Great North Road (Great Britain) not compete with the new railways. The last coach from London to Newcastle left in 1842 and the last from Newcastle to Edinburgh in July 1847. The highwayman Dick Turpin's flight from London to York in less than 15 hours on his mare Black Bess is the most famous legend of the Great North Road. Various inns along the route claim Turpin ate a meal or stopped for respite for his horse. Harrison Ainsworth, in his 1834 romance "Rookwood", immortalised the ride. Historians argue that Turpin never made the journey, claiming that the ride was by John Nevison, "Swift Nick",
Randolph Turpin falling out with his brother Dick whom he blamed for telling Daniels what had happened in his first marriage. Turpin developed a reputation for being a playboy and womanizer during his peak years and was named in a divorce action where a husband alleged that Turpin had committed adultery with his wife. Turpin met his second wife Gwyneth Price the daughter of a welsh farmer whilst training for the Robinson fight at Gwrych Castle in Wales. They married in 1953 and had four daughters, Gwyneth, Annette, Charmaine and Carmen. Turpin bought The Great Ormes Head hotel with his business partner