GREAT TRAIN ROBBERY VICTIM’S SISTER WINS £333K

The sister of a Great Train Robbery victim has landed £333,333 on the Postcode Lottery – more than six decades after her late brother was beaten during Britain’s most infamous heist.

Nancy Barkley, 80, of Crewe, has landed a third of a £1 million prize – and now plans to quit her rented home for one of her own with husband, Colin.

And the former factory worker says she could not help thinking of her late brother David Whitby – the trainman attacked by the notorious gang behind the 1963 robbery. 

Nancy said:

“Everyone all knew the robbers’ names but now people remember my brother David as well.

“And maybe he’s looking down on us today.”

The great gran-of-two added: “This is just unbelievable. I never expected anything like that amount. I thought £1,000... anything over that is a bonus.

“This is a blooming big bonus!”

Nancy and two neighbours shared £1 million when CW1 6HN landed the lottery’s weekly Millionaire Street prize on Saturday 9 May. Each ticket was worth £333,333.

But behind the feel-good windfall is an extraordinary link to one of Britain’s most notorious crimes.

Nancy’s brother David Whitby, then 25, was the fireman – or driver’s mate – aboard the Glasgow to London Royal Mail train targeted by the Great Train Robbery gang on August 8th 1963.

The robbery became one of the most shocking crimes in British history after 15 men escaped with £2.6 million - worth more than £50 million today.

While the gang, including Ronnie Biggs, became infamous around the world, Nancy says the real victims were forgotten.

Recalling the terrifying night, she said:

“They [the robbers] changed the signals, so the train stopped.

“David got out and went down to the signal box to find out why. He then went to ring the signal box man, but they’d cut the wires.”

Nancy said her brother then unknowingly walked straight into the gang.

She explained:

“He was walking back towards the train and saw a fellow standing there. David said, ‘You alright mate?’ because he thought he was a railway worker.

“But he was one of the robbers. He grabbed David, pushed him down the bank and started punching him.”

Nancy said the gang then attacked driver Jack Mills, then 57, after he tried to resist them.

She said:

“They dragged Jack off the train and handcuffed him to David.

“One of the robbers stood over them and warned them some of the gang were ‘right b*****ds’.”

Driver Jack suffered severe head injuries during the raid and never fully recovered. He died in 1970 aged 65.

David died just two years after Jack in 1972 at only 34 years old from a heart attack.

Nancy believes both men paid a terrible price for the trauma they suffered. Yet she says history focused almost entirely on the robbers themselves.

Nancy said:

“They spent 50 years glamourising them. It was all Ronnie Biggs this and Ronnie Biggs that.

“They made films about them and turned them into celebrities.”

Nancy even remembers seeing singer Phil Collins star in the 1988 movie, Buster, in which he played one of the gang members Buster Edwards.

Nancy added:

“Nobody talked about the victims. David and Jack both died within years of the robbery and people just forgot about them.”

Recognition finally came decades later after railway officials organised a memorial service honouring the two men.

A plaque was later installed at Crewe Railway Station, and roads were named after both men.

Nancy said:

“There’s a Jack Mills Way and a David Whitby Way now. Every time we drive down there, I say, ‘Hello David’.”

Husband Colin, 69, admitted he secretly put the Postcode Lottery ticket in Nancy’s name because he believed she was luckier than him.

He joked:

“I told her she was the lucky one. Looks like I was right."

Nancy, who worked as a cutter for Chester Barrie – a clothing factory which made designer men’s clothes worn by Royals, football and F1 stars – now plans to buy their very own home.

Nancy added:

“We only rent so this changes everything. We can buy the bungalow that we've always wanted."

Nancy and Colin only moved back to Crewe recently after retiring to Wales several years ago. But worsening health problems forced them closer to family. 

Nancy revealed she battled breast cancer two years ago and underwent a lumpectomy.

Although doctors successfully removed the cancer, she later became seriously ill after suffering an infection and digestive complications.

She said:

“At one point I went a whole month hardly eating or drinking. I ended up in hospital on drips and intravenous antibiotics.”

But Nancy says she is finally recovering and hopes to enjoy spending their winnings.

The couple have already begun sharing the news with their family – although one of their four daughters initially thought the photos were fake.

Colin laughed:

“She saw the picture with the cheque and said, ‘It’s AI.’ I had to convince her it was real.”

The family already have a history of competition luck. Back in 1995, Colin entered a Daily Mirror competition and won a luxury cruise aboard the famous P&O liner SS Canberra.

Nancy said:

“We’d never been abroad before. We went to Spain, Egypt, Israel, Cyprus and Gibraltar.”

She added:

“We even had our own butler.”

