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Quiz about The Great Train Robbery
Quiz about The Great Train Robbery

The Great Train Robbery Trivia Quiz


This quiz is based on the classic Michael Crichton novel 'The Great Train Robbery'.

A multiple-choice quiz by deepakmr. Estimated time: 4 mins.
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Author
deepakmr
Time
4 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
283,760
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
15
Difficulty
Tough
Avg Score
9 / 15
Plays
353
Awards
Top 10% Quiz
- -
Question 1 of 15
1. In what period is this novel set? Hint


Question 2 of 15
2. The novel 'The Great Train Robbery' is entirely a work of fiction.


Question 3 of 15
3. The novel was made into a film featuring Sean Connery and Donald Sutherland as the main protagonists. Who directed this film? Hint


Question 4 of 15
4. What did Pierce want to rob in the train? Hint


Question 5 of 15
5. How many keys were required to break open the safes containing the gold?

Answer: (One Word)
Question 6 of 15
6. Who had one of the keys to the safe hung around his neck? Hint


Question 7 of 15
7. Where did the bank's partner keep his key? Hint


Question 8 of 15
8. How much time did Agar have to get into the railway office to make impression of two keys? Hint


Question 9 of 15
9. Who escaped from Newgate prison to play an important role in the train robbery? Hint


Question 10 of 15
10. How did Pierce fool Scotland Yard when they were on his trail? Hint


Question 11 of 15
11. How did Agar enter the luggage van of the train where the gold was kept? Hint


Question 12 of 15
12. One of the employees of the train was on Pierce's payroll, who was it? Hint


Question 13 of 15
13. How did Pierce get caught after the train robbery? Hint


Question 14 of 15
14. Which historical incident overshadowed the trial of Pierce? Hint


Question 15 of 15
15. Queen Victoria expressed a desire to either meet Pierce, or to witness his hanging. Did her wish come true? Hint



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Most Recent Scores
Feb 27 2024 : Guest 38: 15/15
Feb 26 2024 : TrivAtWork: 6/15

Score Distribution

quiz
Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. In what period is this novel set?

Answer: 1850's

The novel is set in Victorian England in the 1850's when England was the reigning power in the world and was the epicentre of urbanization. This was the period when railway transport had become popular, leading to the central plot of this novel.
2. The novel 'The Great Train Robbery' is entirely a work of fiction.

Answer: False

The 'Great Train Robbery' is a novel based on an actual train robbery of gold that occurred in 1855. The main protagonists in the actual robbery were William Pierce and Edward Agar; in the novel their names were changed to Edward Pierce and Robert Agar.
3. The novel was made into a film featuring Sean Connery and Donald Sutherland as the main protagonists. Who directed this film?

Answer: Michael Crichton

The film based on this novel was made in 1979 and titled 'The First Great Train Robbery' and was directed by Michael Crichton himself. Edwin Porter was the director of the 1903 film titled 'The Great Train Robbery'. Spielberg of course, was the director of Crichton's 'Jurassic Park' and 'Lost World'.
4. What did Pierce want to rob in the train?

Answer: Gold for payment to the British troops

The firm of Huddleston and Bradford was designated to arrange for payment to the British troops fighting in the Crimean war. Pierce wanted to rob this gold being shipped by train.
5. How many keys were required to break open the safes containing the gold?

Answer: 4

The gold was being transported in two specially built Chubb safes with two locks for each safe. Thus, there were a total of four locks and four keys were required to open the safes.
6. Who had one of the keys to the safe hung around his neck?

Answer: Fowler

Out of the four keys required to open the safes, two were in the traffic supervisor's office in the South Eastern Railway, one was with the bank's senior partner, Mr. Trent, and the last one was with Mr. Henry Fowler, the general manager of Huddleston and Bradford. He had hung the key around his neck for safekeeping.
7. Where did the bank's partner keep his key?

Answer: In the wine cellar

The bank's partner, Mr. Trent, had one of the keys to the safe and he had kept it on top of the wine rack in the wine cellar of his house. Pierce and Agar managed to get into his house and, in a slick operation, got a wax impression of the key.
8. How much time did Agar have to get into the railway office to make impression of two keys?

Answer: 64 seconds

After making a careful study of the guard outside the railway office, the train robbers realised that there was one guard who was positioned outside the office the whole night. Only once, every night at 11:30, the guard went to the toilet for exactly 64 seconds, which was the time available to Agar to enter the office, make impressions of the keys and escape.
9. Who escaped from Newgate prison to play an important role in the train robbery?

Answer: Willy

Clean Willy William was one of the most famous snakesmen, who was adept at climbing any surface. Pierce needed him to make the wax impressions of the key kept in the railway office. During the public execution of the murderess Emma Barnes, Clean Willy escapes from prison and is sheltered by Pierce.
10. How did Pierce fool Scotland Yard when they were on his trail?

Answer: He made them think that he was planning a heist at Greenwich

Scotland Yard, under its head Harranby, had an inkling about Pierce's plan and had put a tail on him. To deceive the yard, Pierce went to a pawnbroker Chokee Bill, who he knew was an informer. He leaked the information that he needed guns to do a job in Greenwich.

This information was passed on to Harranby who was fooled and left for Greenwich thinking that he wanted to steal the payroll of the cable company.
11. How did Agar enter the luggage van of the train where the gold was kept?

Answer: As a corpse

The train company had strengthened their security measures. Therefore, Agar was disguised as a corpse and Miriam brought the coffin to be loaded onto the train, pretending to be the corpse's sister. Effective make-up made Agar look convincing as a corpse and he managed to enter the luggage van.
12. One of the employees of the train was on Pierce's payroll, who was it?

Answer: Burgess

Pierce had taken the train's guard Burgess on his payroll. Realising his impoverished condition, Pierce had bribed Burgess to keep quiet when the train robbery took place. Once Agar got into the train, Pierce entered through the roof and they threw the gold to their accomplice near the tracks and replaced the gold with lead shots.
13. How did Pierce get caught after the train robbery?

Answer: He was betrayed by Agar

Agar's mistress had been caught by the police for pick pocketing. To escape the police, she betrayed Agar. Harranby threatened to deport Agar to Australia, after which he betrayed Pierce. The police then picked up Pierce and Burgess. However Miriam and Barlow could not be caught, the police could not get hold of the gold.
14. Which historical incident overshadowed the trial of Pierce?

Answer: The Sepoy Mutiny in India

During the trial of Pierce in 1857, the Sepoy Mutiny occurred in India, when soldiers of Indian origin rebelled against the British East Indian company rule. This mutiny led to a massacre of Englishmen and women in Cawnpore (Kanpur). This important historical incident overshadowed the trial of Pierce resulting in lesser media publicity.
15. Queen Victoria expressed a desire to either meet Pierce, or to witness his hanging. Did her wish come true?

Answer: No, Pierce escaped from prison

Queen Victoria was reportedly fascinated by 'this most bold and dastardly rogue, whom we should like to perceive at first hand'. She also expressed a desire to see his hanging (not knowing that theft was not a capital offense). Unfortunately, her wish was not fulfilled. Even before the trail was complete, Pierce escaped while being taken to prison from court. He was aided by Barlow and Miriam.

The great train robbery paid off for Pierce and he reportedly led a life of 'splendid circumstances' in either Paris or New York. The police could not capture him and neither could they recover the loot from the robbery.
Source: Author deepakmr

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor LeoDaVinci before going online.
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