The Brighton Belle was one of the world’s best known train services. The 53 miles (82 kilometers) between London and Brighton however, seemed an odd location to select the route for the country’s first truly luxury train service. Following an inaugural run on 5th December 1881 a Pullman service was developed that offered an upper class drawing room atmosphere in which passengers could relax in restful surroundings and in more spacious compartments.

The Brighton Belle provided innovations in rail travel (for a price) which was over and above the so-called first class services provided by the main railway companies; in cold weather the Pullman car’s interior was comfortably warm, thanks to a stove which made foot warmers unnecessary, toilet and wash basin facilities were provided, and a polite request would bring tea and freshly-prepared sandwiches all delivered by uniformed staff in attendance.

One of the original four Pullman cars, Beatrice, is accredited as being the first railway carriage in the world to be electrically lit. On a trial trip in October 1881, Messrs Pincaffe and Lachlan, engineers of the French Fauré Accumulator Company, switched on the lights in the first tunnel and kept them on all the way back from Brighton to London. Since the train made several unadvertised stops, the Frenchmen rather feared the lights would go out before the train could arrive. This didn’t happen, much to annoyance of gas engineers who were busy promoting established gas technology to the railways. Gas companies rather conveniently overlooked the fact that escaping gas invariably turned railway accidents into infernos, by setting the smashed woodwork of the carriages ablaze – something that was going to occur for sometime in to the 20th century. For Fauré who designed the equipment it was a triumph but also for George Pullman, who naturally introduced lighting to American Pullman stock.

Pullman services continued on the Brighton route with occasional variations until changes in stock. In 1888 three dedicated Pullman cars were joined by two matching six-wheeled railway vans known as Pullman pups, one housing a dynamo providing power for lighting. This facility was additionally provided on prestigious boat train services to the continent where passengers also paid a premium fare. The Brighton Pullman service was officially known as the Pullman Limited Express and the Pullman Limited – a non-stop service. On 2nd October 1898 a new Pullman service was introduced for the Brighton line known as the Brighton Limited although it had to wait until 1899 to appear in official timetable and accompanying marketing literature. The Sunday only service (which ran from October to June) together with the daily unnamed Pullman service became so popular further changes were on the horizon.

In 1908 the British Pullman Palace Car Company was purchased by Sir Davidson Dalziel (Later Lord Dalziel of Wooler) to be operated as his own private company. He financed the purchase of new rolling stock through another of his companies - the Drawing Room Car Company. A new train, a new owner and a new dashing Edwardian age required a new name. The Southern Belle was born although there is some dispute as to when it ran for the first time – either 1st or 8th November 1908. However, it was now a seven-car train operating seven days per week, all year round. From 1910 the frequency of journeys was increased to twice daily on Monday to Friday services. It was also the first Pullman train to be built in England. The coaches were twelve-wheelers, elliptical rather than clerestory roofs, internal mahogany panelled, fine soft coloured carpeting, damask silk blinds and settees in green morocco. Further Pullman cars were built to support demand for specialist train services.

The Early Years

Lord Dalziel had plans to maximise his investment in Pullman when in 1915 he caused a sensation by introducing third class Pullman cars for a new type of customer who wanted a treat but felt out of place in first class. With a third class ticket it was possible to travel on any of the many inexpensive day excursions from London to Brighton. For most people this meant once installed on a Pullman service in one of the roomy seats, the day-excursionist for a modest supplementary fare of one shilling and sixpence, could enjoy the same impeccable service as that of first class.

There were changes to the running order during the period of the First World War. By March 1919 the Southern Belle resumed as a Sunday service. Pullman services were suspended during the coal strike of spring 1921 but resumed again without problems. By July 1924 the Southern Railway had come into being and this was reflected in a broader and more inclusive service; first class Sunday only service and first and third class service at all other times. The Southern Belle remained a steam hauled service until electrification of the line (which drew power from a ‘third’ live rail) was completed in 1933. The Southern Electric as the system was snappily called, evolved under the direction of Sir Herbert Walker, the general manager of the Southern Railway. His business strategy was to electrify suburban lines and push them out to the coast. Brighton however, was not going to be deprived of its Southern Belle after over half a century of profitable service.

Electrification on the London & Brighton Route

In response to the opportunity of the electrified line Lord Dalziel ordered a complete new set of Pullmans which were built by Metro-Cammell Carriage & Wagon Company of Birmingham. From the front the third class motor parlour brake cars looked just like the stock used elsewhere on Southern’s electrified lines but they had no through corridors. They were also the heaviest coaches used in Britain at the time weighing in at 62 tons. However, they were finished in Pullman’s corporate chocolate-umber branding and bore the Pullman badge below the driver’s windows. The motorised parlour brakes contained four large electric motors each sufficient to power the heavy train (especially with a full complement of passengers) but still contained sufficient space to incorporate luggage compartments - people still travelled with heavy trunks and suitcases.

