Belmond's "Celia" Carriage: A Midsummer Night's Dream on Rails

Announced May 13, 2026, Belmond's new "Celia" carriage, a fantastical addition to the British Pullman, will soon embark on its inaugural journey. This bespoke dining car, conceptualized by director Baz Luhrmann and designer Catherine Martin, draws inspiration from a fictional actress named Celia. She's imagined as a West End star from the 1920s, renowned for her portrayal of Titania in Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, whose dazzling performance earned her this opulent Pullman gift from a mysterious patron, as Vogue Arabia reports.

Celia's train car is a tangible expression of Luhrmann and Martin's creative vision. "It’s a magical mystery carriage for Celia to dine in, throw parties, probably make out in the nooks and crannies," Luhrmann told Vogue Arabia, adding that in the 1920s, these would have been referred to as "stolen kisses in the shadows."

The carriage, designed for exclusive group bookings of up to 12 guests, maximizes its intimate proportions with thoughtful details. The bar area features a purple velvet sofa, while the marquetry walls showcase kaleidoscopic floral and fairy patterns. These intricate designs, crafted by A Dunn & Son, an Essex-based workshop with a history stretching back to the 19th century, are complemented by a dining room furnished with green and maroon scalloped chairs, framing views of the passing English landscape. Vogue Arabia notes the choice of hues echoes the ancient forests along the route.

Every element within the carriage was custom-made under Martin's direct oversight. Luhrmann, speaking to Vogue Arabia, expressed his partner's "natural attachment to craftspeople." Martin herself, as Vogue Arabia reports, described the car's transformation from a "derelict third-class carriage" into its current luxurious state. Components, from Norfolk-based Bill Cleyndert's custom furniture to Hand & Lock's embroideries, were fabricated across England before final assembly, which Martin likened to a "Meccano system."

The sensory experience is completed with a bespoke scent, subtly diffused in public areas and incorporated into bathroom amenities. "We wanted, when you come into the carriage, for you to feel the presence of Celia in an unseen way," Martin explained to Vogue Arabia.

Luhrmann and Martin's own extensive travel experiences deeply informed the project. Luhrmann, for instance, has a tradition of decompressing in far-flung destinations after film productions, including a journey on the Trans-Siberian Railway after Moulin Rouge! and exploring the South China Sea post-Elvis, as he recounted to Vogue Arabia.

The collaboration began when Gary Franklin, Belmond's Senior Vice President of Trains and Cruises, identified Luhrmann as a dream partner, subsequently extending an invitation for Luhrmann and his family to experience the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express.