A historic mail bag, signed by ten criminals involved in the notorious Great Train Robbery that netted over £2 million, is set to be auctioned. The gang’s audacious heist involved attacking a train driver and making off with mail sacks containing the equivalent of nearly £50 million by today’s standards. The collection, including the signed mail bag, was assembled by the vendor’s father, a collector with a fascination for London’s underworld and criminal activities.
The distinctive cream drawstring mail bag, reminiscent of those crafted by the gang members during their incarceration, features a color photograph of the Royal Mail Travelling Post Office train that was targeted during the robbery. The heist, which took place 63 years ago, involved the gang tampering with signal lights, assaulting the train driver, and unloading cash into waiting vehicles using a human chain. The bag bears the signatures of key figures from the gang, such as Bruce Reynolds and Ronnie Biggs.
The gang’s violent actions during the robbery had lasting consequences, with the train driver enduring chronic pain and headaches, while another victim, David Whitby, never recovered from the psychological trauma and died of a heart attack a decade later. Despite their capture and imprisonment, one of the gang members, Ronnie Biggs, achieved notoriety after escaping and living as a fugitive for several decades.
Ewbank’s Auctions, located near Guildford, Surrey, anticipates the mail bag to fetch between £70 and £100 at the upcoming auction. Additionally, a Monopoly banknote linked to the case, along with signed press photographs of key gang members, will also be on offer. The auction, featuring these unique lots, is scheduled to take place on Friday, August 28.
