Opening till June 13 2021, this pop-up attraction features the popular Orient Express train located in Gardens by the Bay. This attraction, Once Upon A Time on The Orient Express, features two original 1930 train carriages, shipped all the way from France. This exhibition in Singapore is its first destination outside of France and is filled with original artefacts and rich history. Marvel at the beauty of the Orient Express right here in Singapore as you learn more about this train and how it became so popular.
Not sure what to expect? We have gotten the luxury to experience this attraction for ourselves and we bring our insights to you on this unique exhibition.
Note: It might be extremely tempting to touch any artefacts from the carriages or exhibits, but please refrain from doing so! Remember to adhere to safe distancing regulations as well when exploring the attraction.
History of the Luxury Railway Service
For those who have not heard of this train, the Orient Express is a passenger train created in 1883 with multiple routes starting from Paris and Constantinople (Istanbul). While travelling was known as rough and dangerous at that time, the Orient Express showedforth luxury and comfort.
This train was first envisioned by Georges Nagelmackers as he wanted “a train that would span a continent, running on a continuous ribbon of metal for more than 1,500 miles” as stated by E.H. Cookridge in his book titled Orient Express: The Life and Times of the World’s Most Famous Train. This train slowly became a symbol of the art of travel, as the world’s first international express. Nagelmackers was known as being ahead of his time as he used unique ways to market his train. The Orient Express included packages such as hotel deals that came along with the train service giving incentives to passengers taking the train. Over the years, the Orient Express became one for Europe’s wealthy and high-born as it came to be called “the King of Trains and the Train of Kings”.
Behind the Scenes
While the Orient Express has stopped running for a few years now, this exhibition, with original carriages and artefacts, have been sitting in Paris since 2014 with SIngapore being specifically chosen as the train’s first pop-up destination outside France. The train carriages first set sail from Paris to Singapore on November 1 with it arriving 2 days later. According to this show’s curator, Claude Mollard, this original locomotive and two carriages had to be housed in a custom-built infrastructure to protect its displays from Singapore’s hot and humid weather.
“Designing and staging a display like the Orient Express in Singapore meant collecting around 300 precious items and documents, having to restore some of them and adapt many of the furniture and displays to its former glory. It involved shipping historic monuments – a locomotive built in France 158 years ago and a 1930s sleeper car, weighing close to 200 tonnes, it is undoubtedly one of the heaviest to be shipped across the world,” Mollard states.
Entrance - Before Entering the Train Carriages
The entrance of this exhibition was created to replicate what a train station would look like back in the 1880s. Upon stepping into this exhibition, even before entering the train, you will be fully immersed in this experience of what it is like onboarding a train during that time. Throughout your experience, you will also be able to hear the sounds of the train as it “moves”.
Capture Glimpses of Famous Figures' Train Journey
Stepping into the Pullman carriage, you will notice seating areas embellished with various objects; from champagne bottles to matchboxes, creating a realistic scene of passengers carrying out their own activities. To provide a comfortable travel experience for commuters, carriages are beautifully furnished with pink chairs and comfy cushions.
On the tables, you may notice newspapers of different languages - Arabic, Italian and more, catering to passengers who speak different languages.
One newspaper that may catch your eye is the one with the huge headline on the first page ‘We Are At War With Germany’. With a digital video clip inserted at the side, you can capture a brief view of what happened back in the days. We could also tell from this, that Orient Express operated before World War I.
Did you know that the Orient Express had many famous figures travel onboard in the past? From Agatha Chrisite, the author of the Murder of the Orient Express to her second husband, Max Mallowan, many renowned people were regulars of the railway service. If you spot a typewriter in the carriage, you are looking at that of Graham Greene’s, a prominent author back then. He often brings it along on rides, jotting down wonderful stories when his creative juices flow. But fun fact, he was actually rumoured to be the lover of Agatha Christie, the author of the Murder of the Orient Express!
Ever heard of Pierre Loti? Don’t be confused by his Turkish dressing because he is actually French! He is a well-known politician who had taken the Orient Express back then to leave Istanbul, a city he knew at the back of his hands.
Fourgon Car
Down here at the exhibition, you will also see the interior and designs of a fourgon car - wagon used to carry luggage or cargo. Key highlights of this carriage include the replica of Agatha Christie’s carriage space, and a mockup of the famous scene from Murder on The Orient Express!
