LNER Class A4 4496 Dwight D Eisenhower
Encyclopedia
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 Rail
ways added 60000 to the number so it became 60008 on 29 October 1948.
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
.
, 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.
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.
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 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.
LNER Class A4
The Class A4 is a class of streamlined 4-6-2 steam locomotive, designed by Nigel Gresley for the London and North Eastern Railway in 1935. Their streamlined design gave them high-speed capability as well as making them instantly recognizable, and one of the class, 4468 Mallard, still claims the...
steam locomotive
Steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
.
Built for the London and North Eastern Railway
London and North Eastern Railway
The London and North Eastern Railway was the second-largest of the "Big Four" railway companies created by the Railways Act 1921 in Britain...
in 1937, this locomotive was originally numbered 4496 and named Golden Shuttle. It was renamed Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
after the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and renumbered 8 on 23 November 1946 under Edward Thompson
Edward Thompson (engineer)
Edward Thompson was Chief Mechanical Engineer of the London and North Eastern Railway between 1941 and 1946.- Biography :Edward Thompson was the son of an assistant master at Marlborough College. He was educated at Marlborough before taking the Mechanical Science Tripos at Pembroke College,...
's LNER 1946 renumbering scheme. After nationalisation in 1948 British Rail
British Rail
British Railways , which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was the operator of most of the rail transport in Great Britain between 1948 and 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the "Big Four" British railway companies and lasted until the gradual privatisation of British Rail, in stages...
ways added 60000 to the number so it became 60008 on 29 October 1948.
Liveries
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 steelStainless steel
In metallurgy, stainless steel, also known as inox steel or inox from French "inoxydable", is defined as a steel alloy with a minimum of 10.5 or 11% chromium content by mass....
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
Rolling stock
Rolling stock comprises all the vehicles that move on a railway. It usually includes both powered and unpowered vehicles, for example locomotives, railroad cars, coaches and wagons...
.
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
Grantham railway station
Grantham railway station serves the town of Grantham in Lincolnshire, England and lies on the East Coast Main Line north of London Kings Cross.-Description:Junctions near the town also connect to branches to Nottingham, and to Sleaford and Skegness...
motive power depot
Motive power depot
Motive power depot, usually abbreviated to MPD, is a name given to places where locomotives are stored when not being used, and also repaired and maintained. They were originally known as "running sheds", "engine sheds", or, for short, just sheds. Facilities are provided for refuelling and...
, the name of the depot was stencilled on the buffer beam
Buffer (rail transport)
A buffer is a part of the buffers-and-chain coupling system used on the railway systems of many countries, among them most of those in Europe, for attaching railway vehicles to one another....
.
Technical Details
Like all the early A4 locomotives prior to MallardLNER Class A4 4468 Mallard
Number 4468 Mallard is a London and North Eastern Railway Class A4 4-6-2 Pacific steam locomotive built at Doncaster, England in 1938. While in other respects a relatively typical member of its class, it is historically significant for being the holder of the official world speed record for steam...
, Golden Shuttle was released to service with a single chimney
Chimney
A chimney is a structure for venting hot flue gases or smoke from a boiler, stove, furnace or fireplace to the outside atmosphere. Chimneys are typically vertical, or as near as possible to vertical, to ensure that the gases flow smoothly, drawing air into the combustion in what is known as the...
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
Automatic Train Control
Automatic Train Control is a train protection system for railways, ensuring the safe and smooth operation of trains on ATC-enabled lines. Its main advantages include making possible the use of cab signalling instead of track-side signals and the use of smooth deceleration patterns in lieu of the...
equipment was fitted on 23 June 1950. A double chimney and Kylchap
Kylchap
The Kylchap steam locomotive steam locomotive exhaust system was designed and patented by the famous French steam engineer André Chapelon, using a second-stage nozzle designed by the Finnish engineer Kyösti Kylälä and known as the Kylälä spreader; thus the name KylChap for this design.The Kylchap...
double blastpipe
Blastpipe
The blastpipe is part of the exhaust system of a steam locomotive that discharges exhaust steam from the cylinders into the smokebox beneath the chimney in order to increase the draught through the fire.- History :...
