Luxury Trains

eastern

On board the Venice Simplon – Orient Express. Page 1: Embarkation in the snow. Pages 2–3: Arrival in Venice, at the edge of the lagoon. Pages 4–5: The compartments, decorated in Art Deco style, are a throwback to another era.

Page 6: A marquetry detail in the ‘Paris’ suite. Right: A compartment with bunk-style couchettes. Following double page: The Royal Scotsman, a jewel in its green Scottish setting.

Presidential Train

Point of deParture: São Bento Porto (Portugal)

ComPosition of train: 6 carriages (1 presidential carriage, 1 ministerial carriage, 1 committee and security carriage, 1 dining car, 1 press carriage, 1 staff carriage) in serviCe: 1890–1970; brought back into service in 2016

IA GASTRONOMIC NOSTALGIA TRIP

n the National Railway Museum in Entroncamento, one of the smallest towns in Portugal, the Presidential Train, a real railway gem, waited patiently for its chance to rise from the ashes. Built in Paris in 1890 in response to a commission from the Portuguese royal family, this train became presidential with the fall of the monarchy in 1910, and remained so until 1970. After 80 years of service that saw it carry many illustrious passengers – such as Queen Elizabeth II or Pope Pius VI – her six cars were consigned to the museum's collection of relics.

for the enticing programme it has been offering its complement of 60 or so passengers since 2016 and the inauguration of the line.

Following

It was here that it was rediscovered by Gonçalo Castel-Branco, a visionary theatre producer. Fascinated by this veritable Orient Express, he decided to get it back on the rails. He had difficulty, however, coming up with the right formula. It was Inês, his 10-year-old daughter, who came up with the solution: why not turn the Presidential Train into a mobile restaurant? At first Castel-Branco rejected the idea, but it gradually grew on him, and in the end he adopted it. Once he had established his objective, he opened negotiations with the various actors involved and managed to obtain permission to run his gastronomic train on the Douro Valley railway line. The carriages themselves were fully renovated without changing their original appearance. Velvet armchairs, varnished wood panels and the simple and elegant Art Deco-inspired décor first designed in the 1930s came back to life, making the ideal setting

Once out of the magnificent historic station of São Bento, the train crosses the elegant steel arch of the Maria-Pia bridge, designed by Gustave Eiffel and Théophile Seyrig in 1877, and then begins to climb the hills of the Douro Valley. Once they have settled into their private compartments, the passengers are invited to one of the dining cars to sample a gourmet meal prepared by the current chef in residence. For the Presidential Train – this monument on wheels – is as much a culinary experience as a railway journey. Top chefs take it in turn on each of the 25 trips per year to cook meals based on local produce. As the convoy climbs through a landscape of increasingly steep hillsides, porcelain plates are emptied and crystal glasses drained in a ballet choreographed by the attentive staff. Finally the train reaches the private station of the Quinta do Vesuvio winery. After a tour of the estate and a tasting of its world-famous port in the shade of the orange trees, it’s time to head back down the river to the bustle of the city. In the elegant cars, everyone has the option to continue the feast by sampling Portuguese spirits, cold cuts and cheeses or to relax, lulled by music rising from the bar carriage and by the movement of a train which has definitely had the good fortune to return to service.

Left: The hushed atmosphere of the Presidential Train lounges, with their green hues and brown velvet and wood, gives the décor a fairly masculine character.

double page: Not being a night train, the Presidential Train does not have private sleeping compartments. The various carriages are devoted to the pleasures of food and train travel.

Pages 34–5: The harmony of colours, materials and motifs between the fabrics and the wood induces a sense of rest and relaxation.

Venice

Simplon-Orient Express

Point of deParture: Boulogne-sur-Mer (France) and Santa Lucia, Venice (Italy)

ComPosition of train: 18 carriages (12 sleeping cars, 3 dining cars, 1 bar carriage, 1 staff carriage) in serviCe: 1982–present day

TTHE STANDARD BEARER OF THE BELMOND LUXURY TRAINS

he Venice Simplon – Orient Express represented, without doubt, an important stage in the resurrection of the luxury train, but to all intents and purposes was an act of ‘folly’.

In 1977, James B. Sherwood, an American entrepreneur who had made a fortune out of his containers business, took a gamble that, in retrospect, had nothing foolish about it at all. The previous year, Sherwood had attended a sale of two carriages from the legendary Orient Express in Monte Carlo. The famous old express train had just been decommissioned, unable to compete with air travel and heavily penalised by the customs formalities involved in crossing several countries in the communist bloc. Sherwood, who had just acquired the Cipriani hotel in Venice the previous year, saw in these two carriages an opportunity to revive a certain idea of luxury travel, as well as delivering his clients to his new establishment. Grabbing the opportunity with both hands, he acquired the two Pullman carriages.

