This month marks the 60th anniversary of the Great Train Robbery, one of Britain’s most notorious crimes which continues to provoke fascination.
One of the most infamous robberies of all time, the heist involved the hijack of a London-bound post train and the theft of millions of pounds. And now, decades after the infamous crime, a new development has emerged.
The Royal Mail insider suspected of tipping off the gang behind the robbery has now been named as Belfast man Gerald McMorran.
Mr McMorran, who died in 1999, is alleged to have provided the key information that allowed the 15-person group to steal £2.6m (around £60m today) from the Travelling Post Office. An investigation by The Sun previously named him only as “the Ulsterman”.
At the time of the robbery, Mr McMorran was working in the security unit of the General Post Office (GPO).
The Standard takes a look back at what happened, the fates of the perpetrators and the legacy the robbery left behind.
What was the Great Train Robbery?
On August 8, 1963, 15 men planned and executed a heist on a Royal Mail train carrying millions in cash.
Standing in wait for the train to pass Bridego Bridge, north of London, the robbers changed the green track signal to red using batteries, bringing the train to a halt.
When co-driver David Whitby went to investigate, he was thrown over the railway embankment. Meanwhile, the driver of the train, Jack Mills, was hit around the head and knocked unconscious.
The gang fled the scene within 30 minutes, taking 128 sacks with them.
Who was involved in the Great Train Robbery?
Those connected to the train robbery were a 15-strong gang of thieves, crooks and conspirers.
The most famous member is Ronnie Biggs, who escaped from London's Wandsworth prison in 1965.
Bruce Reynolds planned the robbery and, as a result, has become one of the most notorious criminals in British history.
Also involved were:
- Ronald Edwards: believed to have wielded the instrument used to hit the train driver over the head. In 1994, he was found hanged in a garage.
- Charles Wilson: was in charge of splitting the loot between the robbers. Wilson was nicknamed "the silent man" because he refused to say anything. He was shot and killed in 1990.
- Roy James: served 12 years in prison before being imprisoned again in 1993 for assaulting his wife and her father. He died shortly after being released.
- Brian Field: made the arrangements for the farmhouse hideout that was used immediately after the robbery. He died in a car crash in 1979.
- Gordon Goody: jailed for 30 years and moved to Spain after release.
- James Hussey: served 30 years in jail and later opened a restaurant in London's Soho.
- Roger Cordrey: jailed for 20 years, serving 14 on appeal.
- James White: Spent three years on the run before being caught and sentenced to 18 years.
- Tommy Wiseby: threatened and scared the train staff, Wiseby served 30 years in prison before being imprisoned for a further 10 for cocaine dealing.
- Bobby Welch: Served 30 years in prison and was released in 1976.
- Bill Boal: After being caught with £141,000, Boals was charged with receiving stolen goods and jailed for 24 years. Reynolds claimed Boals was not involved in the robbery.
- John Wheater: A solicitor who was convicted of conspiring to pervert the course of justice.
- Leonard Field: Served 25 years in prison.
How much did the robbers steal?
The robbers escaped with an estimated £2.6 million, which would have been worth about £46 million today, which they split amongst themselves.
Most of the cash has never been recovered.
What happened to the Great Train Robbers?
Most of them have now died.
Biggs decided to return to Britain to face arrest after becoming very ill. He died in December 2013 at a care home in East Barnet, London.
After being released from prison, Reynolds published Autobiography of a Thief in 1995 before dying in February 2013.
Edwards returned to selling flowers outside Waterloo station after being released but was found hanged in 1994.
