Our Scholars enjoyed a fascinating Masterclass this week from Mr Tony Keep, who retired from Thames Valley Police as Chief Inspector after 32 years of service. Now a volunteer at the Thames Valley Police Museum, Tony visited Shiplake to share an inside look at one of Britain’s most infamous crimes: the Great Train Robbery of 1963.
Tony began by setting the scene of the heist: the targeted Travelling Post Office train, carrying both cash and mail with minimal security and no internal communication between coaches. The robbery was led by Bruce Reynolds and his South West Gang, who used a nearby farm as their base to intercept the train near Cheddington in the early hours of 8 August 1963.
Through photographs, crime scene details, and first-hand police accounts, Tony brought the story vividly to life: from the gang’s military-style planning and disguises to the moment the train was stopped by tampered signals. Driver Jack Mills was attacked during the robbery, and while the thieves escaped with £2.6 million (a staggering sum at the time which is approximately worth £69 million today!), their hasty exit plan led to crucial evidence being left behind.
Tony detailed the police investigation that followed with an enormous operation involving multiple departments and dozens of detectives. With DNA analysis still decades away, investigators relied on fingerprints to identify suspects, meaning only previously convicted criminals could be traced. In total, 29 people were arrested and 12 charged, including the now-notorious Ronnie Biggs.
The Scholars were captivated throughout, with plenty of questions in the Q&A that followed — from how fingerprints were tested in the 1960s to the fate of Biggs and others after their convictions.
Tony’s talk offered a rare insight into the painstaking detective work behind one of the UK’s best-known cases and gave our Scholars a deeper appreciation for the real-world application of forensic science and investigative history. Thank you, Tony, for visiting and speaking to our pupils!
