Ronnie Biggs arrived at the funeral of great train robber Bruce Reynolds with a message for photographers on Wednesday.
Biggs, 83, who paid tribute to Reynolds in a statement read out on his behalf, made a v sign as he arrived at London's St Bartholmew-the-Great Church.
Around 200 people attended the service for Reynolds, who was the mastermind behind the Great Train Robbery of 1963.
The 81-year-old died just months before the 50th anniversary of the famous heist, hailed as one of the most audacious crimes of the 20th century.
The gang targeted a Glasgow to London mail train and escaped with a then record haul of £2.6 million, equivalent to £40 million today.
Ronnie Biggs gives the "V" sign to press as he arrives at the funeral
Reynolds died in his sleep on February 28 after a period of ill-health.
In a tribute read out on his behalf, Biggs said: "Bruce was a true friend, a great friend. A friend through the good and the bad times, and we had many of both.
"He was a good friend to me and my family. My thoughts are with Nick, his son.
"It was Bruce who set me off on an adventure that was to change my life, and it was typical of Bruce that he was there at the end to help me back from Brazil to Britain.
Mourners attend the funeral of Bruce Reynolds, the man behind the Great Train Robbery
"I am proud to have had Bruce Richard Reynolds as a friend. He was a good man. I miss him already."
A number of other men with criminal backgrounds attended the funeral, including Freddie Foreman, Dave Courtney and Chris Lambrianou.
An emotional Nick Reynolds described his father as his best friend and greatest inspiration.
"He was a romantic, a true adventurer, a journeyman who chose a lunatic path and paid the price," he said.
"He was an artist at heart and although he referred to the train robbery as his Sistine Chapel, his greatest triumph was in reassessing himself and changing his attitude about what is important in life."
Mr Reynolds said his father's death was "a terrible shock", but he took comfort from being with him when it happened.
He also said Reynolds had "no interest" in the 50th anniversary of the heist.
The congregation laughed when he added: "So perhaps, true to form, as he had so often done in the past when wanted for questioning, he chose to split the scene."
Funeral of Bruce Reynolds
Funeral of Bruce Reynolds(01 of14)
Ronnie Biggs speaks to Dave Courtney at the funeral of Bruce Reynolds, the mastermind behind the Great Train Robbery of 1963 at St Bartholomew The Great Church in Smithfield, London. (credit:PA)
Funeral of Bruce Reynolds(02 of14)
Morners attend the funeral of Bruce Reynolds, the mastermind behind the Great Train Robbery of 1963 at St Bartholomew The Great Church in Smithfield, London. (credit:PA)
Funeral of Bruce Reynolds(03 of14)
Ronnie Biggs gestures to the waiting press at the funeral of Bruce Reynolds, the mastermind behind the Great Train Robbery of 1963 at St Bartholomew The Great Church in Smithfield, London. (credit:PA)
Funeral of Bruce Reynolds(04 of14)
Ronnie Biggs with Nick Reynolds attend the funeral of Bruce Reynolds, the mastermind behind the Great Train Robbery of 1963 at St Bartholomew The Great Church in Smithfield, London. (credit:PA)
Funeral of Bruce Reynolds(05 of14)
Ronnie Biggs attends the funeral of Bruce Reynolds, the mastermind behind the Great Train Robbery of 1963 at St Bartholomew The Great Church in Smithfield, London. (credit:PA)
Funeral of Bruce Reynolds(06 of14)
Ronnie Biggs surrounded by mourners as he attends the funeral of Bruce Reynolds, the mastermind behind the Great Train Robbery of 1963 at St Bartholomew The Great Church in Smithfield, London. (credit:PA)
Funeral of Bruce Reynolds(07 of14)
General view of some jewellery belonging to one of the mourners at the funeral of Bruce Reynolds, the mastermind behind the Great Train Robbery of 1963 at St Bartholomew The Great Church in Smithfield, London. (credit:PA)
Funeral of Bruce Reynolds(08 of14)
Bruce Reynolds' son Nick (centre) sings at the funeral of his father, the mastermind behind the Great Train Robbery of 1963 at St Bartholomew The Great Church in Smithfield, London. (credit:PA)
Funeral of Bruce Reynolds(09 of14)
Dave Cortney (left) and Chris Lambriano attend the funeral of Bruce Reynolds, the mastermind behind the Great Train Robbery of 1963 at St Bartholomew The Great Church in Smithfield, London. (credit:PA)
Funeral of Bruce Reynolds(10 of14)
Jamie Foreman, the son of former gangster Frederick Foreman attends the funeral of Bruce Reynolds, the mastermind behind the Great Train Robbery of 1963 at St Bartholomew The Great Church in Smithfield, London. (credit:PA)
