SWMBO has a BIG birthday next year and she would love a trip on the Orient Express so I had a look at the website.
It is however eye wateringly expensive.....even a one way day trip London to Paris for two without accomodation in Paris is well over a grand ....and the trip to Venice I envisaged would set me back about as much as I paid for my first house........
Cheaper alternative is the British Pullman .
Anybody been on either and can give their verdict on value for money?
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Yeah, my mother has done the VSOE Steam train, Victoria to York return.
Loved it to bits, very luxurious wagons lit coaches, lots of food wine and canapes. It was about 300 quid return I think. VFM in my book
We, as a family also recently did First Class, Pullman coaches, Waterloo to Swanage and back, steam hauled there and back.
Bucks fizz on departure, Full English Breakfast (excellent) mid morning pastries and coffee, Ploughmans lunch, 4 course dinner (good but not gourmet by any means) Wine was extra
190 quid PP, now that was value for money. Railway Touring Company. Pics on request if you drop me your email.
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Been to Venice via Pullman to Folkestone and OE to Venice.
It's a trip back in time to better times, romantic, charming and thoroughly enjoyable, the ladies love it which means the proper chaps that escort them enjoy more so.
Every lady thankfully overdresses in the finest feminine finery they can buy beg borrow or steal, which despite the best efforts of misnamed feminism women to appreciate such things still love to do.
If you decide to do the OE trip, make sure your lovely lady has packed something stunning that she wouldn't normally wear for the evening spent in the bar listening to the music, she'll wish she'd packed it otherwise.
It's not value for money as such and nor should it be seen as such, view it as a once in a lifetime experience that you will never forget, it's not a train journey it's a nostalgiac travelling extravaganza, that you will remember for the rest of your lives.
The cost does deter those who's behaviour might otherwise lessen the experience, there are people from all walks of life on board but everyone is there to make this historic trip pleasurable.
We didn't get to travel by Concorde unfortunately, but that could probably be seen in the same light.
In my humble the Pullman coaches are prettier and more pleasant to travel in than the OE coaches, but all of them are historic pieces of travelling rolling stock, beautifully restored the inlaid woodwork alone is worth seeing, the standard of staff and the care and attention they give is something from a forgotten era, the food too, the admittedly high prices reflect the costs involved in maintaining this rolling theatrical production for future generations.
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I don't need to read any further, this has already put me off.
>>>the ladies love it which means the proper chaps that escort them enjoy more so.
Every lady thankfully overdresses in the finest feminine finery they can buy beg borrow or steal, which despite the best efforts of misnamed feminism women to appreciate such things still love to do.
If you decide to do the OE trip, make sure your lovely lady has packed something stunning that she wouldn't normally wear for the evening spent in the bar listening to the music, she'll wish she'd packed it otherwise<<
I can't imagine anything worse:)
Pat
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...I can't imagine anything worse:)...
Sounds way overdone to me, too.
Same as cruising.
Dinner with the captain?
No thanks, I'd rather have a sandwich with the crew in the back of the galley.
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Sorry iffy, "cruising" has an entirely different meaning ! :-0
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You don't spend umpteen quids on a once in a lifetime historic experience and do the Skeggy sea front fish and chip routine.
It's not for everyone, and not everyone would appreciate it, luckily for all concerned no one's forced to go, but those that do are encouraged to participate.
Last edited by: gordonbennet on Tue 19 Jul 11 at 13:57
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>> encouraged to participate.
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The dreaded words that remind me that "participating" is the last thing I want to do.
I can (just) remember travelling on a pullman when they were a regular feature of rail travel. Walking along the corridor from the ordinary carriage into the pullman car was like entering a gentleman's club.
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I think there's a lot of middle ground between Skeggy sea front and going to those lengths, I'm also sure that a lot of women would enjoy the whole dressing up thing, but probably not quite as many as you imagine.
Anyway, you should be at work in that new job!...How's it going?
Pat
Last edited by: pda on Tue 19 Jul 11 at 14:09
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>> Anyway, you should be at work in that new job!...How's it going?
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So far so good thanks, well they haven't sacked me, yet.
Enough to learn but fortunately not anywhere near as intricate as the cars, or as hard or mucky!
''and going to those lengths'', blimey the girls and ladies involved seemed to thoroughly enjoy it, not a tracky bottom or trainer in sight.
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Glad to hear it, but....
>>not a tracky bottom or trainer in sight.<<
..you're doing it again GB:)
From one end of the spectrum to the other, there's no middle ground for you, is there?
Pat
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VSOE is not a theme park, crowds with horrible crisp eating screaming urchins do not turn up to travel alongside this marvellous piece of theatre to watch the paid actors go about a re-enactment of a scene from a Agatha Christie novel.
Keen eyed observers noticing the shabby paint peeling from the MDF scenery.
The appreciative people who enrol in these trips are the OE, they keep it running with it's exhorbitant costs.
This isn't an alternative to a cruise or a 5 star hotel on the Costa, it's a unique experience and those who enjoy do so with enthusiasm.
That's why there is no middle ground as you put it, it's not a spectator sport.
Anyway, i'll say no more on the subject you'll be glad to hear...i've probably put our whirlybird driver orf anyway..;)
Last edited by: gordonbennet on Tue 19 Jul 11 at 14:55
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Well, that's me told, isn't it!
Not at all GB, I thought you of all people wouldn't misunderstand my sense of humour *tut*
VSOE may be all of that, but it's axle's are still taken off in Battersea, taken on the back of a lorry to Glasgow and then brought back again after reconditioning.....both places pigs to get into!
Just to get your feet back on the ground!
Pat
Last edited by: pda on Tue 19 Jul 11 at 16:13
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Had some insight into your ex-job yesterday, GB.
Two lovely ickle Fiat 500 TwinAirs arrived at my place on a monster transporter.
The type with 3 axles on the trailer and it's belly almost touching the tarmac.
I thought of you as the man unloaded my cars....I thought wjat an easy job it must be....everything hydraulic, even the ramps at the back.......some folk don't know they're born.
Sits back and waits for incoming abuse :-)
Ted
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Don't upset him anymore Ted, he's grumpy already today:)
Pat
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.some folk don't know they're born.
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:-)))..of all the nerve.
My last truck had skids within skids, all hydraulic, so didn't need to touch them at all apart from the two levers that controlled them, some of the competitions' spec had hydraulic main skids but still had to pull out by hand a shorter extension from inside the powered one.
Either way there was good reason* for this design, it meant the skids could be far longer than mere mortals like me could pull out, earlier models had shorter manual skids, don't you worry your pretty little head Ted you cheeky boy, i had 17 years of those before i got fully hydraulic....indeed on some of the earlier ones i drove everything apart from the main decks was manual, and some, mainly MTL (gone) built, the bodies were made from RSJ's with equally industrial ramps to be lifted by hand...i joke not, needed some good Y fronts to keep everything.;)
*the good reason was the extra long hydraulic skids significantly reduced the approach angles, reducing front spoiler damage and making the vehicles more versatile...i bet you'd have liked a set of them in your trailering days...or did you have a James' type tilt trailer?
Purely out of interest Ted, that truck you mention weighs just uner 23 tons unladen, and no crumple zone anywhere...as you noticed no underrun bar or side rails needed..;)
By the way, Mr Grumpy hasn't been pulling faces at Pat..:-)
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I don't worry about angry faces GB, if a person hasn't got the courage to stand up (type it?) and be counted, then their opinion isn't worth a jot!
Pat
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British Pullman /Orient Express - Zero
