How to successfully rob a train (and get caught) - Great Train Robbery 1963

In this feature length spectacular, we take a look at the Great Train Robbery of 1963.
Music used, Cowboy Bebop OST:
TANK!: • Tank!
Too Good Too Bad: • Too Good Too Bad
Piano Black: • Piano Black
Spokey Dokey: • Spokey Dokey
Cat Blues: • Cat Blues
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This video falls under the fair use act of 1976
All images used belong to their respective owners This video is available to use under the appropriate Creative Commons Licence.
Any images used that fall under any Creative Commons Licence belong to their respective owners.

[@TrainFactGuy]

Fun Fact: This video is NOT monetized! I am making NOTHING from this video "Why leave it up if you're not making money?" - Because it took a lot of effort to make and I'll be damned if I'm going to change it If you want to support me in a more direct way, feel free to drop a tip: paypal.me/TwiceBrokenLeg?country.x=GB&locale.x=en_GB

[@MidlandProductions]

can you do a video about, VGN Class SA No. 4?

[@SalmanMentos]

Sorry i dont have money The thing i can is watch your videos

[@GreatWestern5199]

And that kind of passionate commitment is why I subscribed a while back. Thank you!

[@igninis]

@@GreatWestern5199 but that is the case with his videos, you can tell that they are done out of passion and not for gains

[@Jake_Josh]

I still got advertisements… DARN IT KZbin!!!

[@brenlc1412]

Okay, but playing Monopoly with real stolen money is the most 'criminal' thing I've ever heard.

[@kingofthepod5169]

I saw that in a Batman film once, wonder if this was the inspiration.

[@kevwebb2637]

Yet, it's not the first time that real money was used in Monopoly, the first time was in the Second World War.

[@SaltyVan]

Double swag

[@ieuanbriers]

I bet they still argued over who was to be the car.

[@EdgyShooter]

All fun and games till you land on a Mayfair hotel and have to pay your entire share

[@TankEngine97]

Probably the most infamous railway event ever. I've always wondered what happened to the robbers. Being caught and arrested is pretty obvious but afterwards is always the curious bit. Moral of the story: Crime doesn't pay.

[@zacharyrollick6169]

Except for the ones that got away.

[@joaqu7002]

Many ended up in prison, some ended up in drug trade

[@guardezio]

Loving the Cowboy Bebop aesthetic. Brilliantly researched and masterfully told. Awesome work!

[@winarniwiwin4602]

Wait, I thought people hate cowboy bebop including live-action have been cancelled month half ago

[@cabbagecabbage5047]

@@winarniwiwin4602 I think people hate the live action, not the original.

[@srgntsylveon2919]

@@winarniwiwin4602 we only hate the live action adaptation for being shit, the original anime is fire

[@batman51]

Whilst the driver "problem" may have been amusing, it was no fun for the driver Jim Mills who never recovered fully from the beating.

[@chewyfoks1840]

No, he was killed by the robbers. But hey, no likes to be had there eh?

[@telmas7183]

Driver Jack Mills and the Second man was David Whitby, both Crewe men. David died at the age of 34.

[@patrickmartin3322]

@@chewyfoks1840I mean he was killed before he could fully recover from the beating, so it’s technically not wrong

[@Wilge_Zomer]

The production quality on this is insane, do you think you could keep this up in the future? Or would you need an editor for that

[@GreatWestern5199]

Fantastic! I remember reading about a phone call made between some railway personnel shortly after this had happened. One man told the other that a postal train had been stopped and robbed, and the other responded with "This is Buckinghamshire, not the Wild West! There are no cowboys or Jessie James!" Also the video title is missing a word, just to let you know ;)

[@EdwardsDayOut]

I think that’s intentional

[@GreatWestern5199]

@@EdwardsDayOut Could be. Better to say it anyways lol

[@lloydi]

If you want to see the lorry used for the robbery it's now preserved in the 1950s museum in Denbigh

[@sirrliv]

Proof that every heist video is improved by the Cowboy Bebop soundtrack. Seriously though, bloody well done.