Funeral of Bruce Reynolds(11 of14)
Jamie Foreman, the son of former gangster Frederick Foreman attends the funeral of Bruce Reynolds, the mastermind behind the Great Train Robbery of 1963 at St Bartholomew The Great Church in Smithfield, London. (credit:PA)
Funeral of Bruce Reynolds(12 of14)
Ronnie Biggs with Nick Reynolds attend the funeral of Bruce Reynolds, the mastermind behind the Great Train Robbery of 1963 at St Bartholomew The Great Church in Smithfield, London. (credit:PA)
Bruce Reynolds funeral(13 of14)
Undated file photo of Bruce Reynolds, the mastermind of the Great Train Robbery of 1963, whose funeral will take place today. (credit:PA)
Bruce Reynolds funeral(14 of14)
File photo dated 9/8/2003 of Bruce Reynolds, the mastermind of the Great Train Robbery of 1963, whose funeral will take place today. (credit:PA)
Bruce Reynolds The Great Train Robber dies
Bronson - Special Screening Afterparty(01 of41)
Former career criminal Bruce Reynolds attends the afterparty following the special screening of 'Bronson', at the Embassy Club on March 10, 2009 in London, England (Photo by Dave M. Benett/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Bruce Reynolds(02 of41)
Great train robber Bruce Reynolds pictured in London. (credit:PA)
Bruce Reynolds(03 of41)
Great train robber Bruce Reynolds pictured in London. (credit:PA)
Bruce Reynolds(04 of41)
Great train robber Bruce Reynolds pictured in London. (credit:PA)
Train robber Bruce Reynolds meets John Woolley(05 of41)
Great Train Robber Bruce Reynolds (right) meets former police officer John Woolley at Oakley Village Hall, Buckinghamshire, during a village fete. Mr Woolley discovered the robbers had been using nearby Leatherslade Farm as a hideout during the planning and immediate aftermath of the robbery in 1963. (credit:PA)
Bruce Reynolds meets John Woolley(06 of41)
Great Train Robber Bruce Reynolds (right) meets former police officer John Woolley at Oakley Village Hall, Buckinghamshire, during a village fete. Mr Woolley discovered the robbers had been using nearby Leatherslade Farm as a hideout during the planning and immediate aftermath of the robbery in 1963. (credit:PA)
Train robber Bruce Reynolds (07 of41)
Great Train Robber Bruce Reynolds at Oakley Village Hall, Buckinghamshire, during a village fete. The robbers used nearby Leatherslade Farm as a hideout during the planning and immediate aftermath of the robbery in 1963. (credit:PA)
Train robber Bruce Reynolds (08 of41)
Great Train Robber Bruce Reynolds at Oakley Village Hall, Buckinghamshire, during a village fete. The robbers used nearby Leatherslade Farm as a hideout during the planning and immediate aftermath of the robbery in 1963. (credit:PA)
Bruce Reynolds meets John Woolley(09 of41)
Great Train Robber Bruce Reynolds (right) meets former police officer John Woolley at Oakley Village Hall, Buckinghamshire, during a village fete. Mr Woolley discovered the robbers had been using nearby Leatherslade Farm as a hideout during the planning and immediate aftermath of the robbery in 1963. (credit:PA)
London Bruce Reynolds and son(10 of41)
Great train robber Bruce Reynolds (right) with his son Nick arriving at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Woolwich , London, visiting friend and former accomplice Ronnie Biggs. *...Reynolds, 70, who was known to be the mastermind behind the 2.6 million robbery, was also sentenced to 30 years. Earlier Biggs had an emotional reunion with his former girlfriend on his sixth day in hospital. Raimunda Rothen, 54, flew over from her home in Switzerland, to be by her former lover's bedside. (credit:PA)
Bruce Reynolds(11 of41)
Great train robber Bruce Reynolds pictured in London. (credit:PA)
Crime - Court Appearance - Linslade, Bedfordshire(12 of41)
Antique dealer Bruce Reynolds leaves Linslade, Bedfordshire, handcuffed to a guard after being remanded in custody, accused of being concerned in the Great Train Robbery in 1963. (credit:PA)
Crime - Book Launch - London(13 of41)
Bruce Reynolds (left) and Buster Edwards, two of the Great Train Robbers, at a reception for the launch of the book telling their story of the 1963 Great Train Robbery. (credit:PA)
Crime - Court Appearance - Linslade(14 of41)
Hhandcuffed to two police officers Bruce Reynolds arrives at Linslade, Bedfordshire, who was remanded for a third time, accused of being concerned in the Great Train Robbery in 1963. He was remanded in custody until 4/12/68 after a two minute hearing (credit:PA)
Crime - Great Train Robbery - London(15 of41)
