Shakespeare, champagne and cinematic excess are rolling down the rails as Baz Luhrmann and Catherine Martin unveiled Celia over the weekend – the lavish new private dining carriage transforming the British Pullman into London’s hottest moving theatre.
With the first passengers stepping onboard, the wildly theatrical new private dining and events carriage aboard the British Pullman have been designed by visionary filmmaker Baz Luhrmann and his wife, Oscar-winning costume and production designer Catherine Martin.
And this is no ordinary luxury carriage.
Designed as an immersive world inspired by Shakespeare, the English countryside and the signature maximalist glamour synonymous with Luhrmann’s films, Celia seats just 12 guests and promises bespoke dining, private celebrations and theatrical performances unlike anything else currently travelling the UK rails.
At the centre of the concept is Luhrmann’s fictional muse, Celia – an imagined 1930s West End star gifted her own Pullman carriage after a career-defining performance as Titania in A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
The result is part heritage train, part cinematic fever dream.
Guests step aboard through towering velvet curtains into a sequence of spaces designed to unfold “like acts in a play”. The carriage includes a bar lounge, snug, dining room, private kitchen and performance space, all dripping in velvet textures, marquetry detailing, floral motifs and jewel-toned interiors.
Parquet floors, tasselled purple sofas, scalloped dining chairs and backlit glass ceilings create what Belmond describes as a “theatrical jewel box”, while pansies – a nod to Shakespeare’s enchanted flower – appear throughout the carriage as symbols of nostalgia, romance and fantasy.
Martin enlisted a suite of British artisans and craftspeople to bring the carriage to life, including marquetry specialists Dunn & Son, furniture designer Bill Cleyndert, Tony Sandles Bespoke Glass studio, Hand and Lock embroiderers and J.K Interiors. Historic fine bone china maker Duchess China also collaborated on the tableware design, alongside David Mellor cutlery and Waterford Crystal glassware.
Even the scent has been custom-designed by Luhrmann and Martin to fully immerse guests into Celia’s world.
The carriage also marks a major evolution for the British Pullman experience itself. Guests booking Celia will have access to a dedicated personal guest experience curator, with everything from menus and cocktails to off-train excursions customised in advance.
Journeys begin with private transfers from London hotels to Victoria Station before guests board for champagne and canapés in the lounge. During lunch or dinner service, theatrical curtains reveal a transformed entertainment space complete with dance floor and stage, while live performances, DJ sets and curated playlists can all be arranged prior to departure.
Food plays a starring role too.
Guests can pre-select from a rotating menu of elevated British classics including beef wellington and chicken liver parfait, while acclaimed mixologist Monica Berg — co-founder of world-renowned bar Tayer + Elementary – has developed an exclusive cocktail menu for the carriage.
Commenting on the arrival of Celia, senior vice president of Trains & Cruises at Belmond Gary Franklin said: “The British Pullman has long been an incredible train and with the addition of Celia, it is set to become even greater. Both Baz Luhrmann and Catherine Martin have brought a new layer of timeless imagination to one of the UK’s great train journeys.”
“Celia introduces an entirely new kind of private dining experience, not just to trains, but also to the British capital.”
Franklin added: “Nothing about Celia is prescriptive. Celia is all about creating your own world and that, thanks to Baz Luhrmann and Catherine Martin, is creative storytelling at its best.”
Martin said: “Celia tells the story of a true and authentic narrative. From the beginning, the project was always about unearthing the voyage and discovery of the British landscape and discovering it from within.”
“The carriage has been designed in such a way that it is modular and extremely customisable so guests can dial in their own experience in the fantastical make belief world Baz and I have created.”
British Pullman general manager Adam Baylis-Waterlow said: “Celia offers an experience that you will not be able to replicate anywhere else in London or in the UK.”
“This is not just another ‘moment’ for a heritage train, but a genuine cultural piece that showcases the very best of art, fashion and culture today.”
