The Great Train Robbery's Missing Mastermind?

[mab01uk]

Lots of period b&w and colour footage, street scenes with Mk1 Mini's of all variants in this interesting programme shown on C4 Monday! Reminded me of just how common they once were in my recent lifetime!
http://www.channel4.com/programmes/the- ... ermind/4od

[LMM76C]

but nothing of Bruce Reynolds' bought new Lotus Cortina BMK723A, nor Roy James' Brabham BT6.

[Ronnie]

I saw the program, didn't one of them have an "S".

[Pandora]

but nothing of Bruce Reynolds' bought new Lotus Cortina BMK723A, nor Roy James' Brabham BT6.

The Cortina later joined the Lotus factory collection and I think was sold by Coys at Silverstone in '99 when they auctioned the collection.

Didn't the Police storm the grid of a FJ race at Goodwood a week after the raid looking for Mr James? I think he escaped just in time apparently having not gone to the grid in time as he was busy running away!

I've read many suggestions over the years that Bernie Ecclestone was the 'brains' behind it(!), as I think he knew a few of those involved or their associates, I think he even talks about it in an autobiography. There is a whole thread on the subject on the Nostalgia Forum on the autosport website. probably not enough money in it for Bernie though!

[mab01uk]

I saw the program, didn't one of them have an "S".

Photo below of Bruce Reynolds 1968 Mk2 Austin Mini Cooper S Reg. No. VMV 186G.
Unlicensed since Nov 1992........?

The DVLA vehicle details for VMV 186G are:
Date of Liability 01 11 1992
Date of First Registration 01 10 1968
Year of Manufacture Not Available
Cylinder Capacity (cc) 1340cc
CO₂ Emissions Not Available
Fuel Type PETROL
Export Marker N
Vehicle Status Unlicensed
Vehicle Colour RED
Vehicle Type Approval Not Available

Bruce Reynolds who masterminded the robbery was the last member of the gang to be tracked down. Following the guilty verdict in 1968, the newspapers were quick to headline his 25 year sentence.
Reynolds had been renting a house in Torquay with his wife Frances and their six-year old son Nicholas. They had been planning to fly to Canada the following week.
Parked outside the house was the family's new Mini Cooper 'S'.



(Scanned from the Daily Mail's book of reprinted newspaper reports & unseen archive photographs of the Great Train Robbery & most infamous British Crimes)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynNPM76uyEk

[mab01uk]

Two new BBC films from writer Chris Chibnall, telling the story behind the most infamous heist in British history on its 50th anniversary.......includes Mini's.
On BBC iPlayer for 7 days:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03mk394

[LMM76C]

The two programmes are based on the Ryan book "Signal Red" that came out a few years ago.
The book (but not the films) included an account of "testing" a Cooper S against a Healey 3000. Also James turning up at the factory to buy an FJ BT6 and being initially stonewalled from access to Ron Tauranac by Denny Hulme - until James opens the suitcase and asks him: "will Ron take cash?"

The film ending includes prophetic words from Reynolds to his arresting officer: "Don't you understand? Those sentences have changed everything. From now on everyone will take a gun as there's no longer any reason not to."
No heros on either side. The last gasp of a threatened Establishment in the era of the Profumo scandal etc. against the background of protest songs and the Times editorial on the Rolling Stones arrests: "Who breaks a butterfly on a wheel?"
How much of what was won in the 60s for personal freedom has been rolled back today? The times they did a change but for how long?

[anderson-goldup]

hi everyone just a little info about the missing Mini Cooper s which everyone has been asking about. It's still around on the road now after me and my father-in-law fully restored the Cooper s.
Halfway through the restoration we didn’t release that this copper s was Owned by Bruce Reynolds. We just couldn’t believe it.
we have put a lot of pride in restoring the cooper s and now the car is stunning and enjoying it.
Anyway if anyone els know of any info about the car let me know. Thanks steve

IMG_9131.jpeg

[swifty]

Hi it would be interesting to know who’s name as on the logbook at the time . Very much doubt that he would have been the registered keeper . The DVLA used to give this information out for a small sum . Maybe worth a call to them , you never know . … Shirley

[Exminiman]

Did you have to do much to it, restoration wise?

