I remember when we first met.
I gave the most awful performance in Way of The World.
I went to my dressing room and there were the beautiful flowers you'd sent me.
And then you walked in.
- Flowers? - Mm.
Dozens of them. They were wonderful.
I didn't send any. Must have been someone else.
I walked in and you thanked me.
You're teasing me.
Bloody waste of good money, flowers.
- You didn't? - No.
Really?
I had them at a good price. I robbed a grave.
All you ever think about is money.
All anyone ever thinks about is money.
(rustling)
Don't turn.
- Mr Simms, is it? - That's right.
- You came alone? - Yes, as you instructed.
- Everything the same on the railway line? - All the same.
Then it'll be tomorrow.
- What'll be tomorrow? - Never you mind. Here's 100 quid for you.
Look the other way and shut your mouth.
- Right? - Right, sir.
Now, off you go and don't look back.
(snarling)
Get a bowl of water in there.
Put it in the corner, over there.
As far away from me as you can.
- He's pretty heavy, ain't he? - Pretty hungry too.
Sorry, sir. No one's allowed to ride in the van.
I've got to accompany the animal. It's very valuable.
(screech)
He gets upset if I'm not with him.
Yeah, very well.
Doesn't care for travel.
- You mean it's to be you? - Aye.
Where'd you make them impressions? They keep all them keys separate.
- Do they? - Aye, they do.
How'd you pull 'em?
With incredible skill.
The next gold shipment is in a week. This time we take it.
Agar will replace the gold with these lead bars...
..and throw the bags from the train at Romney,...
..where Barlow will collect them and then drive to Folkestone.
Where will we be?
In a first-class compartment enjoying the journey.
What happens afterward?
We divide the gold as agreed.
After that.
- After that? - Yes, after that!
You and I will go to Paris.
You have it all worked out. We ride on the train and they do the work.
They have to earn their share, don't they?
It's all very smooth.
Unless something goes wrong.
What could go wrong?
My dear Mr Simms.
As your humble servant,...
..I would be greatly obliged and indebted...
..if you could contrive to meet with me at the Palace, Sydenham...
..for the purpose...
For the purpose...
For the purpose of discussing some matters of...
..mutual interest.
Most respectfully,...
..William Williams, Esquire.
That should do it.
Well now, Willy...
What's this fellow Simms up to, eh?
Please, sir, I can't tell you.
Should have thought of that before we caught you with this purse.
I don't want to go back to prison, sir.
Well, then. Better tell us.
I don't know, sir. I told you.
All's I know is that he's a cracksman planning a flash pull, he is.
The letter will put you on to him.
We'll see.
They'll kill me, they will.
Then see you aren't running off again, eh?
We'll have a look at this mysterious Mr Simms.
(band plays)
Don't turn round, Willy.
- Now, what is it? - I'm needing a bit, Mr Simms.
- You've been paid. - I'm needing more.
- You been working, Willy? - No!
- Did the crushers pick you up? - I swear it, no!
- Willy, if you've turned nose on me... - I swear it's no flam.
A finny or two's what I need and that'll be an end to it.
There's a finny in your pocket.
You're sweating.
If you've turned nose on me, I'll see you in lavender.
Not me, sir. I swear!
Three crushers.
Edward! Edward Pierce!
Edward, we were wondering what had become of you.
I got married.
Must dash.
- Do you think he's in trouble? - Wouldn't surprise me.
Very rough man. Not a good sort at all.
(snoring)
(thudding upstairs)
- So, the snakesman is dead. - I'm afraid so, sir.
- And this fellow Simms has vanished? - Yes, sir.
And we don't know who he is or what he intends?
- We are entirely without clues. - No, not entirely.
We know Simms arranged for Clean Willy to break from Newgate some months ago.
- So it's a long-standing plan. - A plan we don't know.
Quite. But we do know Simms is a safecracker. He must be after safes.
And Willy broke into the dispatcher's office of the South Eastern Railway Line.
Hmm.
And it occurred to me, could this Simms be planning to steal the Crimean gold?
Steal from a moving railway train?
Who could imagine such a thing?
The next gold shipment is tomorrow.
I've alerted the railway line to take extra precautions.
- What's this? - Precautions, sir.
I will ride the train to Folkestone tonight. I shall be there tomorrow...
..in case there's any tomfoolery when the gold arrives.
- Very enterprising of you. - Thank you, sir.
We've made new security arrangements throughout.
New lock.
New guard, just in case they do have the audacity to try for the Crimean gold.
Excellent foresight, Mr Sharp.
I must commend you on your attention in this matter.
We certainly wouldn't want to lose that gold.
It's all changed. Everything. Everything's changed.
No one's allowed to ride in the luggage van save Burgess himself as guard.
And they've got a new jack on the platform...
..who opens all parcels large enough for a man to hide in.
And if that ain't bad enough, they've gone and fitted a lock on the luggage van door.
They're locking it at the station and not opening it until it gets to Folkestone.
A precautionary measure. All on account of the gold.
Bloody outside lock! It can't be worked from within.
Even if I was to be able to get inside the van...
..I'd be locked inside there until it gets into Folkestone.
And who do you think's behind all this? Only the crushers theirselves, that's who.
Two plainclothes jacks were there...
..saying as how a Mr Simms was planning to rob the Crimean gold.
They don't have a high opinion of your intelligence. But they credit your nerve.
And they've put crushers on every station on the line and at Folkestone.
So. Here we are.
Burgess is no use. I can't get into the van because of that jack opening everything.
Even if I could, I couldn't get the gold out as the door's locked from the outside.
So what's it to have four keys, I ask you?
Four keys or 40 keys - it don't make no bloody difference!
It's a waste, the whole thing! And nothing to be done about it.
All on account of they found you out, Mr Edward bloody Simms Pierce!
That was something you didn't think of. What have you got to say about that?
Find me a dead cat.
(sobbing)
Now then, missy, now then.
Oh, please, sir, can you help me?
The man is a heartless beast, he is.
- What man? - That guard upon the line, sir.
He will not let me set my dear brother on the train.
He says it must be...
..opened!
Why... the cruel rogue.
We'll have your brother on the train.
There's, um...
..no need to open it.
I, um... I see you have a Bateson's belfry here.
Oh, yes, sir.
Me brother, he was terrible afraid of being buried alive, so here's the safety.
Very thoughtful, I'm sure. Just you dry your eyes. All will be well.
Thank you, sir.
I'll just... get this business finished.
- How could you be so cruel? - I only told her the new rules.
- All containers to be opened. - Yes, I know.
Do you smell it? I think in this case we can make an exception.
Whatever you say.
- Nephew! - Uncle.
Nephew,...
..mind your duties. Open every parcel and make no exception. No exception.
- Yes, Uncle. - (sniffs)
- What's that ungodly stink? - The, er...
- Scheduled for the morning train? - Yes, Uncle.
- See that you open it. - But, er... Uncle...
No stomach for it, eh?
Dear God, you're a delicate one.
All right, I'll do it myself.
For opened it must be.
Oh! Oh!
My dear brother! Oh, Richard. Richard, he lives!
He lives! Oh, he's alive!
Oh, make haste. He's alive! Oh, praise God, he's alive!
Oh, he's alive!
Hurry! Hurry! Lest we are too late.
I knew it was not cholera!
Cholera?
He was a quack to say it. I knew it! Hurry. Hurry.
- Five days I've waited to hear that bell. - You say cholera? Five days?
Richard! Richard!
Ohh!
Oh, no!
Oh...
How can it be? I heard the bell.
Did you not?
I heard it plain.
The bell rang.
No, missy. A gust of wind or a tremor on the ground.
I'm sorry.
But I heard it.
(supervisor) Load this on. Sharp now!
Come along.
Steady. Steady now.
Stand aside there.
Careful.
That's right.
Over here. A little to your right. Set it down.
- There's more colour to you now. - Yes, I feel much better now, thank you.
- Goodbye. - Bye-bye, miss.
- All right for you. I'll be in here with it. - Rather you than me, mate!
Oh, the stench!
(whistle)
- Can you do it? - I think so.
It's a long way back there.
Five carriages, 30 feet each, that's 150 feet altogether.
I'll manage.
- You're not going to get killed, are you? - Oh, I'd rather not.
Edward!
- Edward Pierce, my dear fellow! - Damn. Henry Fowler!
He cannot travel in our compartment.
Henry, what a surprise!
- Fancy seeing you! Are you on this train? - Yes.
As a matter of fact, so am I.
Oh, forgive me. Miss Bridget Lawson, Mr Henry Fowler.
Miss Lawson is accompanying her deceased brother but...
..due to the new regulations she's not permitted in the guard's van.
Therefore she is seeking a compartment.
Well, mine is available.
Henry, you're so kind.
You won't join us, will you?
As a matter of fact, I've... made other arrangements.
Oh, I see!
- You're quite sure? - Oh, yes.
You carry on, Henry.
Miss Lawson!
- You're in capable hands. - You're too kind.
Not at all.
(Agar) Open up! Open up!
Open up, damn you!
(knocking)
Are you alive, then?
Of course I am, you damnable flat.
- Good God, he's alive! - Open it! Hurry up. I must be quick!
Lift up!
Oh, mother of God!
Oh, the smell!
The things I must do!
Do you have, er... many gentlemen friends?
Oh, why sure enough. Gents are ever so friendly to me, they are.
- Me mum said I was a heartbreaker. - I'm certain you are.
Me mum was a heartbreaker herself. Had many a caller, she did.
Many a caller.
And always with some little token.
Me mum says a man loves you, he shows you proper.
- With some little token. - Quite so.
If you will permit me, I should be delighted to give you a "token" myself.
- Cor, you're a bold gent! - I'm most serious, I assure you.
- What, here on the train? - Why not?
Have you not heard of the 50-mile-an-hour club?
I'm told it's beneficial to the circulation.
- But the van's locked from outside. - It's taken care of.
- How? - You'll see soon enough.
My friend will come over the top of the train between Redhill and Ashford.
That's the fastest part of the run!
I suppose it is.
What about all them bridges? Your friend, mate, he's mad.
(train whistle)
(bell)
(train whistle)
(whistle)
- What's going on? - Take the rope.
- Is he up there now? - He is.
He's lucky to be alive.
- Hold on. - All right.
Now let it go easy.
Go on.
I can't get over the feeling...
You look very familiar.
- Are you sure we've never met? - Oh, no, sir.
What does your mum do?
Me mum? Er...
She's a seamstress.
An honourable trade.
Me mum's made dresses for Lady Eversham herself, I'll have you know.
I'm acquainted with Lady Eversham.
Oh.
(whistle)
- All done? - Done.
Good. We've got less than a minute.
Bloody hell, you look a sight!
I look a sight?
No, but you're all covered in soot.
It's the smoke.
- I haven't brought a change of clothing. - That's brilliant(!)
What are you going to wear coming off Folkestone station?
Oh no!
Bloody hell! You paint me green, make me lie in a coffin with a dead cat...
..and now you strip me bollock-naked. No!
- Shut up. - Bloody hell!
Let's go!
He'll take the river road and meet us in Folkestone.
Take hold of the rope. We'll be through Ashford soon. Pull it.
We'll pass Ashford soon.
(whistle)
Best lock me up.
- Sweet dreams. - Not bloody likely.
(bell tinkles)
Me mum told me the best gents were the ones to watch. Full of tricks, they are.
I knew of one caller, wanted me to come to a room he had, full of whips and such.
- Whips? - Mm!
Can you imagine!
Mmm.
- Well, me mum, she told me... - My dear, my dear, my dearest!
Oh!
What a man you are!
What do you take me for?
Aagh!
Ohh!
Impossible woman!
Ha!
Robbery indeed! The very idea!
(cloth rips)
Arrest that man!
The court thanks you for providing us with so clear an explanation...
..of your manner in committing the crime.
I'm glad to be of help. The police seemed to be confused.
Do spare us your impoverished witticisms, Mr Pierce.
Your presence here attests to their efficiency.
You know, you are a very unusual man.
Mr Pierce, I put it to you directly.
Did you never feel at any time some sense of impropriety,...
..some recognition of misconduct,...
..some comprehension of unlawful behaviour, some moral misgivings...
..in the performance of these various and sundry criminal acts?
- I don't understand the question. - Evidently not.
Sir, it is a recognised truth of jurisprudence...
..that laws are created by men...
..and that civilised men, in a tradition of more than two millennia,...
..agree to abide by these laws for the common good of all society.
For it is only by the rule of law...
..that any civilisation holds itself above the promiscuous squalor of barbarism.
Now, on the matter of motive, we ask you:
..why did you conceive, plan and execute this dastardly and scandalous crime?
I wanted the money.
He'll get 20 years for that.
(cheering)
What the hell are you waiting for?