British Train Robbery - 8 August 1963 (merged posts)

[whole diary]

[bobm]

Today (8th July) marks the 50th anniversary of the Great Train Robbery.

Much of the story has been told many times, but there is an interesting five page article in the August issue of The Railway Magazine.  I hadn't realised that the official name of the bridge where the loot was unloaded has been renamed "Train Robbers Bridge" and appears on the official plates advising what people should do in the event of a bridge strike.  I am not sure I agree with the renaming, and neither does the article's author.

There is also a documentary on BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) Radio 4 on Saturday (13th) at 8pm as part of the Archive on 4 Series.

The event certainly made headlines around the world but we should never forget the injuries suffered by Driver Mills and Fireman Whitby.  Both were never the same again and by 1972 - less than ten years after the incident - both were dead.  Whitby was only 34 when he died, Mills was 65.

[broadgage]

Agree, not something to glory in, in view of the serious injuries received by the crew, but no harm in factual and respectful reporting and remembering.

IIRC^▸ (if I recall/remember/read correctly) was there not a proposal to make a film about the crime, and BR^▸ (British Rail(ways)) declined to assist in view of the injuries received by the crew ?

[JayMac]

Both 'Robbery' (1967 starring Stanley Baker, loosely based) and 'Buster' (1988) used British Rail locations for establishing shots at stations and suchlike, but I'm not sure that either of the actual robbery scenes were filmed on BR^▸ (British Rail(ways)) metals.

Certainly in the case of 'Buster', the robbery scene was filmed on the Great Central Railway.

[bobm]

According to the Railway Magazine the 1967 film used the Market Harborough to Rugby line.  Meanwhile IMDb says Marylebone stood in for Glasgow Central....

[JayMac]

the 1967 film used the Market Harborough to Rugby line. 

Which may have already been closed, if filming was after June 1966.

[bobm]

Pleased to note that, according to the latest Railway Magazine, Network Rail has decided to change the name of Train Robbers Bridge to Mentmore Bridge.

[JayMac]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

The Great Train Robbery has been re-created in miniature by a group of model railway enthusiasts.

A spokesman said Luton Model Railway Club did not condone what happened that fateful night

Built by the Luton Model Railway Club, the diorama depicts the night in August 1963 when a gang of robbers stole ^2.6m from a night train in Buckinghamshire.

Scenes depicted include bags of cash being unloaded from a carriage and the robbers making off with their swag.

The club said it did not condone what happened, but felt the infamous heist would "make an interesting display".

'Part of the national consciousness'

It was at 03:00 BST on 8 August that the train travelling between Glasgow and London Euston was stopped by the gang on a bridge between Linslade and Cheddington.

They broke into the High Value Package coach and made off with 120 mailbags weighing about two and a half tonnes stuffed with ^2.6m in used banknotes (about ^41m in today's money).

The diorama was created using the 'O' Gauge 7mm finescale model

The model railway enthusiasts were inspired by last year's 50th anniversary of the infamous raid, and it took them a year to complete their homage.

Nigel Adams, from the club, said: "We do not condone the actions of the event, but it is a fact that the Great Train Robbery has become a part of the national consciousness for many people over a certain age.

"We have tried to portray this event in a sensitive way, taking due regard for the injuries sustained by the locomotive crew on the night."

The diorama features sound and lighting effects "to portray the account of the event", said Mr Adams.

"There are 15 figures on the display, although we have taken care to present them as just that - figures on a model.

"We do not identify any 'personalities' due to the sensitive nature of the subject."

The historical reconstruction, which includes a commentary, will be on display at Stopsley High School, Luton on Saturday and at the National Festival of Railway Modelling in Peterborough in October.

More images of the diorama with the BBC item.

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

Great Train Robbery memorabilia sold at auction


The sale demonstrated the "enduring appeal" of the robbery, said auctioneer Jonathan Humbert

Monopoly money used by the Great Train Robbers as they lay low in the aftermath of the raid has been sold at auction, along with various other items associated with the infamous heist.

