BRIGHTON BELLE PULLMAN 'RAILWAYANA' TO BE SOLD ON EBAY TO RAISE FUNDS FOR THE SWANAGE RAILWAY

Report from Steve Doughty - dated 4th August 2008
Deputy Chairman, Swanage Railway Trust
Photographs are copyright Steve Doughty unless otherwise noted To view a larger version of any photograph on this page, just click on the thumbnail photograph and subsequently use the Back button on your browser to return to this page.

UPDATE: The auction has now closed and funds have been donated to the Swanage Railway Trust

Items from the last service of the Brighton Belle in 1972 to be auctioned on eBay

Steve Doughty writes:

To all supporters of the Swanage Railway:

The Swanage Railway Trust has been donated several rare items of interest to Pullman enthusiasts which are to be sold to raise funds.

The eBay listing follows:

This is a plastic meal tray and two napkin holders from the last run of the Brighton Belle on 1972. The tray has the brown paper from the stack from which it was taken, so presumably was not used on the last day. However, it does have a few marks and scratches on it, although not to the extent of being damage. Tray size approx 12" x 6" (30cm x 15cm).

The brown tray has the pullman logo and the dates 1933-1972 top left and a line drawing of 5-BEL unit 3052 bottom right. The inscription between says:

"Today is the end of an era.

The final chapter in an unfortgettable episode of railway history. The last run of the Brighton Belle.

It's goodbye to Hazel, Doris, Audrey, Vera, Gwen and Mona. And their frilly lamp shades and old worlde charm.

Its a sad day. We will miss them. But one can't survive on nostalgia.

Let us remember them fondly but realistically - as ladies in retirement.

What of tomorrow?

Vast modernisation schemes are already being implemented. New stations are replacing the old. Faster trains are bringing centres closer together. And plans are well advanced to improve facilities not only on trains but stations, and to spread the service until it covers not merely the best in food and drink, but whatever travellers may need.

It's a lot to do, and in the doing of it some once popular services will go the way of the Brighton Belle. Sad, -but there it is. We must utilise our resources where they are most needed - to invest in a service for today's traveller.

Our intentions are clear.

Our aims and ambitions are to give you, the traveller, the finest, most up-to-date service you've ever known."

One wonders who wrote this and whether they actually believed that service would get better! Still, its a piece of Pullman history!

The napkin holders have the dates, Pullman logo and Brighton Belle on each.

Funds raised will go towards Pullman preservation on the Swanage Railway.

Swanage Railway Trust Deputy Chairman, Steve Doughty, inside restored Pullman Observation Car 14

Swanage Railway webmaster Keith Morgan, who donated the items, says: "I was given the items about 10 years ago by a friend whose late uncle had been a steward on the last Brighton Belle service in 1972, and who had kept the unused items - still in original tissue paper - as a memento of that last trip. I now feel that the time has come to donate the items to the Swanage Railway Trust to provide additional funding, however small, to support the operation of Pullman Observation Car 14 on the Swanage Railway."

The auction closed on Saturday 9th August, 2008, and funds have been donated to the Swanage Railway Trust.

Donations to the Pullman Observation Car 14 project can be made to the Swanage Railway Trust (Devon Belle Fund), Station House, Swanage, Dorset BH19 1HB or on-line by debit or credit card via the Trust’s website at ‘www.swanagerailwaytrust.org.uk’ by following this link.

The Swanage Railway Trust website now has an Appeals section with the ability to make online donations to the Devon Belle Fund, the Churchill Project, the Heritage Coach Fund and to the General Fund.

Donations are processed via PayPal and the payment process includes an electronic Gift Aid form that conforms to HMR&C requirements. Donors do not need a PayPal account.

Please click here to visit the Swanage Railway Trust Appeals section at http://www.swanagerailwaytrust.org.uk/appeals/index.htm

Thanks

Steve

Contact details:
Steve Doughty
Acting Chairman
Swanage Railway Trust
Station House
Swanage
DORSET
BH19 1HB
Tel: 07860-108754
Email: stephen.doughty1@btopenworld.com