Last month I celebrated a milestone birthday in style by being transported to the decadence of the Roaring Twenties onboard the British Pullman train, operated by Belmond Trains . These beautiful Art Deco carriages, each with their own story, have been beautifully restored and offer day excursions across the UK: visiting historic places; culinary experiences both on and off the train; Agatha Christie-style murder mysteries complete with actors in period costume; and special trips such as to the Grand National or celebrating New Year's Eve onboard the train. There are plenty of different journeys available depending on your interests.
I have travelled on the train before back in 2006, as part of a longer journey onwards to Venice on the Orient Express. I'm pleased to say that the experience now onboard this train in 2023 is just as magical as it was the first time back in 2006. Belmond make you feel special from the moment you arrive at their departure lounge on platform 2 at London Victoria station. When this magnificent train arrives, you are guided to your allocated carriage. Each carriage has their own story - which your carriage steward will tell you about once you've settled in. In my case, the Zena carriage was used in the filming of the 1979 movie 'Agatha' about the disappearance of Agatha Christie in Harrogate in 1926. So apt: as my mother was very nearly an extra in that very movie and I did go to see the filming of the movie as a child.
Each carriage has two stewards who look after you over the course of your time on the train. The drinks are free flowing - and started early with a Bellini (peach juice and sparkling wine) which was also a wonderful link to my previous journey on the Orient Express, since they are something of a speciality in Venice. My two stewards - James & Katrina - were simply wonderful who could not be more helpful, courteous, polite and provided outstanding service throughout the journey. James also has a great sense of humour and I thoroughly enjoyed chatting with him about the train, the Beatles and his home city of Liverpool.
The British Pullman must be the only train in the world where you are invited to admire their toilets! Rightly so: they contain magnificent examples of Art Deco mosaic floors and stained glass windows. You are invited to take some time to stroll through all the carriages and I would strongly recommend doing so, since each carriage has its own unique marquetry and character.
Two meals were provided for this trip to Chatsworth House, and I couldn't help thinking that both the presentation and flavours for both meals (brunch outwards and a 5 course dinner on returning) were worthy of a Michelin Star. This perhaps should not be surprising when considering that Belmond are using Michelin-starred chefs. What is surprising is that they are able to prepare these outstanding menus from the cramped kitchens onboard the train:
On arriving at Chesterfield Station, transfers were provided in air-conditioned coaches to Chatsworth House. Again a journey of nostalgia for me, since my last visit to this magnificent house was back in my school days. Since then, it has undergone an extensive 10 year, £32m restoration project which was completed in 2018. Stonework has been cleaned of hundreds of years of industrial pollution; paintings and statues have been restored to their former glory; brickwork has been scrubbed and turrets re-built. It probably looks as stunning now as it did when rebuilt in its current form (although the house was started in the 16th century little of that structure remains, and most of the house today is a product of remodelling and rebuilding in the 18th and 19th centuries).
On this particular trip just over 2 hours was available to go round the House, which was just enough for me, albeit at a less leisurely pace than the rest of day. This was my only criticism of the day really: slightly longer at Chatsworth House would have been preferred. The gardens are extensive and boast a huge gravity fountain (the largest in existence at the time when constructed) and the Cascade: a series of cascading waterfalls which each play a different note - it is worth walking around these to actually hear this!
When re-boarding the train, you are treated to champagne , which again was free flowing! Then a most magnificent 5 course dinner , with wine, which unfolds over the course of the leisurely four and a half hour journey back to London Victoria Station. I actually liked the leisurely pace of both the train and the dinner - it reminded me of an era where we weren't constantly rushing to get to our destination, or rushing to consume a meal.
In closing, I think this is a wonderful way of celebrating a special occasion. The service is outstanding, the food is exceptional and the whole day does represent good value for money when you consider the food and drink, travel, transfers and entrance to your chosen place of interest. The worst part of the journey is in its ending: having to transfer back from rail travel in the 1920s to the 2020s. If only rail travel today was this great!