Just wondering if there was any signs of its previous owner, theres normally a Number 6 packet, an old penny or two etc…..maybe a forgotten wad of notes ?

[WMU 211G]

Glad to see another Mk2 has been saved. The name on the logbook could well be one of Reynolds' aliases.

Just a slight nod towards the thread title if I may - Reynolds was not actually the 'mastermind' behind the robbery even though he liked everyone to think so, it was Gordon Goody who had the initial contact with the unnamed man who came up with the idea, a man known since the event as 'the Ulsterman', who was never traced or arrested by the police. He was given this nickname after Goody (along with Buster Edwards) met up with him in London in early 1963, during the meeting this unnamed chap went to the toilet and Goody being an inquisitive sort had a quick look inside his jacket and saw that it had a label saying it was handmade in Ulster, hence the nickname.

On the night of the robbery Reynolds was 'in charge' of all the carefully worked out movements and part of his job was driving two other gang members up and down the line in a Landrover to the locations of the two signals they needed to 'fix' to stop the mail train. While he was busy doing this it was Goody and Edwards who lead the attack on the train itself at Sears Crossing, they then forced Driver Jack Mills under the threat of more violence to move the front portion of the train down to Bridego Bridge and they met Reynolds there.

The above info comes from Nick Pavier-Russell and Stewart Richards' book 'The Great Train Robbery, Crime Of The Century, The Definitive Account' which tells the whole story in great unbiased detail. It's one of the few books on the subject which describes the gang as being exactly what they were - violent, experienced and determined thugs, no more, no less. The detail in this book is incredible, right down to every single person involved in the planning, execution , investigation and prosecution of the crime, it also contains details of every vehicle involved before, during and after the robbery.

It's still a taboo subject on the railway but even as a railwayman myself I still find it fascinating, as a part of British social history as much as anything else. So much guff has been written about it over the years (including by some of those involved), but the book I mentioned above is as good as it's ever likely to get and is well worth reading.

[wantafaster1]

Regarding the made in Ulster suit, I literally worked across the street from the Magee suit factory. They were at one time big business, I've seen a years old readers digest and they had a full page advert in it.
Sorry for rambling I was just wondering if the man in question wasn't actually from here, but his suit was lol

[MiNiKiN]

Regarding the made in Ulster suit, I literally worked across the street from the Magee suit factory. They were at one time big business, I've seen a years old readers digest and they had a full page advert in it.
Sorry for rambling I was just wondering if the man in question wasn't actually from here, but his suit was lol

Sorry wantafaster1 - your attempt to distract us away from your trail as the ulster man ist futile.

[wantafaster1]

Haha, I wasn't born! And there isn't any "old money" in the family either lol

[wantafaster1]

Haha, I wasn't born! And there isn't any "old money" in the family either lol

[wantafaster1]

Haha, I wasn't born! And there isn't any "old money" in the family either lol

[anderson-goldup]

no didn’t find anything
As to the restoration it was full body strip down and paint to Bare shell new front end side quarters repair rear valance and under the rear lights outer sills because it had the wrong one on it and battery box that was it really nice new paint job inside and out.

Did you have to do much to it, restoration wise?

Just wondering if there was any signs of its previous owner, theres normally a Number 6 packet, an old penny or two etc…..maybe a forgotten wad of notes ?

[anderson-goldup]

no didn’t find anything
As to the restoration it was full body strip down and paint to Bare shell new front end side quarters repair rear valance and under the rear lights outer sills because it had the wrong one on it and battery box that was it really nice new paint job inside and out.

Did you have to do much to it, restoration wise?

Just wondering if there was any signs of its previous owner, theres normally a Number 6 packet, an old penny or two etc…..maybe a forgotten wad of notes ?