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ak615



Member Since: 22 Aug 2018
Location: essex
Posts: 177
60 Years ago...
60 years ago the great train robbery took place ,the robbers used two stolen land rovers during the robbery.
A friend if mine wanted to test drive his recently rebuilt gearbox on his series 2a so we decided on a tarmac run and to see if we could find the bridge where the robbers unloaded the money onto their land rovers and lorry.
A 120 mile round trip ensued to Bridego Bridge through some lovely countryside and mainly on B roads some of which were heavily flooded.



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Post #1019599 30th Dec 2023 7:22am
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blackwolf



Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 17307
United Kingdom 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey
Did your run then include the journey over to (the site of) Leatherslade Farm near Brill?

The original farmhouse was demolished and rebuilt years ago, but it lay adjacent to the route that my parents often used when visiting my grandparents and I can remember the excitement to this day of realising as a very young child that we almost certainly drove past whilst they were hiding there!
Post #1019604 30th Dec 2023 8:31am
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Screbble



Member Since: 26 Apr 2015
Location: Lancashire
Posts: 2076
United Kingdom 2004 Defender 90 Td5 XS CSW Zambezi Silver
Did your parents every fully explain their Pools win Blackwolf?
Post #1019605 30th Dec 2023 8:37am
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ak615



Member Since: 22 Aug 2018
Location: essex
Posts: 177
blackwolf wrote:
Did your run then include the journey over to (the site of) Leatherslade Farm near


Didn't think of that to be honest we did look around for any stray bags which may have remained unnoticed Laughing
Post #1019606 30th Dec 2023 8:48am
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blackwolf



Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 17307
United Kingdom 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey
In the end (as I recall) a relatively small amount of the loot was recovered and it is believed that the robbers' lawyers took the rest in fees (proving that some things haven't changed in 60 years).

Even as an utterly insignificant little sprog at the time I picked up the national feeling of outrage that this particular heist produced - it seems to be the end of the era of the 'gentleman villain'. I guess it was probably down to the sum involved, which set a new record at the time, plus I suppose the prison breaks which followed.

The name everyone remembers is that of Ronnie Biggs, but apparently he was a relative nobody in the criminal world at the time and a bit of a no-hoper, and it has always struck me as odd that he's the only name most people remember. As far from the brains of the gang as it is possible to get.

And there is of course "the Ulsterman" who was never identified and never apprehended. I wonder who he was and what became of him...

Last edited by blackwolf on 4th Jan 2024 9:48pm. Edited 1 time in total
Post #1019616 30th Dec 2023 9:42am
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RFT



Member Since: 13 Nov 2010
Location: Cheshire
Posts: 678
United Kingdom 2010 Defender 130 Puma 2.4 HCPU Zermatt Silver
Jack Mills The train driver violently assaulted should have been the only name remembered by the press. The celebrity status of the violent thugs really irritates me. 130 Puma HCPU with an Artica 240LR Demountable Camper
Post #1019617 30th Dec 2023 9:55am
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Chicken Drumstick



Member Since: 17 Aug 2020
Location: Near MK
Posts: 707
United Kingdom 
Re: 60 Years ago...
ak615 wrote:
60 years ago the great train robbery took place ,the robbers used two stolen land rovers during the robbery.
A friend if mine wanted to test drive his recently rebuilt gearbox on his series 2a so we decided on a tarmac run and to see if we could find the bridge where the robbers unloaded the money onto their land rovers and lorry.
A 120 mile round trip ensued to Bridego Bridge through some lovely countryside and mainly on B roads some of which were heavily flooded.



Click image to enlarge



Click image to enlarge

That bridge is just down the road from me. Drive through it several times most weeks. The flooded roads must have been out of this area. Fields are very wet, but don't know of any locallly flooded roads.
Post #1019618 30th Dec 2023 10:20am
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Pickles



Member Since: 26 May 2013
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 3778
Australia 2013 Defender 90 Puma 2.2 CSW Keswick Green
RFT wrote:
Jack Mills The train driver violently assaulted should have been the only name remembered by the press. The celebrity status of the violent thugs really irritates me.

Agree, that was my Mother's (born 1911!) very strong point of view.
Post #1019673 30th Dec 2023 8:30pm
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