This iconic UK train just got a Baz Luhrmann makeover

Celia Carriage on The British Pullman, A Belmond Train

BY Eleanor Edström

Last updated . 14 May 2026

The British Pullman, A Belmond Train, has revelaed a cinematic new dining carriage designed by beloved filmmaker Baz Luhrmann and Oscar-winning costume and production designer Catherine Martin.

If Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream were reimagined as a Baz Luhrmann film, its setting might very well take place in a sumptuous railcar. But there’s no need to imagine. Celia, a new private dining and events carriage, has officially launched aboard the iconic British Pullman, A Belmond Train, carrying guests through bucolic English countryside with theatrical flair.

Exquisitely crafted and endlessly creative, Belmond’s Celia is set within an original 1932 Pullman carriage where a whimsical world inspired by vintage 1930s theatre and Shakespearean romance awaits. The 12-guest carriage has its own cocktail bar, lounge, and dining and entertainment area, offering a dream-like setting for private dining and intimate events.

The design concept behind Celia

The dining carriage was designed by Baz Luhrmann and Catherine Martin. (Credit: Ludovic Balay)

Co-designed by world-renowned Australian filmmaker Baz Luhrmann and Oscar-winning costume and production designer Catherine Martin, the carriage is a playful, meta-fictional space nodding to London’s 1930s West End theatre and Shakespeare’s famous A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The design concept follows the narrative of Celia, a fictional West End muse dreamt up by Luhrmann, who was gifted her own Pullman Car in 1932 in honour of her brilliant performance playing Titania, Queen of the Fairies, in A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

celia carriage british pullman baz luhrmann

Baz Luhrmann’s distinct design style can be felt throughout the carriage. (Credit: Hugh Stewart)

“Stepping inside the carriage is like being transported into another world, and one in which guests are invited to become part of the story,” Luhrmann commented. “Celia, at its heart, is a magical mystery tour – a travelling dining experience for friends or an intimate celebration, filled with food, music, wine, laughter and performance. All of this unfolds as you drift through the countryside, feeling as though you’ve stepped inside A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”

: Ruby-red curtains inspired by theatre add to the ambience. (Credit: Ludovic Balay)

: Soak up views of the rolling English countryside from plush purple couches. (Credit: Ludovic Balay)

: Design details seamlessly flow into the bathroom space. (Credit: Ludovic Balay)

“Celia gives travellers the rare opportunity to inhabit the nostalgia of another era,” Catherine Martin says. “Onboard I imagine people eating, dancing and falling in love, taking photographs, celebrating life’s great moments and adventures – all within a world that offers a pause from the chaos of everyday life.”

The style of the Celia carriage

Whimsy can be found in intricate details throughout the carriage. (Credit: Ludovic Balay)

Luhrmann and Martin have painstakingly integrated details of Celia’s life, Shakespeare’s play and the British countryside into the carriage’s sumptuous design – all while imbuing it with their extravagant signature styles. Elaborate fabric over custom timber parquetry graces the ceiling, while heavy theatre-style curtains create an element of cinema and surprise. Celia’s interiors also feature floral motifs, oak-wood marquetry and velvet upholstered furniture, all woven together by a palette of deep greens, yellows, reds and purples.

To honour The British Pullman’s heritage of British craftsmanship, Luhrmann and Martin worked extensively with British artisans including marquetry experts Dunn & Son, bespoke furniture designer Bill Cleyndert and embroiders Hand and Lock.

What can guests of Celia carriage expect onboard?

Dedicated stewards serve cocktails and champagne to guests. (Credit: Ludovic Balay)

Celia offers up to 12 guests at a time the opportunity to journey through bucolic countryside in a self-contained private carriage with dedicated stewards. Travellers will depart from London’s Victoria Station and be able to personalise their onboard and offboard experiences, with a private chef available to design custom menus on request.

Depending on guests’ wishes, the carriage can morph into a theatrical space for performances, a dance floor or a haven for elegant dinners and bespoke cocktail hours – guests are invited to let their imagination lead the way, as Luhrmann and Martin have done.