[@nerdycass5272]

What’s sad is that the driver had irrecoverable brain damage from the incident

[@FunAngelo2005]

Bruh

[@gregkiteos1936]

Yes, I think this was rather unnecessary. Maybe the robber did it out of an adrenaline surge.

[@zkatt3238]

Omg, love the Cowboy Bebop soundtrack here.

[@nicolek4076]

Perhaps you should have talked of the health problems experienced by the coshed train driver, whose injuries lead to his later death.

[@robertwilloughby8050]

The engine in the robbery was considered cursed, a few years later one of its drivers was electrocuted and towards the end of its career spread a goods train across five or six tracks.

[@mrequena1408]

I’m so happy that you used The Seatbelts for the backing track. Cowboy Bebop had one of the best soundtracks ever.

[@wilhelmscream3813]

'Crime doesn't pay' except for the ones who weren't caught.

[@marcoslago4487]

Great Video! Loved the Cowboy Bebop theme.

[@itisyarb]

i adore the entire cowboy bebop aesthetic in this video it's grand

[@AnonOmis1000]

"The plan was pulled off without a hitch" well, except for the part their engine driver didn't know how to drive the engine.

[@jaxonchavez7025]

I LOVE the Cowboy Beepbop reference

[@frigometri257]

Masterfull editing. Extremely great story. Quality Content as always.

[@hrunchtayt1587]

Very epic. I think you should do more of these kind of videos. Potentially could you talk about how USS Barb created the first train space program. Thanks.

[@tardifan]

Absolutely loved this! Both as a fan of railway history and an anime enthusiast. You're clearly every bit as adapt at making longer videos as you are at making short and sweet ones. Would absolutely love to see more of these (if your workload allows that is)

[@411RangerFan]

This has to be your best video yet! I can see now why you had no video for us last friday, this must have taken a long time to edit and research, but it was totally worth the wait!

[@stonedperson97]

So this is why you asked us about the Cowboy Bebop soundtrack, absolute banger lol I think it fits really well, amazing video and great quality as always!

[@TonsOfTrackmasters]

this was an absolute TREAT! loved every second

[@SuperSwamper69]

Really enjoyed the longer format. The cowboy bebop flair is excellent as well.

[@scanida5070]

*Ferb, I know what we‘re going to do today!*

[@mehmehabd81]

Damn shame the algorithm isn't giving this video the attention it deserves.

[@michaelhunt4445]

You omitted to mention that the Postal staff were struck across their upper arms with a baseball club as a reminder not to raise the alarm for 30 minutes.

[@MonsieurFluffyPants]

I think that was my favourite Train of Thought intro ever

[@steamdragon8550]

Dude, this video was insane! I loved every minute of this. Phenomenal job!

[@brianbarker2551]

I read the Michael Crichton book about The Great Train robbery, but it seems it was a century earlier. Seems to happen once a century.

[@nintendofanlp]

Oh that intro!!! Great job with the cowboy bebop op

[@AdventureswithGeneral]

One of your best videos. Worth the wait!

[@Mistaeastwood]

Love the cowboy beepbop music is an amazing touch

[@johnledingham852]

As a signwriter and dabbling artist, interested in design through all my life, I found this tour of the Victoria Line stations, along with your commentary most absorbing. Explanations of why the mosaic artists did their work, relating to the stations locality and surrounds, was fascinating. Thank you for your research, and sharing this information.

[@happyundertaker6255]

On the importance of proper cleaning and laundering.

[@DAlycidon]

I haven’t even seen the documentary yet, and just looking at the description alone, I’m already expecting to see Spike Spiegel and the Bebop crew, rounding up Bruce Reynolds, Ronnie Biggs, Buster Edwards Etc at the end of this documentary Lmao See you Space Cowboy

[@centredoorplugsthornton4112]

Story is the pound notes were going to the Bank of England to be shredded, after being taken out of circulation. Ronald Biggs started another family in Brazil where he lived for many years. Brazil did not allow extradition of anyone who was parent to a minor child who was a Brazilian citizen. Biggs also had paying guests at his house to hear his story.

