That time 2 robbers stole a train to escape the police - 6422 Stolen

[@TrainFactGuy]

And you too can have your own train to keep forever! (provided the police don't catch you taking it)

[@NoPegs]

Screw the train, I'm only in it for the loco... *MY* Loco, if you will. :)

[@dmechanicodude3960]

The closest thing we have that act of sheer comedy in the states was the great locomotive chase. Curious if you could highlight it sometime

[@kevwebb2637]

@@dmechanicodude3960 History In the Dark Channel did that btw, and even the Wreck behind the song The Wreck of Old 97.

[@therealswarvey]

Probably easier than finding the loco you want in N-Scale

[@buttholeserfer]

laws don't apply during choo choo time

[@voltsiano116]

Imagine an Railway Series story where Duck gets hijacked by an old railway employee who just wanted another go in the cab. Aside from the abnormal route they're taking and the silence from his driver, everything seems fine.

[@Gordons_Exprezz]

Yeah lol

[@ytchannel1207]

Someone better make a custom story of that!

[@eliotreader8220]

a pair of retired engine drivers perhaps who had worked for the old GWR?

[@GordonFan4472]

I'm on it.

[@toainsully]

Well, most accidents in the Railway Series were inspired by real train accidents, so it could've worked

[@ethandouro4334]

"Oh no, Oh f*ck!" Cried Duck, as the he could hear the sirens getting closer. "Keep yo train wheels runnin' innit?" shout his driver, as Duck drove faster he could

[@freakysquirrel7218]

"There are two ways of doing it: The 'Great Western' way, or the wrong way." - Duck to the robbers probably

[@ethandouro4334]

@@freakysquirrel7218 "You won't like to us show you the wrong way of doing it, innit?" Replied Duck's driver as he pointed the Gun into his smokebox

[@could_possiblybe_thane07echo]

Reminds me of that robot chicken skit

[@dutchmansmine9053]

@@could_possiblybe_thane07echo PUMP THOSE PISTONS YOU STEAM POWERED SON OF A *****!

[@sonicsepticeye9946]

@@could_possiblybe_thane07echo you are absolutely right about that parody

[@namenamename390]

Fun fact: A few weeks ago, some blokes in Braunschweig, Germany, got into a tram depot and took one of the trams. They drove around the city in whatever way the tram switches were set. They were found and charged with breaking and entering amongst other things, but interestingly not theft, as "they had no intent to keep the tram. They just wanted to drive." (as stated by the police).

[@LegoWormNoah101]

These guys deserve a career at a heritage railway when they are bailed out. Their expert navigation, knowing all the key navigation tools, how to correctly operate a steam locomotive, and most importantly, knowing how to communicate with railway officials. They should be right at home on the West Somerset

[@EthanTheIdioticTankengine]

Im 99% sure they’re probably dead by now

[@Charmaster04]

They could probably have written a short account of the incident and sold signed copies to help them make more room for volunteer hours in their schedule. This story is the stuff of legends.

[@penandinkproductions571]

Never mess with steam fans they will do ANYTHING to drive one even more than once

[@Theonea883]

How know what I was thinking

[@-LLAMA-]

These two robbers are absolute legends. No official experience what so ever driving a steam engine, and yet they did it right. How cool is that??

[@jakerthesnak]

The video states one of them had experience driving steam engines, and had experience with that part of the line.

[@SudrianFirelighter]

If i did it I would crash into someone's home and get caught

[@H.O.Scalemodeler4501]

@@SudrianFirelighter I know what you are referencing based on your profile pic

[@mikeglenn3333]

@@SudrianFirelighter That will cause confusion and delay

[@Wondercool923]

@@jakerthesnak they said official experience for a reason... the video states that they believed that the man had previous experience exceteror

[@ToaTakanuva7]

DUCK: "there are two ways of doing things." he said " the great western way or the wrong way, I'm great western and I...." GORDON, HENRY, JAMES: "dont we know it" they groaned

[@BelcarrigFarm]

This would be a great Railway series story

[@lachlanjenkin1659]

Wish rev w awdry did see this movie now that would be a crazy grand idea

[@RacerM53]

