The British Pullman Train
When Belmond, first bought the Pullman Cars to be The British Pullman train, we were tasked with the restoration to the marquetry panels. The work began in the late 1970s, when an invoice was found in a filing cabinet at the train’s depot. It was dated back to when Albert Dunn made the original marquetry panels for the Pullman Cars. Luckily for us, we were tracked down and operating in Chelmsford, Essex. A panel was sent down for us to restore. The big restoration project of the British Pullman Train began.
The company was in the hands of Albert’s son Robert and grandson Bob. Over the course of the next few years, each panel was restored to the highest standards for them to be able to be put back into service.
To see the ironic world famous British Pullman Train, please visit https://www.belmond.com/
Restoration Work
Every marquetry panel is stripped back of its original French polish. This is to see the state of the wood panel underneath. The back boards are restored from damp damage, so any rotten sections are removed and replaced with new. All blisters are pressed back down, if there are any marquetry sections which are beyond saving it is replaced with new.
As we still use the same methods today, we are able to restore the panels without it being noticeable. After the panel has undergone a complete restoration, it is sanded up ready to go to polishing. The panel is ready to be fitted back into the carriage and admired once again in its full glory. Belmond British Pullman Train