60008 Dwight D. Eisenhower Coaches

[Bad Wolf]

I've seen lots of photos of 60008 in the NRM Green Bay and it look like the coaches are LNER teak coaches painted green

[2392]

Yes there is a pair AFAIK of Gresleys that were part of "Ikes'" command train in the UK one of which at least had a sleeping area too, if not a full Sleeper car. Why they're painted green rather than being in teak I don't know.....

[Bryan]

If they are from the command train then maybe an attempt at camouflage.

[2512silverfox]

Olive drab during the War.

[notascoobie]

So as not to stand out amongst the Southern stock in Southern England?

[drmditch]

Do these include the 'Bayonet' coach that caused irritation to Mr Thompson?

[giner]

Might these have been among the 'hidden' stock in the tunnel on the Hertford branch during the war?

[Trestrol]

I have been listening to the audiobook version of Michael Williams book Steaming To Victory, all about Britain's railways during WW2. It touches on Eisenhowers command train which it says was built by the GWR at Swindon works and included a Monster vans for his personal jeep. It also states that the Commander in Chief Home Forces (Churchill) train was converted by the LNER at Doncaster works. The trains were codenamed "Arial" and "Rapier" respectively. With Arial going to France after D-Day. So my question is are these from Eisenhower's train or Churchill's ? I can't believe the GWR would use anything but there own design of coaches as old rivalries still went on even under the Railway Executive Committee. And the same for the LNER, they would use their own coaches. The book by the way is well worth a read or listen.

[Wavey]

About 20 years ago during my first spell as LNERCA Secretary, the Green Bay Museum wrote to me asking about the external finish of the carriages when built. I had assumed that they were considering returning them to a teak finish of sorts. However they chose to paint the carriages in a gloss variant of the green they might have been in during WWII use in the command train.
I believe the conversion included removing bulkheads to make larger rooms and fitting armour plating. This work was reversed after the war when both carriages were reinstated as Sleeping Cars.