The robbers should've been charged with "causing confusion and delay"

[@Theonea883]

Why are saying stuff we already know

[@juango500]

but there was no delay. the passenger train got where it needed to be. they just stayed on the siding a little too long

[@JoesAnimationHub]

I've heard of another hilarious train theft, and it happened on the Talyllyn, can't recall for the likes of me where I heard it... but apparently some inebriated joyriders hijacked No.5 "Midlander" in the dead of night and took it for a spin on the wagon turntables at Tywyn Wharf (fun fact, Midlander and Douglas are the only two just able to fit on the wagon turntables), and ran back up the line again, and when the enthusiasts arrived in the morning, they found Midlander parked in Pendre with cab entrance "non-platform side" and realised what might have happened...

[@maybenot6075]

I've always wondered if this is true or an old tale, I asked the lady in reception a few years ago but she didn't know 🤷‍♂️

[@roadwarrior114]

Rusty was very annoyed.

[@ajaxengineco]

I heard that story on the Awdry Corner podcast on KZbin - I beleive Tom was the one who told it.

[@ajaxengineco]

There's a couple of similar stories I'd like to share, which, funnily enough, both involve G.W.R. panniers: On one occasion, a crew intending to attend a dance commandeered one and took her down the mainline in an almost identical fashion to the robbers you covered. I believe they got away with the outward journey but I recall they were rumbled by the time they got back to the engine post-dance. On another occasion, a crew turned up for duty to find their engine, a 14xx, ill-prepared and steaming poorly. A 64xx, sister to 6422 above, was standing in the yard - she was condemned and unsafe for high-speed running, yet while her crew were on breakfast, the 14xx men took her away to work their branch line train. They did the trip to Tiverton and returned without much incident - her tubes and stays were all unsafe and her axle-boxes wedged, but somehow they made it. The crew on return promptly swapped it back for the diagramed 14xx. The 64xx driver, blissfully unaware of events, finished his breakfast and re-joined his engine. He couldn't help noticing the smoke from the big ends and axle-boxes and quickly reported that the engine was quite unfit even for shunting!

[@johndavies1090]

Priceless - and surprisingly I hadn't heard it before. However - your comment about them being wanted by the railway police makes me wonder if this links into another story which comes from around the same time, and area. The old Royal Mint in Birmingham had its own railway branchline, from Snow Hill station. Bullion vans from London would come up on the GWR and be shunted into the down platform bay, where a shunting engine was waiting to take them across to the Mint, where both engine and van would enter the building and then be locked behind armoured doors for unloading (or loading if needed.) Some 35 miles away, RAF Stafford, which had its own internal railway system had an interchange with the 'Clog and Knocker' GNR line from Stafford to Uttoxeter. Often wagons would turn up in the main Stafford yard without destination labels, and the yard crew, assuming they were some kind of secretive official movement, simply hooked them into the next Uttoxeter bound goods, to be dropped off at the RAF siding. One morning the RAF Stafford shunter found two anonymous 12 ton box vans sitting on the exchange loop. Wondering who they were for, he opened one and found it full - floor to ceiling, with 12 tons of silver coinage - sixpences, shillings, florins, half crowns and crowns. That was a lot of money - by any time's standards, all done up in neat, oiled paper tubes. To say he was shocked is a slight understatement; he shouted for his gaffer and stood guard while the alarm was raised. Where could this lot have come from? It turned out some latter day Peaky Blinder types had bribed someone in authority at the Birmingham Mint to set up a fake consignment; the vans had been ordered, shunted into the building and loaded on false orders, and then transferred to the nearby goods yard, where the gang were to load the loot into a lorry. Unfortunately, the next north-bound pick-up goods got there first........ The shunter - I had the story from a colleague, who worked with him - had to appear in court as a witness. When it was over, his boss discretely asked if he'd taken any of the money for himself. His reply - "Y'know, gaffer, I was so shocked at the sight on it, the idea never even entered me 'ead!"

[@Theonea883]

Dang that lot of facts

[@someaussiegamer8242]

BRO WAKE UP! A NEW TRAIN OF THOUGHT VIDEO!!

