Dead on Time

SHORTLISTED FOR "BROADWAY WORLD'S IMMERSIVE SHOW OF THE YEAR"

Back by popular demand for its second year!
 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - The Stage

Dead on Time - a moving murder mystery review

"Satisfying whodunnit on-board a luxury train"

Published March 13 2023

Entertaining and effective murder mystery delivered in unstintingly opulent surroundings.

There can't be many locations better suited to a site-specific murder mystery than the dining cars of a luxurious 1920s-era train. In this enjoyable interactive experience, written and directed by Neil Kelso, a lovingly restored Belmond British Pullman train becomes a character in its own right, adding a real sense of grandeur to a slight but satisfying whodunnit. Be warned, however, that luxury and grandeur are perhaps the key words: the price of the experience starts at £540 per passenger.

Kelso's story is built around a thoroughly familiar mystery: an eccentric heiress with more than a few enemies has been murdered, and one of our fellow passengers must be the killer. The testimonies we're given by the surviving characters are densely packed with information. Names, relationships, secret codes and exact timings all play a part in the solution. But Kelso takes care to ensure that every loose thread ties neatly into the plot somewhere along the way.

The surroundings are certainly beautiful: the Kentish countryside passes by outside as we lounge in comfortable, opulently decorated carriages. The most lavish of these was recently given a slick redesign by film-maker Wes Anderson, and now features minty green upholstery, silver-leaf fittings and gleamingly polished marquetry depicting a radiating sunrise over curling waves.

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Stewart J Charlesworth's sumptuous, playful costumes mix period-appropriate styles with exaggerated decorative details to create playful confections that help to quickly establish each character's personality, from the reserved to the flamboyant. Stiff silks and chunky tweeds clash in hot pinks and acid greens, while antique gold and rich navy blue add mellow contrasts.

 

The performance takes place alongside a five-course lunch, provided by the train's precise and professional serving staff who gamely indulge our suspicious questioning and drop helpful, plot-relevant hints as they fill up our glasses. The food itself is excellent: an unpretentious menu showcasing fresh British ingredients with dishes ranging from a rich but not overpoweringly earthy beetroot soup, to slow-cooked lamb served with a refreshing pea-and-mint puree.

 

Though the brief table side visits we receive from the actors can be a little too fleeting to get to grips with the mystery fully, Kelso's systematic pacing ensures we never feel rushed. While the tone here is firmly tongue in cheek, the cast gives committed, scenery-chewing performances.

 

Shamira Turner stands out as dubious doctor Bobby Cygnus, sweeping down the carriage dispensing pills and pointed hints that implicate just about everyone. Barbara D'Alterio makes a memorable impression as charity committee president Felicity, a fussy busybody whose forceful personality and nosy nature give her insight into all of our suspects' underhanded business. Meanwhile, Dennis Heardman draws his own share of suspicion as put-upon industrialist Ivan, keeping close track of his employees, his volatile business backers and, inevitably, some significant secrets of his own.

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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - Broadway World

Review: DEAD ON TIME - A MOVING MURDER MYSTERY, Belmond Trains

A luxurious whodunnit aboard a unique train.

 

By: Franco Milazzo

May. 23, 2023

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It’s 1951 and, as the nation prepares itself for the Festival of Britain, a heinous crime has been committed. After a murder most foul, ten suspects, a killer hiding in plain sight and around two hundred passengers-cum-amateur detectives find themselves all aboard the same train. It’s fair to say that Dead On Time knows how to set a scene even before we step aboard.

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Whodunnits have had something of a fillip in recent years. Daniel Craig’s turn as Benoit Blanc in the Knives Out movies and Natasha Lyonne's Columbo-esque Charlie Cale in Poker Face (both from auteur Rian Johnson) have been critically acclaimed. Agatha Christie's The Mousetrap continues to break records and, after 70 years in the West End, will take its Broadway bow later this year. The pandemic lockdowns created a new generation of armchair detectives and true crime enthusiasts looking for the next murder to solve and, with the rebirth of the live theatre scene, an increasing number of productions are coming out to meet this demand.

 

Written and directed by Neil Kelso... this immersive murder mystery adventure takes place on the British Pullman and its historic carriages. Each has their own name and claim to fame: Perseus was part of Winston Churchill’s command train during World War Two and carried him to his funeral in 1965; Laurence Olivier had his breakfast in Audrey when travelling to London from Brighton; auteur Wes Anderson recently redesigned Cygnus; and the Queen Mum was rather partial to Phoenix (maybe there’s a leftover hidden gin stash somewhere). As well as their intriguing backstories, there are specific designs too and each carriage has its own particular personality from the colour schemes to the bathroom mosaics.

 

Kelso has riffed off this defining aspect of the British Pullman by calling the ten characters after one of the carriages. Sat on a plush armchair in Phoenix, we first meet Eddie Phoenix, a small-time criminal who is looking for his partner Kim Minerva, not realising she was found dead the previous night. Does he know more than he’s letting on? Where was Eddie this morning before he got onto the train? We get the chance to ask a few questions to discern possible motives and opportunities before he moves on to the next carriage.

 

The other suspects walk through one by one and are subject to our interrogations. If matters of the heart are the primary motive, does this put Eddie’s ex-wife Felicity Gwen or his secret lover Danny Zena in the picture? Did Kim’s witchcraft practices get her into trouble with philanthropist Gordon Vera? Or was her job as in the planning department too much of an obstacle to the ambitions of local industrialist Ivan Perseus? And so it goes on until we have met everyone twice and seen some revealing meetings between them.