[@luisitobardajibenitez8013]

this is by far your best video! Great fun to watch and very well put together!

[@juliancabrera555]

I love how Tot is struggling not to laugh as the gang reawaken the driver

[@marvwatkins7029]

Great period film style and jazz!

[@longfang8117]

Oh, an underrated masterpiece, gotta have more events regarding railroads

[@andrewreynolds4949]

I certainly hope the next great train robbers DON’T have good luck Good video

[@thelunaticcultist5157]

Awesome production quality!!! I must ask though, you really shouldn’t make videos this good every week because that would be a tremendous workload and we don’t want you to get burned out. Awesome video and storytelling though!!!

[@thelicensednerd1626]

Cowboy bebop thooooooooooo this guy constantly surprises me!!!!!!

[@vindictive6572]

If you are interested, there was a similar incident in Australia in NSW on 8th December 1941. A paybus (a small bus-like vehicle that travelled on the rails and paid the track gangs) carrying some £11,000 was blown up in an attempt to steal wages. The Driver, Paymaster and Escort all died. The practice of paying line-side workers cash from these pay buses continued until 1986! It was replaced by electronic fund transfer. No, there were not cheques made out to each individual as far as I can tell, it was a direct cash payment at the trackside. Most of that money was likely.... "invested" in the local pub.

[@nokiadestroyer8085]

I love the cowboy bebop style of the video great work

[@RobSchofield]

That was *absolutely excellent*! Completely different to your normal style - but it worked really, really well. More like this, please!

[@vespelian5769]

I love the contemporary aesthetic. Very chic.

[@lucasquintanilla1673]

Love the fact that this video has a very 60s aesthetic to it

[@TrentFalkenrath]

Very fun video. Great presentation. I'd love to see more of these.

[@SP-sy5nq]

This video is crazy good, I love seeing what happened to the robbers later in life!

[@weeabuuuu]

this is a criminally underrated video. 100 percent deserves as much attention, if not more

[@osmanpasha_diy]

This is a great, beautifully made issue! Thank for quality content!

[@DC4260Productions]

From what I've heard, the locomotive involved in the robbery (Class 40 No. D326) was to be a bit of a jinxed engine. There was one incident at Crewe when someone cleaning the roof of 40126 (that was D326's new number) was electrocuted after getting too close to the overhead wires, amongst a few other bizarre events. Eventually 40126 was scrapped in 1984 with incident haste, though bizarrely BR initially offered the engine to the National Railway Museum for preservation.

[@gregkiteos1936]

Yes, from what I understand, I don't think the NRM wanted it because it was famous for all the wrong reasons.

[@igninis]

absolutely amazing one note - please don't laugh while telling the story (if you can)

[@theceoofhumankind8649]

Ooh, feature-length!

[@JunkBoy187]

This video is incredible! Easily your best one yet. Please make more like this. I think it's fine for you to miss a week to put this much work into one. Shame it can't be monitised. I've sent you a punt to help make up for it.

[@Hushey]

this video is bloody brilliant. on point.

[@JessicaMcGee-fu2eq]

This was AMAZING! I LOVE Cowboy Bebop!

[@petsdinner]

This was genuinely a joy to watch. Fantastic presentation!

[@jonbezeau3124]

This is the Cowboy Bebop / British Rail crossover content I didn't know I needed in my life.

[@criggie]

The big question remains unanswered - what happened to the vehicles? The train, engine, disconnected carriages, the lorry and the two landrovers ?

