Sixty years ago, Tim Littler launched his first rail tour and two decades later founded Golden Eagle Luxury Trains. In this exclusive interview with Karryon, he shares how he’s managed to create what is now the world-leading provider of all-inclusive luxury, long-distance rail voyages.
“Trains are a passion”, Littler says, “Trains were (and still are) a fascination for me since I was young. I’ve always been curious about the world, the places we read of in books that ignite our imaginations.
“I wanted to create a way that curious adventurers like me could unpack once, similar to a cruise, and watch the ever-changing scenery from the train’s windows.
“That’s the beauty of rail travel, following the contours of the countryside and exploring diverse cultures and destinations.”
At the tender age of just 15, Littler ran the Waverley Special from Manchester to Edinburgh with 350 passengers, stepping into a world typically dominated by seasoned professionals and long-established railway clubs.
In 1966, this was a bold and increasingly rare choice of route. Regular passenger services were in decline, and closure was looming, but he wasn’t one to give up.
“Following on after those early tours, I was also the owner of a fine wine company and had some wine-loving friends who suggested I could invite contacts and create a trip that had to be the best trip they had been on, and money was no object.
“I developed a four-day tour that was a complete success. Some of this group asked if I’d ever thought of running tours professionally, which of course, I had.
“That was the starting point for what eventually grew into the Golden Eagle Luxury Trains of today.”
Littler says his greatest achievement was opening up travel to all the countries of the former Soviet Union, especially the Trans-Siberian and Silk Road tours over 15 and 22 days.
“While the Trans-Siberian cannot currently run because of the conflict with Ukraine, the majority of the Silk Road tour is still available through incredible countries like Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, plus the section through China to Beijing.
“Our new China tours begin this year on a new train and have had an incredible response. In addition, it would also be running luxury rail tours to destinations where no one had ever gone before by rail.”
His hope for the future is one where we see even more luxury trains so more people can enjoy slow travel.
“The luxury rail segment is rapidly growing with several new trains coming to market in the next three years, including new Golden Eagle trains. I hope we do see more trains, new destinations, and an approach to luxury onboard which must be exceptional.
“We’re also seeing growth in suites on our trains, the latest of which take up 50 per cent of an entire carriage, making them more like an apartment on wheels.
“Countries are also getting on board, building more high-speed tracks, like China, for example. Before 2008, they had no high-speed rail. Today, they have more than 48,000 kilometres of high-speed rail, more than all the other high-speed rail networks of the world combined.
“My philosophy is creating journeys where no one has gone before – and there are so many possibilities.”
For more information, visit Golden Eagle Luxury Trains.
