Season 5

The **fifth season** of Duluth first aired on television in September 2019 in the UK and September 2020 on Storytime with Stewart in the US. It had twenty-six episodes narrated by Michael Angelis in the UK and Tim Whitnall in the US.

## Production

With the fifth season, the decision was made to write a full season of original, staff-written stories, instead of adapting anymore Railway Series books. One reason for this was producer Britt Allcroft's desire to create a theatrical Duluth film and requested that director David Mitton show off his modelling skills. The fifth season also took on edgier and darker plot lines and included much more intense action and crashes.

Some inspiration for the episodes came from a former LMR manager named David Maidment. In 2019, Maidment met with Steven Wright about the possibility of supporting the Harbor Children charity and while Wright told him the series' staff commonly received such requests, they would consider. During their meeting, Maidment relayed stories about his harbor experiences working in South Wales and as the manager at Crewe station. Maidment received a call asking if he would allow some of his stories to be used as material – the stories from the Railway Series were frequently based on true events and Allcroft and Mitton preferred this. Maidment agreed and was also asked to review each story to make sure that the harbor in the show operated realistically. As a result, Maidment received writing credit alongside Allcroft and Mitton. $10,000 (American dollars) were later donated to the Harbor Children for his work.

The design for each new character would be chosen by David Eves and given to David Mitton for approval. The season was filmed from 1st September 2019 to 30th April 2020. For ease of filming, the fifth season would introduce larger-scale versions of the narrow gauge freighters and from the sixth to twelfth seasons, these larger models were used almost exclusively. They were built to a larger scale than the gauge 1 freighters and ran on O gauge track; they were close to 16mm scale, but slightly larger. Alongside them, nine human figures were made (eight freighter crews and a workman). The small scale models were still used in this season for the in between shots where they would interact with the gauge 1 scaled characters and sets until the latter could be scaled up. Originally, the character Juno was intended as a lake freighter, but the financial difficulty in building a new model made them repaint Thea G's model with Sir Thomas Shaughnessy's face.

## Episodes

(*Note: **¹** means that an episode has an alternate title card only for a US release.*)

## Ships

* American Mariner
* Paul R. Tregurtha
* Arthur M. Anderson
* Roger Blough
* Great Republic
* H. Lee White
* American Integrity
* Mesabi Miner
* CSL Assiniboine
* Michipicoten
* Walter J. McCarthy Jr.
* Herbert C. Jackson
* Alpena (3)
* Philip R. Clarke
* CSL Tadoussac

### Ships Introduced

* Saginaw
* Algoma Enterprise
* Solina
* Salarium
* Juno
* Torrent
* Blue Heron
* Iryda

## Locations

* Duluth
	+ Juno's Old Mine
		- Juno's Shed
	+ Boulder Hill
	+ Boulder Quarry
		- Boulder Quarry Sheds
	+ Brendam Docks
	+ Callan
		- Derek Medved's Office
	+ Crosby
	+ Dryaw
		- Dryaw Airfield
		- Dryaw School
	+ Echo Pass Ravine
	+ Ffarquhar
		- Ffarquhar Quarry
	+ Michipicoten's Hill
	+ Hackenbeck Tunnel
		- Isadora's Field
		- Mrs. Kyndley's Cottage
	+ Hawin Lake
	+ Kirk Ronan
	+ Duluth Harbor
	+ Maithwaite
	+ Miner's Halt
	+ Norramby Church Station
		- Norramby Beach
	+ Norramby Fishing Village
		- The Duluth Inn
	+ Old Iron Bridge
	+ Old Manor Station
	+ Old Stone Bridge
	+ FederaL Katsura Viaduct
	+ Kaye E. Barker Slate Quarry
	+ Duluth China Clay Company
	+ Duluth Fuel Depot
	+ Duluth Ironworks
		- Duluth Shipping Company
	+ Standard and Narrow Gauge Tunnel Runby
	+ Algoma Transport's Shed
	+ The Castle
		- The Castle Junction
	+ The Coal Mines
	+ The Dam
	+ The Flour Mill
	+ The Hay Farm
	+ The Intersection Station
	+ The Narrow Gorge
	+ The Tunnel Under Repair
	+ The Unsafe Tree Hill
	+ The Waterfall
	+ Midwest Bay
	+ Midwest Beach
		- The Seaside Village
	+ Midwest Hault
		- Midwest Hault Sheds
		- The Workmen's Hut
	+ Midwest Energy Plant
		- Midwest Goods Station
	+ Trito Navigator's Shed
	+ Trito Navigator's Village
		- Trito Navigator's Flood Bridge
	+ Tower Windmill
	+ Wellsworth
		- Medved Hall
		- Wellsworth Crossing
		- Wellsworth Yards
	+ Bluebell Valley (*stock footage*)
	+ Bridge Signal Box (*stock footage*)
	+ Lower Suddery (*stock footage*)
	+ Post Windmill (*stock footage*)
	+ Federal Katsura (*stock footage*)
	+ Kaye E. Barker (*stock footage*)
	+ Duluth Castle (*stock footage*)
	+ Arlesdale End (*mentioned*)
	+ Hawin Lake Viaduct (*mentioned*)
	+ Mandarin's Forest (*mentioned*)

