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The Great Train Robbery: Crime of the Century: The Definitive Account
£2.6 million stolen in 46 minutes, prison sentences totalling 378 years, 23 criminals, countless victims.
In the early hours of Thursday, 8 August 1963 at Sears Crossing near Cheddington in Buckinghamshire, £2.6 million (£45 million today) in unmarked £5, £1 and 10 shilling notes was stolen from the Glasgow to London mail train in a violent and daring raid which took forty-six minutes. Quickly dubbed 'the Crime of the Century', it has captured the imagination of the public and the world's media for fifty years, taking its place in British folklore. Ronnie Biggs, Bruce Reynolds and Buster Edwards became household names and their accounts have fed the myths and legends of 'The Great Train Robbery'.
But what really happened?
This definitive account dismantles the myths and strips away the sensational headlines to reveal a flawed, darker and more complex story. The crime, the police investigation, the trial, two escapes from high-security prisons, and an establishment under siege are all laid bare in astonishing detail for an epic tale of crime and punishment.
Fifty years later, here is the story set out in full for the first time -- a true-life crime thriller, and also a vivid slice of British social history.
In the early hours of Thursday, 8 August 1963 at Sears Crossing near Cheddington in Buckinghamshire, £2.6 million (£45 million today) in unmarked £5, £1 and 10 shilling notes was stolen from the Glasgow to London mail train in a violent and daring raid which took forty-six minutes. Quickly dubbed 'the Crime of the Century', it has captured the imagination of the public and the world's media for fifty years, taking its place in British folklore. Ronnie Biggs, Bruce Reynolds and Buster Edwards became household names and their accounts have fed the myths and legends of 'The Great Train Robbery'.
But what really happened?
This definitive account dismantles the myths and strips away the sensational headlines to reveal a flawed, darker and more complex story. The crime, the police investigation, the trial, two escapes from high-security prisons, and an establishment under siege are all laid bare in astonishing detail for an epic tale of crime and punishment.
Fifty years later, here is the story set out in full for the first time -- a true-life crime thriller, and also a vivid slice of British social history.
448 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
October 5, 2024
I always fancied myself as a gangster, probably even more than I wanted to be a cowboy, or James Bond. Maybe I watched too many Michael Caine and Bob Hoskins films growing up...
So the idea of a book about the Great Train Robbery really appealed to me. But this isn’t a romanticised, Robin Hood account. It’s a well researched history which peels away the mythology surrounding the robbery, and goes on to cover the subsequent police hunt, trials and escapes - complete with maps and detailed appendices.
The authors also provide plenty of interesting context on British society at the time, people’s attitudes, and how they might have influenced the trial and sentencing.
One thing that surprised me was the almost complete lack of thought the robbers put into what they would do after the robbery - other than maybe to buy a sports car...
However be warned - this is a very detailed account, sometimes too detailed for me, and in places I found the level of detail got in the way of a good tale (want to know not just the model, but also the number-plate of every car involved in the robbery and afterwards?).
On the whole, though, a decent page-turner.
So the idea of a book about the Great Train Robbery really appealed to me. But this isn’t a romanticised, Robin Hood account. It’s a well researched history which peels away the mythology surrounding the robbery, and goes on to cover the subsequent police hunt, trials and escapes - complete with maps and detailed appendices.
The authors also provide plenty of interesting context on British society at the time, people’s attitudes, and how they might have influenced the trial and sentencing.
One thing that surprised me was the almost complete lack of thought the robbers put into what they would do after the robbery - other than maybe to buy a sports car...
However be warned - this is a very detailed account, sometimes too detailed for me, and in places I found the level of detail got in the way of a good tale (want to know not just the model, but also the number-plate of every car involved in the robbery and afterwards?).
On the whole, though, a decent page-turner.
July 23, 2017
The Sex Pistols and Phil Collins maybe a somewhat odd starting point for this book review but in essence they part summed up my knowledge of the Great Train Robbery prior to reading this.
My first conscious memory of the robbery and robbers was in 1978 in relation to The Sex Pistols' album The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle where Ronnie Biggs "sang" on two tracks. The second was the film Buster where Phil Collins performs the role of Buster Edwards a rather loveable rogue who was another of the robbers.
