Gordon Goody was the mystery man of the Great Train Robbery. The tall, enigmatic figure behind the most notorious theft in British history, he has kept his silence for five decades—until now.

Born in England but raised in rural Northern Ireland, Goody rose to the rank of army sergeant during National Service and sailed in the merchant navy. But he chose a life of crime and, undeterred by a dose of the birch in Wormwood Scrubs, became one of the most prolific robbers in London. He befriended a group of like-minded young thieves, in particular Bruce Reynolds, Charlie Wilson and Buster Edwards, who haunted Soho’s coffee bars in their sharp suits and sporty cars. Goody was the staunchest of allies, a hard man who could terrify the bravest security guard, withstand the most brutal interrogation and would never panic in a tight spot.

After pulling off a payroll robbery at London Airport dressed as City gents, Goody and his gang were caught but walked free thanks to some creative alibis. They were then offered the job of a lifetime: inside details of a Glasgow to London mail train laden with cash, provided by an enigmatic figure called The Ulsterman—whose identity Goody reveals for the first time. Two gangs came together to rob the train and in the early hours of 8 August 1963, it was halted at an isolated spot in Buckinghamshire. They stole £2,631,684, worth around £40 million today. The rest is history. Goody was ultimately gaoled for thirty years concurrent for armed robbery. He served twelve, then moved to Spain on his release, where he entered the lucrative cannabis trade. This is his remarkable life story.