Despite their latest windfall, the pair insist they will not become extravagant.

Nancy said:

“We’re not flashy people. We don’t drink and we’re happy with simple things. We like going out for lunch and little trips away.”

Instead, the biggest joy for Nancy is being able to help her close-knit family including their daughters, six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

And May has already become a huge month for celebrations, with several birthdays falling within weeks of the win.

Nancy smiled:

“One daughter turned 60 last week, another had her birthday today and my birthday is next week.

“May must be our lucky month.”

Along the road, great-grandad David Lomas, 82, thought he might be pocketing a tidy £20,000 when Postcode Lottery staff turned up outside his home.

Instead, the stunned pensioner discovered he’d also scooped a jaw-dropping £333,333.

And in a heartbreaking twist, the win came just 17 months after his beloved wife May died aged 79 following more than six decades together.

The widower said his family are convinced May had a hand in it from above after Postcode Lottery phoned to say he’d won – on the same day as his late wife’s birthday.

David said:

“My granddaughter said, ‘Nana sent this to you’. She would have been 81 yesterday. It’s unbelievable.”

The retired Rolls-Royce car machinist admitted he barely slept after the call from the lottery staff telling him they’d be knocking on his door the very next day.

He said:

“At first, I didn’t believe it. Then when they said they were going to come and film me, I thought it must be more than 50 quid.”

When he saw the amount, the emotional grandad was left speechless.

At one point, David simply stared at the cheque in disbelief before joking: “I’m gonna wake up soon and it’ll all have been a dream.”

David admitted the moment was bittersweet because he wished his wife could have shared it with him.

He said quietly:

“I wish she was here. I wish it happened 10 years ago, then I would have really, really enjoyed it. But I’m really grateful as I thought my time had run out on ever winning anything – never mind something like this.”

David and May had been together for 62 years after first meeting as teenagers at a bus station.

He said:

“She was sweet 17 and I was 18. People said it would never last.”

But it did and the devoted husband later worked alongside May at Rolls-Royce’s Crewe factory before both retiring in 1999.

Despite landing a fortune, the humble pensioner insists the cash will mostly be spent helping his family rather than splashing out on himself.

He said:

“This will be massive for my family. My daughter looks after six kids. I’ll help all of them. Basically, make sure my daughter's sorted for the rest of her life.” 

He nonchalantly added:

“Me? I’m happy with what I’ve got.”

The devoted family man also plans to take the entire clan on the dream holiday they’ve been saving up for.

He said:

“We were planning to go to Mallorca next year for my daughter Diane’s 60th birthday.

“We can definitely do it now. We can even go this summer.”

The neighbours were delighted to learn that local charities and good causes have also benefitted from their win.

Nancy started playing the lottery to support charities close to her heart such as Breast Cancer Now, which has received over £16 million in funding.

And closer to home, one local organisation, Chance Changing Lives, has received £50,000 thanks to funds raised by Postcode Lottery players.

The volunteer-led charity helps those facing homelessness and poverty in Crewe through compassion, dignity and practical support. 

Charity Director David Barker said:

“What started in 2017 as a small outreach effort in Crewe has grown into something much bigger, but the need continues to rise.”

The charity’s Community Pantry offers low-cost, nutritious food to those in need, while providing a safe space for people to connect and access a range of additional services. It also runs The Saturday Kitchen, dishing up hot meals and access to free NHS practitioner appointments.

David added:

“This amazing amount of funding will allow us to scale up our work, enabling us to reach more people who are struggling - and be there for more individuals and families.

“We’re incredibly grateful to Postcode Lottery players for making this possible. The support will have a direct and lasting impact on the lives of people in our community.”

Other charities receiving funding include:

Body Positive Cheshire and North Wales - £50,000 

Providing support for people with questions or issues around sexual orientation, gender identity and sexual health.

Her-Place Charitable Trust - £50,000 

Dedicated to empowering and uplifting women through tailored wellbeing services, advocacy and community support.

Cheshire Without Abuse - £50,000 

They are building a community where adults and children live free from domestic abuse.

Hopes and Beams - £25,000 

The multi award-winning charity gives young people with physical, sensory and learning disabilities the chance to play, train and make friends in a fun and safe environment. 

How it works     

Postcode Lottery costs £12.50 a month to play and there are guaranteed winners every day. People play with their chosen postcode and are automatically entered into all draws.

Details of all the prizes players have the chance to win with a monthly subscription can be found here.

Players can check if their postcode is a winner on Postcode Lottery's Lottery Results page. 

This prize was promoted on behalf of Postcode Education Trust which supports charities such as Save the Children, Theirworld and Right To Play UK.