50 Years On: In March 1971 Ronnie Biggs took a 24-hour, 1,200 mile bus trip (in each direction) from Rio de Janeiro to Corumbá on the Brazilian border with Bolivia. He wanted to cross over into Puerto Suárez and re-enter Brazil to have his visa in “Mike Haynes’” passport validated for another six months.

In September 1970 he had already taken a similar trip down to Argentina and Buenos Aires for the same reason. The Bolivia trip, hovwever, was his last after Biggs decided that there were more risks involved in taking such trips than staying in Brazil without the visa. The real Mike Haynes also needed his passport sent back to Australia so he could return to the UK.