60008 Dwight D Eisenhower (LNER 4496, LNER 598, LNER 8 & BR 60008)

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60008 was built in 1937 and entered service as 4496 with the name Golden Shuttle although it was originally intended that it be named Sparrow Hawk which was later given to 4496. It was renamed Dwight D. Eisenhower after World War II and renumbered 8 in 1946 under Edward Thompson’s LNER 1946 renumbering scheme. After nationalisation in 1948 British Railways renumbered it 60008.

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 in 1942. Experimental Automatic Train Control equipment was fitted in 1950 and a double chimney and Kylchap double blastpipe was installed to help performance, during an overhaul in 1958. A Smith-Stone type speed indicator was fitted to 60008 in 1960.

Motive power depot allocations.

Date ArrivedDepot
September 1937Doncaster
September 1937Kings Cross
December 1939Grantham
June 1950Kings Cross
April 1957Grantham
August 1957Kings Cross
June 1963New England

60008 was withdrawn from service at New England (Peterborough) in July 1963 and was donated to the United States of America and sent to Doncaster Works for cosmetic restoration.

The following spring, it was shipped to the US via New York where it arrived in May 1964. It was then transported by rail to the National Railroad Museum in Green Bay, Wisconsin. States

In October 1990 it was moved to Abilene, 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 used the British vacuum braking system incompatible with the American air-braked trains.

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.

In 2012, the National Railway Museum announced plans to repatriate the engine, along with 60010, which has been preserved in Canada, as part of a plan to reunite all six preserved A4s of the class for the 75th anniversary of the class’s world record breaking 126 mph run. Both 60008 and 60010 were loaned to the National Railway Museum for a period of two years, returning to America in early 2014.

While at York the locomotive was cosmetically overhauled, and received a new coat of authentic BR Brunswick Green paint to replace the inaccurate shade applied during a repaint at Green Bay. The background on the Dwight D. Eisenhower nameplates was also changed from a red colour to a black colour.

60008 arrived back at the National Railroad Museum in Green Bay in 2014 was put on static display as part of a World War II themed exhibition.

Home BaseCurrent StatusOwner
National Railroad Museum in Green Bay -USAOn static displayNational Railroad Museum
60008 Dwight D Eisenhower leaving Low Moor with a Leeds to Kings Cross train having just combined with the Bradford portion and being diverted due to engineering work – October 1961
60008 Dwight D Eisenhower at unknown location and date
60008 Dwight D Eisenhower at unknown location and date
60008 Dwight D Eisenhower at Riccal which was part of the old east coast line before the Selby diversion was built – June 1962
60008 Dwight D Eisenhower going into the shed at Copley Hill, Leeds alongside class B1 61016 Inyala – March 1963
60008 Dwight D Eisenhower in the National Railroad Museum at Green Bay in Wisconsin – May 2011
60008 Dwight D Eisenhower at Locomotion at Shildon – October 2012
60008 Dwight D Eisenhower in the National Railway Museum at York – July 2013
60008 Dwight D Eisenhower next to 60009 Union of South Africa in the National Railway Museum at York – July 2013

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