 

There’s plenty of time to solve the mystery. The train journey lasts over four hours, leaving Victoria Station at 11am before going on a roundtrip through the English countryside. Once we leave South London, there are some magnificent views over Kent, Surrey and the Thames estuary as the stewards bring out an elegant five-course meal care of chef Jon Freeman. Vegan, vegetarian, dairy-free and gluten-free diets are catered for and the ingredients are locally sourced as far as possible, keeping in style with the prevailing mood of an early-Fifties England where rationing was still in force.

 

When not chomping or chatting, there’s a chance to recline and read the handy Luxury LocoMotives Magazine inspired by the Festival of Britain’s South Bank Exhibition Guide. It contains background information on this motley crew of possible murderers, a page to collate your thoughts and, if you look closely, more than a few clues to decode.

 

The amount of plotting and actor preparation that has gone into this is impressive. Each individual character moves through their own dramatic journey, delivering a different stage of the story from their own perspectives and in their own styles as they move down the train. In the first carriage, they are (or appear to be…) unaware of the murder; as they go on, they are primed to reveal the circumstances of the death, hand over police reports, point the finger at other suspects and introduce more of the plot.

 

The characters have their own mannerisms and flourishes: Dr Bobby Cygnus tries hard to impress us with her new wonder pill called Capebol, astrologist Julie Ibis suggests that the murderer’s identity may be in the stars while Perseus’ executive assistant Angela Lucille is more than happy to point the finger at anyone but herself. This could end up being a lazy version of Rashomon on rails, but a tight script and a bevy of twists and turns keep us guessing to the end.

 

Kelso is well known in cabaret circles as a professional pianist (appearing recently in The Miss Betsy Rose's Beguiling Hour at Crazy Coqs) and magician. He describes mystery thrillers as being akin to magic tricks but in reverse. "A magic trick begins in normality, with the universe functioning in accordance with the laws of nature and normality," he says. "Then we follow a series of unforeseeable, and often bizarre, but seemingly rational steps and, before we know it, we are metaphorically very far from home." Meanwhile, a mystery thriller is the opposite. "It begins when we find ourselves in a shocking or impossible place where rules have inexplicably been broken (perhaps in the form of an impossible heist or a grim murder). We are compelled to hunt for steps towards a place of resolution or safety." 

 

He's no doubt thought deep and hard about not just mystery thrillers but the time and space which Dead On Time inhabits. Layers of meaning become apparent the more we converse with his creations. Obvious inspirations like Sherlock Holmes gain more relevance - the Baker Street detective's increased popularity in 1951 was marked by his first TV serial - while there are more subtle references to the Festival of Britain, the upcoming coronation and Dennis Wheatley, an author who wrote a series of bestselling occult-based thrillers and published mysteries in the form of fictional "crime dossiers" containing documents and items of evidence like pills.

 

London is not short on immersive shows but, even in this crowded market, Dead On Time stands out. Its relaxed approach, rich human interactions, layered storytelling and unique setting make this a truly luxurious and memorable experience.

 

With thanks to Chief Steward Thomas Legg and his team for looking after us.

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Sunday Times 

Sunday March 12 2023, 12.01am, The Sunday Times

The new murder mystery experience on Britain’s poshest train

Is the new Pullman immersive performance a day out to die for? Super sleuth Liz Edwards is first onboard to find out

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Why do trains and murder mysteries go so well together? Is it the disparate group of strangers flung together? The ready-made “locked room” nature of the situation? The incriminating vignettes glimpsed through moving windows? The irresistible parallel between real-life and metaphorical journeys that both prove — da, da, dah — terminal?

 

Whatever the reason, the pairing is a winner — just ask Agatha Christie, Patricia Highsmith or Paula Hawkins. And you can also ask Belmond, the company that has just launched a new season of murder-mystery lunches out of London Victoria aboard its luxury British Pullman train.

 

Dead on Time — “One train. Five courses. Ten suspects” — written and directed by Neil Kelso is an elaborate production in which the fictional setting matches the real-life one. We’ll all be on the train together, dolled-up passengers and lavishly costumed cast, simultaneously in 2023 and 1951, the year of the Festival of Britain. Some of the Pullman’s carriages formed part of the festival’s special train, and as our mystery unfurls, via encounters with the suspects over the course of the day, it transpires that the drama revolves around events that have taken place in the previous 24 hours, at the Battersea Park Festival Pleasure Gardens. A body has been found . . 

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It’s all woven together so neatly that at first, under the arched train-shed roof, it’s easy to confuse players and punters. The fedora-wearing charmer who offers his arm to escort me along the platform could be a passenger who’s committed enthusiastically to the period theme (he isn’t, remaining steadfastly in character as Danny Zena the flamboyant artist). The white-gloved steward who greets me at my seat could equally be a member of the ensemble (he isn’t, remaining steadfastly in character as Patrick Murdock the master champagne-pourer). But all the train’s a stage, all the men and women players and we all have a part to inhabit one way or another. The guessing, the play-acting, the suspension of disbelief are all part of the glorious fun.

 

Although some British Pullman services involve a destination — Bath and Chatsworth are popular days out — many of its trips are loops through Kent that allow time for a fancy lunch, dinner or afternoon tea, with no stops. This one’s the same, and I’m all for it. Nothing says “I love rail travel” like taking a train trip to nowhere, particularly one with a backdrop as golden-age exquisite as this. Carriages date from the 1920s and 1930s and have transported British royals, foreign leaders and state-funeral coffins. Each car has its own distinct fabrics, crockery and burnished marquetry, and passengers lounge in plush wingback armchairs or four-person compartments. Carriages are named after ancient gods (Perseus and Minerva) or, apparently, tea ladies (Vera and Audrey).