At Agatha Christie’s corner, you will see a replica of her journal as well as items she often brought along on the journey. Legend has it that she started taking the Orient Express because of Max Mallowan, as she wanted to find him in Iran. This is where she was inspired to write her novel!
For those who have caught the film Murder on the Orient Express, you may recall the scene of the 15 stab wounds. Look out for the replica of this famous scene.
Georges Nagelmackers and His Scale Models
Aren’t you also curious, who was the person behind the invention of the famous Orient Express? Down at one of the particular exhibits, learn how George Nagelmackers, founder of the Orient Express overcame different obstacles on his journey of designing the railway service. It was actually said that his inspiration stemmed from how he was forced to leave his company and sent away by his family after getting into trouble.
If you were wondering, then where does the aforementioned pullman carriages and fourgon cars fit in the whole train structure? The former is typically found at the front and back of the train, whereas the latter is in the middle! Before the actual construction of the train, scale models and blueprints of course have to be drafted. Check them out here!
You can also read the timeline to see milestones achieved that led to its latest version of the train!
Antiques Collection Displays
This section was personally one of my favourite exhibits! Down here, you will be awed by the different artefacts conserved from those days. From tea cups to Louis Vuitton trunks, the wide array of antiques displays offered is amazing.
Back then, the size of the trunks passengers brought with them was often an indicator of how wealthy they were! The bigger (and of course, more branded) it was, the richer others would think you were. With luxury, it was also all about customisation. Check out custom made Louis Vuitton trunks of passengers!
You will also come across a beautifully crafted symbol, which is the Orient Express’ logo. It is made of real silver to uphold its standard of luxury back in the days. This symbol could also be found in the carriages and what is unique about it, is it is not only a window, but also a source of ventilation and art deco! Located in the same glass display as the symbol, you can also see cool antiques and uniforms of butlers.
To reach out to a wider audience back in those days, Georges strategically rolled out many marketing materials. They were in the form of posters, magazines as well as travel packages! If you walk down the exhibit, you will see eye-catching colourful posters detailing various destinations of the train. Orient Express first started out with one route, and soon developed four other pathways as it continued to grow!
Many works inspired by the railway service were created. There was the Murder on the Orient Express, Seven Percent movie as well as various novels and music.
As evident from the menus, newspapers and guidebooks which were written in various languages, the Eastern people definitely travelled with the Orient Express a lot. Come down to find out for yourself which countries from the East side had an influence on the railway service!
Pop-up Restaurant by Chef with Three Michelin Stars
This restaurant, next to the exhibition, serves up lavish cuisine by Three Michelin Starred Chef Yannick Alléno. This unique restaurant is a replica of an Anatolia dining car filled with details from the past. This restaurant replicates how a luxurious Orient Express would be like, including the music, interior decorations and even the chairs.
Currently this restaurant is only open for high tea ($78++) with intention to officially open for a full dining experience for lunch, brunch and dinner around the Christmas period. Their high tea menu offers multiple parisian pastries, including Caviar Lime Madeleines and Golden Profiteroles.
This restaurant is purely restricted to diners with reservations only.
Parisian Carriage Cafe
Unlike the restaurant, reservations are not needed when entering the cafe. Their cafe serves an array of food from sandwiches to afternoon tea sets. One of their best sellers is their afternoon tea set ($32++) which consists of mini sandwiches, mini Parisian desserts and a hot drink.
These dishes in the cafe are also created by Chef Yannick Alléno, with intention to conceptualise the menu with more local tastes. Try one of his unique pastries, his Sweet Beer Tart, which have been said to taste like kaya and nothing like beer!
Grab Souvenirs From the Merchandise Store
Also open to the public, their gift shop is filled with multiple unique souvenirs for both adults and children. They offer unique “orient express'' scarfs and fans, as well as stamps and water bottles for children. While visiting this exhibition, be sure to check the gift shop out and get some unique pieces for yourself or your loved ones.
Overall, this experience was definitely a unique one and definitely worth going for. Relive the days of the Orient Express as you travel through the tram and showrooms showing the journey and history of this train. This exhibition is filled with clips and original artefacts found from the train itself — from stained glass windows to luxuriously gold bathroom handles.
Written by: Amanda Goh and Xiao Shyan Tan
