin, as it were. Between the fancy pants wood panelled carriages and the engine is a regular train carriage that serves as a staff car for the poor coal covered engineers. At this point in the day we had blue skies and sunshine, and the steam coming from the engine was just amazing against the sky.

We attracted a fair bit of attention on the platform, and had to fend off the typical “Oh you’ve dressed up!” type comments, though I do suppose if you’re going to get onto a “vintage” train, dressed like you’ve just stepped out of it’s original era then you’re bound to be faced with that sort of comment. People seemed to be delighted by our clothes and we got lots of compliments, which does take the sting out of constantly trying to explain that yes, like them we have dressed particularly smartly for a trip on the Orient Express, but, like them, these were still our “normal” clothes and not a costume.

Of course if you’re going to start posing about on trains you’re going to attract some attention anyway, like the shy and retiring flowers that we are. (I’m missing a picture of Margaret here, I think it’s because I was using her camera to take her photos!)

My dress is from Stop Staring, which you’ve seen several times before. Akeela is wearing Jasper Garvida A/W12, Charly made her own dress (just the day before!) and Claire is wearing Tara Starlet. Margaret was wearing a gorgeous fringed vintage dress, which I’m sure will show up later!

Once our stop was over and we were all safely back on board, it was time to go exploring. Every carriage on the train is decorated differently, with different styles of panelling, different colour schemes and different lighting.

My favourite was Gwen. Built in 1932, she joined the British Pullman in 1999. The car has a blue colour scheme and amazing art deco details.

We then basically run amok up and down the train, pestering staff and grinning like loons while we photographed everything we could find. We found the chef preparing our afternoon canapes. A tricky and fiddly job on a moving train, and much to my delight I noted that the kitchen contained a spiderman clock. Claire was a hit with Alan, the Head Steward and we generally made a nuisance of ourself.

The staff were all very tolerant of our excitement and general misbehaviour, and other guests were mostly fascinated by our hair. There’s a fair few people on the trip of a life time who will apparently be going home with pictures of us on their cameras, which is a weird thought.

Just before we arrive at Bristol and end Part One of the trip I’m going to show you something you probably won’t see again unless you fork out for a trip. The reason for this is very few people apart from me are mental enough to take their cameras to the toilet so they can take photos.

This, lovely people, is the toilet on the Orient Express British Pullman. More accurately it’s the toilet at one end of Minerva carriage, as all the toilets are different. They have different mosaics on the floors, different coloured marble surfaces etc.

And with that, dear readers, we arrive at Bristol Temple Meads Train Station for what will soon become Part Two……..

 

36 Comments

  • Oh, you lucky, LUCKY things!

    What an absolutely fabulous experience, you must still be pinching yourself.

    Another great post, Gemma. Now I have something else to drool over other than the OE website and brochures, while I continue to dream about the railway trip of a lifetime. Although you’ve just proved that it needn’t be a dream – congratulations!

  • Melody June 15, 2012

    Oh my! I’m so very jealous, I’ve always wanted to at least see the Orient Express in person, let alone ride it!

    Absolutely gorgeous pictures, thank you for sharing!

  • Wheeee, I love looking at all the pictures again! Sigh, I wish I was back there.

  • Wendy June 15, 2012

    Wowzers!!!! You ladies certainly know how to have a good time!
    What wonderful pictures I’m very very jealous:) x

  • Isis June 15, 2012

    Wow, just wow! You look like you had an amazing tie and I look forward to the next posts!

    I had the sad experience of travelling in what is called first class in Sweden nowadays, a couple of onths ago. Grubby seats, lukewarm coffee and a toilet that wasn’t just untidy, but smelled too! I don’t want to know what secong class is like.

  • LandGirl1980 June 15, 2012

    Aaaah. The memories!

  • Patrick June 15, 2012

    Oh that looks awesome.

    Dare I ask if the toilet had been upgraded from the ‘muckspreader’ version of the original?

  • Miss Magpie June 15, 2012

    I’m very jealous. Oh and no you aren’t quite alone, my friend’s mum also took pictures of the toilet when she went on the Orient Express!

  • Rosie Alia June 15, 2012

    Oh…..my…….gosh!
    VERY jealous- what an incredible trip! One can only dream of such a trip…posh toilets and all!
    You ladies all looked gorgeous, of course!
    I can’ wait to see part 2 and 3.
    xxx

  • Miss Rosie Beau June 15, 2012

    Oh my days! There are no words to describe just how fantastic that all is. You really are a very lucky lady and that dress is just stunning on you. I can’t wait for the next instalment.
    xxx

  • Perdita June 15, 2012

    WOW! What an amazing day. Lovely. That breakfast looks lush!

    I love your outfits as ever. Haha I guess if you do go on the Orient Express in vintage they WILL think you’re part of the ‘act’. I never thought of that!

    In the first picture there is a REALLY grumpy man, obvs not a fan of luxury train travel hahaha!

  • Akeela June 15, 2012

    They should totally invite us to do this every year. Best day ever!!

  • Louise June 15, 2012

    I can’t put into words how envious I am. You all look fantastic.

  • Dr G June 15, 2012

    How lovely! I am so very jealous of your trip.
    May I recommend checking out this place http://www.old-station.co.uk/ – Mr G & I stayed here in one of their Pullman carriage bedrooms for our anniversary and it is most acceptable! I think you would enjoy it (btw I have no connection with the place – I’ve just stayed there).

  • Sarah June 15, 2012

    Oh you lucky things! It all looks amazing. I’d love to travel on the Orient Express one day.

  • katie antoniou June 15, 2012

    Want your dress so much!!

  • Ariel June 16, 2012

    Girls, you looked fantastic!

    I’m totally in awe seeying you all in that wonderful scenario. The trip looks like so much fun, and the food~~<3!
    And it's always a bit bothering to explain people you're not in a costume, poor thing D:.

  • The Style PA June 16, 2012

    Your dress looks amazing on you. Love it!

  • Annie June 16, 2012

    Hi gemma
    This sounds a wonderful trip, thanks so much for your brill pics!
    i’m so keen to read part 2! Who knows one day I may save up enough to travel on it myself! The next Big 0 birthday is not that far Away!!! Ax

  • Straight Talking Mama June 17, 2012

    OMG I’m so jealous! I thought that’s what was going on!

    I would love to do this but even a lunch on the Orient Express is soooo expensive, lucky girl :o)

  • Laura June 18, 2012

    This looks absolutely incredible!
    Just like something straight from the pages of an Agatha Christie šŸ™‚
    You got some really great pictures.

  • Sorcha June 18, 2012

    Scrumptious in the telling! Looking forward to the next installment šŸ™‚

  • Fi Phillips June 19, 2012

    Wow, the idea of a trip on the Orient Express appeals to my murder mystery writing tendencies. Lucky you.

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