[@jdenm8]

The locomotive, BR Class 40 D326, was considered somewhat cursed by crews and this was not its only incident by far. It had had incidents prior to the robbery, a Secondman was electrocuted washing it in 1964, and it suffered a total brake failure and was run into the rear of a freight train in Birmingham New Street in 1965, injuring the guard of that freight train. It returned to service, had no further major incidents and was renumbered to 40126 with the introduction of TOPS. It was withdrawn in February 1984 and offered to the NRM in light of its historical significance. However, the NRM wanted no part of that history and it was 'scrapped with indecent haste'. Lima released a OO Scale model version of it in 1989. The robbed carriage, M30204M, was kept as evidence for seven years, then towed to Norfolk and burned under the supervision of police and post office officials. One of the other coaches in the train is claimed to be in preservation at the Nene Valley Railway. The vehicles would have been kept as evidence, then likely either discretely scrapped or sold on the used market. These vehicles would have been very hard to identify. The driver of the train, Jack Mills, never fully recovered from being hit over the head, suffering a brain injury, but returning to work on Light Duties in May 1964. He then took leave from November 1965 until December 1966 for shingles, before retiring in December 1967. He died of Leukaemia in 1970 at the age of 64. It would later be revealed that he received only £250 in compensation. The Daily Mail would launch a campaign, raising £34,000, enabling him to move 'to a more comfortable home' for the last few months of his life.

[@criggie]

@@jdenm8 You're fantastic - thank you!

[@michaelhunt4445]

@@jdenm8 I knew the man who travelled to Norfolk and was charged with setting fire to the carriage, with instructions to stay until there was nothing left which could be identified as part of the said carriage. Neither the Post Office or British rail wanted anyone to say they had a part of that carriage.

[@CycolacFan]

The Lotus Cortina Reynolds used for scouting locations and routes was seized by the police and finally auctioned a few years ago.

[@ericremotesteam]

Only about 10 years in prison for most of these guys? That's kinda shocking to hear as an American; I would've thought the lot of 'em would get life. Awesome video! These longer form projects are great 😁

[@geocachingwomble]

They did get life they got their sentences reduced on appeal. Most were released on indefinite parole

[@Sidneyyoungblood75]

They were sentenced to 30 years. Those arrested later on; namely Buster Edwards and Bruce Reynolds got shorter sentences as a large percentage of the public were on the side of the robbers and Labour were newly elected. That said, Bill Boal who had no involvement whatsoever in the robbery got 10 or 20 years (I can't remember) and died in prison in 1970. As always, if you steal from "The Establishment", they go to town on you. They couldn't give a shit about crimes that affect ordinary people; the perpetrators of those crimes can be let off or receive short sentences.

[@KiwiCatherineJemma]

Two comments. Crime DOES pay, for some at least. I remember seeing an interview with Ronnie Biggs and although he wouldn't name them, he said some big time lawyers (in London I assume) ended up with a substantial amount of the dosh. Also I think you should have mentioned that in 1981 Ronnie Biggs was illegally kidnapped and transported 2,500 miles / 4,000 kilometres, on a boat (which broke down near) Barbados. The kidnappers were described as "ex soldiers" (which is a way the UK government gets to do whatever they like, and have at least some barely plausible deniability. Like what the USA have used "Blackwater" for in Iraq and Afghanistan and what Russia uses Wagner for in Ukraine, Syria etc So the Government can do whatever illegal acts it wants to). Barbados authorities refused to facilitate the extradition of the illegally kidnapped Ronnie Biggs to the UK and he returned to Brazil. Third bonus comment. And entirely unmentioned in your video... as I understood it, the gang had bought the farmhouse sometime in advance of the robbery, engaging a solicitor to do the required property/land title deed conveyancing (whatever) in accordance with UK law. However semi-knowing that something dodgy was up (perhaps suspecting money laundering as they paid in a duffelbag of cash ?) Both the head solicitor (who's official signature and stamp sealed the title deed conveyancing) and his office boy junior clerk, both later got jail sentences. The officeboy/junior clerk getting sentenced to far far longer in jail than the lawyer/solicitor who signed/stamped/officiated the documents. They justified the difference in jail time, because the solicitor had a good record of previous military service when he was younger.

[@RedJubilee]

Wow, can we all agree this was the best video on this channel yet?