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Today’s train has nine carriages: four kitchen cars with seating for 20 and five parlour cars with room for 26. I’m in Cygnus, which has a silver-framed pink ceiling panel, intense greens on the floor and upholstery, and tropical animals and foliage on the William Edwards crockery (you’ll eat from the same design if you visit the Retreat at Elcot Park). All sound a bit @AccidentallyWesAnderson? That’s because it’s actually Wes Anderson; the film director painstakingly redesigned the carriage in 2021, sending all the chairs back to be redone because the polished wood looked wrong. And although you may not now recognise it, the carriage was used in Vanessa Redgrave’s 1979 film Agatha, about Christie’s disappearance.

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So the setting is suitably theatrical for the fabulous murder-mystery characters, named after the carriages — Julie Ibis, Catarina Ione and Felicity Gwen pass through the carriages dispensing plot details, clues and red herrings to help and hinder our efforts at identifying the culprit. We’re given more hints and exercises for the little grey cells in the wittily named magazine LocoMotives (there’s an ad for the Paralord Instant Camera — “already embraced by the young fashionables keen to capture their stylish ensembles”). In-flight entertainment has nothing on this lot.

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But the cast have competition from the stewards, a gregarious bunch with gold-braided jackets and plenty of their own stories to tell, and similarly fictional-sounding names.

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The chief steward, Thomas Legg, is part of a family of Pullman stewards, he says — his father and uncle work the train too, as did his brothers Richard and Harry. Tom, Dick and Harry Legg? Pull the other one. Actually you probably could — he says that his favourite time on the train is at Christmas, when regulars often get congas going.

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There’s also Andrew Hassan, who has worked on the train for 25 years. When I ask him whether there’s wi-fi he laughs — they’ve only just updated the loos so they don’t empty onto the tracks, he says. Of the celebs who have been on board he thinks that Eddie Murphy was the most fun, but he’s always pleased to see Emma Bunton and Holly Willoughby.

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The general manager, Craig Moffat, tells me about the “birthday bingo” that he and the stewards like to play. With so many passengers on board to celebrate something big (these are special-occasion prices after all) he’s holding out for the day that they can tick off a 21st and each birthday ending in nought up to 100 all in one train. They nearly made it once, he says, though instead of a 100-year-old they had the last Spitfire pilot toasting his 102nd birthday.

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Moffat joined the train five years ago, having been won over as a customer during an afternoon-tea trip by the “openness, longevity and charisma in the hospitality that you rarely find in London”. He talks about how conducive it is — with or without a murder to solve — to striking up conversations with neighbouring passengers. Some disembark as more than friends. He tells me of a Briton and an Australian across the aisle from each other who discovered that they were long-lost cousins, reunited after 30 years.

 

We’re on board for five and a bit hours, but between the chat, sleuthing and museum-grade surroundings, poor old Kent doesn’t get much of a look-in. We loop out via Maidstone and Ashford to Canterbury, along the coast from Margate to Whitstable and back through the Medway towns. But I’m afraid I rather neglect the views — it’s fun to trundle past Dreamland’s big wheel and the sea, a hilltop windmill here and a taxiing biplane there, but I can get graffiti and Tescos closer to home. There are trainspotters now and then, and the occasional platform-dweller ready to wave. But it’s a grey day and life inside the carriage seems to exist on a higher wattage.

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There are those five courses to squeeze in too, all excellent, from the hot ginger wine aperitif to the Romney salt marsh lamb to the Pump Street chocolate with coffee. It’s brave serving beetroot soup on a moving vehicle, but 25 years’ practice pays off and Hassan clearly knows his way round a steaming tureen.
 

We may be challenged to solve the whodunnit — and in true murder-mystery fashion each carriage’s passengers are called together for the big reveal at the end — but I’m equally intrigued by the howdunnit. There’s no green room, no dumbwaiters, no back stairs, and yet cast, crew and carriage-exploring guests pass up and down vintage-narrow corridors seemingly without incident. “You have to get used to sashaying left and right,” Moffat says. “It’s an excellent way to meet people.”

 

Liz Edwards was a guest of the Belmond British Pullman, which has murder-mystery departures twice a month until November from £540pp and afternoon-tea trips from £400pp (belmond.com)

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FORBES MAGAZINE
All Aboard: The Whodunnit That Takes You Back To A Golden Age Of Travel

Angelina Villa-Clarke
Mar 20, 2023

There’s a frisson on London Victoria’s Platform 2: a trio of singers are harmonising swing classics while travellers, chatting excitedly, are bustling about looking for their carriages. Everyone is dressed in their finest and the mingled scents of heady fragrances and musky colognes are heavy in the air. A man rushes by in a mustard and green tartan suit, a vintage camera slung over his shoulder. A woman, in vertiginous heels and a marabou feather stole, laughs gaily as she climbs the steps to her carriage. It’s as though we’ve stepped back in time.

In fact, once aboard Belmond’s British Pullman, you might think you’ve actually journeyed back to a more sophisticated era of travel. Much like its sister train – the iconic Venice Simplon-Orient-Express – the British Pullman’s reputation precedes it. Harking back to the roaring 20s and 30s, the train simply exudes glamour, no matter that your destination may be Kent, rather than Istanbul or Florence.

Its authentic carriages, now intricately refurbished and which once formed part of the most famous and luxurious services in Britain, are a big part of the appeal. Restored by artisan workmen, veneered panels gleam; art deco lamps shed soft light on polished brass, bevelled glass and glossy mahogany fittings and seats are in the form of plush upholstered armchairs.

