# Great train robbery 1963.



## phill.d (Sep 5, 2012)

I know they're are a lot of guys on here who also have an interest in the railways. I just thought I'd let you know there is a 5 part drama about the 1963 Great train robbery on T.V tonight.

The program is called 'Mr's Biggs' and the story is told from Ronnie Biggs wife point of view. The first part is to be screened tonight on ITV1 (5th September) at 9.00pm.

I've known about this programme for a while, one of my friends who collects old classic wagons was asked to provide some of his vehicles for the filming. 







This is his old Aec removal van they used, that truck is used regular for filming as a 'block vehicle' 
A block vehicle is basically a handy mobile, and quick way to hide modern day views they don't want to be seen in shot. How easy is that to park in front of a modern day shop to recreate a scene from the 50's and 60's?

They filmed the railway scenes on the East Lancashire Railway at Bury. 40135 (D335) was made up to portray the infamous D326 (40126) that was the actual locomotive at the head of the mail train on that fateful night in 1963.

The loco was withdrawn and scrapped in 1984, but the loco was always classed as a 'jinxed loco' by railwaymen. A lot of train crews were reluctant to drive it even into the 1980's. The loco even had a hand written sign in both cabs 'This is the great train robbery loco' The unlucky loco was involved in several crashes, deaths, as well as the Great train robbery during the 1960's.

Judge Justice Davies summing up the trial said 
''Anybody who has seen the nerve shattered engine driver can have no doubt of the terrifying effect on the law-abiding citizen, of a concerted assault by masked and armed robbers in lonely darkness"

Both train crew died within years of the robbery.
The 1988 train robbery film Buster starring Phil Colins wasn't shown in Crewe. Such was the ill feeling towards the criminals in the loco drivers Jack Mills home town, the local council elected not to allow the local cinema to show the film. 

It's an interesting story, and I documented it with some screen grabs here if anyone wants to read further.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/phill_dvsn/6869529989/in/photostream





The Bandit express-The great train robbery 1963! by phill.d, on Flickr


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## flyboys90 (Sep 5, 2012)

Yeah its looks like it will be a program.


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## Lil Moo (Sep 5, 2012)

I'm normally in bed by 9 haha but I set a series link at the weekend for this to record as it looks really interesting and I also like the actor/actress character choices


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## pablo73 (Sep 6, 2012)

i worked at a house where they hid out and were rumoured to have buried the money in the grounds,i never found it though!!
the garden had an amazing decaying statuary out the back lost of ponds and features slipping slowly into the soil


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## TK421 (Sep 7, 2012)

Nice one Phill, always good to see Mr Murphy's lorries too of course!


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## phill.d (Sep 7, 2012)

TK421 said:


> Nice one Phill, always good to see Mr Murphy's lorries too of course!


Oh yes, it's always good to play out in one of Johhny's old trucks.

This old beast has a Perkins V8 engine, you should hear it lol
http://www.flickr.com/photos/phill_dvsn/4738662163/


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