Audrey
Type: First class kitchen car
Seats: 20
Built: 1932 by Metropolitan Cammell Carriage and Wagon Co. Ltd. for the Brighton Belle
History: Damaged in 1940 by air raid at Victoria Station, repaired and rejoined Brighton Belle in 1947. Carried the Queen, the Queen Mother and H.R.H. Prince Philip the Duke of Edinburgh to review the Fleet in 1953. Transported the Queen on her visit to Sussex University 1964.
Acquired: from D.S. Lowther 1980
Decoration: marquetry landscape panels and Art Deco strip lights
Cygnus
Type: First class parlour car
Seats: 26
Built: construction commenced 1938 but completion deferred until 1951 due to war. Builders were Birmingham Railway Carriage and Wagon Co.
History: Used in the special Festival of Britain rake in 1951; reserved for use by Royalty and visiting Heads of State; made last journey of Golden Arrow 1972.
Acquired: from North Yorkshire Moors Railway 1977.
Decoration: Australian walnut panels, mirrors and old prints
Gwen
Type: First class kitchen car
Seats: 20
Built: 1932 by Metropolitan Cammell Carriage and Wagon Co. Ltd for the Brighton Belle
History: In 1948 was used, with sister car Mona, to convey H.M. Queen Elizabeth (later the Queen Mother) to Brighton. Brighton Belle service withdrawn in 1972. Preserved as a restaurant at The Horseless Carriage, Chingford, Essex, and later at the Colne Valley Railway, Castle Hedingham, Essex.
Acquired: by VSOE in 1988 and joined British Pullman in 1999
Decoration: pearwood shell motif on English Walnut
Ibis
Type: First class kitchen car
Seats: 20
Built: 1925 by Birmingham Railway Carriage & Wagon Co.
History: Sold to La Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits et des Grands Express Européens for service in Italy. History: Purchased by the Pullman Car Company Ltd. in 1928 and returned to Britain for Golden Arrow service. Entered Cunard boat train service between Victoria and Southampton 1952. Retired 1968.
Acquired: from the Birmingham Railway Museum 1981
Decoration: Greek dancing girls marquetry
Ione
Type: First class kitchen car
Seats: 20
Built: 1928 by Metropolitan Cammell Carriage and Wagon Co. Ltd. for the Queen of Scots Pullman.
History: Ocean Liner services to Plymouth or Southampton and Bournemouth Belle 1929-1939. Queen of Scots 1948-1954, 1960-1964. Golden Arrow, Yorkshire and South Wales Pullman 1954-1960. On the high speed Talisman route (880 miles per day) 1964-1968. Retired 1968.
Acquired: from the Birmingham Railway Museum 1981
Decoration: burr wood panels and Victorian frieze
Lucille
Type: First class parlour car
Seats: 24
Built: 1928 by Metropolitan Cammell Carriage and Wagon Co. Ltd for the Queen of Scots Pullman of the London and North Eastern Railway.
History: Transferred to Southern Region in 1963 and ran in Bournemouth Belle 1963-1967. Preserved by Mr E. Lewis-Evans at the South Eastern Steam Centre, Ashford 1968-1984.
Acquired: in 1985
Decoration: Grecian urn design on green dyed holly wood
Minerva
Type:First class parlour car
Seats: 26
Built: 1927 by Midland Railway Carriage and Wagon Co. Ltd. Devon Belle 1947-1951. History: Used in the special Festival of Britain rake 1951. Golden Arrow 1951-1961.
Acquired: from Lytham Creek Railway Museum 1981
Decoration: Edwardian-type marquetry
Perseus
Type: First class parlour car
Seats: 26 seats
Built: construction commenced 1938 but completion deferred until 1951 due to war. Builders were Birmingham Railway Carriage and Wagon Co.
History: Used in the special Festival of Britain rake; used in Winston Churchill’s funeral train 1965; made last journey of Golden Arrow 1972.
Acquired: from North Yorkshire Moors Railway 1977
Decoration: ash panels and old prints
Phoenix
Type: First class parlour car
Seats: 26 seats
Built: 1927 by Metropolitan Cammell Carriage and Wagon Co. Ltd. Named Rainbow. Badly damaged by fire - Micheldever, England 1936. Rebuilt 1952 by Preston Park Works, Brighton, and appropriately renamed Phoenix
History: Favourite carriage of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother: used by General de Gaulle and visiting Heads of State; made last journey of Golden Arrow 1972. Became stationary restaurant in Lyon, France 1973.
Acquired: in 1980
Decoration: oval frames of marquetry flowers on American cherry wood
Vera
Type: First class kitchen car
Seats: 20
Built: 1932 by Metropolitan Cammell Carriage and Wagon Co. Ltd for the Brighton Belle
History: Always paired with Audrey as a two car unit. Directly hit in an air raid at Victoria Station in 1940. Roof extensively repaired, rejoined Brighton Belle in 1947. Used by Royalty to review the Fleet in 1953 and for Prince Charles’ and Princess Anne’s first trip on an electric train in 1954. Brighton Belle service withdrawn in 1972. Preserved as a garden house in Suffolk.
Acquired: in 1985 and joined the British Pullman train in 1990
Decoration: marquetry antelope leaping between palm trees
Zena
Type: First class parlour car
Seats: 24
Built: 1928 by Metropolitan Cammell Carriage and Wagon Co. Ltd. Bournemouth Belle 1929-1946
History: Queen of Scots and Yorkshire Pullman 1946-1955. Golden Arrow 1955-1960. Queen of Scots 1960-1961. Tees-Tyne Pullman 1961-1965. Used in film “Agatha” about Agatha Christie 1976.
Acquired: from T. Robinson in 1979
Decoration: Art Deco marquetry