It’s within this setting that Belmond has launched a new series of murder-mystery experiences, called Dead on Time ­– “One train. Five courses. Ten suspects.” Classic trains and mysteries seem to be a marriage (or murder?) made in heaven. Just take Agatha Christie’s best-seller, Murder on the Orient Express, as an example. And the British Pullman’s latest offering is not only an homage to the train’s rich heritage, but also to this great British thriller tradition: an immersive experience brought to life by a lively cast of vibrantly costumed actors. Adding to the sense of fun, guests have to try and solve the mystery as it unfolds.

As the train rolls out of London Victoria, your journey to ‘nowhere’ begins – during the five-hour itinerary, you travel along the Kent coastline, via Margate and Whitstable, and back again. As the London landscape gives way to Kent’s fields and coastline, you barely notice what’s going on outside the windows, for the moving show is underway under your nose. It’s not long before the first character – Dr Bobby Cygnus – reveals that someone has been murdered at the Battersea Park Festival Pleasure Gardens. “What to do!”...

An ensemble of characters reveal the plot, dispersing clues and red herrings as the train chugs on. The merging of past and present, fact and fiction sucks you in and is an alluring part of the all-encompassing feel of the day. The drama, for instance, is set in 1951, at the time of the Festival of Britain and, it turns out, that four of the carriages that form the British Pullman – Phoenix, Cygnus, Minerva and Perseus – were actually part of a special festival train at the time, showcased to the public as the epitome of progress and technology.

 

This fact is entwined into the plot as it is revealed that the ten characters are visiting the train as part of their Festival of Britain itinerary. More attention to detail sees that each of them is named after one of the British Pullman carriages: there’s Ivan Perseus, Felicity Gwen, Harry Audrey, Angela Lucille and more. As guests sip on chilled champagne, the larger-than-life actors appear and hold court, dressed in rainbow-hued clothes (emerald-green plus-fours, for example, and scarlet flared pants). Leaning on the back of your chair, perched on an arm, each reveals their ‘story’. As well as the ‘clues’ that are scattered around by the characters as they talk, guests can also consult a 50s-style magazine, LocoMotives, inspired by the Festival of Britain’s South Bank Exhibition Guide, which provides back-stories and information on each persona.

 

Was it Danny Zena, an artist known for his macabre work? Or perhaps Julie Ibis – an icon of stage and screen? Where was she when the body was found? Angela Lucille, it is revealed, was a bit tipsy at the time of the murder? But was she actually? And what was Harry Audrey doing in the pleasure gardens at 8.30pm? The mystery is as complex as a P.D James’ novel.

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As the bubbles flow and the first of the five courses begin to be served, the plot seems to thicken further. Over the Cornish Haddock Rissole, you veer towards Eddie Phoenix as the main suspect. But by the piping-hot Beetroot Soup, which fills the carriage with clouds of steam, you are convinced it’s Caterina Ione. The main course of Romney Salt Marsh Lamb with a pea and mint puree (just as good as you’d get in one of Belmond’s famous hotels) brings suspicion upon Gordon Vera. And, by the time you’ve finished the cheese plate and Rhubarb and Vanilla Roulade, you’re wishing that Miss Marple might make an appearance to help you out.

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As your etched crystal glasses are topped up, and the elegant William Edwards crockery is replaced by yet another course, the white-gloved waiter Andrew Hassan reveals that he has worked on the train for 25 years. “What’s not to love?” he says. “Everyone is always in a celebratory mood, so I always get to see the best of people.”

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He’s referring to the fact that a ticket on the British Pullman, of course, is often one bought for special occasions, anniversaries and family milestones. It all adds to the celebratory feel of travel on the rails in these beautifully-designed carriages. As the moving murder mystery develops, and the plot twists are revealed, you are carried further into what feels like a fabulous fun-fuelled romp through history. So, whodunnit? It really doesn’t matter.

 

The British Pullman’s Moving Murder Mystery journey will run on 24 March; 7 and 21 April; 5, 13 and 19 May; 9 and 30 June; 11 and 25 August; 2 and 15 September; 6 and 27 October; 16 and 30 November. All trips will depart from London Victoria at 11:05 and arrive in London Victoria at 16:15. This is a circular tour through Kent and passengers will not disembark until arrival back into London Victoria station. Price per person starts at £540 and includes a five-course meal and a bottle of wine for every two people. Belmond.com

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Country & Town House
Review: British Pullman’s ‘Dead On Time’ Murder Mystery Experience

By

Charlie Colville

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We’ve fancied ourself a great sleuth at one point or another; maybe you can find lost items at the drop of a hat, maybe you’ve correctly guessed a TV show plot twist (much to the annoyance of your friends) or maybe you even once figured out who was nicking the biscuits from the family barrel. Either way, we all like playing detective when given the opportunity. That’s why we jumped at the chance of trying out the new murder mystery experience, ‘Dead On Time’, that was being hosted by British Pullman, a Belmond Train... A tough case to crack, but that only adds to the thrill, says Charlie Colville.

Victoria station is one of the busiest spots in London – especially at 9am on a Tuesday, when commuters find themselves rushing through the station to get to work (or simply fleeing across the country for a much-needed break). It inevitably seems quite odd, then, to find a slice of slow travel – and time travel, at that – tucked away on Platform 2. This is where the infamous British Pullman train service awaits. An impressive recreation of the past, British Pullman is comprised of glossy cream and brown carriages emblazoned with the train’s name in gold lettering. A peek inside one of the windows will offer glimpses of antique lamps, ornately set tables with vases of flowers and plush armchair-like seats in Art Deco patterns.

