"I kicked off... and things went on from there... down and down"

Ronald Biggs was a notorious British wrongdoer, best known for his function in the Great Train Robbery of 1963. The quote "I started ... and things went on from there ... down and down" encapsulates a reflection on the momentum of occasions following a pivotal action in his life, most likely linked to his criminal activities and their fallout.

The phrase "I started" suggests an initial action or decision that set other occasions in movement. In the context of Biggs' life, this could refer to his participation in the planning and execution of the train heist, a choice that significantly diverted the course of his life. This action was a vital point, starting a sequence of events that became mostly uncontrollable.

The continuation, "and things went on from there," suggests a progression or unfolding of situations that followed this initial choice. For Biggs, life post-robbery involved averting capture, experiencing intermittent pleasures from his effective escape, and eventually living in exile. This part of the quote reflects the cascading nature of repercussions that can arise from a single choice, highlighting a journey identified by a series of developments and adjustments to unexpected scenarios.

Finally, "down and down" implies a downward trajectory, a decline in fortune, or maybe an ethical or existential descent. In Biggs' narrative, this could refer to the long-term consequences: living as a fugitive, the strain of a short-term lifestyle on household and individual health and wellbeing, and his eventual voluntary return to the UK, resulting in imprisonment. This expression communicates a sense of deterioration, highlighting that the outcomes of his actions, while at first exhilarating or rewarding, eventually resulted in unfavorable effects or regret.

In sum, this quote is a compact reflection of how a single choice can cause an unstoppable chain of events, often spiraling in unintended and possibly adverse directions. Ronald Biggs poignantly encapsulates the unpredictability of life following an essential choice, particularly one that skirts ethical and legal boundaries.