Special set to celebrate ‘Bournemouth Belle’90th anniversary

TO mark the 90th anniversary of the Southern Railway’s all-Pullman ‘Bournemouth Belle’, a special train has been arranged using Northern Belle stock to usher passengers from London to the south coast in luxury.

According to spokesman Mal Tattersall, champagne corks will pop for 250 passengers travelling on the steam-hauled train which is planned to depart from London Victoria, at 8.45am on Monday, July 5, arriving at Bournemouth at 12.50pm. Motive power for the £399 Pullman Special will be a ‘Black Five’ 4-6-0.

Bulleid Merchant Navy Pacific British India Line is lined up for two visits to Bournemouth before and after the Northern Belle version departs Waterloo.

On July 3, Railway Touring Company plans to run its ‘Bournemouth Express’ direct from Waterloo behind No. 35018, then on July 9, the end of steam on the Southern is due to be marked by British India Line heading a trip to Weymouth via Yeovil Junction.

The Pacific is due to come off at Yeovil for turning and servicing at the railway centre and after running tender first to Weymouth, takes its train back to London.