Meet Brian, a photographer from Rotterdam who has a knack for capturing pieces of history that are slowly slipping away, like the Grand Orient Express. This train used to scream luxury back in the day when it was rolled out by the Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits in 1883. There aren’t many of these beauties left on the planet. One got turned into a fancy hotel room on the Venice-Simplon Orient Express. The other one, which you’ll see in the photos below, has been sitting dormant in Belgium since its last adventure in December 2009.
Brian, the urban explorer and photographer, puts it like this: “When I step into an abandoned place, it’s like stepping into a time capsule. I try to soak up the history, the emotions, and that’s what I aim to bring out in my photos.” He breaks it down even further, “I feel like I’ve hit the mark when people look at my art and start asking questions like ‘what happened here?’ or ‘why did it end up like this?’.”
Remember the golden era of train travel? It was a time when the journey itself was just as important as the destination. Picture passengers kicking back in luxurious surroundings, watching the world go by outside the windows. The Orient Express, that legendary train that made its debut in 1883 between Paris and Istanbul (later adding more routes), became synonymous with not just luxury, but also a sense of mystery.
And speaking of mystery, let’s zoom in on that Grand Orient Express train that’s been abandoned for seven years in Belgium. The photos show a train that’s slowly crumbling, with worn-out seats and rusty ceilings, creating an eerie vibe that gives you goosebumps. Brian, our photographer friend, explains that this kind of spooky atmosphere is what he loves about abandoned places. He says, “Stepping into an abandoned spot feels like stepping back in time. I want to capture the emotions that history holds and let that shine in my photos.”
Now, not all Orient Express trains have met this abandoned fate. Take the Venice-Simplon Orient Express, for example. Every single compartment in this train has been restored to its former glory, bringing back one of the finest luxury travel experiences. These days, it’s a posh private train service that zips between London and Venice, and other European hotspots. It’s all about recreating the grandeur of the Orient Express – swanky cabins, top-notch food, and a seriously luxurious journey.
