Museums and movies maintain our connection to train journeys of the past. The National Railway Museum and classic films like Some Like it Hot and Brief Encounter, freeze-frame the decadent beauty of by-gone locomotives. Imagine art-deco wood panelling, gold-plated luggage racks and ornate decorative touches. It’s a picture not often associated with modern-day commuting. Yet in recent years the Great British Train Journey has undergone something of a revival.
Restored vehicles like the Belmond Northern Belle, which took to the rails 15 years ago, and its sister train, the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, awake an archaic form of travel; a time of glamour and simplistic pleasures. As one of the world’s finest, most classically reimagined trains, the Belmond Northern Belle advocates the lavish opulence of 1920’s entertainment. It mixes fine dining with scenic country surroundings as it negotiates the English countryside.
As the train pulls into the station it demands and controls attention; a statue of elegance with a rich exterior burgundy coating, cream panels and gold detailing. Inside, the seven unique carriages are decorated with fine, draped fabrics and intricate ceiling art. Soft furnishings, comfortable arm chairs and subtle mood lighting make the dining carts cosy and welcoming.
Belmond Northern Belle: “Flawlessly cooked”
It becomes quite clear that this is no ordinary Sunday Lunch, as the first glass of many is poured; Laurent-Perrier Brut NV, the Northern Belle’s signature house flavour. The fizz is the start of a five-course menu, curated by James Martin, for this special experience. The local celebrity chef is famed for his work on BBC’s Saturday Kitchen.
Read the full article here
Originally published by On:Magazine, 2015
