A historic railway carriage with extraordinary ties to Sir Winston Churchill and General Dwight D Eisenhower is returning to the rails after more than five decades.
Pullman Car No 246 ‘Lydia’ was used during crucial wartime strategy meetings ahead of D-Day and later during Churchill’s state funeral in 1965.
It has been meticulously returned to its original specification by a team at South Devon Railway.
Originally constructed in 1924 by the Midland Railway Carriage & Wagon Company, ‘Lydia’ embodies the golden age of luxury rail travel.
“Built for the prestigious Pullman Company, known globally for iconic trains such as the Orient Express, the carriage is a rare and tangible link to Britain’s wartime past and a symbol of enduring craftsmanship,” a South Devon Railway spokesman said.
From this summer, the carriage will operate on journeys through the South Devon countryside along the scenic line between Buckfastleigh and Totnes.
“With its Art Deco elegance and deep political and cultural resonance, the Pullman offers guests a journey into the heart of British history,” the spokesman said.
“The return of ‘Lydia’ to active service represents more than the restoration of a rail carriage, it is the revival of a legacy that shaped the course of the 20th century.
“The South Devon Railway’s recommissioning of ‘Lydia’ ensures that this unique piece of global history is not only preserved but reanimated for a new generation.”
