[Gary]

In the early hours of the 8th of August 1963, an ambush by robbers on a mail train at Sears Crossing between Leighton Buzzard and Cheddington relieved it of a staggering £2.5million, in what later becomes known as the 'Great Train Robbery'. The locomotive heading the ill-fated train is Class 40 No. D326. The full story of the robbery can be found below:-

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The Great Train Robbery

Now for the first time modellers will have the opportunity of recreating their own Great Train Robbery as Bachmann have announced that they are going to produce a limited edition of the loco, Class 40 No. D326, that was ambushed by the robbers on that fateful day. The loco, of the type featured below with a different number, will be available later this year.

Bruce Reynolds, nicknamed "The Mastermind", and Ronald Biggs, shown below looking approvingly at the Bachmann pre-production sample. An insider says that each have one on order apparently!

As D326 had been scrapped by 1987, the loco below, 40106, gained world-wide attention in a brief film career. Cleverly disguised as D326, the loco was used in a re-enactment of the Great Train Robbery for the hit movie "Buster" . Filming took place at the Great Central Railway on 29th October 1987

If you want to hear what the loco sounded like as it pulled out of the station on its way to meet the robbers then click the link below. You will need a media player and it is an mp3 file:-

Class 40 on its way to infamy!

Just a few words on another subject. It does take a bit of effort to gather news and create an interesting story. Whilst Model Rail Forum does not mind visitors telling their friends about this story, and other stories that may appear here from time to time, we would like to feel that you would stick around and support Model Rail Forum by commenting on the story here, and supporting Model Rail Forum directly, and even registering as a member! If you do mention this story to your friends then please credit Model Rail Forum with bringing it to your attention!

And please invite all your modelling friends to Model Rail Forum. The more the merrier!
Thats all folks.

Happy modelling
Gary

PS Maybe Bachmann would consider doing the loco that featured in "The Great St Trinians Train Robbery" next!

 

[Gary]

My better half, on reading the story said:

"Were those pair at the Ontracks show that you went to last week then?"

And of course Warley Model Railway Club have invited this pair to open the Warley Show at the NEC later this year! "Never mind Pete Waterman, we'll just get Ronnie and Bruce...."

Happy modelling
Gary

 

[Gary]

We have put our best detectives on the case!

Happy modelling
Gary

 

[Gary]

The Bachmann reference number is 40-0326 and its listed as a future release at Rails of Sheffield.

Update:

I've had this reply from Rails of Sheffield:

"Hello Gary, It is indeed a 'Rails of Sheffield' limited edition from Bachmann , it is due for release in the early New Year. A price has not yet been advised but the limiteds usually run at £15-20 more than the standard issues (£50.00) ie: £65-£70.We are taking advanced orders for these locos . Thanks for your interest, Alan"

Happy modelling
Gary

 

[Gary]

The story above was not prepared by Bachmann and is designed to inform whilst at the same time entertain.

The link to the story of The Great Train Robbery makes the following comment towards the end:-

QUOTE It must be said that the Great Train Robbery was brilliantly planned and executed. Apart from the attack on the train driver it was non-violent and no firearms were used.

Clearly some members have expressed a view. That is what a forum is for.

It is really up to railway modellers to make up their own mind but I do suspect that there is interest in this model allowing for the considerations expressed above.

Should we not have a model produced simply as a result of an association?

For all we know the packaging may include some reference to the driver so we cannot judge either Rails of Sheffield or Bachmann yet until we have seen the final product.

Happy modelling
Gary

 

[Gary]

The reference is on the official website of the British Transport Police.

Clearly this is a sensitive issue with some members.

As I have said:-

QUOTE Should we not have a model produced simply as a result of an association?

Even if the model was produced without the association then modellers and the modelling press would probably make reference to the association.

So is it the view that we should or should not have a model of this locomotive?

Clearly the driver of the loco, Jack Mills, did struggle with the robbers and was attacked. Given that there might be a few words on the packaging in memory of the driver then would this address concerns?

There is a link to the story of Jack Mills below:-

Jack Mills

Many locomotives have been involved in incidents and may be sensitive subjects to model as a result. Think of the recent spate of tragedies on the railways.

Should we have models of these locomotives?

Happy modelling
Gary

 

[Gary]

Lets get a sense of proportion here folks.

Lots of people have made lots of money out of the historic events described above. Film makers, book writers, publishers and the media in general. And all this by direct association with all historic events good and bad. There have been several films based on the Great Train Robbery. "The Great St Trinians Train Robbery" was produced just after the actual event itself. And then there was the film "Buster". "Shindlers List" and so on.

Even the Sex Pistols made money out of the association with one of the criminals involved. And the BBC.

Its not bad taste to produce something that has historic interest for people. Sean Connery starred in a film based on an earlier train robbery.

Yes, things happen.

1500 souls lost their lives on the Titanic and yet this incident featured in one of the most successful films of all time. Should people not make models of the Titanic out of respect for the souls that lost their lives?

A company wishes to produce one model of a locomotive that has historic interest and they get panned for it. This seems unfair (to me anyway).

Happy modelling
Gary

 

[Gary]

Interesting. Should all toy shops and Corgi be condemned for selling this?

Now I am not taking sides. I am just fanning the flames a little.

Happy modelling
Gary

 

[Gary]

Doug's opened this up because I just wanted to say a few words.

The responsibility for publishing the news story in the form as presented is with me and I apologise to those who have been offended by it. Ok, I made a mistake. I spotted what I thought was an interesting item listed at the Rails of Sheffield website and created a news story around it designed to entertain/amuse and it clearly did not do that. Using "Not the 9 O'clock News" BBC TV type humour within this news story was inappropriate in the circumstances. Sorry.

Bachmann and Rails of Sheffield had nothing at all to do with the story. Thats how it is.

As this is a lesson for whole hobby industry (and myself) we are going to leave the story and this entire thread in the form as it stands as a reminder of how not to do things.

And there are plenty of references here to Jack Mills, the unfortunate driver of the train, so on a positive note this topic has permitted visitors to reflect on the events of that day, and on the effort of Jack Mills to foil the gang. Maybe visitors will see things in a different light. Who knows?

Hopefully with the lessons learnt here, Rails of Sheffield and Bachmann will do the right thing. Let the model be a tribute to Jack Mills. And if any of you spot anything again in the news stories here that you feel is insensitive then please advise and we'll sort it out going forward. I still would like to inject humour where possible and hopefully you do support this approach where its appropriate.

Rails of Sheffield and Bachmann are aware of the concerns expressed here and really there is not much more to be said by myself. I am not a great believer in locking threads as its suggests that people are unable move forward in the right spirit so if Doug would like to keep this open for the moment then we can move on.

Happy modelling
Gary