Bruce Reynolds, one of the suspected robbers involved in the Great Train Robbery (credit:PA)
Crime - Court Appearance - Linslade, Bedfordshire(16 of41)
Bruce Reynolds at Linslade, Bedfordshire, who was remanded for a third time, accused of being concerned in the Great Train Robbery in 1963. He was remanded in custody until 4/12/68 after a two minute hearing (credit:PA)
British Crime - Robbery - The Great Train Robbery - London - 1963(17 of41)
Wanted in connection with the Great Train Robbery: (L-R) Bruce Richard Reynolds, Frances Reynolds, Barbara Maria Daly and John Thomas Daly (credit:PA)
British Crime - Robbery - The Great train Robbery - London - 1979(18 of41)
From left to right: Buster Edwards, Tommy Wiseby, Jim White, Bruce Reynolds, Roger Cordrey, Charles Wilson and Jim Hussey, the seven men involved in the Great train Robbery of 1963. (credit:PA)
Social Biggs/Reynolds filer(19 of41)
Bruce Reynolds at Linslade, Bedfordshire, who was remanded for a third time, accused of being concerned in the Great Train Robbery in 1963. He was remanded in custody until 4/12/68 after a two minute hearing. 28/12/68: The case will be heard in January 1969. * 8/8/99: Reynolds, one of the guests at the 70th birthday party of Ronnie Biggs, 36 years to the day since the infamous crime which made their name. Biggs, who escaped from Wandsworth Prison in 1965, is reported to be hosting a birthday party at his modest home in Rio de Janeiro, where he has lived beyond the clutches of the British legal system for more than 20 years. 6/5/01: Robbery mastermind Reynolds, who the Sun newspaper said had flown out to Rio as part of the newspaper's mission to return exiled Ronnie Biggs to British justice after 35 years on the run. The newspaper said a private plane it had chartered to bring the robber back would be touching down in Brazil and said Biggs had applied for a temporary passport in his own name which would allow him to travel back to Britain. As well as Biggs' former associate, the Sun said a curry, a six-pack of beer and a jar of Marmite for Biggs were also on board. (credit:PA)
London Great train robbers(20 of41)
Roger Cordrey; Buster Edwards and Bruce Reynolds (l-r) three of the Great Train Robbers of 1963 outside Waterloo station, London. They are about to make a car trip to Southhampton to publicise their book. (credit:PA)
SILVERSTONE Car/Reynolds(21 of41)
A 1963 Ford Lotus Cortina, a former vehicle of Bruce Reynolds, used as a getaway car in the Great Train Robbery, at the Coys International Historic Festival at Silverstone today (Sat). Photo by Tom Hevezi. (credit:PA)
Crime - Funeral - Streatham Cemetary, South London(22 of41)
Buster Edwards (left white hair) and Bruce Reynolds (on crutches) two of the great train robbers amongst the mourners attending the funeral of the robber's so called treasurer Charlie Wilson, after he was shot dead in Spain. (credit:PA)
CRIMES-TRAIN-GLASGOW-LONDON(23 of41)
Picture taken 08 August 1963 at Cheddington station, showing the Glasgow-London Royal mail train, which was attacked in the night by 15 armed robbers, including Ronnie Biggs, the right-hand of the 'brain' Bruce Reynolds, who stole 120 bags containing 5 million dollars, mostly in used bank notes, near Bridego Bridge north of London. The 'Great Train Robbery' of the Glasgow-London Royal Mail train in Buckinghamshire is one of the biggest hold-up in British history. (Photo credit should read -/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Roger Cordrey(24 of41)
18th July 1979: The Great Train Robbers, Roger Cordrey, Bruce Reynolds and Buster Edwards, at Waterloo Station, London, ready to go on a book promotion tour. (Photo by Central Press/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Great Train Robbers(25 of41)
Photos issued by Scotland Yard, 27th August 1963, of great train robbers Bruce Reynolds (left) and Roy James in the aftermath of the 2.6 million pound train robbery committed on 8th August 1963. (Photo by Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Great Train Robbers(26 of41)
The Great Train Robbers, left to right: Buster Edwards, Tom Wisbey, Jim White, Bruce Reynolds, Roger Cordrey, Charlie Wilson and Jim Hussey, with copies of their book 'The Train Robbers'. Original Publication: People Disc - HD0011 (Photo by Michael Fresco/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Reynolds Trial(27 of41)
Bruce Reynolds, leader of the gang, which committed the 2.6 million pound 'Great Train Robbery' in August 1963, outside Linslade Court, Buckinghamshire, 18th November 1968. Since the robbery, Reynolds had been on the run abroad, before returning to Britain, where he was tried and sentenced to ten years in jail. (Photo by Aubrey Hart/Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