But really, a sneak peek through the window doesn’t do British Pullman any proper justice; hop on board and prepared to be wowed. We were lucky enough to call Cygnus our base for the journey. This is a gorgeous carriage decked out in shades of green and pink, with panelled walls decorated with glossy wooden sunsets. If you can, try and book one of the snug cabins at either end of the carriage, which give you a little more privacy (as well as an uninterrupted view of the décor and rolling countryside out the window). This polished glamour comes at the hand of renowned filmmaker Wes Anderson, who put together the new design in 2021. Cygnus, which was originally reserved for use by royalty and visiting Heads of State, was one of the carriages used in the special Festival of Britain rake in 1951 – making it a very fitting setting for the events we were about to witness.

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The reason we’re really here is to solve a crime: someone who was meant to be on the train has been found murdered, and it’s up to us to figure out who did it. But what kind of murder mystery would it be without some classic British charm? We’re taken back in time... to 1951, where a group of eccentric characters have just spent the last few days at the Festival of Britain and are now on their way out of the UK capital. One of them is the alleged killer.

 

While you settle in with a glass of champagne, take the time to browse through the Festival of Britain’s South Bank Exhibition Guide which has been placed neatly at your table. Use it to set the scene of the case and find clues for what happened (or become terribly confused, like we did), while the suspects, dressed in their finest attire, make their way up and down the carriages to chat with guests and help them get on the killer’s trail (or off it – like I said, terribly confused). This is the perfect opportunity to get to know the characters in all their splendour: gossip with socialite Catarina Ione, talk culture with artist Danny Zena, accept some Capebol tablets from Dr Bobby Cygnus and pick the brain of multi-million magnate Ivan Perseus to help you solve the case. The time is ticking, so we had to get cracking as soon as we got onboard.
 

The only thing tempting enough to distract us from our investigation was the food. Sequestered in our little cabin, we were treated to our own private dining affair, with the waiters popping in to deliver steaming plates of food to the table. Five courses may seem a little excessive, but with around five hours to whittle away onboard the team are able to put enough distance between each course that find yourself once again eager to sink your teeth into the meal in front of you.

 

Many of the ingredients used in the British Pullman kitchen on this occasion come from the rolling hills of Kent – with others sourced from further afield in the UK – and a quick chat with the all-knowing waiter handing over your plate will let you know exactly where each part of the dish heralds. From Cornish haddock rissole served on a bed of nasturtium and Cheltenham beetroot soup (poured artfully into your bowl despite the haphazard swaying of the carriage) to Romney salt marsh lamb with braised potatoes and a heaping board of British cheeses, chutneys and crackers, the menu is a love letter to the British countryside. It only got better with dessert; a rhubarb and vanilla roulade (a very Instagrammable ‘pink cake’ that tasted just as good as it looked).

 

Dessert was followed by the big reveal. Guests gathered in the middle of the carriage, notebooks in hand, to listen in on one of the actors as they unwound the case. Expect drama, expect laughs and even expect the occasional huff from those that almost had it. Our first hunch was correct, ironically, but we’d spent so much time digging for clues in the wrong place (and following many a dead end – do not trust the waiters) that we just missed the mark. Nevertheless, the ending reveal was spectacular, and after the excitement we were led back to our seats where a steaming cup of tea awaited us as we trundled our way back into Victoria. Case closed.
 

FINAL WORD

Where better to solve a murder than an old-fashioned train? Pull on your best Sherlock cap (or Poirot moustache), sink into the plush seats onboard and let yourself be whisked away on one of the most thrilling immersive experiences running right now. And as for who did it – book yourself a seat on the next train and you’ll find out…

 

BOOK

Tickets start at £540 per person and include a five-course meal and a bottle of wine for every two people. You can book your ticket today via belmond.com

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FLO London
Review: A Moving Murder Mystery, Belmond British Pullman Train
Words by Mollie Kate Cohen

“One train. Five courses. Ten suspects.”

 

We were lucky enough to be invited for a trip on the Belmond train for their newest feat, the Murder Mystery Lunch, which promises ‘a sumptuous lunch and plenty of head scratching’, but it achieved much, much more than that. In our experience, everywhere I looked my eyes were met by something beautiful, and everything that passed my lips tasted divine. Attention to detail is a key feature of this luxurious, extraordinary experience. 

 

Anyone who has been to or lives in London has probably passed through Victoria Station, likely experiencing feelings of stress, panic and perhaps even despair. But not everyone will be familiar with the British Pullman. Just a few steps from a McDonalds it feels as though you have been transported to a different station, where pigeons unfortunately still roam, but the feeling of luxury starts to set in.

 

On arrival at the departure lounge we were greeted by waiters carrying trays of some delicious apple juice – not to worry, the champagne started flowing at 11am as soon as we got to our seats. Staff were dressed in the sharpest of uniforms – whoever did the ironing deserves a pay rise – waiting patiently by the doorway of each carriage to welcome guests on board. 

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Every element of the murder mystery has been created bespoke including the script, the plot, the outfits (which incredibly, even includes the shoes), and the gorgeous magazine that is on each place setting. Honourable mentions must be given out to the characters outfits – the colours, shapes, textures, styling was all on point, as well as the Luxury Locomotives Magazine which features the most beautiful illustrations of all the characters and a map of the festival. 

