Taking their name from George Mortimer Pullman, the father of luxury train travel, the British Pullman’s opulent carriages each have their own story to tell.
Some have been used extensively by the British royal family. Others have carried luminaries including President de Gaulle and Nikita Khrushchev. Two were part of Winston Churchill’s funeral train.
The oldest carriage (Ibis) dates back to 1925 while others (Audrey and Vera) suffered bomb damage during air-raids over London's Victoria Station in 1940.
Many of the carriages were withdrawn from service in the 1960s and 70s - and were either bought by enthusiasts or simply left to languish in railway sidings.
In 1977 James B Sherwood began acquiring them from auctions and individual owners, intent on restoring them to the “Palaces on Wheels” that Pullman created.
A loving renovation process returned each car to the sumptuous glamour of its 1920s and 30s heyday.
Since making its first passenger trip in 1982, the splendidly refurbished British Pullman has delighted passengers with luxury excursions and weekend breaks to the stately homes and historic towns of the British countryside. It also carries passengers on the London/Folkestone section of the legendary journey that continues via Paris to continental destinations, including Venice, Prague and Istanbul.