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
LNER Class A4 4902 Seagull
LNER 4902 Seagull was one of 35 Doncaster built Class A4 Gresley Pacific steam locomotives.It entered service on the 28th June 1938 and was withdrawn on the 29th December 1962....
), 8 July 1955; 29308 (from 60032 Golden Fleece), 20 December 1956; 29312 (from 60010 Dominion of Canada
LNER Class A4 4489 Dominion of Canada
60010 Dominion of Canada is an LNER Class A4 steam locomotive. She is a 4-6-2 locomotive built to the same design by Sir Nigel Gresley as the more famous Mallard. There were 35 A4 locomotives built in total...
), 20 August 1958; 27964 (new), 30 June 1960 and finally 29335 (from 60019 Bittern
LNER Class A4 4464 Bittern
4464 Bittern is a London and North Eastern Railway Class A4 steam locomotive. Built for the LNER in 1937 at Doncaster Works as works number 1866, it was originally numbered 4464. It was renumbered 19 on 16 August 1946 under the LNER 1946 renumbering scheme and after nationalisation in 1948 BR added...
), 17 May 1962.
Dwight D. Eisenhower had two tenders during her career: 5651 from new and 5671 from 1 April 1957.
Career
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 stationMarylebone station
Marylebone station , also known as London Marylebone, is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex. It stands midway between the mainline stations at Euston and Paddington, about 1 mile from each...
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
Doncaster railway station
Doncaster railway station serves the town of Doncaster, in South Yorkshire, England. It is situated on the East Coast Main Line north of London Kings Cross, and is about five minutes walk from Doncaster town centre. The station is managed by East Coast...
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
New England, Peterborough
New England is residential area of the city of Peterborough, Cambridgeshire in England, For electoral purposes it forms part of Peterborough North ward. The area is bounded by Millfield to the south, Dogsthorpe to the east, by the A47 to the north and the A15 to the west...
shed in Peterborough
Peterborough
Peterborough is a cathedral city and unitary authority area in the East of England, with an estimated population of in June 2007. For ceremonial purposes it is in the county of Cambridgeshire. Situated north of London, the city stands on the River Nene which flows into the North Sea...
from 16 June 1963.
4 October 1962, Dwight D. Eisenhower hauled a special train from Stratford station
Stratford station
Stratford station is a large multilevel railway station in Stratford, east London. The station is served by the National Rail services National Express East Anglia, London Overground and c2c, by London Underground's Central and Jubilee lines, and by the Docklands Light Railway . Stratford is in...
in east London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to York
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
, 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
British Rail Class 55
The British Rail Class 55 is a class of diesel locomotive built in 1961 and 1962 by English Electric. They were designed for the high-speed express passenger services on the East Coast Main Line between and Edinburgh. They gained the name "Deltic" from the prototype locomotive, DP1 Deltic, which...
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
Doncaster Works
Doncaster railway works is in the town of Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England.Always referred to as "the Plant", it was established by the Great Northern Railway in 1853, replacing the previous works in Boston and Peterborough...
for restoration.
Preservation
Earmarked for the National Railroad MuseumNational Railroad Museum
The National Railroad Museum is a railroad museum located in Ashwaubenon, Wisconsin, in suburban Green Bay.The museum is one of the oldest institutions in the United States dedicated to preserving and interpreting the nation's railroad history. It was founded in 1956 by community volunteers in...
in Green Bay
Green Bay, Wisconsin
Green Bay is a city in and the county seat of Brown County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, located at the head of Green Bay, a sub-basin of Lake Michigan, at the mouth of the Fox River. It has an elevation of above sea level and is located north of Milwaukee. As of the 2010 United States Census,...
, Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, 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 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.