[@roshasensi2220]

WOOOOOOOOO!

[@David_Mattox]

Can't believe I actually caught it this time...

[@cloudedarctrooper]

"They *literally* _stole_ a steam engine *because* they _could"_

[@edwardvincentbriones5062]

I can tell that Sonny, an 0-6-0WT, might have been inspired by this incident and the Titfield Thunderbolt scene.

[@giovanniarango923]

It's funny to think they took two great western engines this would make a great storie with Duck and Oliver.

[@LoneWolf-qq9oy]

Not only is it hilarious. Its also rather impressive! So many witnesses and yet no one was none the wiser

[@JohnGeorgeBauerBuis]

It shows the efficacy of the ‘Bavarian Fire Drill’ technique.

[@thomasm1964]

Arguably, these two did not steal the engine because: 01. There was no intent to deprive the railway company of its engine permanently (one of the necessary conditions to be met to prove theft in Court) 02. At no time did the engine ever leave the rails of the railway company concerned; it was always "on the premises" so to speak.

[@mr.nerd3.142]

Perhaps “Agressively Borrowed” is a better way to put it.

[@richardchantlerrico]

I'd say tresspassing would be the main law broken with possibly another one in regards to interfearing with railway operation.

[@andrewreynolds4949]

Maybe “unauthorized usage”

[@iankemp1131]

Potentially "endangering the safety of others on the railway" - though it seems they obeyed all signals.

[@trentr9762]

There was a fella in New York who kept stealing NYC Underground trains. Did it often and just followed the schedule, stopping at stations properly ect. Wasn't too long ago

[@narrowgauge0727]

that sounds great

[@russellgxy2905]

What a legend

[@garryferrington811]

Great movie idea.

[@H.O.Scalemodeler4501]

He may as well have just applied for the job. He could do it and then get paid!

[@RJSRdg]

There was an article in Steam Railway magazine a while back about a gentleman who turned up at steam sheds in the 1950s & 60s, hopped aboard steam locos and drove them in service. It was over 10 years before it was discovered he wasn't a railway employee!

[@Alex-cw3rz]

YOU WOULDN'T STEAL A TRAIN

[@teaoftraffic]

yes i would.

[@kommandantgalileo]

Those two have my respect

[@KlaxontheImpailr]

I wish there was a TTTE episode about Duck getting trainapped, this is just too good of a set-up. XD

[@spartangoku7610]

There’s a Robot Chicken episode where that happens to Thomas.

[@jordanscherr6699]

It's actually not too surprising if one of the men was competent with Trains and Railways. So if the soldier knew how to both act and operate the engine, then it's a perfect cover for putting real distance between them and the robbery. It's almost a shame they where caught!

[@GreatWestern5199]

That's amazing! Personally I would've stopped at Stourbridge and gone further with a shed pilot there at the time, my all-time favourite engine, GWR Large Prairie No.5199. Don't bother writing out all the reasons this may not work, I just like the idea of stealing my favourite engine and going on a joyride, just like these guys did :D

[@SamDSmith]

"They literally stole a steam engine because they could." Because they could! I love that!

[@dutchmansmine9053]

I've always thought stealing a train would be a crime where capture is inevitable. No matter how far you get, the railway is a constant point of reference. While the police can't exactly stop a train, they can sure follow it until it runs out of fuel or it comes to the end of the rails. They could even coordinate with railway officials to direct you into a trap.

[@bluehairedgirlstudio]

The real crime was the fact that 6422 was scrapped in 1963. Denying future generations of a lovely locomotive with a fascinating story to tell

[@williamadams7865]

This reminds me of a 2005 incident in Melbourne, Australia. A 15 year old kid stole a tram and ran it in service, picking up and setting down passengers, before eventually coming to a stop when authorities cut off the overhead power. Today, he is referred to locally as ‘Tram Boy’. The link below is a 2005 Channel 10 News article of the event. kzbin.info/www/bejne/jpu1m5iagr91nJI

[@iankemp1131]

Maybe he got some ideas from the Aussie film "Malcolm" of the 1980s which also features Melbourne tramcars being used in remarkable ways.