 

There are 10 characters in the murder mystery each inspired by a carriage on the train itself – including their personalities, names, and even their clothing. We highly recommend walking the length of the train to check out the different interiors and décor of each carriage and then seeing how it matches up to some of the outfits. I was lucky enough to be seated in Cygnus which was recently redesigned by iconic filmmaker Wes Anderson, renowned for his style and use of colour, and the design of the carriage was gorgeously green with interesting details and accents. Each of the other carriages centred on a colour but then had different fabrics, patterns, and designs throughout – I couldn’t pick a favourite.

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... dynamic murder mystery which will keep you guessing all afternoon. The story itself is set around the historical 1951 Festival of Britain, a huge national exhibition and fair based in London’s Southbank. The festival was a celebration in its own right but was also created to commemorate The Great Exhibition that took place 100 years prior in 1851, in Crystal Palace. 

 

Once the train set off, I experienced what could only be described as an overwhelmingly positive sensory overload – where to look? What to do? Each of the delicious five courses was brought in by the most attentive of waiters, who were also always topping up drinks and ready to chat if you wanted to know anything about the history of the train or just what it’s like to work on such a train. Every course was punctuated by a character from the murder mystery strolling in to present some new information to us and have a chat. 

 

All aspects of the day are so well thought out, with the magazine also featuring a space to jot down notes on each of the characters – e.g., What is their motive? What were they doing at the time of the murder? Plus, there are puzzles and games within the magazine to complete for more clues in any quiet spaces between chatting to the characters, so the game never really stops. Each carriage can have a winner for solving the murder, so not only will you walk away with the glory, but you will also leave with a prize. 

 

The food itself was delicious – although I only sampled the vegetarian/plant-based offering so can’t speak of the meat. As a vegetarian, I often come away from meals out, especially those with a set menu, feeling as though the vegetarian dishes were a bit of an afterthought, but this was quite the opposite. Each of the five courses were well-thought out and perfect portion sizes, with a mixture of different vegetables, lentils, sauces, breads, cheeses all complementing each other beautifully. And of course, the flow of wine and champagne helped to wash it down nicely.

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We left Victoria and headed down towards Whitstable and Margate, eventually spying the sea in all it’s beautiful blue glory. Time flew by, as did the English countryside from my window. By the time we looped back to London I think the whole train was stuffed full of food and rather tired – or just me? – from puzzling all afternoon. Although I did not guess who the murderer was, as I was too focused on my food and spying all of the gorgeous interiors, I enjoyed hearing how it all tied together at the end. 

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I left Victoria back on the tube thinking about how I would quite like to travel on The Belmond for all of my train journeys. I have never experienced that level of attention to detail before and although, this is an expensive train ride to not even get off, if you do get the opportunity or fancy treating a special someone, I am certain you will love it.

 

Who doesn’t want to ride in carriages formerly used by royalty, whilst eating like a king, and solving a murder like Poirot? 

 

Location: Victoria St, London SW1E 5ND. Date: from 7 March 2023. Price: from £485.Book now.

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Travel and Leisure
 

This Luxurious Train Through the English Countryside Now Hosts a Murder Mystery Trip With a 5-course Lunch

One travel writer hopped on board the nostalgic British Pullman, A Belmond Train, for a 1950s whodunnit while touring the English countryside.

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Calling all armchair sleuths, rail enthusiasts, and lovers of all things vintage — this one’s for you. There's a brand-new murder mystery day trip called "Dead on Time" that takes you aboard the iconic British Pullman, A Belmond Train, and inside a 1950s British thriller.

 

Departing from London’s Victoria Station at 11 a.m. and returning at 4 p.m., the train speeds to the Kentish coast and back again without stopping. Over the course of the journey, guests aboard work out clues and interact with actors — all while feasting on a five-course lunch and drinking in the views of the lush green countryside. It’s essentially a murder mystery on rails — very Agatha Christie — and it couldn’t be more fun.

 

The immersive theatrical experience starts before you even board the train at the dedicated British Pullman lounge in Victoria Station, where a trio of vintage music makers sing boogie-woogie renditions of modern tunes until it’s time to board.

 

Once guests are snugly cocooned in overstuffed armchairs at two-person dining tables (or in one of the deliciously private four-seat coupes), liveried stewards with white gloves splash Veuve Clicquot into cut crystal and warm ginger wine (from Devon-based Lyme Bay Winery) into charming William Edwards china cups. Then, the train sways out of the station and into the 1950s.

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Here's how it works: Ten actors — dressed to the nines — come through the carriages one by one to tell the story of a thrilling “murder,” each imparting clues, red herrings, and plot twists. Guests need to have their pens ready, as the case is complex, but there’s an illustrated, retro-style magazine to act as a guide to the cast of characters. Plus, this is not a play: Guests are encouraged to interact with the actors, so don’t be afraid to do your best Miss Marple impression and ask questions. (The best detectives are rewarded with extra bubbly.)

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Murder mysteries can be a little kitschy, of course, but there is nothing low budget about this production.... The actors are West End-quality (London’s answer to Broadway), and the hair, makeup, and wardrobe look straight out of Old Hollywood’s Technicolor golden age — with a slight English twist.

 

While it’s easy to get caught up in all the brilliantly bonkers British melodrama, the countryside views are equally compelling — as is lunch. The British Pullman’s chef, Jon Freeman, focuses on handpicked suppliers and English heritage products like Cornish haddock; heritage beets from Cheltenham in Gloucestershire; and plenty of British cheeses like punchy stilton from Tuxford & Tebbut. Craft chocolatiers Pump Street provide the after-dinner treats, served alongside silver kettles of coffee from Drury of London, a British fixture since the '30s.

