Oreint Express Revisited

Traveling on the Orient Express is often referred to as experiencing the magic of the Golden Age of travel. This year is our 25th wedding anniversary. We decided to take another trip on the Orient Express.

 

 March 1986

Our first Orient Express trip was in March 1985. We boarded the Orient Express at 11:00 pm at a remote station in Zurich. We were served dinner in the dining car. We were also the only couple in the dining car. When we returned to our cabin after dinner, we were surprised to find the banquette seating was transformed to upper and lower berths (upper and lower bunk beds in lay "speak").

I remember the night journey wasn't the most comfortable. The train rattled quite loudly and the ride was rather bumpy. We were served breakfast in our cabin shortly before arriving in Paris. It was such a long time ago and because it was a night journey, my memory of the journey has grown faint.

September 2011

This year we decided to take the day trip from London to Paris. I want to at least enjoy the journey and the beauty of the cabin. We were supposed arrive in London in early October but decided to lcatch an earlier flight. We managed to depart a week earlier and that resulted in us leaving London on the Orient Express on September 29 and celebrating the actual day of our wedding anniversary with dinner on the River Seine.

  

We had a good couple of days rest in London to get over our the jetlag. Early September 29 morning, we took a cab to Victoria station. We were told to check in before 10:00am. When we arrived at the check-in lounge for the Orient Express around 9:20 am, quite a few couples had already checked in. It wasn't much of a lounge, some seating and a small coffee station. After checking in, we decided to go to the Starbucks for some coffee and more comfortable seating. It was good that we arrived early for the check-in as the line for check in grew nearer 10:00am. I had expected the train to arrive at least half an hour before the departure time at 10:45am. The train was late. How is that possible! Trains are never late especially not when it is the Orient Express.

When the British Pullman finally pulled in, back first, I couldn't believe my eyes. It looked very old and does not have the gleaming shine of the Venice Simplon train. It was a dull beige and brown train that is in need of a good clean although the brochure described it as gleaming umber and cream carriages. We were assigned the Zena Car.

Once inside, I felt I was transported back in time. We were led by a smartly dressed waiter to our assigned seat 21 and 22 which is set in a private cabin. That was a pleasant surprise. The seats are actual, extremely heavy armchairs covered with some kind of needlepoint looking fabric - unbelievable! Veneered panels show off the art deco marquetry, art nouveau lamps, polished brass, bevelled gals anf mahogany fittings. Each car has private dining cabin for up 4 at each end and the middle section is open seating set for single, double or four. Brunch was served as soon as we were settled in and the train sped off to Folkestone West.

History of the Orient Express

On October 4, 1883, the Orient Express made its maiden voyage from Paris to Romania where 40 VIP passengers alighted to take the connecting ferry and railway to Constantinople. It was not until 1889 that Constantinople was finally linked to Paris by rail, a journey of 67 hours.

The Orient Express was a dream project of Belgian Georges Nagelmackers. It was lavishly decorated with tapestries, velvet curtains and crystal goblets and soon became the talking point of high society. In 1873, American George Mortimer Pullman secured a contract to supply the Midland Railway with his cars. Contracts with other England rail companies followed and in June 2, 1882 the British Pullman Palace Car Company was registered to provide an intricate network of luxury travel within the UK.

In 1889, the London to Paris link-ups started with a Pullman journey from London to Dover, and a Channel crossing, followed by a journey on Wagon-Lits carriages from Calais to Paris where the deluxe carriages were coupled to the main Orient Express train. By 1913, there were five daily boat trains in each direction and the time from London to Paris was reduced to 6.5 hours. In 1926, the Fleche d'Or was inaugurated between Calais and Paris, which connected with the English Pullman service. In 1929, the Golden Arrow Ltd join the prestigious train.

In 1906, the journey time from Paris to Venice was considerably shortened by the opening of the longest tunnel in the world, 122 mile long Simplon Tunnel. In 1919, the Orient Express extended the route to Istanbul, naming the service Simplon-Orient-Express.

In 1884, the opening of the 6.5 mile long Arlberg Tunnel between Langen and St. Anton brought a surge of British visitors to the majestic Tyrol mountains. After the First World War, the "Arlberg-Orient-Express" was launched from Calais and Paris to Basel and Vienna.

Sadly, World War II damaged the railways and the stock of Wagon-Lits Company. By 1952, the Company had built some 20 new second class sleepers which allowed it to continue a semi-luxury service until May 26, 1962. Thereafter, it was replaced by an ordinary train with no restaurant car to carry Turkish workers, peasants and students, ending its run in May 1977.

British Pullman

Before forming the British Pullman train, its cars were part of the most famous services in Britain - the Bournemouth Belle, the Brighton Belle, the Queen of Scots and the The Golden Arrow. After withdrawal from service in the 1960s and 70s many fell into disrepair. The lucky ones were bought by enthusiasts while others were languished in railway sidings or sent to scrap heaps.

In October 1977, James B. Sherwood, Chairman of Orient-Express Hotels who harboured a dream to revive the legendary Orient Express bought two rundown carriages at a Sotheby's auction in Monte Carlo. Over the next several years, he traveled the length and breadth of Europe to find and buy original Pullman and Wagon-Lits carriages for restoration. He eventually acquired 35 historic sleepers, Pullmans and restaurant cars. The Pullmans were kept for the English leg of the Orient Express service.

