A Close Shave

**A Close Shave** is the fifteenth episode of the second season and the 45th episode overall. It is based on the story of the same name from the thirteenth Railway Series book, Duck and the Diesel Engine.

## Plot

After being framed by Diesel for telling lies about the big engines to the Troublesome Trucks, Duck sadly goes to Wellsworth and tells Edward about what has happened. Edward assures Duck that everything will be alright and suggests helping him with his goods train, which cheers Duck up.

The two engines work hard all afternoon to make the trucks behave while taking them up Gordon's Hill. Once at the top, Duck says goodbye to Edward and heads back to the station. As he coasts down the hill, enjoying the breeze, he suddenly hears a guard's whistle. He has been knocked out of the brake van, as Edward's trucks have broken away and are racing towards Duck at breakneck speed, intending to derail him.

Duck hurries down the main line, trying his hardest to outrun the trucks, but they gradually catch up to him on the viaduct and begin pushing him. Just as they are starting to regain control, Duck and his driver see James on the same track, pulling a passenger train out of Crosby Station. Duck puts all of his weight against the trucks, but is unable to stop. He shuts his eyes and prepares for the worst, but gets diverted onto a siding at the last second after being slowed down long enough for James and his coaches to clear the platform and points.

At the end of the siding is a small barbershop. As the barber is shaving a customer, Duck is pushed by the trucks into the end of the siding, comes off the rails, and crashes right into the front of the shop, destroying the wall. Some trucks derail as well, but pay no attention to this, feeling rather pleased with themselves having successfully derailed Duck. As Duck stares nervously at the crowd in front of him, he tries to apologise, but the barber is furious with Duck for frightening his customers, and firmly covers his face with shaving foam.

Thomas arrives to help clear the mess, and soon the Fat Director comes in to speak with the barber, who is still fuming. The Fat Director explains that Duck and his crew helped to prevent a much larger accident with James, adding that it was a "very close shave." The barber quickly washes the lathering off of Duck's face and apologises for misjudging him.

After the trucks have been pulled away, Thomas pulls Duck out of the wrecked barbershop, and the Fat Director tells him he will be returning to the yard once he is mended. Duck is worried, believing that the big engines still hate him. The Fat Director, however, replies that he never believed Diesel and sent him back to the other railway; the other engines are now sorry and want Duck to come back.

A few days later, after being mended, Duck returns to the shed where the other engines welcome him back with happy whistles, as he proudly takes his place among them.

## Characters

* Edward
* Duck
* Troublesome Trucks
* The Fat Director
* Thomas *(does not speak)*
* James *(does not speak)*
* Henry *(cameo)*
* Gordon *(cameo)*
* Percy *(cameo)*
* Diesel *(mentioned)*

## Locations

* The Viaduct
* Wellsworth
* Suddery Junction
* Gordon's Hill
* Crosby
	+ C&B Barber
* Tidmouth Sheds

## Trivia

* This episode is based on a true event which took place at a railway station in Hull, Yorkshire, England.
* This episode marks the only speaking roles of the Barber and his customer, and the Barber's last appearance.
* This is the first episode of the series where a diesel engine is mentioned but not physically seen.
* The Fat Director mentions the episode's title by saying: "But you must know that this engine and his crew have prevented a serious accident. It was a very close um, shave."