1963: The Great Train Robbery Nets 2.6 Million Pounds in a Single Night
In the early hours of 8 August 1963, a gang of fifteen robbers, led by Bruce Reynolds, stopped the Glasgow-to-London Royal Mail train at Bridego Railway Bridge, Ledburn, Buckinghamshire. Acting on inside information from a senior Royal Mail security officer known only as ‘The Ulsterman’, they had tampered with trackside signals to halt the train. Driver Jack Mills was struck over the head with a metal bar and suffered serious, lasting injuries. The gang made off with 2.61 million pounds, then equivalent to around 64 million in 2024 values.
The robbers hid at Leatherslade Farm, 27 miles from the scene, but police found the hideout. A Monopoly board covered in fingerprints proved to be their undoing. Gang members including Gordon Goody, Buster Edwards, Charlie Wilson, Ronnie Biggs, and others were arrested and convicted. The ringleaders received 30-year sentences. The bulk of the stolen money was never recovered.
