Its plush seats were once graced by the likes of Sir Laurence Olivier and even the Queen, but decades have passed since the Brighton Belle last brought splendour to Britain’s railways.

Now, the celebrated London-to-Brighton train could be about to return after a team of enthusiasts raised £6 million to restore it to its former glory - with a few modern twists.

Four of the original carriages, which have been out of service since 1972, are being pampered for an expected return to the rails in 2020, offering passengers silver service for trips to the coast.

However, modern realities - uncomfortable as they may be - have also had to be taken into account, with seats widened from 19ins to 22ins to accommodate today’s plumper passenger.

Similarly designers have been forced to remove one of the four upholstered seats on either side of the aisle to widen walking space by 7ins since the Belle's 1950s heyday.

Gordon Rushton, a trustee of the 5BEL Trust, which has carried out the work, said: "If we had four seats across the carriage there wouldn't be enough room for people to eat comfortably.

"Also the standard British posterior has expanded somewhat over the last 40 years so that has been a factor in the seating change as well."