Five years and 11 British Pounds later, the world most famous train of beautifully restored 1920s carriages made its inaugural run on May 25, 1982 from London to Venice via Milan, following the former Simplon-Orient-Express route. Now, the VSOE follows part of the old 1919 Arlberg-Orient-Express route through spectacular scenery in daylight hours on its London-Venice journey.

Pullman is named after American George Mortimer Pullman who designed trains to be "palaces on wheels". The lost carriages were restored by over 70 skilled tradesmen in a 10,000 square feet workshop in Carnforth, Lancashire. One of the challenges was marrying the delicate vintage features of the carrriages with stringent modern-day mechanical regulation. Each car was completely stripped, ceiling wired to accomodate electric heating and the antique glass replaced with toughened safety glass.

Restoring the marquetry was left to Bob Dunn, grandson of Alfred Dunn who started the family marquetry business in 1895, handing down the skills from generation to generation. The Dunn family had made the original panels in the Pullman carriages Minerva, Ibis and Audrey, so it is natural for them to restore the marquetry of three carriages as well as Zena and Ione. They also made new panels for Phoenix. The carriages were then exhibited at London Victoria for the English launch of the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express in November 1981.

Zena

Zena was built in 1929 and served as a First Class parlor car with the Great Western Railway on Ocean-liner services to Plymouth and in the Torbay Pullman. In 1931, she was with the Southern Railway and continued for some years on Southampton boat trains and with the Bournemouth Belle. After the war, she joined Queen of Scots, the Yorkshire Pullman, the Tees-Tyne Pullman and the South Wales Pullman.

In March 1950, she carried President and Madame Vincent Auriol of France during their state visit to Britain. On their return journey, they had "Filets of Sole Zena" for lunch and President Auriol drafted a letter of thanks to King George VI on the back of the menu card.

In 1960 Zena rejoined the Queen of Scots and in August 1965 she became part of the final run of the Tees-Tyne Pullman. Thereafter, she was consigned to the scrapheap until Terry Robinson of Doncaster saw her in the sidings outside York railway works with a white cross painted on her, indicating that she had been taken out of service. He thought she was too beautiful so he bought her and eventually soold her to Venice Simplon-Orient-Express in 1979.

Folkestone West

We arrived at Folkestone West shortly after noon and were greeted by a 4-men brass band. Quite tacky!

Several sleek and slightly monstrous looking coaches were waiting to take us to the staging area to board the Le Shuttle to France. This part of the journey should have been better organized and better explained in the itinerary. Correction: I just read the VSOE booklet and it does mention that the transfer between The British Pullman and the VSOE takes between 2.5 to 3 hours. That should have been mentioned to guests by agents at the time of booking or in the itinerary. How many people read the printed booklets, really?

The Le Shuttle indicated that there is a train every half an hour and we were waiting for more than an hour to get on the Le Shuttle. Incomprehensible! There is no reason why the total transfer time should take up to 3 hours. Unbelievable! The explanation was that all 5 coaches must board on the same shuttle. Keeping in mind the Orient Express is a year round scheduled trip, why they cannot nail down the timing so that guests are whisked swiftly from the coach onto the Le Shuttle is beyond comprehension. It was clear that many guests were unhappy with the long layover.

While the wait was not welcomed, the experience was interesting. It was fascinating to watch cars pull out of the Le Shuttle and even more fascinating to watch our gigantic coach drive into a carriage in the Le Shuttle and once in a sliding door closed at both ends of the carriage. The coach engine was shut off for the crossing. Thoughts that crossed my mind during the chunnel crossing included we are sitting ducks if a fire breaks out at any part of the Le Shuttle and the death trains of WWII. Bad thoughts aside, the coach was very comfortable. There was a sink-counter area where refreshments and snacks were available.

Arriving in Calais, France

The 30 minute Le Shuttle journey was followed by 20 minutes or so drive to the station where the familiar gleaming black Venice Simplon-Orient-Express train. A line of stewards in smart crisp white uniform greeted the already exhausted travelers. It was immediately obvious that the line was there for photographic purpose and not to guide the guests to their carriages. Guests were left to locate their cars with minimal guidance from the hard to locate uniformed personnel.

We were assigned carriage K, Cabin 9. On the very tiny table was a small plate of canapes, a beautiful plate of exotic fruits and a long stemmed rose. I had forgotten how tiny the cabin is or perhaps I have got used to space. The cabin is as I remembered. Gleaming wood veneers, exquisite marquetry. Perfect except I wish the cabin is 50 % larger. I had passed a suite and all it is is two cabins. So it is not much bigger : (.

After settling in, my H was so exhausted from the long layover at Folkestone, he opted to lie on the berth to catch a short nap before dinner. The train was moving so fast, it wasn't possible to see the scenes outside. It was mostly flat green pasteurs and farmlands for the most part.

We were assigned the 7:00 pm dinner seating. I wanted to get to the dining car early to take some pictures of the stunningly beautiful dining setting but my H felt it would not be nice to be the first guests to be seated. By the time we arrived which was no more than 5 minutes later, the dining car was already full. Many of the guests dressed up for the occasion as shown in the picture above.

AND dinner was served: