BBC has set the cast for their two-part The Great Train Robbery written and executive produced by Chris Chibnall. Announcing the cast, Chibnall said, “The Great Train Robbery has passed into modern folklore. How fantastic that such a magnificent bunch of talented young stars have come together for our first film, to tell how one gang planned – and almost got away with – the British Crime of the Century.”

Part one, titled A Robber’s Tale, will star Luke Evans (pictured here in The Three Musketeers), Jack Roth, Neil Maskell, Paul Anderson, Martin Compston, Del Synnott, and Jack Gordon and will be directed by Julian Jarrold.

Part two is A Copper’s Tale and will be helmed by James Strong (United, Broadchurch). Both parts were written by Chibnall and will begin filming this month.

The Plot: This is the true story of the key men, led by Bruce Reynolds (Evans), who died last week, and their heist. Told from the perspective of Reynolds, it details how a group of criminals teamed together with a corrupt solicitor to pull off a major theft that baffled and frustrated the police.

Starting from November 1962 and going through to the night of 8 August 1963 and its immediate aftermath, the first film tells the story of how the robbery was inspired, planned, rehearsed, and executed. Beginning with a daring earlier robbery at Heathrow Airport, the film depicts how leader Bruce Reynolds led and strengthened that team to target the August Bank Holiday 1963 mail train from Glasgow.

The core team consisted of Reynolds’ childhood friend Charlie Wilson (Roth), ambitious Ronald ‘Buster’ Edwards (Maskell), and professional Gordon Goody (Anderson), with Brian Field (Synnott) being the key link between the robbers and the informant. Budding racing driver Roy James (Compston) was brought in as the getaway driver and Ronnie Biggs (Gordon) was later recruited to find the replacement train driver.