[@jimyeetast9335]

A nice long video thanks 😊

[@thatcallisto]

The high production here is SO good - would love to see more like this, longer Train of Thought “specials” so to speak.

[@CurvyTribune]

Fascinating story and well informed on the criminals

[@robertbalazslorincz8218]

This is the biggest BRUH moment to have happened in 1963.

[@ciaranburke3243]

Love the class 40, great story well told 👍👏

[@Jetthehawk1994]

It's a shame they never thought to preserve British Rail Class 40 #D326 for its historical significance.

[@BSKustomz]

Well that explains the Cowboy Bebop question

[@Sim0nTrains]

Really love the effort and production quality in this video, really enjoyed watching this.

[@callum110597]

I heard about train robberies, but not really this one. Wow! I'm amazed the robbers pulled it off quite well, but it still wasn't enough to keep them from getting away! I shall look back on this to remember what a crime it was.

[@Straswa]

Great work ToT, well researched.

[@trotskysrevenge2084]

I fucking love the cowboy bebop theming, it fits so well and it's done so perfectly

[@Revolverben190]

Wow this episode was fantastic!

[@vaclav_fejt]

The Cowboy Bebop intro style id so beautiful and I have to look at it and I can't pay attention to the video. :D

[@thesexyblondguy]

Uhm.... I've been playing Runescape for like 17 years. And this was your longest, most interesting video so far. It was great man!

[@tomwatts703]

Brilliantly edited and masterfully told, thank you for the video!

[@lawrencebryant7319]

Excellent. Thank you very much. 👍

[@thegamingrhino5864]

Best production quality yet. Emp lemon type beat

[@turborocketmedia]

Great work! Freakin' amazing video! It's very refreshing to see something different in the channel you're a G! 👌❤️🌟

[@Spook_Boi]

i love the Cowboy Bebop shenanigans.

[@Faraonqa]

Sire i have a question , does there not need to be a "to" after how ? I'm not asking trying to be a grama naci or sarcastically , is that a mistake or is it actually correct and i need to do more english study xD

[@joshadams8276]

There should be. Just a little mistake

[@TrainFactGuy]

I'm going to be honest, I was very tired when I posted this

[@Faraonqa]

@@TrainFactGuy absolutely understandble please rest...

[@davidtucker8724]

You forgot to mention Bill Boal, a guy who was tried and convicted but is known to have had nothing to do with the gang or the robbery.

[@midaztouch]

This this have a lot more views. Well done!

[@danaitch4095]

Cool. Very neat presentation. (there was a mid-roll ad. FWTW)

[@hyperdistortion2]

KZbin channel I really like, making a long(-ish) documentary themed on one of my favourite series? This is the Venn diagram of my interests forming a single circle. Loved it!

[@NoniTheKing]

Thank you so much, I have a presentation tomorrow and i just used some key words from your video, hope i will get a good grade :)

[@MartinJames389]

It had been a Scottish Bank Holiday, not a "British" one (there's no such thing, they're all different). English banknotes do circulate in Scotland and comprise (my guess) about 15% of the notes changing hands. Scottish banknotes stay in Scotland and are dealt with by the various issuing banks (there are more than one). English notes, however, have to be returned to the Bank of England for destruction or re-circulation. That's why there was an exceptionally large dollop of them on the Glasgow to London mail train immediately after the Scottish Bank Holiday,

[@pilotmanpaul]

Love the Cowboy Bepop style.

[@sleeplessengineer1450]

3:55 looks like something the Internet Historian would have in his videos

[@Froggyman145]

Of all the things I expected to hear mentioned on this channel, RuneScape was absolutely not one of them

[@wagrtrains]

best train of thought video hands down!

[@The52car]

Love the whole presentation and the soundtrack!

[@FunAngelo2005]

Remember kids, always burn down your hide-out after robing a train🤣🤣🤣🤣 Edit: But seriously, don't do crime kids

[@thomasshaftoe461]

I love your videos I don't mind the simple videos but I think it's your best video so far.