[@joshuaW5621]

You would have to be a fool to try stealing a train.

[@AdmiringSparks]

Agreed

[@Blitz_46]

And yet they did it and did it well

[@BHuang92]

If done correctly, then those are mad lads!

[@eliotreader8220]

they must have been brave for them to have done something like that

[@IBeforeAExceptAfterK]

Or a very desperate time traveler.

[@joshdfox420]

Probly not the best getaway vehicle...since they know where you're going lol

[@johndavies1090]

Not as rare as you might think - there have been a couple of instances of kids stealing a parked diesel loco for a joyride up and down the yards. One kid apparently 'borrowed' the keys from his engine driver dad's coat pocket - another pair ended up by driving two locomotives through the buffers and down a bank to block a street..... Across the pond, train robber gangs sometimes 'borrowed' the engine (if they hadn't derailed it) and mail car, to expedite looting it. And then, of course, there was the Great Locomotive Chase.......

[@joshuahudson2170]

Try it with a steam engine. It won't be so easy to get it moving.

[@stevechandler2588]

They were held in the loop at Droitwich. The fact that they got within 7 miles from Worcester is one hell of an achievement!

[@yinleung4350]

Just curious if there's any security device or measures to prevent unauthorized use of locomotives, be it a pad lock on the regulator or something alike?

[@eliotreader8220]

they must taken the engine off shed before the people at shed had put the engine to bed while there was still some steam pressure in the boiler. this sounds very similar to the book I read back in 2020-21

[@JohnGeorgeBauerBuis]

With diesels and electrics, the reverser handle is usually removable to prevent unauthorized use, important for safety. Likewise, cabs on diesel and electric locomotives can be locked and usually are when a locomotive is not in use as well.

[@H.O.Scalemodeler4501]

@@JohnGeorgeBauerBuis was about to comment that

[@RedMadMichael]

Lovely how the engine in the movie is essentialy Oliver's basis and IRL it was Duck's basis that got stolen.

[@SilverSoundYT]

Something that I know is that both engines that were stolen are the class that Duck and Oliver are based off.

[@marcusthetenderengine699]

The thieves who stole the locomotive must have had a fun day. They legit stole a locomotive to escape the police, and godamn.. They knew how to run it, light it's fire, and steam it with no problems, and not to mention know and navigate it through the railway's stations, points, and discs.

[@FlyingDuckMan360]

"There are two ways of escaping the police. The Great Western Way or the Wrong Way. I'm Great Western and..."

[@Trainboy452]

"Don't we know it!"

[@davidjones332]

There was a case some years ago of a BR official who stole an entire train, obsolescent diesel loco, a rake of hoppers and a brake van. He took the whole lot to a rail-connected scrapyard and weighed it in for scrap.

[@kieranstravels]

How the hell does someone even come to the conclusion to just go “Alright, let’s steal that steam loco over there”, That’s the real question we should be asking 🤣

[@BandanRRChannel]

"alright, let's go steal a locomotive". Sounds like a line from Leverage...

[@kieranstravels]

@@BandanRRChannel true lol

[@iankemp1131]

Amazing. Truth is sometimes stranger than fiction. Just goes to show what you can do with a bit of knowledge (to operate the engine, points, signals and water crane) and a lot of confidence. In the 1970s two workmen marched cheerily into the Law Courts and took up Lord Chief Justice Widgery's Persian carpet and removed it for cleaning. Nobody challenged them, of course. They were bogus! My dad had the newspaper cutting headlined "Nicked! The Lord Chief Justice's carpet".

[@sadwingsraging3044]

We didn't steal your train! We were just _borrowing_ it...😇

[@ChosenFate_]

A month or two ago in germany some idiots stole a tram and took it on a tour

[@furioussherman7265]

I wish this had been turned into a Thomas the Tank Engine book (and subsequently an episode of the TV show).

[@kennethjoseph9309]

That reminds of a character in Thomas that was stolen no other than Oliver and Sir Topham welcome him with open arms.

[@EHH246]

0:14 "Is this a holdup?" "It's a science experiment!"

