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Venice-Simplon Orient Express
Bob Barnes
27 March 1995
Bob Barnes, General Manager of Venice-Simplon Orient
Express (UK), gave an illustrated and informative talk to 25 Friends on
the evening of 27 March. He shared the problems and delights of
restoring 70 year old Pullman cars from near derelict condition to
sumptuous splendour. Each car is lovingly restored so that it can
continue to earn its living on the most prestigious train service in the
world. With restoration costs around half a million pounds each, it's
no wonder that journeys on the VSOE are something special. It's not
just in Europe that this special service is offered - a new Pullman
train "The Eastern and Oriental Express" now runs from Singapore to
Bangkok, via the Bridge over the River Kwai. Bob described how the
redundant "Silver Star" carriages were transported from New Zealand to
be completely rebuilt as air-conditioned Pullman cars on the new
service. The talk did not just cover railway matters. Bob has a keen
interest in ships and described some of the nautical aspects of the
company. This included the use of a 5 star liner to link Venice with
Istanbul, so that passengers can achieve the original goal of the VSOE.
During the trial for this service, the captain performed some
astounding navigation by sailing through the Corinth Canal, which
officially is 2 metres narrower than the ship! It's not just ocean
going ships which the company uses, Bob described the plan to rescue a
German river cruiser from Dresden for use in a reconstituted Irrawaddy
Flotilla Company in Burma. Bob ended his talk by discussing the ethics
of using authentic historic items of rolling stock in commercial
business, and held out some tantalising possibilities for the future -
VSOE through the Chunnel and further haulage by a certain air-braked
steam engine.
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