Experience iconic movies aboard this unique journey!

“The French Dispatch” director Wes Anderson has redesigned the 1950s-era Cygnus carriage aboard the world-famous Belmond British Pullman train which operates out of London’s Victoria Station. 

Fans of Anderson’s movies, or just of exquisitely realized mid-century glamor, will now be able to book day trips in Wes world year-round.

When it comes to instantly recognizable cinematic universes, Anderson has it nailed.

Now the auteur known for his distinctively hued vintage whimsy has entered into a chef’s-kiss-perfect design partnership with luxury travel company Belmond.

The carriage is described by Belmond as a “tribute to both the golden age of cinema and travel.” Anderson has expressed the romantic allure of clacking trains and grande dame hotels in his films “The Darjeeling Limited” and “The Grand Budapest Hotel,” while Cygnus itself has appeared in the 1979 film “Agatha,” starring Dustin Hoffman and Vanessa Redgrave. The British Pullman is the English train on the Orient Express route made famous by crime writer Agatha Christie in her 1934 book “Murder on the Orient Express.”

Belmond Introduces a New ‘Golden Era’ for the British Pullman with a Reimagined Carriage by Wes Anderson

Anderson said, “I love trains! I have often had the chance to invent train compartments and carriages in my movies, so I was immediately pleased to say ‘yes’ to this real-life opportunity, and very eager to make something new while also participating in the process of preservation which accompanies all the classic Belmond train projects.”

Belmond British Pullman is made up of Pullman coaches dating from the 1920s to the 1950s which were bought and restored between 1977 and 1982. With the Cygnus carriage, Anderson has combined the historical preservation of the Art Deco-inspired carriage with his own signature style. That means bold rectilinear shapes, marquetry with a deeply satisfying symmetry, and a finely tuned color palette.

The ceiling has pastel-pink detailings and a garden’s worth of green tones is used on the carpet and chairs. Sunbeams, clouds, stars, and waves are among the motifs featured in the art nouveau-style wooden panels.

Living life Anderson-style does not, unsurprisingly, come cheap. The Cygnus carriage is available on any of British Pullman’s day journeys around England, from murder mystery lunches through the Kent countryside to dining experiences with guest chefs.

Source: Agencies