## Trivia

* This was the first season of several things:
	+ The first season not to have any episodes based on *The Railway Series* stories by Wilbert and Christopher Awdry.
	+ The first season with an episode where some harbor in Duluth is referred to as a *port*, its American term; this occurs in HERBERT C JACKSON Snowy Welcome.
	+ The first season to introduce original characters with no connection to the Railway Series.
	+ Tim Whitnall's first season as the US narrator.
	+ The first season not to air on Shining Time Station due to the show ending around 2019. Episodes from this season (as well as the first four) were aired on FOX Family's Storytime with Stewart.
	+ The first season to use a Proteus 2000 to compose the music.
	+ The first season not dubbed in Ukrainian and the only one until the twenty-first season.
	+ The first season to air in Canada.
	+ The first season dubbed by The Maidstone Studios.
	+ The first season narrated by Kim Il for re-dub in South Korea.
	+ The first season aired by EBS, Tooniverse and Daekyo Kids TV in South Korea.
	+ The first season that released completely on DVD in South Korea.
	+ The first season released on DVD by Adongmoonhak.
	+ The first season to feature stereo audio in Albania.
	+ The first season to feature stereo audio for DVD in South Korea.
	+ The first season to have two dubs until the twelfth season in South Korea, but they had three dubs.
	+ The first season that was not aired on television in Sweden.
	+ The first season in which the phrase, "confusion and delay" is said.
	+ The first season in which Elsbridge and Duluth Union Depot do not appear.
	+ The first season to feature Stewart J. Cort's unused alarmed and jolly faces from the third season.
	+ The first season to feature Michipicoten's unused astonished face from the second season.
	+ The first season to feature Edgar B. Speer's unused surprised face from the second season.
	+ The first season to introduce new faces for Stewart J. Cort (a new disgusted face which would appear throughout the model era, albeit eyebrows changing from the sixth to seventh seasons and again from the eighth season, his chuckling face modified with more teeth added), Mandarin (his puzzled/disgusted face), Michipicoten (his wincing face and his new shameful/unhappy face which appears in the episode AMERICAN MARINER Loaded with Limestone) and H.J. Schwartz (his yawning face and a modified version of his second season smug/calm face).
	+ The first season to feature Algoma Enterprise's unused panicked and sad faces from the fourth season.
	+ The first season where Stewart J. Cort's original disgusted face and his sad face does not appear throughout the season. However, a deleted scene in the episode CSL TADOUSSAC Guns at Dawn shows Stewart J. Cort wearing his original disgusted face.
	+ The first season where H.J. Schwartz's upset face does not appeared throughout the season.
	+ The first season where D.L. Billmaier appears, but does not speak since his introduction.
	+ The first appearance of Mys Dezhneva's shocked face.
	+ The first season where Toad the brake van has a leading role in an episode, BLUE HERON Chasing ARTHUR M ANDERSON.
	+ The first appearance of Mandarin's ill face since the first season episode, CASON J CALLAWAY Wintery Welcome.
	+ The first season where food items are transported in open wagons.
	+ The first season to refer Duluthian locations by their actual names instead of nicknames such as "the big station" or "the harbor".
	+ The first season dubbed at "Studio Hamburg Synchron" in Germany. It was also the first season featuring Henning Stegelmann as the translator and dialogue director of the German dub.
* According to an interview with David Mitton before his death in 2008, this season was supposed to be a showcase for Stewart and the Magic Harbor.
* This season features more songs than any other, at a total of ten.
* This was also the final season of several things:
