Hornby TT Pullman Third Class Brake No. 65 With Lights - Era 3 Coach

The Pullman Car Company took rail travel to the next level of opulence at a time when rail travel was already a premium experience. The Pullman services as operated by the PCC lasted almost a century with the first service operating in 1874 and the last in 1972. Pullman services, with very few exceptions, were made up of the PCCs own rolling stock. This stock consisted of unique to the UK, almost American style coaches, made of wood and painted in the umber and cream livery. Every coach was named, even the third class coaches although in this case the name would invariably be its car number. This name would adorn the side of each coach in a painted panel akin to how a locomotive name plate appears.

Pullman services operated on each of the Big Four’s rails and on the later nationalised rail network. The operator most opposed to the notion of the service was the GWR, who saw their own coaches as being more than luxurious enough, and therefore there being little point in operating Pullman trains although they themselves would eventually commission some services. Many Pullman coaches have been preserved around the country and indeed the world, with several finding their way over to the United States.

Bringing the elegance and prestige of luxury rail travel to TT:120 scale, Hornby proudly presents the Pullman Third Class Brake Car No. 54.

This finely detailed coach reflects the timeless sophistication of Britain’s premier passenger services, where comfort and style were paramount. Richly decorated in the iconic Pullman livery, complete with exquisite lining and crisp lettering to the interior with working table lamp interior lighting, the coach embodies the golden age of railway luxury.

History

Pullman carriages were first seen on Britain’s railways in 1874, operated by the Midland Railway between Bradford Forster Square and London St Pancras. Initially, the coaching stock was imported from America, but the British Pullman Car Company, named after American pioneer George Pullman, was formed in 1882. The company entered into contracts with the various railway companies of the day to offer opulent first-class seating complete with at-table steward service.

The Pullman Car Company had its own workshops at Brighton, and the manufacture of Pullman Cars was also carried out by the Birmingham Railway Carriage & Wagon Company and the Metropolitan Cammell Carriage & Wagon Company. Pullman cars provided a superior standard of first-class travel, with kitchen cars introduced that could serve cooked meals, served at the passenger’s table, which would be dressed with clean white linen and the finest crockery and tableware.

Before long, Pullman trains were operating on all of the principal long-distance routes in Britain. Pullman services were operated by all of the ‘Big Four’ companies, even the Great Western, which was initially reluctant to have them as it believed its coaches were already luxurious enough. All First Class Cars had names, in a Greek naming convention, though when Third Class vehicles were included in trains, these instead had the car number emblazoned on each side.

All vehicles had a distinctive umber and cream livery, with the Pullman coat of arms proudly displayed. After Nationalisation, the Pullman Car Company was bought by the British Transport Commission in 1954, by which point, apart from ten recently built cars, the fleet had become somewhat elderly. It was decided to modernise Pullman services as part of the British Railways 1955 Modernisation Plan, with new coaching stock and diesel or electric haulage.

Although moderately successful, services declined, and the last Pullman trains operated under BR in 1972. This Brake Parlour Third Class Car was built in 1923 and operated on the East Coast Main Line. Today it is preserved at the Bluebell Railway.

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