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This is not the first murder mystery lunch to be held aboard the British Pullman; however, "Dead on Time" is the first production that is bespoke to the train. Without giving too much away, the plot leans into the British Pullman's historic heritage by setting the story during its heyday in the 1950s. It all happens at the 1951 Festival of Britain, where four British Pullman carriages — the Phoenix, Cygnus, Minerva, and Perseus — were first revealed to the public. The cast of characters takes their names from the train cars, though the rest of their personality traits (murderous or otherwise) are entirely fictional.
 

While all the carriages have a nostalgic charm of their own, Cygnus carriage is especially cinematic — thanks to filmmaker Wes Anderson, who dressed the space in 2021. Camera-ready with art nouveau swirls; glossy marquetry; and shades of mint and classic racing green, the whimsical space is named after a Greek god who was transformed into a swan. The carriage includes a few playful nods to the myth, like silver swan-shaped Champagne buckets and images of swans on the intricate mosaic floors.

 

The British Pullman’s Moving Murder Mystery 'Dead on Time' will run every two weeks from now until December 2023. Price per person starts at £540 ($640), and you can book your trip at www.belmond.com.

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Whodunit on wheels: Riding London’s murder mystery express

 

Kate Whitehead for CNN

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It’s only as I’m inviting my friend to lunch that I realize the prospect might not sound that appetizing.

“There will be a murder,” I say. “Someone will die.”

 

Surprisingly undeterred, he agrees to meet me at London’s Victoria Station the following week and it’s only once we’re standing on the platform amid a rapidly swelling crowd that he starts to look a little worried, nervously asking: “Who are all these people?”

 

We’re being joined by a diverse crowd on our lunch date, which is probably only to be expected since we’re booked in for an afternoon of fine dining with an extra helping of homicide.

 

That’s the menu on board the Murder Mystery Lunch train, a luxury rail ride around the English countryside that pitches passengers into a cloak and dagger world worthy of Agatha Christie – but with greater quantities of champagne.

 

Many of our fellow diners – some celebrating anniversaries or birthdays – are entering into the spirit, dressed in 1920s flapper dresses, gangster suits or as extras from “Downton Abbey.”

 

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BOSS HUNTING

YOU CAN NOW SOLVE A MURDER MYSTERY ON BOARD BELMOND’S WES ANDERSON-STYLE LUXURY TRAIN

EXPERIENCE/THINGS TO DO

— 15 MARCH 2023

WORDS

Chris Singh

CHRIS SINGH

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Travelling on the historic Belmond British Pullman is a hard-won tick on the ol’ bucket list by itself but now you’ve got the opportunity to elevate the experience by taking part in a scripted whodunnit. Clearly taking inspiration from Agatha Christie, Belmond now offers a murder mystery experience package that will have luxury travellers hop on a journey across the English countryside with a five-course lunch and a heady dose of theatrics.

 

It’s surreal enough being on board the UK’s most famous luxury train as it does its dash through Kent. Layer on a group of 10 actors who walk the carriage, giving guests snippets of information about a supposed crime so guests can do their best impression of Benoit Blanc and work together to find out who killed who on the high-end vessel. It’s the kind of creative “kidulthood” activity that takes more than a few steps up from your typical session at Holey Moley or one of those exhausting escape rooms.

 

Immersive experiences like this don’t come by very often but they are becoming more popular around the world as artists curate surrealistic experiences that rely heavily on crowd participation. Belmond has tipped the hat to these kinds of experiences before, hosting murder mystery lunches on occasion, although the latest iteration was created specifically for this train and is the first of its kind to be tailored to the exact setting.

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... to put the program together, squeezing it into an easy five-hour journey that departs London’s Victoria Station at 11 AM and returns by 4 PM. In between that time frame, you get that five-course lunch while also being tasked with solving the mystery. Belmond says that there is a “special prize” for the best detective, although the luxury group doesn’t specify what this actually is.

 

Belmond’s reimagined Moving Murder Mystery now draws much of its plot from subtle references to the British Pullman, its heritage and its craftsmanship. The characters have been written as an extension of the train’s history, so there’s little doubt the actual conclusion of the story would be tied to the train itself. ... everything from the costumes to the dialogue pays homage to British Pullman’s design features, intricate marquetry and colourful fabrics.

 

Belmond’s British Pullman may not be as well known as the iconic Venice Simplon-Orient-Express. From photos, it looks like Belmond’s more eccentric train journey, with highly ornate carriages, one of which was remained by Wes Anderson in 2021.

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Sipping on Dom P and diving into British cheese platters, all while trying to solve a murder mystery, seems like a much more interesting way to blow through some disposable income next time you find yourself in London with little to do.

 

The Belmond Moving Murder Mystery is available on select dates throughout the year with the next one being March 24 and the final for the year being on November 30. The package is priced at £540 (AU$980) per passenger.

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SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
 

by Gillian Rhys, 21 Jul 2023

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Murder mystery experience on British luxury train – cleverly conceived, perfectly acted, and with a delicious five-course lunch to boot

A Moving Murder Mystery journey sees guests on board a British Pullman try to uncover a murderer among a group ‘travelling to see the 1950s Festival of Britain’

The actors’ amusing ad libs and direct interactions with passengers draw participants in as the train travels from London’s Victoria station to Dover and back

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Murder on the British Pullman

by chopstixandthecity on August 10, 2023

 

All the passengers are settled into their seats and the train is about to depart when a dapper, mustachioed young man dressed in tweeds hurries through the carriage. “I don’t actually have a ticket, I’m looking for a compartment to hide in,” he announces before disappearing through the mahogany doors to the next car. While we are all left bemused in his wake, a pair of equally stylish women sashay through, murmuring among themselves about needing champagne.

