Beatlemania wasn’t the only big news out of Britain in 1963 – the Great Train Robbery also rocked the nation as a 15-strong gang attacked a Royal Mail train and made off with £2.6 million – the equivalent of £46 million (Dh270m) today – in a caper that soon became the stuff of crime legend.
In a textbook demonstration of the KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid) principle, they stopped the Glasgow-to-London train by simply covering the green signal light and connecting a six-volt Ever Ready battery to power the red light – then scooped 121 sacks of cash and formed a human chain to unload their loot from Bridego Railway Bridge in Buckinghamshire to their waiting truck in the wee hours of August 8, all without guns.
To rehash the crime itself, which has already inspired and influenced scores of books, movies, television series, videogames, music, theatre and even model railway lore in popular culture, could prove repetitive and redundant.
But Mrs Biggs – a new British drama series that traces the true story of Charmian Biggs, the woman behind Britain’s most famous villain, the Great Train Robber Ronnie Biggs – takes us on an astonishing emotional journey over five hour-long episodes.
“Charmian’s is one of the great untold stories of the 20th century, set against the backdrop of one of the greatest crimes of all times,” says the award-winning writer and executive producer Jeff Pope (See No Evil: The Moors Murders). “But at the heart of it is a simple love story between Charmian and Ron. In fact, it illuminates so much about crime and punishment and love.”
“When I received the call to say that I’d got this job I burst into tears. Charmian is an incredible woman,” adds the actress Sheridan Smith – who won the Best Actress Bafta this year for her portrayal of Charmian in this saga of enduring love that spans three decades and crosses continents from Britain to Australia to Brazil.
Pope believes many women can identify with the young Charmian who, as a free-spirited 18-year-old from an oppressive family background, first met the charming Ronnie Biggs on a train – and fell in love with him. The series, which was first broadcast in Britain in 2012, shadows her journey through marriage to Ronnie (played by Daniel Mays), her shock when she finds out he took part in the robbery, his dramatic escape from Wandsworth Prison, their new life after fleeing to Australia, the tragic death of their 10-year-old-son and the moment she said goodbye to Ronnie in Rio to seize a new future for herself and their two surviving children.
“If my story were to be dramatised I wanted it to be done as accurately as possible,” says the real Charmian, who was ultimately allowed to remain in Australia and acted as a consultant to the ITV studios production. “It seemed to me this was an opportunity to convey the rollercoaster of emotions involved, rather than just the bare facts.”
While Ronnie kept up his fame and cash flow through publicity stunts – including singing vocals on two songs for The Great Rock ‘n’ Roll Swindle, Julien Temple’s film about the Sex Pistols, “I think he feels he’s had a lot of shots at telling his story and it’s time Charmian told hers,” says Pope.
Mrs. Biggs is broadcast at 5.45pm and 9.50pm on Saturday on ITV Choice HD
Mrs Biggs trivia
• The series was filmed in London, Surrey, Buckinghamshire, Manchester, Adelaide and Melbourne.
• A locomotive from the same batch of engines involved in the 1963 raid was used to recreate robbery scenes on the East Lancashire Railway.
• Charmian Biggs flew to Britain from Australia in February 2012, just before filming began, to visit Ronnie, who was ill. Despite their 1976 divorce, the couple remain on good terms.
• Charmian sat with actress Sheridan Smith during a read-through of the screenplay.
• While filming in Australia, Sheridan Smith and Daniel Mays spent an evening at Charmian’s house looking at letters and scrapbooks.
