Sadly passed away.

[Albert]

GREAT TRAIN ROBBER BRUCE REYNOLDS DIES AT 81


Bruce Reynolds, who was the key planner behind the £2.6m Great Train Robbery in 1963, has died aged 81.

Reynolds evaded capture for five years, mainly spent overseas, but after returning to England was caught in 1968. He spent 10 years in jail.

The 15 men's haul from a mail train in Cheddington, Buckinghamshire, was a record at that time.

Train driver Jack Mills was struck over the head during the robbery and never worked again. He died in 1970.

The £2.6m haul from the Glasgow-to-London overnight mail train, which the gang brought to a stop by changing a signal to red on 8 August 1963, is equivalent to £40m in today's money.

Reynolds had used inside information on mail movements to plan the raid and 15 gang members, wearing helmets and ski masks, ran on board and made off with 120 bags of money.

Reynolds' son Nick said his father had died in his sleep in the early hours of Thursday.

"He hadn't been well for a few days and I was looking after him," he said.

"I really can't talk at the moment. I can confirm that he has passed away and he died in his sleep."
Film consultant

Family friend John Schoonraad said Reynolds had had a "chest complaint".

He described Reynolds as a "lovely chap", and a changed man who no longer believed in crime.
Bruce Reynolds, handcuffed in 1968 Reynolds was captured five years after the Great Train Robbery

"He said to me 'crime doesn't pay'. He's done his time, and he turned into a very nice man. I've always known him to be a real gentleman," said Mr Schoonraad.

Michael Biggs, the son of Reynolds's fellow Great Train Robber Ronnie Biggs, paid tribute to "a very intelligent man, educated and very loyal to his friends".

"Regardless of whatever mistakes Bruce made in his life, Bruce was a very, very kind person who was a true gentlemen who made many friends in his life," he told BBC Radio 5 live.

Mr Biggs, 38, said his father "showed a lot of emotion" and "there were tears" when he learned of Reynolds' death.

"Bruce was his oldest friend, a very dear friend," he said.

Following Reynolds' release from prison in 1978, life proved a struggle and he was jailed again in the 1980s for three years for dealing amphetamines.

In the late 80s he worked briefly as a consultant on a film about the robbery, Buster, and went on to publish The Autobiography of a Thief in 1995.
Borstal

By then, he was living on income support in a south London flat supplied by a charitable trust.
Police examine the train used in the Great Train Robbery The gang members escaped with 120 bags of money

Reynolds, the son of a trade union official at the Ford plant in Dagenham, east London, left school at 14 and worked as an accounts clerk, hospital laboratory assistant and cycle fitter.

It was not long before he was in trouble with the police and he was sent to borstal twice for theft.

After his national service in the Army, he returned to a life of crime and served four jail terms, mainly for breaking into shops.

In 1963, he joined forces with Biggs, Buster Edwards, Charlie Wilson and other gang members to carry out the Great Train Robbery.

Total respect a great man that will be deeply missed.

                                                                                                                                        Copied from the BBC.

[CO-CO]

Many would say "good riddance to this low-life, scum bag who was probably responsible for the untimely death of Jack Mills (who he outlived by 16 years) and David Whitby".


Personally, i am two minds. Whilst it is pitiful to glamorise crime (and the criminals who perpetrate armed robbery) I found myself growing up with a soft spot for the Great Train Robbers - had no one been injured I would find it easier to justify that feeling. I had the same feelings for "Fast Eddie" after the securicor robbery in Felixstowe. In that case no one was injured.


I am not sure that the words"total respect" should be attributable to this felon - but then it depends where you make the judgement from.

[toffo]

 Just a common thief no respect in my eyes..   

[Albert]

Many would say "good riddance to this low-life, scum bag who was probably responsible for the untimely death of Jack Mills (who he outlived by 16 years) and David Whitby".


Personally, i am two minds. Whilst it is pitiful to glamorise crime (and the criminals who perpetrate armed robbery) I found myself growing up with a soft spot for the Great Train Robbers - had no one been injured I would find it easier to justify that feeling. I had the same feelings for "Fast Eddie" after the securicor robbery in Felixstowe. In that case no one was injured.


I am not sure that the words"total respect" should be attributable to this felon - but then it depends where you make the judgement from.

I don't know anyone who called him "low life scum"and there is no evidence to suggest that the blow on the drivers head came from Bruce,or that the blow was connected to his death.
The man done his TIME for the crime so in my opinion i will show him 100% respect.
I mean to say the time they received was 30 years,more than you get for murder,and why because it was the queens mail.

Everyone that knew Bruce said he was a perfect gentleman,and a very kind man.
Everyone is entitled to their opinion,but at the time of the robbery most peoples opinion was that the train robbers were HEROES.

[Albert]

Just a common thief no respect in my eyes..   

You seem to judge people very easily.
Do you know Bruce or his family?
A member of my family knew him very well,so i would appreciate if you cannot show any respect for the dead,you kindly keep your opinion to yourself.

[Albert]

JUST TO CLEAR UP A FEW LOSE ENDS.

Driver Jack Mills died in 1970 from Leukaemia 7 years after the robbery, this was unrelated to his injuries sustained in the robbery.


Second man David Whitby died from a heart attack on 6 January 1972 at the age of 34,9 years after the robbery.

[Alan]

Nobody has the right to voice an opinion unless approved by Albert

[davu]

He deserted from national service, did time for GBH, and was a drug dealer. He was a criminal with the intention of getting something for nothing, if you think that this guy was admirable then the rest of us that worked hard all their lives are f###ing idiots, we should all do it.

[toffo]

Don't post it on a forum if you don't want replies then... He was a criminal and that's a fact..

[toffo]

What a sad world we live in when people are respecting the criminal world and normal people struggle to put food on the table...

[Nobby]

What a sad world we live in when people are respecting the criminal world and normal people struggle to put food on the table...

Sadly passed away.

he passed away and it may be sad for his relitives but Sorry it is not sad for the world in which he did or left anything of any good. Gone and good riddance to bad rubbish

[Albert]

Nobody has the right to voice an opinion unless approved by Albert

Yes people have a right to voice an opinion,but no need to be disrespectful to the dead,people make mistakes in their life's,this man paid for his mistakes but that doesn't mean he is a bad person.
It's funny how people respect soldiers that murder people but disrespect someone who stole some money.
What a strange and twisted world we live in.

[CO-CO]

Nobody has the right to voice an opinion unless approved by Albert

Yes people have a right to voice an opinion,but no need to be disrespectful to the dead,people make mistakes in their life's,this man paid for his mistakes but that doesn't mean he is a bad person.
It's funny how people respect soldiers that murder people but disrespect someone who stole some money.
What a strange and twisted world we live in.

"someone who stole some money".



Yep - put it like that and it does make it sound a bit like shoplifting  from Woolworths.

[Albert]

He deserted from national service, did time for GBH, and was a drug dealer. He was a criminal with the intention of getting something for nothing, if you think that this guy was admirable then the rest of us that worked hard all their lives are f###ing idiots, we should all do it.

So he deserted national service so what.
Did time for GBH,so sentence served what more do you want,and sold a few pills so what good luck to him.
Or he could have worked all his life in a factory for nothing.
Well that might be your way but some people want more from life and Bruce took his opportunity got caught and served his time,but had a great life in between in Mexico.
As for the people who you say worked hard all their life's are idiots,well if the hat fits.
R.I.P BRUCE A GREAT MAN AND A LOCAL HERO.

[Albert]

Don't post it on a forum if you don't want replies then... He was a criminal and that's a fact..

So you have never done anything wrong Toffo?