| Dwight D Eisenhower | |
|---|---|
| Dwight D. Eisenhower on display at the National Railroad Museum on 26 April 2004 | |
| Power type | Steam |
| Builder | LNER Doncaster Works |
| Build date | 4 September 1937 |
| Configuration | 4-6-2 |
| UIC classification | 2'C1h3 |
| Gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) |
| Leading wheel diameter |
3 ft 2 in (0.965 m) |
| Driver diameter | 6 ft 8 in (2.032 m) |
| Trailing wheel diameter |
3 ft 8 in (1.118 m) |
| Boiler pressure | 250 psi (1.72 MPa) |
| Cylinders | Three |
| Cylinder size | 18.5 × 26 in (470 × 660 mm) |
| Tractive effort | 35,455 lbf (157.7 kN) |
| Locomotive brakes | Steam |
| Train brakes | Vacuum |
| Career | LNER, BR |
| Class | A4 |
| Number in class | 19 of 35 |
| Number | LNER 4496, LNER 8 (from 1946), BR: 60008 (from 1948) |
| Official name | Golden Shuttle, Dwight D Eisenhower |
| Withdrawn | 20 July 1963 |
| Disposition | static display at the National Railroad Museum, Green Bay, Wisconsin |
60008 Dwight D Eisenhower is an LNER Class A4 steam locomotive.
Built for the London and North Eastern Railway in 1937, this locomotive was originally numbered 4496 and named Golden Shuttle. It was renamed Dwight D. Eisenhower after the Second World War and renumbered 8 on 23 November 1946 under Edward Thompson's LNER 1946 renumbering scheme. After nationalisation in 1948 British Railways added 60000 to the number so it became 60008 on 29 October 1948.
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Like the other members of the LNER A4 Pacific class, Dwight D. Eisenhower has carried numerous liveries during her career. When first introduced into traffic on 4 September 1937, locomotive 4496 was named Golden Shuttle and painted in LNER garter blue with stainless steel trim on the base of the valances and tender. The numbers and LNER lettering on the tender were also stainless steel. This livery design was also used on the A4's that were named after countries, on the Coronation service in order to match with the rolling stock.
4496's next livery was wartime black with "LNER" on the tender, applied 30 January 1942. This livery was modified to read just "NE" on the tender in a repaint on 12 March 1943. LNER garter blue was reapplied 25 September 1945 and the name Dwight D. Eisenhower applied, but the name was covered until February 1946. The next livery applied was British Railways dark blue livery with black and white lining on 14 June 1950. The final livery applied was British Railways Brunswick green, applied 9 November 1951.
Dwight D. Eisenhower had a non-standard red background to the nameplate circa 1958. During her time allocated to Grantham motive power depot, the name of the depot was stencilled on the buffer beam.
Like all the early A4 locomotives prior to Mallard, Golden Shuttle was released to service with a single chimney and side valances covering the wheels. The valances were removed to aid in maintenance during a general overhaul on 30 January 1942. Experimental Automatic Train Control equipment was fitted on 23 June 1950. A double chimney and Kylchap double blastpipe was installed to help performance, during an overhaul 20 August 1958. A Smith-Stone type speed indicator was installed 30 June 1960.
Dwight D. Eisenhower has had eleven boilers during her career: 8959 (from new); 8945 (from 4482 Golden Eagle), 30 January 1942; 8906 (spare) from 23 November 1946; 8955 (from 60026 Miles Beevor), 14 June 1950; 29314 (new), 9 November 1951; 29303 (from 60030 Guillemot) 18 June 1954; 29296 (from 60033 Seagull), 8 July 1955; 29308 (from 60032 Golden Fleece), 20 December 1956; 29312 (from 60010 Dominion of Canada), 20 August 1958; 27964 (new), 30 June 1960 and finally 29335 (from 60019 Bittern), 17 May 1962.
Dwight D. Eisenhower had two tenders during her career: 5651 from new and 5671 from 1 April 1957.
Locomotive 4496 was to have been named Sparrow Hawk, but was instead named Golden Shuttle. Sparrow Hawk was later used on 4463. 25 September 1945 locomotive 4496 was ex-works and the next day was at Marylebone station for the directors of the LNER to view her. The nameplates were covered and it was intended that the Supreme Commander, Allied Forces would attend an official unveiling, but sadly this could not be arranged.
From new, Golden Shuttle was allocated to Doncaster shed for just 9 days from 20–29 September 1937. She was transferred to Kings Cross 'Top Shed' until 4 December 1939 when she was reallocated to Grantham. 4 June 1950 saw Dwight D. Eisenhower reallocated back to 'Top Shed'. 7 April 1957 saw a move back to Grantham until she was sent back to 'Top Shed' on 15 September 1957. Her final depot allocation was New England shed in Peterborough from 16 June 1963.
4 October 1962, Dwight D. Eisenhower hauled a special train from Stratford station in east London to York, after being specially cleaned by Kings Cross 'Top Shed' staff. She was withdrawn from service on 20 July 1963. By this time, the Deltic diesel electric locomotives had displaced steam from premier services so the A4 fleet was reduced and concentrated further north. Dwight D. Eisenhower was donated to the United States of America and sent to Doncaster Works for restoration.
Earmarked for the National Railroad Museum in Green Bay, Wisconsin in the United States, the locomotive was cosmetically restored at the Doncaster 'Plant' Works 19 July 1963. The following spring, it was sent to the states, arriving in New York Harbor on 11 May 1964[1] Shipped by rail, it arrived at the museum later that month. In October 1990 it was moved to Abeline, Kansas for the celebrations of the centenary of Eisenhower's birth. The move both ways was done as a special train at slow speed, since the locomotive and two cars from the command train had a braking system incompatible with modern trains.
Recent efforts to repatriate the locomotive back to the UK have been unsuccessful. The locomotive is displayed with two British passenger carriages once used as part of Eisenhower's Command Train. These have been restored to the condition they were in when used by Eisenhower.
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