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All-Pullman trains operating on Southern metals were: Bournemouth Belle 1931-1967, Brighton Pullman Limited 1881-1908, Southern Belle 1908-1931 becoming the Brighton Belle 1931-1973, Continental Express 1924-1929 becoming the Golden Arrow 1929-1972, Devon Belle 1947-1954, Eastbourne Pullman 1948 irregularly to 1957, and Thanet Belle 1948-1951 becoming the Kentish Belle 1951-1958. The Night Ferry was a Wagons-Lits train, although at various times Pullman cars were included in its formation.
Today the Pullman luxury concept has been revitalised on the mainline by the Venice Simplon Orient Express operation and on special dining services on preserved railways.
For more information on Pullman train services and cars you are strongly recommended to read "Pullman Trains in Britain" by R.W. Kidner published by the Oakwood Press ISBN 0-85361-531-4.
History of Pullman Car PEGASUS - THE TRIANON BAR Text from Terry Bye | |
1960 Pullman Schedule Number: | 310. |
Type of Car as Built: | Bar. |
Into Pullman Operation: | 1951. |
Car Builder: | Birmingham Railway Carriage & Wagon Company. |
Length & Width: | 63' - 10" x 8' - 5½". |
Tare Weight: | 38t. |
Type: | U. |
Route Restriction (S.R.) | l. |
Seating/Covers: | 14. |
Livery on Delivery: | Umber and Cream. |
The Golden Arrow 1951. 1951 brought the Festival of Britain, much of which centred on areas of London. Also the "Golden Arrow" was to see the introduction of seven new cars and three refurbished cars to the train's formation. A further three new cars were introduced in 1952 to the formation. Originally the new cars were to have been built for service on the LNER and work commenced on them in 1938, but the outbreak of the Second World War brought a halt to construction work. All the cars have Gresley bogies, which gives away their LNER heritage. On cessation of hostilities in 1945, the Pullman Car Company set about the restoration of services as soon as possible, but to do so meant the cars, many of which had been stored since 1939, had to be taken through the works to bring them back to Pullman standard. In 1949 work finally re-commenced on the new cars at the Birmingham Railway Carriage & Wagon workshops at Smethwick. The new cars consisted CYGNUS (parlour), HERCULES (parlour), PERSEUS (parlour), PEGASUS THE TRIANON BAR (III) (parlour / bar car), AQUILA (kitchen), ORION (kitchen), CARINA (kitchen). In addition to the new cars, three older cars were rebuilt and refurbished - MINERVA (brake parlour), CAR No.35 (parlour) and CAR No.208 (brake parlour). The new train formation body sides differed with the
installation of a rectangular shape with rounded corners windows to the toilets
and pantries. In the past these had been oval. The Trianon Bar Confusion. |
June 1951 - December 1963. | Golden Arrow Operations. |
December 1963 - 1972. | Relocated to LMR and became the
'NIGHTCAP BAR' in the formation of the "Night Limited" all
sleeper Euston to Glasgow. (joined by S/No.354 The Hadrian Bar in 1969). |
2 August 1970 | Noted at York in the car's final
livery of BR Blue/Grey, Identified as 'Nightcap Bar' M 310 E. |
1976 | Purchased by BRM Tyseley. |
c1989 | On going restoration of the car at Tyseley. Sandwell College became involved in the restoration which included the removal of asbestos. |
1990 | Further restoration work to commence mid to late year, with a proposed completion date of 1992. |
July 1994 | Reported as for sale at £25,000 |
1995 | Purchased by Nick Dodson 'Railfilms Ltd', and will be restored to main line standard. |
4 January 1995 | Transferred from Tyseley to Carnforth. |
August 1995 | Used in the filming of "Richard
III" at both Carnforth and Battersea. Noted in black livery. The then Railtrack Group Standards which govern the construction of rail vehicles on the main line along with modern safety issues preclude the original "timber framed" PEGASUS from returning to the main line as she was. |
1999 | Restoration of the car commences in earnest. The project to restore PEGASUS and ultimately replace her timber framed skeleton commenced. With completion set for 2000. The new construction will achieve its own Railtrack "Registration Category" having Mk 3 status and avoid many of the problems that older rolling stock on the railway at that time has in terms of safety. PEGASUS was moved from Carnforth to John Blakes Ltd workshops at Leith, in Scotland. EMC International with Nick Dodson managed the restoration, the scope of work included:- Re-designed body to represent the original wooden body. The interior enhanced by the use of original parts and modern compliant materials. Items such as windows, roof ventilators, gangways, external pipework, ETH heaters and interior furnishings were salvaged and refurbished. The original Gresley bogies were overhauled and upgraded by incorporating axle end roller bearings and a double bolster secondary suspension. Body end equipment, such as buffers, electrical boxes and draw gear were also refurbished. Enhancements included a low volume flush controlled emission toilet. |
19 October 1999 | Press launch by Nick Dodson in Edinburgh, which included a visit to view the restoration of the car. |
25th May 2000 | Press Launch of the restored car at Carnforth. |
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Archive copies of Coupe News and Pullman & CIWL News, newsletters on Pullman and CIWL topics
Photos from inside the derelict Pullman Works at Brighton
This page was last updated 24 June 2004