So the Southern Belle is dead - long live the Brighton Belle might have been the station announcement of the day! The Victoria to Brighton steam-hauled Pullman ended its days in June 1934 with the introduction of the Brighton Belle, the world’s first Pullman all-electric service. In some quarters, the ‘first’ accolade might have gone to the Golden Mountain Pullman Express of the MOB – a short lived service which began in 1931. The Brighton Belle was immediately the country’s premier electric train service and at once became the most famous electric multiple-unit in the world. The Brighton Belle was officially renamed by Margaret Hardy, the Brighton mayor on 29th June of 1934. Indeed, it simply became known as the Belle characterised by its plush decor, deep armchairs and pink lampshades and for providing a regular and timely service to the south coast in style. Lord Dalziel’s company also anticipated greater usage of the Brighton Belle electrified service so the third parlour and motorised brake parlours were built with two plus two seating in contrast to two plus one on other steam-hauled trains.

The Brighton Belle in the 1930s

The Brighton Belle thus began its legendry existence destined to outlive all the other Belle Pullman services; by this time Southern Railway management had introduced the Bournemouth Belle to the west and the Kentish Belle to the south east coast resorts of Margate and Ramsgate. The Brighton Belle with its initial three-trip Monday to Saturday and two-trip Sunday scheduled services became its jewel in the crown. In later years the frequency of trips increased to six and four respectively and once the service became housed in Brighton two additional trips were built into the timetable making eight Monday to Saturday journeys each way. The Brighton Belle had become renowned for its punctuality as a 60 minute non-stop service; it had entered into folk-lore. The service also became extremely popular with Brighton based theatricals as they could rely on its timings to get them to and from work in London.

The Brighton Belle’s longevity in some part was due to its wartime history. With the outbreak of war in 1939 the Brighton Belle, in common with all other titled trains, had their title and destination roof boards removed. Unit 3052 was damaged by bombing at Victoria station on 9th October 1940 and taken out of service. After a first short withdrawal for the ‘the national emergency’ the Brighton Belle began running again, albeit with rationed food and customers as well as staff who had been up all night on duty in the Home Guard. Subsequent bombing made it necessary to withdraw all Pullman cars in May 1942 and hide them in unlikely places for their own protection. The Brighton Belle service was eventually reinstated following repair to unit 3052 on 6th October 1947.

The Brighton Belle in the 1950s

The Brighton Belle entered into nationalised British Railway (BR) operation the following year and began a long period of almost uninterrupted and a relatively ‘quiet life’ service. The wartime break and the less intensive use of stock (consisting of three sets of units) allowed one of the units to provide a Sunday only Eastbourne Pullman service until 1957. However, by the early 1960s the old lady was beginning to show her age. In 1967 the Pullman Division had passed into BR hands and a ‘corporatisation’ process had begun. The three sets of five car Pullman units were refurbished and repainted in the standardised BR blue and grey livery much to the chagrin of many. The Pullman cars lost their names and numbers and the name Brighton Belle was painted on the lower facia of the cars with BR’s logo replacing the Pullman badge. This was the last stage of life for the Brighton Belle as the service was gradually wound down. It became a cause célébre when in 1969 Lord Olivier found he could no longer receive grilled kippers for breakfast – these were reinstated following an outcry in the national press. However, closure of the Pullman service was inevitable; protests were noisy and many but even such celebrities could do nothing to postpone the eventual demise.

The Brighton Belle Pullman service lasted some 90 years (apart from the war years) until BR suspended the service on 1st May 1972. The last time the Brighton Belle ran was the previous day which included sell out ‘Cheese and Wine’ and ‘Champagne’ specials. The end of an era had come but the Belle went out in a blaze of glory. The official reasons given by BR for closure were a replacement set of similar quality and provision was just too expensive to justify. It must be remembered these were austere times - BR in the 1970s. The days of being taken to the seaside in elegance finally came to an end.

The story though does not quite end there. So popular was the Brighton Belle all fifteen Pullman cars were sold to a variety of purchasers – none being scrapped by BR. Some survive today on heritage railway lines or in permanent exhibition. Gwen, Vera always paired with Audrey as a two car unit have been meticulously restored to their former glories and now operate as part of the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express British Pullman - very much a fitting end to a gracious lady.

By Martyn Pring with contributions by Andries Grabowsky, April 2009

Sources: British Pullman Trains by Charles Fryer, Die Pullman Wagen by Renzo Perret, Luxury Trains by George Behrend, Pullman by Julian Morel, Pullman Perfection by F. Burtt & W. Beckerlegge, Southern Titled Trains by Derek Winkworth, SR 150 – a century and a half of the Southern Railway by David St John Thomas & Patrick Whitehouse