[@joshslater2426]

Always wondered if anybody had tried a Titfield Thunderbolt in real life. That scene is a highlight of the film for me and I’m glad I’m not the only person who was tempted to try that for real.

[@WhiteJarrah]

The events of this incident could literally a be TTTE episode centered around Duck.

[@timesnewlogan2032]

I recommend the movie “Tough Guys”, from 1986. It’s my personal favorite film, and the climax involves stealing the 4449.

[@Romgoob2]

Oliver aint alone

[@multifan75]

Looks like the robbers got arrested for “grand theft loco”.

[@kevwebb2637]

I remember about a Industrial Switcher was stolen in order to preserve it.

[@RailwaysAustralia]

Ayo duck be runnin

[@hambonethegreat9547]

Okay story time, a friend and I were walking down some tracks one day, we live in an area with a lot of unused track that was a major part of the local textile industry during the early 1900's, anyways we came across a spot where maintenance was taking place and spotted an odd carage. It was a sort of industrial style cart that was split in two and could be folded together on the tracks to form a sort of motorless carage that could be pushed or pulled. Well we decided to link it together on the line and we would take turns pushing from behind and jumping on to ride for a few yards! It was magical riding down the rails and feeling the wind in my hair. We eventually got to a spot a few miles down the track and pulled the thing off the tracks and left it for the workmen. No harm done just kids being kids

[@herbrand47]

I remember a few years back during a BR strike, some one nicked a diesel loco motive and took it for a joy ride. Many people observed the locomotive traveling along under bridges etc. He eventually stopped it and re primed it to move off again and jumped off before it got speed up. It eventually over turned when it struck points going against it. BTP thought someone may be underneath when if they were thrown out, but no was found when eventually it was lifted. Someone was prosecuted for the offence.

[@whoever6458]

It is bloody hilarious and I was laughing during this entire video! Thanks!

[@juanpulido3569]

I can justo imagine an episode in Thomas and Friends where duck tells this story to the others and then cut to a flashback of this story happening bur Duck as the panier tank engine un the back of the Trainz.

[@pt3513]

Hey, you outta do a video on the time the seabees stole 8 or 9 trains from the north koreans, loaded them up with stolen beer and drove through enemy territory to reach american lines

[@greycatturtle7132]

XD

[@SniartekilI]

I stole a locomotive, just to take a ride

[@lysander.o.c.3580]

Hey. This gives me an idea for my series.

[@Theonea883]

I can't wait to see it But you better not hurt Duck

[@quillmaurer6563]

I recall reading that when Microsoft Train Simulator (the first major and possibly to this day most well known train driving simulation game) was being developed, Union Pacific was very opposed to its development and refused to take part in it - hence the US freight line was BNSF, who was much more cooperative. Union Pacific's logic was that - unlike aircraft, the subject of Microsoft's popular Flight Simulator series - locomotives are often left running unattended, and Union Pacific didn't like the idea of ordinary people knowing how to operate locomotives. In the end I'm not aware of any incidents of Train Simulator trained people joyriding locomotives, but Flight Simulator apparently was used by the 9/11 hijackers to learn how to fly airplanes.

[@yomikaianimator4689]

“ I love how the Class 14xx Riding the Pavement in the 1953 Film.” *[funny British movies.]*

[@marvwatkins7029]

The robbers of 1963 never put the train on a siding.

[@metropod]

I know there are a few people who have tried to take subway trains for joy rides… and also a couple who have actually tried to operate them in passenger service.

[@warrenlehmkuhleii8472]

If I were a judge in this sort of situation, I would have sentenced them to 6 months “volunteering” on a heritage railway.

[@Trains_Travel_NZ]

Here in NZ, a wannabe Locomotive Engineer pinched at DE from Wellington Loco depot to prove he could drive it, to get a job but all he got was arrested

[@AdmiringSparks]

I think the short movie little western rescue was based on this, you should watch it.

[@rubiseany]

Thoroughly enjoying your content!!!

