Ronald Biggs
@ronaldbiggs.bsky.social
The official feed for the late Ronnie Biggs. Read his definitive autobiography "The Great Train Robber" and "Odd Man Out". Look out in 2025 for the doc: "Ronnie Biggs: Run to Rio"
14 August 1963 saw the first arrests following the Great Train Robbery. Arrested together were Roger Cordrey (top) and Bill Boal (bottom). Cordrey was one of the train robbers, and head of the South Coast Raiders, but Boal was not. He was never a train robber and was never at Leatherslade Farm.
August 14, 2025 at 1:10 PM
14 August 1963 saw the first arrests following the Great Train Robbery. Arrested together were Roger Cordrey (top) and Bill Boal (bottom). Cordrey was one of the train robbers, and head of the South Coast Raiders, but Boal was not. He was never a train robber and was never at Leatherslade Farm.
After returning to Leatherslade Farm at around 4.40 am, most of the rest of the day on 8 August 1963 was spent counting the money. The total haul that night was £2,631,784 of which only £343,448 was ever recovered. That represents nearly £50 million at current sterling rates.
August 8, 2025 at 11:13 AM
After returning to Leatherslade Farm at around 4.40 am, most of the rest of the day on 8 August 1963 was spent counting the money. The total haul that night was £2,631,784 of which only £343,448 was ever recovered. That represents nearly £50 million at current sterling rates.
‘A Glasgow-to-London mail train was stopped and robbed in Buckinghamshire early today. It happened at Cheddington, near Tring, at about 3 am. The driver and fireman were attacked and injured; and two coaches of the train were detached.’ 1st BBC radio news about Great Train Robbery on 8 August 1963.
August 8, 2025 at 11:09 AM
‘A Glasgow-to-London mail train was stopped and robbed in Buckinghamshire early today. It happened at Cheddington, near Tring, at about 3 am. The driver and fireman were attacked and injured; and two coaches of the train were detached.’ 1st BBC radio news about Great Train Robbery on 8 August 1963.
Happy birthday Ron, who would have been 96-years old today, the 62nd anniversary of the Great Train Robbery of 8 August 1963. It is also the 16th anniversary of when Ron became a free man following his release on compassionate grounds in 2009.
August 8, 2025 at 11:08 AM
Happy birthday Ron, who would have been 96-years old today, the 62nd anniversary of the Great Train Robbery of 8 August 1963. It is also the 16th anniversary of when Ron became a free man following his release on compassionate grounds in 2009.
History books will tell you the Great Train Robbery took place 62-years ago on Thursday, 8 August 1963, but most of the action took place overnight from the 7 to 8 August. When Britain woke up on the morning of 8 August 1963 the Great Train Robbery was already history.
August 7, 2025 at 11:46 AM
History books will tell you the Great Train Robbery took place 62-years ago on Thursday, 8 August 1963, but most of the action took place overnight from the 7 to 8 August. When Britain woke up on the morning of 8 August 1963 the Great Train Robbery was already history.
The route taken by the Great Train robbers to drive between Leatherslade Farm, close to Oakley, and Bridego Bridge, just south of Leighton Buzzard, on the night of 7 August and the morning of 8 August 1963. Chosen by Roy James, the lead driver, to avoid areas of population.
August 7, 2025 at 11:43 AM
The route taken by the Great Train robbers to drive between Leatherslade Farm, close to Oakley, and Bridego Bridge, just south of Leighton Buzzard, on the night of 7 August and the morning of 8 August 1963. Chosen by Roy James, the lead driver, to avoid areas of population.
In HELP!, released in the UK 60-years ago, 29 July 1965, when The Beatles meet the head of Scotland Yard, John Lennon mocks the boast of how good the Yard is with the line "What about the Great Train Robbery? How's that going?” At the time, Yard was still hunting for many of the robbers.
July 29, 2025 at 10:47 AM
In HELP!, released in the UK 60-years ago, 29 July 1965, when The Beatles meet the head of Scotland Yard, John Lennon mocks the boast of how good the Yard is with the line "What about the Great Train Robbery? How's that going?” At the time, Yard was still hunting for many of the robbers.