This was the start of a real treasure hunt, as he searched for more Pullman carriages to realise his project: the launch of a luxury line from London to Venice. It was a daring gamble. Nevertheless, after five years of investigations and negotiations with various players in the railway world, and nigh on $16 million of expenditure, the dream became a reality. On 25 May 1982, with its 18 Pullman carriages impeccably restored by the workshops of the Compagnie Internationale des

Wagons-Lits in Ostend and DDG Hansa in Bremen, The Venice Simplon – Orient Express made its official maiden journey between Calais and Venice – on the other side of the Channel, the British Pullman connected the port of Folkestone to the British capital. The Venice Simplon convoy was made up of 12 sleeping cars, a bar carriage, three dining cars and two carriages reserved for staff and luggage. The interior architects James Park Associates were tasked with bringing the carriages up to scratch and endowing them with modern comforts, while at the same time not tampering with the original layout. For the particular delight of the passengers, bathrooms – albeit shared – were installed in each carriage. Gérard Gallet, the French designer, took care of the decoration for the carriages. Crockery, furniture, Art Deco elements, almost everything was renovated or recreated identically. Original moulds enabled the manufacture of new lamps and glass panels, and the firm Ercuis was commissioned to create original silverware stamped with the initials VSOE to blend perfectly with the masterpieces of the carriages themselves.

The work of designer René Prou, six of the sleeping cars feature floral motifs – his trademark – cleverly camouflaging basin and mirrors in each of the cabins. Amusingly, one of the carriages had been used as a house of pleasure in Limoges before being brought back into commission, while another was used by King

Left: The ‘Paris’ suite, realised by Wimberly Interiors, is one of the most luxurious ways to travel that there is.

British Pullman

IA FLAMBOYANT ADDITION TO THE GOLDEN AGE OF LUXURY TRAINS

t was on board the British Pullman, a veritable work of art on wheels, that a sumptuous rail odyssey began.

On 30 September 1972, the legendary Golden Arrow, the British counterpart of the Flèche d’or which ran between Calais and Paris, made its final journey. This luxury express train carried the more affluent Londoners first to Dover, then – after a short ferry crossing – to the French capital, in record time and in the height of comfort. It was in the same vein that James B. Sherwood, founder of the Belmond company, decided in 1982 to create a luxury line between London and Folkestone. This service would complement the Venice Simplon – Orient Express, which he'd launched on the continent, to create a link between London and Venice. This was the birth of the British Pullman.

An amazing time machine, the British Pullman carries its travellers on the first leg of their journey to La Serenissima in style. Its 11 carriages are, of course, a living example of the inimitable Art Deco style that characterised the luxury trains of the 1920s. To this primary inspiration was added the knowhow of recognised British craftsmen such as the marquetry-maker Albert Dunn, whose work had been so admired on the ill-fated liners Titanic and Lusitania His descendant, Bob Dunn, also participated in the renovation of British Pullman carriages.

In their impeccable uniforms, the stewards and stewardesses welcome the elegantly dressed passengers as they climb on board and thus recreate a special atmosphere.

Special is also the ideal term to describe the carriages that make up the British Pullman. Each of them has its own history and its own name proudly inscribed on its side, as well as a plaque recalling its service record. ‘Vera’, for example, was damaged in a 1940 bombing raid that hit Victoria station, where the Brighton Belle, of which it was a part, was parked. Restored, it transported several members of the royal family before ending up being used as a garden room. Repurchased in 1985, it was restored to its former use and became part of the convoy of the British Pullman in 1990. In 1965, ‘Perseus’ was part of Winston Churchill’s funeral cortege. ‘Phoenix’, destroyed in a fire in 1936, rose from the ashes in 1952 to become the preferred carriage of the late Queen Mother and to serve as a transport for foreign dignitaries such as General de Gaulle. More recently, ‘Cygnus’, which had already made its movie debut in 1979, having served as a backdrop for the film Agatha by Michael Apted, underwent a transformation that merits a closer look.

It was in fact the cult American director Wes Anderson who was offered the chance to decorate the interior of this carriage when it was being restored.

Point of deParture of the Current train: Victoria, London (UK) ComPosition of train: 11 carriages (6 lounge carriages, 5 dining cars) in serviCe: 1982–present day

Left: These comfortable chairs in printed velvet on the British Pullman are typical of express trains from the early part of the century.

