I remember The Brighton Belle. You could travel on it if you paid a supplement of 2/6d (twelve and half pence). Back in the late 1960s we would always use the The Belle if we could afford to. BR withdrew the service in 1972 much to the disappointment of many well heeled Brighton commuters, including Sir Laurence Olivier. During the last ten years of of the service, the famous Pullman cars that made up The Brighton Belle only ever recieved basic maintenance resulting in a rather uncomfortable ride. The waiters needed to be extra careful when pouring a glass of red wine or serving your soup. (Another napkin please waiter). You can still travel on a few of those famous Brighton Belle Pulman cars at the equally famous Bluebell Railway, However it will cost you a lot more than 2/6d. Thanks for the memory.

Hallo Dennis.Yes I well remember it. My late husband and I were at Brighton Station late at night, waiting to get home to Lewes. There was a great deal of activity causing our train to be late. I was expecting my first child so would put timing to about spring 1972. I was fortunate to have seen for myself once ,the luxury on board , due to my late mother refusing to stand, and insisting on staying where(the dining car) we were on a very crowded train, having been hurried in there by a very harrased guard. An eye opener seeing how the other half lived. Yes we did get to Brighton. If you had known my mum you would understand why.

Regarding the protest about breakfast kippers on the Brighton, this is absolute fact and was led by Laurence Olivier. The breakfast kippers were reinstated and on the first morning His Lordship boarded the Belle for London and ordered scrambled eggs.

Does anyone remember the Eastbourne Pullman that ran from Victoria to Eastbourne in the 50s? The interesting thing is that it used the spare rake of carriages from the Brighton Belle.

Hi Dennis, when I was a very young boy my grandfather Norman Wallage would take me for a trip from Brighton to Victoria for a treat for my birthday. I was a keen trainspotter in my younger years and nothing surpassed standing on Burgess Hill station and watching the Belle thunder past in its latter blue and white livery. I was treated to tea and toast and one year even a birthday cake was presented by the smartly dressed waiters. I am even fortunate enough to have an original as new copy of the Final Run Menu (not sure if the kippers were on it though!).

Hi Dennis. I well remember travelling on the "Brighton Belle" shortly after the war when we lived in Hove and my Dad worked in Shoreditch. The train always arrived on the dot of 9.00am and the breakfast was absolutely fantastic. I still remember it well to this day and I am now 82!