The money, used in a game played while the gang was holed up at a remote farm near Aylesbury, made over ^400.

A watch worn by Ronnie Biggs during the 1963 raid went for ^900, while a ^1 note taken by the robbers fetched ^750.

They were among dozens of lots sold, fetching a total of about ^20,000.

An ignition key and petrol caps from getaway vehicles and a length of wire used to alter railway signals were among other items sold to various buyers in the UK^▸ (United Kingdom), America and Japan.

Jonathan Humbert, of J P Humbert Auctioneers in Towcester, Northamptonshire, said the sale demonstrated "the enduring appeal of this most audacious robbery".

Bruce Reynolds planned the attack, at Mentmore Bridge in Buckinghamshire, on an overnight mail train travelling from Glasgow to London on 8 August 1963.

The gang of 15 wearing helmets and ski masks made off with ^2.6m in used banknotes - worth some ^40m today - a then-record haul.

Train driver Jack Mills was struck over the head during the robbery and never worked again. He died in 1970.

Reynolds evaded capture for five years but eventually spent 10 years in jail. He died in February 2013.

Biggs, who died aged 84 in December 2013, was jailed for 25 years but escaped from prison in 1965 and fled to Australia and then Brazil. He eventually returned to the UK to serve out his sentence.


The ^2.6m haul of used banknotes was stolen in 30 minutes

[bobm]

I must admit I feel a little uncomfortable about people profiting from this.

[JayMac]

Yep.

What happened to the 'Chance' and 'Community Chest' cards? Particularly the 'Go to jail. Move directly to jail. Do not pass Go. Do not collect ^200' ones?

[Tim]

I must admit I feel a little uncomfortable about people profiting from this.

Me too.  Nothing wrong with interest in what was, after all, a significant crime.  But as with the Kray brothers, the lionising of the thugs involved make me feel uncomfortable too.  (why is it always London criminals treated like that?) 

Ultimately the gang were insufficiently punished for a nasty crime which cost an innocent train driver his health and happiness and the fact that they never showed any regrets or empathy with the victim.

[infoman]

by Ian Boskett
Tuesday 9th may 2023 BAWA club 589 Southmead Road, Filton, BRISTOL, BS34 7RG 19:30 for 19:45 and all are welcome.

[grahame]

Preparing for the 60th anniversary of the Great Train Robbery on 8th August 1963 ... came across this modern day equivalent from today's Daily Record

Two teens accused of trying to steal mail from a Royal Mail train near Lockerbie
Officers for the British Transport Police said a signal box had also been damaged which forced the closure of the West Coast Main Line between Lockerbie and Carlisle for several hours.

Two isolated incidents, or are mail train robberies a daily thing?

[Electric train]

Preparing for the 60th anniversary of the Great Train Robbery on 8th August 1963 ...

Should I warn Thames Valley Police to be on the lookout for a suspicious  character from Wiltshire hanging around Train Robber Bridge in Buckinghamshire ? 

came across this modern day equivalent from today's Daily Record

Two teens accused of trying to steal mail from a Royal Mail train near Lockerbie
Officers for the British Transport Police said a signal box had also been damaged which forced the closure of the West Coast Main Line between Lockerbie and Carlisle for several hours.

Two isolated incidents, or are mail train robberies a daily thing?

I do not think so, there are not that many Royal Mail trains running today and certainly Royal Mail is not carried on regular passenger trains like it used to be.  If this type of crime was common place it would be all over the media and would be headlines in the Dail fail and Daily excuse as a public outrage

[grahame]

Preparing for the 60th anniversary of the Great Train Robbery on 8th August 1963 ...

Should I warn Thames Valley Police to be on the lookout for a suspicious  character from Wiltshire hanging around Train Robber Bridge in Buckinghamshire ? 

Nah - but your could  bring this to their attention: http://www.passenger.chat/foss8.html