British Crime - Robbery - The Great Train Robbery - Leatherslade - 1963(28 of41)
A police-car escorts the lorry and two Land Rovers, which police believe the bandits carried much or all of their haul after the 2.6 million pound mail train robbery, out of Leatherslade Farm, Oakley, Bukinghamshire, where the gang hid after the crime. (credit:PA)
Crime - The Great Train Robbery - Cheddington - 1963(29 of41)
The coaches of the train involved in the 2.5 million mail robbery - the "Great Train Robbery" - under police guard at Cheddington Station, Buckinghamshire, in August 1963. (credit:PA)
Crime - The Great Train Robbery - Cheddington - 1963(30 of41)
Glass scattered on the floor of one of two vans which, with a giant diesel locomotive, were uncoupled from an overnight Glasgow-Euston mail train and robbed near Cheddington, Buckingham. The gang got away with 2.6 million pounds. (credit:PA)
Great Train Robbery Exhibition(31 of41)
Thames Valley police handout photo of part of the 2.5 million stolen by the Great Train Robbers forty years ago, that went on display today at an exhibition at Thames Valley Police's museum in Sulhamstead, near Reading. (credit:PA)
Great Train Robbery memorabilia auction(32 of41)
Undated handout photo. Pictures from George Kidner auctioneers of memorabilia relating to the 1963 Great Train Robbery. (credit:PA)
Great Train Robbery Exhibition(33 of41)
Thames Valley police handout photo of the stretch of track where the Great Train Robbers commited their audacious crime forty years ago. The photo, along with evidence siezed by police, went on display today at an exhibition at Thames Valley Police's museum in Sulhamstead, near Reading. (credit:PA)
Great Train Robbery memorabilia auction(34 of41)
Undated handout photo. Pictures from George Kidner auctioneers of memorabilia relating to the 1963 Great Train Robbery. (credit:PA)
Great Train Robbery memorabilia auction(35 of41)
Undated handout photo. Picture from George Kidner auctioneers of memorabilia relating to the 1963 Great Train Robbery. (credit:PA)
Great Train Robbery Exhibition(36 of41)
Handout photo of some of the evidence found by police searching for the Great Train Robbers - at their hide out at Leatherslade Farm, Buckinghamshire - following the audacious 2.5 million raid. Thames Valley Police have opened a new exhibition, at their museum near Reading to mark the 40th anniversary of the robbery, on the night of August 8, 1963. (credit:PA)
Crime - Great Train Robbery(37 of41)
"The Farm House of Secrets". This is the hide-out used by the Great Train Robbery bandits, which was found by Scotland Yard detectives when they swooped on the lonely brick-built cottage located at Leatherslade Farm, Oakley, Buckinghamshire, about 23 miles from Cheddington, the spot where the giant haul was taken from the hijacked diesel train and its two postal office carriages last week. There was no money and the gang had gone, but empty mail bags were scattered about in the building whose former tenants moved away about three weeks ago. The village of Oakley is on the B-4011 road between Thame and Bicester and is close to Brill. (credit:PA)
Great train robbers get 307 years(38 of41)
A van carrying men sentenced for the Great Train Robbery pass through Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire. Twelve men found guilty in the lengthy trial were today sentenced by Mr Justice Edmund Davies to a total of 307 years imprisonment. Seven each received 30 years, two are to serve 25 years, one 24, another 20, and the twelfth man 3 years. (credit:PA)
Great Train Robbery Exhibition(39 of41)
The police record sheet of Great Train Robber Ronnie Biggs. Thames Valley Police have opened a new exhibition at their museum near Reading, to mark the 40th anniversary of the audacious 2.5 million robbery which happened on the night of August 8, 1963. . (credit:PA)
Great Train Robbery/Ronald Biggs(40 of41)
The scene outside Wandsworth Jail in South London, with police working on the lorry used in the escape from the prison of Ronald Biggs, serving 30 years in connection with the Great Train Robbery and three other prisoners. Biggs is expected to arrive back in the UK at 11am Monday May 7, 2001 after 35 years in exile. (credit:PA)
Great Train Robbery/Leatherslade(41 of41)
The house at Leatherslade Farm near Brill, Buckinghamshire, hide out of the gang which carried out the 2.6 million pound Great mail Train Robbery. (credit:PA)