Following double page: The superb cream-coloured carriages of the British Pullman travelling at full speed towards Folkestone and the Channel.

Pride of Africa

Point of deParture: Rovos Rail, Pretoria (South Africa) ComPosition of train: variable (sleeping cars, 2 dining cars, 1 observation bar carriage, 1 lounge carriage, 1 generator carriage) in serviCe: 1989–present day

ITHE DREAMCHILD OF ROHAN VOS

n 1985, when Rohan Vos picked up a handful of carriages at an auction, his sole ambition was to restore them for family excursions by train. Ten years later, he was the owner of some 50 carriages and locomotives. Rovos Rail, his luxury train tourism company, had overcome the obstacles of its early years, and the Pride of Africa, its flagship train, was steaming ahead in its conquest of southern Africa, adding Namibia, Angola, Tanzania and Zambia to the many trips it already offered its passengers. Today, it is one of the most luxurious trains in operation and a favourite of rail lovers everywhere.

It must be said that the Pride of Africa, a real throwback to the luxury express trains of the early 20th century, has many arguments in its favour. First of all, the different suites accommodating the passengers, from the Pullman suite to the Royal Suite, occupy up to half a carriage in the case of the largest. Equipped with every possible comfort, in addition to room service available at all hours of the day or night, they all have a private bathroom, the Royal even offering the luxury of a Victorian foot tub. Open-plan with colonnades or intimate booths with padded leather benches, these two dining cars are where diners can tuck into game birds and South African Grands Crus without missing a moment of the breathtaking and ever-changing landscapes. The carriage at the back of the convoy has a large external

viewing platform with wooden benches, giving a full experience of the countryside. And for those who prefer to enjoy the spectacle with the benefit of cool air conditioning while sipping a cocktail or a glass of wine, the bar area with its sofas and wing chairs is there to meet their needs. In line with the Belle Epoque spirit of the train, a closed lounge allows cigar lovers to puff away and recreate the atmosphere of the most exclusive clubs of the first part of the century. In this carriage, as in the rest of the convoy, the Pride of Africa mixes periods, drawing inspiration from both the Victorian and the Edwardian eras. Its teak-lined interiors contain a variety of furnishings in Baroque, Empire or Art Nouveau styles, with floral motifs and colonnades, creating an atmosphere that is both relaxed and refined, ideal for a nostalgic rail safari to discover Africa.

For that is one of the great strengths of the Pride of Africa. It was conceived originally as a South African train, but it is the whole of southern Africa that is its domain. Its various routes – the longest one linking the Atlantic and Indian Oceans in a fortnight – take in some of the most iconic sites on the African continent.

From the legendary Victoria Falls, where the waters of the majestic Zambezi tumble down, to the red dunes of the Kalahari Desert and the jagged coastline of the Cape of Good Hope, the Pride of Africa offers many marvels to its passengers.

Of the various itineraries on offer, the one-week trip from Pretoria to the Cape gives ample opportunity to sample the restaurant and its hushed atmosphere.

Guests can also enjoy a kaiseki, a meal made up of a series of small dishes, and sample the delights of fugu, the fish that, unless it is prepared by a professional, can be fatal. Finally, the five couchette cars making up the rest of the convoy give their occupants a space to unwind between two of the activities offered to them during the journey. There is no doubt that this train merits all seven of its stars.

The compartments of the Seven Stars are extremely luxurious. At the end of the lounge carriage, the best table looks out of a bay window which gives a view of the landscape from the back of the train.

© 2023 ACC Art Books

World copyright reserved

ISBN: 978-1-78884-223-5

First published in French under the title La Folie des Trains de Luxe in 2022 by Éditions E/P/A – Hachette Livre

© Hachette Livre (E/P/A) 2022 www.editionsepa.fr

This translation published by ACC Art Books in 2023 by agreement with Éditions E/P/A – Hachette Livre.

The right of Simon Bertrand to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988

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Original Edition

Publisher: Ariane Lainé-Forrest

Editor: Boris Guilbert

Creative Director: Charles Ameline

Designer: Lucie Polard

Proofreader: Katia de Azevedo

Production: Cécile Alexandre-Tabouy

Pre-press: Hyphen-Media pour c/o Hyphen-France

English Edition

Editor: Alice Bowden

Translator: David Watson

Production: Corban Wilkin

Printed in China for ACC Art Books Ltd., Woodbridge, Suffolk, UK

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