 

We’re onboard Belmond’s British Pullman in Victoria Station, London for A Moving Murder Mystery journey. The immersive theatrical performance called Dead On Time .... Move over Murder on the Orient Express, it’s Murder on the British Pullman. 

 

Before even leaving the station we have been transported back to 1951. Not just because of the lavish vintage pullman but a vivacious group are onboard who have been enjoying the Battersea Pleasure Gardens at the Festival of Britain. The real life exhibition and fair took place around the country and some of the British Pullman carriages – Cygnus, Perseus and Minerva – were part of a luxury train transporting passengers to and from attractions. For the purposes of the plot today we are to believe that we’re travelling on a pullman between the Festival’s locations.
 

As we sip on champagne, the news breaks that one of the glamorous group has been found dead. Our task is to figure out which of their number is the killer over the next few hours as the train travels from London via Canterbury to Dover and back while a gourmet lunch is served. 

 

But before we tuck into Coronation guinea hen followed by asparagus soup and line-caught wild English seabass, at each of our place settings amid the bone china, silver cutlery and cut glass sits a magazine. The wittily titled Luxury LocoMotives is packed with information about the characters/suspects and littered with clues. As the train departs, passing Battersea’s Park and Power Station, a hush descends as everyone pores over their copy with a concentration that in-flight publication editors would envy. 

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I deduce that all the characters’ surnames correspond with the names of the British Pullman’s carriages including “Dr Bobby Cygnus”, a glamorous inventor, “Ivan Perseus”, a rakish tycoon and “Danny Zena”, a flamboyant jazz musician. We’re seated in Vera and its character namesake is Gordon Vera, a well-connected philanthropist.

 

All the train’s a stage as the actors flounce in and out of the carriages. “I suggest you go to the lavatory in pairs,” Felicity Gwen, a formidable high society hostess, advises us. “But no funny business.” Without giving too much way, the whole production is cleverly conceived and the actors, all dashingly dressed and perfectly coiffed and made up, play their parts to perfection.

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Each suspect conveys their version of events of the previous 24 hours which may be vital clues or simply red herrings. There’s also a couple of nifty mentions of other Belmond properties – The Cadogan hotel in Chelsea and “the train to Venice” (Belmond also owns the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express).

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Sometimes they cross paths with one another which leads to slick interaction. And us passengers are drawn into the drama as the actors address us directly, ask us questions and ad lib amusingly. Julie Ibis, a beguiling film star, doesn’t miss a beat when she spots my husband taking her picture while she’s reading out a piece of evidence that has come to light – she poses dramatically, giving her best angle.

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Throughout all this, the Pullman stewards expertly serve a five course lunch, replenish wine glasses and chat to the passengers. Our engaging steward, Patrick, offers to take our photographs and jokes about accepting Haribos to divulge whodunnit. He also tells us that the late Nelson Mandela and a young Prince Charles, now King Charles III,  once travelled in our carriage. 

 

After dessert (coconut dacquoise with mango, passion fruit and pineapple cream) with an hour left to solve the murder, passengers are working through the evidence and discussing their theories. Some are involving fellow travellers across the aisle while others are happy just to sit back in their (very comfortable) armchairs and enjoy the show.

 

In the style of Hercule Poirot there’s a group denouement in each carriage to reveal the murderer as the train heads back into London. A young couple in our car who were the most diligent in questioning the suspects are rewarded for their super sleuthing with a prize. As for who did it, we are all sworn to secrecy until the chief inspector can be informed.

 

Dead On Time, A Moving Murder Mystery on the British Pullman runs twice monthly (once in September) until the end of November. See Belmond.com for more details.

RobbReport

 

Murder, She Rode? This Iconic Luxury Train in the UK Now Offers a Thrilling Mystery Experience

Belmond unveils the "Dead on Time" murder mystery, which will run every two weeks from now until December 2023
By RACHEL CORMACK

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What better place to play real-life Clue than one of Britain’s most iconic trains?

 

So concluded Belmond. The hospitality titan, which helms 50 properties across 24 countries and the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, has just rolled out a new murder mystery experience aboard the British Pullman. As the train travels through the picturesque English countryside, guests will be treated to a lavish five-course lunch with a side of thrilling theatrics.

 

The British Pullman has offered similar murder mystery lunches before, but the latest immersive performance was created specifically for the train.... Fittingly, the whodunnit harkens back to the 1951 Festival of Britain where the British Pullman’s first four carriages (the Phoenix, Cygnus, Minerva, and Perseus) were revealed to the public. This actual moment in history has been given a fictitious twist made just for wannabe sleuths.

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Departing from London’s Victoria Station at 11 a.m. and returning at 4 p.m., the train will take you through picturesque Kent—and back to the 1950s. As you settle into an upholstered armchair with a glass of bubbly, the story of a “murder” will begin to unfold.

Over the course of the journey, 10 immaculately dressed “suspects” will walk the carriages and give you tidbits of information about the crime. Each of the characters is named after one of the British Pullman’s carriages in yet another nod to the train’s heritage. As the show is interactive, you can flex your detective skills and interview the characters to crack the case. According to Belmond, there’s a special prize for the best detective.

Then, there’s the train’s Art Deco interior, which evokes the golden age with lavish fabrics, burnished marquetry, and ornate crockery. The Cygnus carriage is particularly striking, as it was reimagined by filmmaker Wes Anderson in 2021.

Dead on Time will run every two weeks from now until December 2023. Tickets start at $640 (£540) per person.

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