For my 50th and our wedding anniversary we had booked lunch on The British Pullman something I had wanted to do my whole life - it almost didn't happen the Saturday before we had a car crash on the way to an event and I spent a few days in hospital nursing fractured ribs but nothing was going to stop me going on this trip so armed with pain killers and my leg in a surgical bandage we headed of to London to pick up the train.
Walking or should I say hobbling along platform No 2 at Victoria we arrived at the check in
We were allocated our carriage - Audrey - built as a first class kitchen car in 1932 making her debut on New Year's day 1933 as part of the first all electric Pullman train. She then spent nearly 40 years of service as part of the Brighton Belle - this was fabulous to know as the Brighton Belle was the train that my father used to take when courting my mum, traveling from London to Brighton at the weekends.
Just a short wait and then the iconic train pulled into the station and my heart skipped a beat - the carriages slowing coming to a stop so we could get on board.
Hat - Shazam Vintage, 1940's vintage dress - Paris, gloves - Retreat vintage and shoes Rocket Original. (Surgical stocking courtesy of the NHS!!)
Once we were seated champagne was served in the most beautiful crystal glasses and the train gently pulled out for the start of our journey.
As we travelled through the Kent countryside fabulous food kept coming and wine glass was refilled as if by magic, stewards effortlessly served our lunch and how they managed to serve soup from a terrine on a moving train I will never know!!
The food was delicious and the service was fabulous. After a couple of hours the train manager informed us that we would be arriving at Winstable shortly for a short stop with champagne and oysters served on the platform.
The trip was everything I imagined and then some. I didn't do much running around carriages as I wanted but didn't want to hurt my ribs anymore so here are a here are just a few more fabulous pictures of the carriage.
Sadly we all to soon arrived back at Victoria Station and our journey was at an end. Leaving the old fashioned style behind us we vowed to return one day and maybe just maybe do the ultimate Paris to Venice.