| This article is about the engine. You may be looking for the Railway Series book. |
- “That would never suit his Grace!”
- ― Duke's catchphrase
Duke, named after the Duke of Sodor, is an orange-brown narrow gauge tank-tender engine, who is widely respected and considered a hero amongst all the engines. He is also one of the oldest engines on Sodor.
Biography
Duke is the oldest and most experienced of all the narrow gauge engines. He lived on the Mid Sodor Railway with several engines including Stuart, Falcon and briefly Smudger, until the line went bankrupt and Stuart and Falcon were sold. Duke, however, was sheeted until a group of adventurers found his shed, buried under the soil that had washed down from the mountains. Skarloey and Rheneas took him back to the Skarloey Railway, where he was soon returned to service. [1]
Personality
Duke is the oldest, wisest and most experienced engines of the Skarloey Railway. He is also the mentor of Peter Sam and Sir Handel, from their younger days on the Mid Sodor Railway, when they were called Stuart and Falcon respectively. Being the oldest engine on the line, Duke liked everything to be "just so".
Although once lost for many years in an old shed that nature tucked away and forgotten about after the Mid Sodor came to an end, he was found by rescuers, although quite by accident when one dropped in through his shed roof. He may have a headteacher attitude and maintain his authority at all times, but can be quick to apply his knowledge and years of experience to help guide and correct any younger engine. He is proud of his name and keen to uphold the respect it merits. He can often be heard to say "That would never suit His Grace!" upon hearing or seeing something that he takes disapproval to, or pedantically stating how he thinks someone would have adhered to the rules and regulations in his younger days.
Despite their teasing ways, Sir Handel and Peter Sam have grown to become very fond and deeply respect Duke and dearly nicknamed him "Granpuff" for his long service to the railway.
Technical Details
Basis
Duke is based on the Ffestiniog Railway "Small England" class 0-4-0ST+T locomotives. Unlike the real Small Englands, Duke is built to 2ft 3in gauge rather than 1ft 11½in gauge. Bertram shares the same basis.
Livery
Duke is painted orange-brown with yellow lining and has two red plaques on the sides of his saddle tank with his name painted on them in gold. His model also originally had red bufferbeams, but these were not reapplied when his model was repainted back from Bertram.
Appearances
Thomas & Friends
Music Videos
|
Books
Magazine Stories
Duke also appeared in the magazine stories, Diesel Display and Hello, Skarloey! (mentioned) Annual Stories
Video Games
|
Audio Files
Whistles
| First used | Last used | Sound Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Granpuff | Special Funnel | |
| Granpuff | Bulldog |
Trivia
- Although he has not appeared since the fourth series, Duke was repainted in 2004 into a lighter brown colour. His bufferbeam was also painted in the same brown colour rather than red, which was most likely due to the smaller-scaled Narrow Gauge engines not being used anymore at this point and was left unfinished.
- Duke and Sir Handel were the only Skarloey Railway engines introduced at the time to not make an appearance in the fifth series. Duke did, however, make some portrait cameos in that series, and his model was turned into Bertram's.
- In the Norwegian VHS dub, Duke is called the Norwegian word for Duke, "Hertugen".
- Duke's model, nameboard and smiling face mask are owned by Twitter user ThomasTankMerch.
- Duke's Capsule Plarail and De Agostini toys incorrectly depict him with buffers.
- Duke's 2009 Wooden Railway and TrackMaster toys were based on his eighth series reference sheet, which is why he has a lighter shade of brown.
- It is also for this reason why his TrackMaster model has no side rods and an unpainted bufferbeam.
- According to Sam Wilkinson, the production team had considered bringing back Duke in the CGI series to be part of the Earl's Railway Museum at Ulfstead Castle.
- Duke’s original whistle sound was sourced from LNER 4464 “Bittern”.
- Duke is one of the characters to be indirectly mentioned in CGI series but never appeared, the others being Freddie, Mighty Mac, Byron, and Ned.
References
| Locomotives | Duke | Smudger | Falcon | Stuart | Bertram |
|---|---|
| People | The Mid Sodor Railway Manager |
| Stations | Arlesburgh Harbour** | Arlesburgh Bridge Street** | Ffarquhar Road** | Bertram's Old Mine** | Marthwaite** | Arlesdale Green** | Duke's Station | Cas-ny-Hawin** | Ulfstead Road** | Elm Farm | Ballamoddey** | Valesbridge | King Orry's Bridge** |