The Great Train robber - after years of ill health.

Aged 84.

Very sad to hear the news; he was a lovely guy; met him several times, doing the Pilot for Entertainment World in Brazil (used bits of that in Vile Pervert; The Musical) and also filmed him for the Top of the Pops segment (huge complaints from the morons in the public).

Interesting reading the "haters" Tweets - they use exactly the same language as Tom Daley haters and others. There clearly is a sad lack of brain facility amongst them; same insults, same stupid moronic rudeness usually involving the victim's mother... totally different reasons for the bile but the same punch drunk thinking and use of words. It's almost as though they have a physical deformity (often, I suspect, caused by drink or drugs). And they are, I'm sure, incapable of seeing themselves in true reflection. Seething with battery acid in their veins. Like Zombies. Pity them, don't hate them back.

JK2006 wrote:
Very sad to hear the news; he was a lovely guy

Yes, I believe he was; a chap who just decided, like his pal Reynolds, to have his career in crime.

When he lived at Raffells Bridge in Redhill, Surrey - my Uncle would have the odd pint with him at the nearby Red Lion (which is still there). At that time, he was just a local carpenter who married a local headmaster's daughter, Charmian Powell.

Good fun and always bought his round. He only got involved in the robbery after asking Reynolds (who he knew from Borstal) for the loan of a few quid....

The original 'celebrity gangster'.

A media made man,a common thief,nothing more,nothing less.

He did his time, after years of ill health he paid his dues to society.

JK wrote, "the same punch drunk thinking and use of words. It's almost as though they have a physical deformity (often, I suspect, caused by drink or drugs). And they are, I'm sure, incapable of seeing themselves in true reflection. Seething with battery acid in their veins. Like Zombies."

In just 2 words, "Tabloid Readers"!

What strikes me as so odd is... why would anybody slag someone off - online, on media or even personally? I suppose Biggs' criminal act warrants negative opinions but why bother to express them? And why on earth would anybody want to say rude things about Tom Daley or all the other victims of haters? Do you think they think "today I'll do something REALLY great/creative/constructive/amusing - call someone a poof"?

And don't they ever think... why am I doing this?

I suppose it's insanity and it's hard to understand insanity.

Yes JK.

But the proof that it's all 50-years of tabloid media driven hype for ratings and profit. Is that Biggs was small fry among the G.T. Robbers. He was sitting in a Land Rover by the track, not expecting nor even knowing that the train driver was coshed.

The unprecedented 30 year sentence for a robbery was more than for some murders, and reflected the Crown's outrage at their mail-train violated and equivalent today of £45 Million pounds stolen. Similar even larger-value robberies since then with premeditated violence have drawn lesser sentences. As ever, it's more about money and malice than justice. Biggs escaped after serving 18 months, returned in Y2K a dying man to serve another 8 years.

Yet three MR BIG masterminds allegedly cut a deal with bent-cops (is there another type?) and were never found. So where's today's bent-media hype about those Robbers & Cops - all CRIMINALS?

Quote JK: "Don't believe stories about a media-made Demon."

andrew wrote:
He did his time, after years of ill health he paid his dues to society.

He only came back because he was skint,and couldn't afford medical treatment in Brasil.

A bit part actor in the crime,a petty thief out of his league,and received a sentence that bordered on stupidity,one that would have been censored by the European court on appeal now.
That said he was a useful player of the meejah.Living off his notoriety,at least let out long enough to enjoy what was left of his crippled life.

my bizarre Biggs connection ; I was staying at a friends flat in Queensway..daughter of a US mafia boss.

She had a bunch of unsavoury friends including a tough Glaswegian..always plotting around the kitchen table. One day they just disappeared and I asked her where they went...

" sailing to Brasil" she said. And so they did. Kidnapped Ronnie and threw him in the hull of their yacht. I was so pleased when he finally escaped.

## No 89 Hedda's Brushes With Fame.