East Bristol Auctions
Lot 10
The Great Train Robbery - an original chrome headlight surround from the get-away Austin Loadster Truck / Lorry used by The Great Train Robbers. The Austin was hastily hand painted yellow so as to disguise its real appearance and make it look like a military truck, which the robbers believed wouldn't be stopped. The truck was also modified with a secret compartment in order to carry away the three tonne mailbags of cash. The headlight rim of usual form, and retaining some remnants of the yellow camouflage paint. Later autographed by Robbers Bruce Reynolds (1931-2013) and Ronnie Biggs (1929-2013) in black ink, both autographs obtained personally by the original owner. An important piece of Great Train Robbery history. Diameter (adjustable) approx; 20cm.
The Great Train Robbery was the robbery of £2.6 million from a Royal Mail train heading from Glasgow to London on the West Coast Main Line in the early hours of 8 August 1963, at Bridego Railway Bridge, Ledburn, near Mentmore in Buckinghamshire, England. After tampering with the lineside signals in order to bring the train to a halt, a gang of fifteen, led by Bruce Reynolds, attacked the train. Other gang members included Gordon Goody, Buster Edwards, Charlie Wilson, Roy James, John Daly, Danny Pembroke, Jimmy White, Ronnie Biggs, Tommy Wisbey, Jim Hussey, Bob Welch and Roger Cordrey, as well as three men known only as numbers "1", "2" and "3". A 16th man, an unnamed retired train driver, was also present. With careful planning based on inside information from an individual known as "The Ulsterman" (erroneously named as Patrick McKenna in 2014), the robbers escaped with over £2.6 million (equivalent to £53.5 million today). The bulk of the stolen money was never recovered. Though the gang did not use any firearms, Jack Mills, the train driver, was beaten over the head with a metal bar. Mills' injuries were severe enough to end his career. After the robbery, the gang hid at Leatherslade Farm and famously used the money in a game of Monopoly - unwittingly incriminating themselves whilst doing so as the Monopoly set was used to garner finger prints of the suspects and was instrumental in the Police arresting most of the gang. The ringleaders were sentenced to 30 years in jail.
