The Great Train Robbery still stands as one of the most infamous robberies in British history, but who go the upper end of the robbery? Was a simple game of Monopoly with the authorities to blame for their capture? After the robbery the men took shelter in a safe house in Oxfordshire, they had a lot to celebrate, but those celebrations wouldn't last much longer.
What was interesting about the 20 or so members who pulled of the heist, is that the leader of the group was very distinct compared to the others. Some of these men were Buster Edwards, Bruce Reynolds, Brian Field, John Wheater, and Ronnie Biggs. This gang fit the stereotype of a Hollywood crime movie, with each person came a certain expertise that was valued among the group. Bruce Reynolds was head of the operation, or as they called it, the brain of the operation. The remaining members had a mixture of skills and the much needed muscle to pull of the raid. .
The safe house was provided by a prominent member of the gang, John Wheater. He was a well educated man and solicited public school educators, and used his good appearance to lease the Leatherslade Farm in Oxfordshire, where the group hid after the robbery. The connection between the men is not known.
With all the skills the gang had brought together, they worked hard to plan the perfect crime and figured out the right time to strike. Using valuable info from his friend, a retired train driver, also on the crew, found out all the operations like movements of cash and valuables on postal trains going in and out of London, Reynolds put together a perfect plan for robbing the train. .
The most important factor in the elaborate plan had to be found, which is the location. Reynolds was looking for somewhere close enough to London so the police would not be alerted to changes in the activities of the gang members, before and after the robbery. They also looked for a hidden spot that was close to roadways that had heavy traffic so their car wouldn't stand out to the locals.