This fine book by messrs Russell-Pavier and Richards doesn't mention Biggs and his time with the Pistols and nor does it paint a loveable picture of Edwards. Biggs was almost an add on who played only a small part in the robbery; Edwards was a rather violent criminal with form.
In some 300 pages, with many informative and detailed appendices and maps the authors provide a very good account of the robbery and the characters who took part in the guise of robber, police, victims and others who helped either the bandits (to use a sixties newspaper adjective) or the forces of the law.
The events including earlier criminal activities by some of the gang, including a raid on a British Overseas Air Corporation wages van at London Airport (Heathrow), and the planning are well covered as is the night of the robbery.
The research and attention to previous accounts and records available from various official and other sources helps paint this picture and helps dispel some myths, such as the gang were high-spirited rogues in a Robin Hood mould and that the robbery was not violent. Many of the gang had serious form having served sentences and a good number had or were known to use violence (Edwards being one). The attack on the train staff was also aggressive with not just the train driver Mills being assaulted but many in the High Value Packet coach (HVP), where the money packets and sacks were.
The actual operation seemed well planned but the book does clearly show that whilst successful the raid was subject to errors and a significant dose of good fortune. Building on this the gang's exit from the scene and their subsequent journey and stay at Leatherslade farm is well documented.
I was surprised at how poor the initial police response and actions were: slow to attend with just a couple of constables, delays in reporting to Scotland Yard, not securing the crime scene, and a disjointed approach to road closures and communications with other forces.
This almost amateur approach was added to when it is made clear to the reader that no one, not even the banks knew the value of the HVPs and the total monies on the train. Even more astonishing was the complete lack of security surrounding the money; either on the train itself or in the case of the Midland bank by not even insuring their (or rather their customers) property.
The authors create the story of the police investigation very well and the reader is introduced to some of London's finest and - in the 1960s - best known policemen. The hunt for the gang members is well covered. I was surprised at how they bugged out of their hide out in a panicky and very amateur fashion leaving signal evidence behind that ensured the convictions of most of the men. I say most as it was a surprise to me that some had gotten away and were never identified.
Once caught the process and the trial itself is riveting. I found the proceedings very well described and the days and days of hearings, evidence and legal tussling was informative and a pleasure to read. Following sentencing the book then covers the men who at the time of the trial remained at large such as Bruce Reynolds and Jimmy White, and who were to be captured and sent down later.
The book's final chapters cover the gang members lives in brief after release from prison or in the case of Charlie Wilson and Biggs their escapes and re-arrests.
Although most of the gang were caught and spent a period in prison, the recovery of the £2.6m was a different matter with only £400k ever recovered.
All in all a informative, highly readable account that provided me with not just the story of the greatest train robbery in British history but also a fascinating window into early 1960s Britain.
My first conscious memory of the robbery and robbers was in 1978 in relation to The Sex Pistols' album The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle where Ronnie Biggs "sang" on two tracks. The second was the film Buster where Phil Collins performs the role of Buster Edwards a rather loveable rogue who was another of the robbers.
This fine book by messrs Russell-Pavier and Richards doesn't mention Biggs and his time with the Pistols and nor does it paint a loveable picture of Edwards. Biggs was almost an add on who played only a small part in the robbery; Edwards was a rather violent criminal with form.
In some 300 pages, with many informative and detailed appendices and maps the authors provide a very good account of the robbery and the characters who took part in the guise of robber, police, victims and others who helped either the bandits (to use a sixties newspaper adjective) or the forces of the law.
The events including earlier criminal activities by some of the gang, including a raid on a British Overseas Air Corporation wages van at London Airport (Heathrow), and the planning are well covered as is the night of the robbery.
The research and attention to previous accounts and records available from various official and other sources helps paint this picture and helps dispel some myths, such as the gang were high-spirited rogues in a Robin Hood mould and that the robbery was not violent. Many of the gang had serious form having served sentences and a good number had or were known to use violence (Edwards being one). The attack on the train staff was also aggressive with not just the train driver Mills being assaulted but many in the High Value Packet coach (HVP), where the money packets and sacks were.