60 years ago Ronnie Biggs escaped from HMP Wandsworth on 8 July 1965. It was the escape that made Ron a household name and in the end the most famous of the Great Train Robbers. 8 July was the first of 13,087 days he was on the run, until his return to UK on 7 May 2001
July 8, 2025 at 9:28 AM
60 years ago Ronnie Biggs escaped from HMP Wandsworth on 8 July 1965. It was the escape that made Ron a household name and in the end the most famous of the Great Train Robbers. 8 July was the first of 13,087 days he was on the run, until his return to UK on 7 May 2001
Tuesday, 8 July, is 60th anniversary of Ronnie Biggs’ daring escape from HMP Wandsworth in 1965. Just like the Great Train Robbery, it took place one day later than planned, in this case because of rain. I spoke to Matt Roper of the The Mirror about Ron’s escape.
www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news...
www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news...
Inside Ronnie Biggs' prison escape more daring than audacious £2.4m robbery
The Great Train Robbery convict's best friend lifts the lid on Ronnie Biggs' incredible life as the world's most famous fugitive
www.mirror.co.uk
July 6, 2025 at 11:34 AM
Tuesday, 8 July, is 60th anniversary of Ronnie Biggs’ daring escape from HMP Wandsworth in 1965. Just like the Great Train Robbery, it took place one day later than planned, in this case because of rain. I spoke to Matt Roper of the The Mirror about Ron’s escape.
www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news...
www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news...
The trial of the Great Train Robbers ended on 16 April 1964. Just 8 of the 16 robbers that had been at the track on 8 August 1963 were in the dock along with 3 accomplices and an innocent man. It took Mr Justice Edmund Davies just 28 minutes to pass sentence on the 12 men to a total of 307 years.
April 16, 2025 at 10:56 AM
The trial of the Great Train Robbers ended on 16 April 1964. Just 8 of the 16 robbers that had been at the track on 8 August 1963 were in the dock along with 3 accomplices and an innocent man. It took Mr Justice Edmund Davies just 28 minutes to pass sentence on the 12 men to a total of 307 years.
24 March 1963, saw the birth of Ron's son, Christopher Dean, at Redhill County Hospital. It was the added costs of a second child that would result in him calling Bruce Reynolds for a loan. That conversation would ultimately end up with Ron taking part in the Great Train Robbery.
March 24, 2025 at 12:34 PM
24 March 1963, saw the birth of Ron's son, Christopher Dean, at Redhill County Hospital. It was the added costs of a second child that would result in him calling Bruce Reynolds for a loan. That conversation would ultimately end up with Ron taking part in the Great Train Robbery.
It was 24 March 1981 that Barbados coastguard intercepted motor yacht Nowcani II and rescued Ron from his kidnappers who had taken him from a restaurant in Rio on 16 March. Now the world finally knew where Ron was. All explained in upcoming doc “Ronnie Biggs: Run To Rio”.
March 24, 2025 at 12:32 PM
It was 24 March 1981 that Barbados coastguard intercepted motor yacht Nowcani II and rescued Ron from his kidnappers who had taken him from a restaurant in Rio on 16 March. Now the world finally knew where Ron was. All explained in upcoming doc “Ronnie Biggs: Run To Rio”.
Given that World Poetry Day is celebrated on 21 March, we thought you might like a contribution from Ronnie Biggs.
March 21, 2025 at 3:49 PM
Given that World Poetry Day is celebrated on 21 March, we thought you might like a contribution from Ronnie Biggs.
55 years ago, 11 March 1970, Ron landed at Rio's old Galeão Airport after a flight from Caracas. It was start of a new chapter of his life. Arguably the most exciting. Ron would live in Rio until his departure on 6 May 2001. The story in Rio is told in new documentary "Ronnie Biggs: Run To Rio"
March 11, 2025 at 12:31 PM
55 years ago, 11 March 1970, Ron landed at Rio's old Galeão Airport after a flight from Caracas. It was start of a new chapter of his life. Arguably the most exciting. Ron would live in Rio until his departure on 6 May 2001. The story in Rio is told in new documentary "Ronnie Biggs: Run To Rio"
Ronnie Biggs landed in Sydney, Australia as Terrence Furminger on 31 December 1965, six months after his escape from HMP Wandsworth. He would depart from Australia from Sydney four years later on 7 February 1970 as Michael Haynes on the RHMS Ellinis. #RunToRio
February 7, 2025 at 11:52 AM
Ronnie Biggs landed in Sydney, Australia as Terrence Furminger on 31 December 1965, six months after his escape from HMP Wandsworth. He would depart from Australia from Sydney four years later on 7 February 1970 as Michael Haynes on the RHMS Ellinis. #RunToRio
Ronnie Biggs was arrested on 1 Feb 1974 in the Hotel Trocadero in Rio by Det Chief Inspector Jack Slipper. At the time Biggs was being interviewed by Daily Express and preparing to come back to the U.K. under his own volition, something often overlooked when his story is told
February 1, 2025 at 11:32 AM
Ronnie Biggs was arrested on 1 Feb 1974 in the Hotel Trocadero in Rio by Det Chief Inspector Jack Slipper. At the time Biggs was being interviewed by Daily Express and preparing to come back to the U.K. under his own volition, something often overlooked when his story is told
21 January 1994 saw the publication of the first version of Ronnie Biggs' autobiography, “Odd Man Out”. A best seller for Bloomsbury at the time. To mark the launch there was a live satellite link between Ron in the Embratel Studio in Rio and the UK media in The Groucho Club in London.
