A historic 1932 carriage on Belmond’s British Pullman has been restaged for a new generation of luxury rail travellers, with Oscar-winning filmmakers Baz Luhrmann and Catherine Martin bringing their unmistakable cinematic flair to the rails.
Celia, one of the original carriages that has run the British Pullman’s storied routes since the interwar years, has returned to service with a fresh identity and a flourish of theatrical drama. Reimagined as an intimate private dining and events space for up to 12 guests, the carriage marries golden‑age heritage with the duo’s signature visual storytelling, the same instincts that shaped Moulin Rouge!, The Great Gatsby and Elvis.
A Midsummer Night’s reverie on rails
Once a symbol of interwar elegance, Celia now channels a dreamlike, A Midsummer Night’s Dream atmosphere, British woodland fantasy layered with Art Deco precision. Martin, a four‑time Academy Award winner, worked alongside a roll call of British artisans including marquetry specialists Dunn & Son, bespoke furniture designer Bill Cleyndert, Tony Sandles Bespoke Glass and Royal embroiderers Hand & Lock to bring the vision to life.
The lounge unfolds in parquet flooring, embroidered details, floral motifs and references to fairies and Shakespearean folklore, while the dining room is wrapped in marquetry panels depicting stylised English landscapes and fantastical scenes. Pansies, a sly nod to Titania’s enchanted flower, appear throughout. The result is a carriage that feels staged, styled and ready for its close‑up, yet remains rooted in the craftsmanship that has long defined the British Pullman.
The narrative anchoring the design imagines Celia as a fictional 1930s West End actress, gifted her own Pullman carriage in 1932 after a celebrated turn as Titania. It is, as Wallpaper* magazine has noted, a piece of world‑building as much as interior design.
Dining as performance
Guests are treated to a curated experience led by Chef Jon Freeman, whose menus echo Celia’s spirit: classic British flavours reinterpreted with modern finesse. Whether booked for milestone celebrations, corporate hospitality, or paired with the British Pullman’s seaside journeys, the carriage elevates travel into something performative and deeply personal.
Exclusive use of the carriage starts from £15,000, including transfers within Greater London, positioning Celia firmly within Belmond’s appetite for cinematic private hire. The launch follows a notable run of investment from the LVMH‑owned brand, including the reopening of Villa San Michele in Florence and a new slate of Italian rail journeys for 2026, part of a broader strategy to recast slow travel as a premium product.
The pleasure of lingering
In an age of speed, Celia is a deliberate counter‑argument: a reminder of the pleasure of lingering, of journeys designed to enchant rather than rush. It also lands at a moment when the railcation trend continues to gather pace among UK travellers seeking lower‑carbon, higher‑theatre alternatives to short‑haul flying.
For corporate hosts looking to entertain in a setting that genuinely cannot be replicated elsewhere, and for buyers chasing the kind of experiential storytelling that lingers long after the last course, Celia arrives as one of the most distinctive private hire propositions on British rails. Enchantment, after all, is exactly what Baz and Catherine do best.