[@germantanker131johnny2]

That is funny as heck

[@BrokenIET]

I like to imagine a couple of trainspotters noted down the number of the engine and never learned that it wasn’t supposed to be there

[@JoeltheSwedishDragon]

Back during the Civil war times, Union spies hijacked a train to sabotage the Confederates. Years later, these two blokes hijacked a light locomotive simply because they could. Kinda makes me ponder if such events served as inspiration for the plot-line of the Winnie the Pooh episode "The Good, the Bad and the Tigger". 🤔

[@Im_here170]

Wow I thought this only happened in the movie 🎥

[@ellisdiggle1523]

Now all I can think of is the old HST advert with the Police Liveried Class 37.

[@seanseoltoir]

A lot of trouble to just go 28 miles... :) If the railway is the property of the company that owned the actual train, an argument could definitely be made that they didn't *steal* the train since it never left the owner's property... The only charge that I can think of that would apply would be "criminal mischief" which is kind a catch-all for things that no one ever thought to write a law prohibiting or if the prosecutors just don't like you...

[@tennesean_man]

Imagine if the engine was 5741 and not 6422

[@jonistan9268]

Goes to show how different the railways were back then. That wouldn't be that easy to pull off nowadays, as your stolen train wouldn't be on the schedule.

[@edhales2994]

shit i wanna steal a train now

[@adelestevens]

Then there's the story about two young men who were railway enthusiasts who spent a day shunting wagons in a Sheffield freight yard with a class 08 shunter until rumbled by someone and the transport police were called.

[@knuckles1206]

sauce?

[@Trip_koLng]

Montague had quite some experience

[@Alfredo412]

This is one of my favorite movies!

[@dlp2372]

I guess the men felt like Duck should have experienced the same ride that Oliver went on.....hahaha I find a coincidence that it was the GWR duo that got hijacked!

[@ReubenAshwell]

This story is absolutely brilliant.

[@colors7792]

The TV movie stole oliver IRL: THerE’s TwO wAYs oF doInG ThiNgS, ThE greAT weAsTERn wAy, oR thE wRonG WAy!

[@marvwatkins7029]

A case of anoraks gone wild (and bonkers).

[@devon896]

Panniers are probably one of the more easier trains to operate but none the less impressive.

[@neiloflongbeck5705]

One of the culprits was an ex-fireman. I had to look the story up as it sounds like an urban legend, and it's true. Only the film inspired the theft not the other way round. The film came out on 5th March 1953, almost 8 years before the theft.

[@whytheheckarewedoinginhere1886]

I'm bit more surprised that no one did a story about this in Thomas and friends Fandom, because it's would hilarious. 🤣 🤣

[@Astro-Omar]

Looks like Duck and Oliver need some Explaining to do 😂

[@lightningmcqueen207]

I think I'm gonna go steal a train because I feel like it

[@Jim-ic2of]

Jolly good show ! p.s. I'm American.

[@kingofthepod5169]

Me and the bois in the cab of a SD70MAC "pretending" to be engineers.

[@killerbees177]

Poor Duck lmao

[@Tone720]

When I worked on the railway we did have an incident one evening of someone trying to steal a unit from a station when it was stood ready to go to depot, sadly for him, he only got it to move about 10 feet. When apprehended, I seem to remember him claiming he was doing it on CIA business...

[@thatonecaledonian812]

Me and the bois robbing a steam engine at 12 am

[@Secr_productions]

Always a gwr never trust a gwr engine

[@YmoonTheBoon]

is it a coincidence that the engine in the titfield thunderbolt movie looks like Oliver and the engine that got stolen in real life looks like duck.

[@spiderclone101]

So I know that you primarily do historical accounts of trains, but this reminded me of a story out of Blowing Rock, North Carolina. In the early 2000's (either 2000 or 2001) back in the early days of A Day out With Thomas, one of the first Thomas' in North America was stolen for several hours a few days before the event started. Luckily, he was found unscathed. I heard this story when I went many years ago and have tried to find actual evidence to back it up, but have failed. Maybe you would have better luck?

[@SteamMasterGaming]

We had a couple of diesel locomotives taken for a joy ride in the states a few years ago. However alot of damage was done.

[@Ryder-a-Blaze]

That’s not the Great Western way

[@N00N01]

28 miles, aplaudable skill , of off hijacking a GWR 64XX