The actual operation seemed well planned but the book does clearly show that whilst successful the raid was subject to errors and a significant dose of good fortune. Building on this the gang's exit from the scene and their subsequent journey and stay at Leatherslade farm is well documented.
I was surprised at how poor the initial police response and actions were: slow to attend with just a couple of constables, delays in reporting to Scotland Yard, not securing the crime scene, and a disjointed approach to road closures and communications with other forces.
This almost amateur approach was added to when it is made clear to the reader that no one, not even the banks knew the value of the HVPs and the total monies on the train. Even more astonishing was the complete lack of security surrounding the money; either on the train itself or in the case of the Midland bank by not even insuring their (or rather their customers) property.
The authors create the story of the police investigation very well and the reader is introduced to some of London's finest and - in the 1960s - best known policemen. The hunt for the gang members is well covered. I was surprised at how they bugged out of their hide out in a panicky and very amateur fashion leaving signal evidence behind that ensured the convictions of most of the men. I say most as it was a surprise to me that some had gotten away and were never identified.
Once caught the process and the trial itself is riveting. I found the proceedings very well described and the days and days of hearings, evidence and legal tussling was informative and a pleasure to read. Following sentencing the book then covers the men who at the time of the trial remained at large such as Bruce Reynolds and Jimmy White, and who were to be captured and sent down later.
The book's final chapters cover the gang members lives in brief after release from prison or in the case of Charlie Wilson and Biggs their escapes and re-arrests.
Although most of the gang were caught and spent a period in prison, the recovery of the £2.6m was a different matter with only £400k ever recovered.
All in all a informative, highly readable account that provided me with not just the story of the greatest train robbery in British history but also a fascinating window into early 1960s Britain.
August 8, 2015
The Great Train Robbery is a crime that a lot of people, even those born well after the event, think they know a lot about. This book goes behind the headlines to tell the story in full from the robbery itself to the police investigation, the trials and beyond.
It also provides an absorbing account of the attitudes and mores of British society at the time. Occasionally it gets a little bogged down in minutiae but given the scale of the undertaking I think that can be forgiven.
What struck me time and again was how sometimes the smallest of decisions taken in a split second led to consequences well beyond anything that could have been imagined.
It also provides an absorbing account of the attitudes and mores of British society at the time. Occasionally it gets a little bogged down in minutiae but given the scale of the undertaking I think that can be forgiven.
What struck me time and again was how sometimes the smallest of decisions taken in a split second led to consequences well beyond anything that could have been imagined.
June 30, 2019
Writers and producers Nick Russell-Pavier and Stewart Richards have put together a fairly definitive account of the 1963 robbery of a British mail train, which became known as The Great Train Robbery. Sorting through the many myths, lies, legends, published, film accounts and rumours and trying to arrive at the provable facts can't have been an easy job but they seem to have done it. This reading was inspired by a recent watch of the film Robbery, starring Stanley Baker, which I'd wanted to see again for years, and which was recently re-released on Blu Ray. It made me wonder about the actual facts of the case and satisfied that urge. A compelling historical read. - BH.
September 22, 2025
Shortly after 3am on the 8th of August 1963 near Cheddington in Buckinghamshire, a gang of villains stole £2.6 million from the Glasgow to London mail train in a daring robbery. The names of some members of the gang have become synonymous with the legend that has grown up around the infamous raid including Ronnie Biggs, Bruce Reynolds and Buster Edwards. They have all given various accounts of what happened on that night in 1963, but which version is the truth?
Film and TV versions of the Great Train Robbery have depicted contrasting accounts of the events leading up to and following the robbery, but this is the first book that delves into all the different versions in a bid to tell the story of what really happened. The level of detail in the book is phenomenal, not only digging into the lives of the protagonists and their crimes but in setting the scene in a Britain where most people smoked, worked a 48-hour week and were forced to save what little money they earned for the things they wanted in life.
At times, the story goes off on a bit of a tangent detailing events and individuals who aren’t necessarily relevant to the story, but which all add a level of background that assists the reader in understanding the motivations behind the robbery. It does seem that the gang, who appeared to have carried out a meticulously planned crime, made a series of fatal errors, not least of which was their stupidity in leaving vehicles, mailbags, army uniforms and a fingerprint-spotted Monopoly board at their hideout at Leatherslade Farm. The substantial appendix at the end of the book provides additional detail relating to the gang members, the police investigation, the vehicles used in the raid and even a list of the food the gang left behind at farm.