January 21, 2025 at 3:12 PM
21 January 1994 saw the publication of the first version of Ronnie Biggs' autobiography, “Odd Man Out”. A best seller for Bloomsbury at the time. To mark the launch there was a live satellite link between Ron in the Embratel Studio in Rio and the UK media in The Groucho Club in London.
21 December 1978, 15-years after the Great Train Robbery of August 1963, Michael Crichton's “The First Great Train Robbery,” starring Sean Connery and Donald Sutherland, and set in 1855, opened in London to the public at the Leicester Square Theatre.
December 21, 2024 at 2:55 PM
21 December 1978, 15-years after the Great Train Robbery of August 1963, Michael Crichton's “The First Great Train Robbery,” starring Sean Connery and Donald Sutherland, and set in 1855, opened in London to the public at the Leicester Square Theatre.
8 August 1929 - 18 December 2013. Gone but not forgotten. RIP Ron.
December 18, 2024 at 10:34 AM
8 August 1929 - 18 December 2013. Gone but not forgotten. RIP Ron.
Two years ago on 9 Dec we were filming at Estúdio Gatopan in Copacabana with Harold Emert (a man who knew and interviewed Ronnie Biggs many a time), Fabiana Osawa and Claudio Vettori for what will now be "Ronnie Biggs: Run To Rio". At the very final edit stage, so you will get to see it in 2025.
December 9, 2024 at 11:06 AM
Two years ago on 9 Dec we were filming at Estúdio Gatopan in Copacabana with Harold Emert (a man who knew and interviewed Ronnie Biggs many a time), Fabiana Osawa and Claudio Vettori for what will now be "Ronnie Biggs: Run To Rio". At the very final edit stage, so you will get to see it in 2025.
The Sex Pistols are returning to Brazil in September 2025 to play The Town festival in São Paulo. Of course, they will sadly be without their main lead singer, Ron, who recorded with them in Brazil in 1978, which resulted in the hit “No One is Innocent”.
December 4, 2024 at 4:34 PM
The Sex Pistols are returning to Brazil in September 2025 to play The Town festival in São Paulo. Of course, they will sadly be without their main lead singer, Ron, who recorded with them in Brazil in 1978, which resulted in the hit “No One is Innocent”.
Two-years ago, on 1 December 2022, we were recording at Porto da Pedra samba school in Rio, the school that featured Ronnie Biggs in its enredo back in 1998. All to be explained - along with many other stories - in new doc “Ronnie Biggs: Run to Rio” that you can watch in 2025.
December 1, 2024 at 4:04 PM
Two-years ago, on 1 December 2022, we were recording at Porto da Pedra samba school in Rio, the school that featured Ronnie Biggs in its enredo back in 1998. All to be explained - along with many other stories - in new doc “Ronnie Biggs: Run to Rio” that you can watch in 2025.
Thursday, 8 August 1963; The Great Train Robbery. Read all about it in Ronnie Biggs’ autobiography “The Great Train Robber.” Like the book, he was at Bridego Bridge. Published by Bonnier Books UK / John Blake Books
November 23, 2024 at 2:17 PM
Thursday, 8 August 1963; The Great Train Robbery. Read all about it in Ronnie Biggs’ autobiography “The Great Train Robber.” Like the book, he was at Bridego Bridge. Published by Bonnier Books UK / John Blake Books