Petrolblog reads Rich Duisberg's entertaining book on Roy James

The 'Real Weasel' in question was Roy James, most famous for his role as the getaway driver in The Great Train Robbery. He died in 1997 at the age of 61, having led a colourful life, either in prison, on a race track or involved in a crime. The perfect subject for a book, then.

This isn't your typical biography, but then Rich Duisberg, a quite brilliant nom de plume, isn't your typical author. He openly admits to writing chapters of the book during boring Teams meetings or escaping the office to visit one of Roy James' former haunts.

I'm fortunate enough to work with Rich as part of my smoke and mirrors role as editor of Classic.Retro.Modern. magazine. I love his writing style and I'm envious of the speed at which he can deliver a compelling article. He must spend a lot of time in boring Teams meetings.

The beauty of this book is that it feels like you're part of Rich's journey of discovery. There are dead-ends, myths are dispelled and some wild claims are dismissed as bunkum. But what remains is evidence of a life lived, even if Roy James was often guilty of crossing the line.

Make no mistake, James wasn't a loveable rogue. Sixty years on from The Great Train Robbery, it would be easy to romanticise what was, at the time, Britain's biggest heist. Indeed, my first knowledge of the 1963 robbery was through the 1988 film Buster, which was criticised for glamourising the event and making heroes of the criminals.

Rich doesn't dwell on the robbery, for which James served 12 years of a 30-year sentence. James crammed more into the other three decades of his adult life to fill the pages of an entertaining and hugely enjoyable book. Rather brilliantly, Rich works backwards through his life – a sort of Benjamin Button approach to biographies.

You're left with the sense that had James taken some different turnings, he could have been remembered as a racing driver rather than a getaway driver. He rubbed shoulders with some of the greats and earned the respect of the racing community. The talent was there, as Rich explains through the use of interviews and archive material, but the criminal underworld was never far away.

Like the life of Roy James, the book goes in many, often unexpected, directions, but it's a rip-roaring tale told in Rich Duisberg's unique style. Buy it and enjoy it.

Words from the author – Rich Duisberg

“Eccentric Scotswoman, Le Mans winner, BTCC driver, cat burglar and a topless hang-gliding model. As someone who normally writes about inanimate objects (cars), instead of interviewing actual people, it wasn’t easy to track down the aforementioned list of people in pursuit of the man they called ‘The Weasel’. But I am so grateful that I did.

“People like Peter Procter, Val Pirie and Jan Lammers, for example. Peter was a successful Formula Junior driver who was also a champion cyclist, builder, and survivor of a bloody awful crash that seemingly never slowed him down even into his nineties. Val was once PA to Sir Stirling Moss (and quite insistent that we know it). Jan Lammers, as you may know, had a long career in F1.

“All of them were kind enough not to call the police when I came knocking to ask about their association with Roy James for my book. He had a fascinating life. From a tough upbringing in the East End in the 1940s he slowly became a career criminal, and most of his more exciting capers were never publicised; an outrageous smash-and-grab at London’s Burlington Arcade, a post office blag, and in later years, long after he’d served time for his part in the Great Train Robbery, plans to build a marijuana factory. Much of this chicanery had an element of speed.

”The Weasel was a top racing driver, loved Jags, motorbikes and other fast cars. He even plotted to ship drugs from the continent at night using modified jetskis. My research took me to the US to meet old Formula Ford competitors, to dingy boozers, old racetracks, and to QPR's football ground where I learned about the synthetic pitch. That last one was a dead-end, admittedly.

“Goodwood said of the resultant book: ‘Duisberg pulls you along for a ride you can’t help but be swept up in, through the fascination of criminal plotting, the daredevil nature of 1960s racing, and the unique individuals who knew the man himself.’ Although a MartinP on Amazon reckons it’s ‘crap’ so, y’know, take your chances. I met some incredible people in my pursuit of the Weasel and am very proud of this book.”

Looking for the Real Weasel: Train Robber, Racer, Rogue – who was Roy James by Rich Duisberg is available on Amazon for £8.75.