Duke
From Thomas the Tank Engine Wikia
- "Engines come and engines go,
Granpuff 'goes on' forever!" - — Stuart and Falcon, "Duke the Lost Engine"
| ||||
| ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Duke, named after the Duke of Sodor and originally "The Duke", is considered a hero amongst the engines.
Contents |
Bio in the Railway Series
Duke was built at Boston Lodge in 1879 and was regauged to 2' 3" before being transported to Sodor for the opening of the Mid Sodor Railway.
In 1947, the line closed and Duke was sheeted and sheltered in Arlesdale Sheds. He was later discovered by Fergus Duncan, the Reverend Teddy Boston and the Reverend W. Awdry in 1969 and taken by road and rail to Crovan's Gate, where he was restored and returned to service in 1984.
Bio in the television series
According to Thomas, Duke lived on an unnamed narrow gauge railway with Falcon, Stuart and, briefly, Smudger, until the line went bankrupt and most of the engines were sold. Duke, however, was sheeted until a group of adventurers found his shed, buried under tons of soil. Skarloey and Rheneas took him back to the Skarloey Railway, where he was soon returned to service.
Persona
Duke, when one first meets him, appears to be pedantic and strict, and in a sense both are true about him. However, Duke was sheeted up in a shed for more than two decades, so Duke possibly did not know how things have changed.
Duke is wise from experience, and sees it as his duty to live up to his name's reputation.
Livery
Duke is painted brown with yellow lining in the television series, and he has two red plaques on either side of his saddletank with his name written in gold. On the Reverend W. Awdry's model railway, he had "The Duke" written on his sides and "MS" written on his tender. In the Railway Series, Duke was painted dark brown with red lining.
Appearances
Duke's Railway Series appearances are listed below, in chronological order:
- "Duke the Lost Engine"
- "Great Little Engines"
- "New Little Engine" (non-speaking role)
Duke was introduced in the fourth season, but this was the only season in which he was featured in so far. He did make an appearance in the seventh season episode "Harold and the Flying Horse", but this was stock footage from "Trucks". He also made a cameo appearance in the fifth season song Harold the Helicopter.
His model was used for Bertram in the fifth season.
Basis
The story of Duke was based upon a true story about an engine abandoned in the Brazilian rainforest. Duke himself is based on "Prince", a tender engine from the Ffestiniog Railway at Porthmadog, North Wales.
Merchandise
- ERTL (normal and metallic; discontinued)
- LC Wooden (reissued in 2008)
- Take-Along
- Tomy/Trackmaster
- Bandai Tecs
Gallery
 |
 |
 |
 Duke on a lorry |
 |
 |
| Mid Sodor Railway |
|---|
| Duke • Stanley • Falcon • Stuart • Other Mid Sodor Railway engines |
| Smudger |
| Skarloey Railway |
|---|
| Skarloey • Rheneas • Sir Handel • Peter Sam • Rusty • Duncan • Ivo Hugh • Duke • Fred • Mark V • Ministry of Defence Engine |
| Bertram • Mighty Mac • Freddie • Proteus |