A meticulous and absorbing account of what was at the time considered to be the crime of the century.
Film and TV versions of the Great Train Robbery have depicted contrasting accounts of the events leading up to and following the robbery, but this is the first book that delves into all the different versions in a bid to tell the story of what really happened. The level of detail in the book is phenomenal, not only digging into the lives of the protagonists and their crimes but in setting the scene in a Britain where most people smoked, worked a 48-hour week and were forced to save what little money they earned for the things they wanted in life.
At times, the story goes off on a bit of a tangent detailing events and individuals who aren’t necessarily relevant to the story, but which all add a level of background that assists the reader in understanding the motivations behind the robbery. It does seem that the gang, who appeared to have carried out a meticulously planned crime, made a series of fatal errors, not least of which was their stupidity in leaving vehicles, mailbags, army uniforms and a fingerprint-spotted Monopoly board at their hideout at Leatherslade Farm. The substantial appendix at the end of the book provides additional detail relating to the gang members, the police investigation, the vehicles used in the raid and even a list of the food the gang left behind at farm.
A meticulous and absorbing account of what was at the time considered to be the crime of the century.
October 12, 2021
One of the things that I like the most about reading is to be pleasantly surprised, and this book has really made it. Last 8th August, while reading a local newspaper, I came across some piece of news about a former English criminal (Gordon Goody) who came to live here in the 70's after being released from jail. The paper told the story of Goody in Spain, how he opened a bar on the beach and made himself a respectful Englishman among local people. But it also gave a brief account of how he, and Bruce Reynolds, led a gang of London criminals who brained and executed the robbery of a night mail train in England in the early 60's loaded with a lot of money (a loot worth 45 million euros today!). I do not know what it was, if it was the old style robbery, the black and white pictures, the worth of the loot, the amount of people involved, the extensive police investigation, the complex trial or my keen mind avid for stories like this, but that immediately piqued my interest and I could not resist searching on the web for more information. That is how this book show up in front of me, with the promise of telling me all this and more... And... wow... It did not let me down. Although I am not a native English speaker, I can say that it is very well written, easy to understand and very, very, very detailed (see, for example, the chapter about yellow paint on Goody's shoes). It shows clearly what's a fact, supported by evidence, and what`s not, only conjecture. This edition shows pictures of all members of the gang, police detectives and all main actors in the story, as well as places and evidence. There are also maps that help you place the account of incidents that took place in this story. I highly recommend the reading of this book.
November 4, 2019
Now this was certainly a good book for me to read. As a boy I remember the Great Train Robbery and watching all the news about it and of how it was such a huge crime of its day. Over the years I also saw how some of the criminals became infamous characters like Biggs and Buster Edwards. I became engrossed in this book and learned more of the crime and all the characters and the book has great detail of it all. It was a daring crime for its day and the senior police characters were certainly unique compared to those of today’s era and having been in that line of work (Police not robbery!!) it fascinated me to read all of this. I have purchased another book on the crime and look forward to digging deeper into this historic crime of note. Highly recommended book to read.
August 8, 2017
Great book, and fantastic insight into the crime of the century. Really detailed and gives you a look into the lives of the criminals. Great read.
August 27, 2023
The best and most detailed account of the robbery that has been written.
July 25, 2024
the mini-series is better but i <3 robbers
September 10, 2013
A very interesting and full account of the robbery, the aftermath and also prior to the crime being committed. There is not very much information about specific members of the gang, but I guess if that's what you're looking for, there are plenty other biogs etc to choose from. Worth a read if you are interested in this particular crime and/or true crime in general.
January 10, 2014
Have read a few related books over the years and found this book to be very detailed and quite good at explaining certain train robbery myths.
Sometimes the book is a little disjointed in its layout but would recommend to others.
Very good
Sometimes the book is a little disjointed in its layout but would recommend to others.
Very good
February 18, 2014
A very in depth account of the train robbery, sometimes a little too in depth which make the book rather hard going in places.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews