Lunchtime Lecture: Agatha Christie and the Golden Age of Train Travel

“Trains have always been one of my favourite things,” declared Agatha Christie, and few writers made better use of their fascination with railways. From a Christmas Eve honeymoon in Torquay to journeys across Europe and the Middle East, trains carried Agatha through some of the most memorable chapters of her life, as well as into the pages of her most famous mysteries. Join Matt Newbury, Creative Director of the Agatha Christie Festival, for a journey back to the golden age of train travel. Discover the railway connections to Agatha’s extraordinary life, from her mysterious disappearance in 1926 to the Orient Express journey that introduced her to the world of Middle Eastern archaeology. Along the way, explore how her love of observing fellow passengers inspired some of crime fiction’s most unforgettable characters and settings, including Murder on the Orient Express , The Mystery of the Blue Train and 4.50 from Paddington . All aboard for a fascinating journey through Agatha Christie’s life, her writing and the golden age of the railways, when the journey itself was every bit as intriguing as the destination.