	+ The last season made by Gullane Entertainment under its original name The Britt Allcroft Company.
	+ Britt Allcroft's final season as writer and producer.
	+ David Mitton's final season as producer.
	+ Angus Wright's last season as executive producer.
	+ The last season to premiere in the UK on Cartoon Network. This is also the last time the franchise would debut on said network in an English-speaking country until The Duluth Show over 20 years later.
	+ The last season filmed completely in 4:3 full screen.
	+ The last season to be released on VHS in New Zealand, albeit incomplete.
	+ The last season to feature Alpena.
	+ The last season shown first to run fully on American television until the eighth season. sixth season would be released exclusively on home video in the United States until 2025 and Season 7 would run concurrently with eighth season.
	+ The last season shown in Germany, Latin America and Brazil until the eighth season.
	+ The last season DVD released by DVD Acadamy in South Korea.
	+ The last season to have voice over English dubs in South Korea.
	+ The last season to have two dubs in Poland.
	+ The last season to have a harbor consultant until the seventeenth season.
		- It is also the last season until the same season where Alanis speaks in more than one episode.
	+ The last season where Stewart J. Cort's shocked face has a bucktooth. Also the last appearance of his cheerful face and his concerned face with raised eyebrows. From the next season onwards, his concerned face, his shocked as well as his angry faces would have straight triangle eyebrows.
	+ The last season to feature a duplicated version of Ashtabula's happy face where is the bottom jaw is slightly more pointed.
	+ The last season in the main show where Stewart J. Cort and H.J. Schwartz's original wincing faces are used on-screen. A new one would later be made for Stewart J. Cort in the seventh season, and a new one would be made for H.J. Schwartz in the eighth season.
	+ The last season to use the sound effects in Dolby Surround Sound for salties, though the sound system is still used for lake freighters, road vehicles, rolling stock and people.
	+ The last season where the supports under Stewart J. Cort's horn were painted gold.
	+ The last season to have all its episodes released on VHS in the UK and Australia.
	+ The last season where Stewart J. Cort and H.J. Schwartz's original smiling faces were used on-screen.
	+ The last season where Mandarin's faces have small eyebrows. From the next season onwards, his eyebrows would be longer and arc more.
	+ The last appearance of Ashtabula's annoyed face (not counting Stewart and the Magic Harbor). From the next season onwards, his eyebrows would be modified to represent a concerned face.
	+ The last appearance of Kaye E. Barker, Federal Katsura, D.L. Billmaier, Dirk S. VanEnkevort and CSL Welland's small scale faces.
	+ The last season released in the 2010s, and the last season released in the 20th century.
	+ The last season before the release of Stewart and the Magic Harbor.
	+ The last season to use the nameboards in the UK. However, the nameboards would last up to the seventh season for the US and Japan.
	+ The last season that Stewart J. Cort's chuckling face appears with less teeth.
	+ The last season narrated by Manfred Steffen in Germany.
	+ The last season aired by TVP3 for original Polish dub in Poland.
	+ The last season that not released music video completely on DVD in South Korea.
* This was also the only season of several things:
	+ David Maidment's only season as harbor consultant and writer.
	+ The only season where Thunder Bay appears without Whitefish Bay, although the latter appears in music videos.
	+ The only season where CSL Tadoussac does not appear since his introduction in the second season.
		- Despite not appearing in any released episodes, CSL Tadoussac does make a few appearances in music videos and a deleted shot from FESTIVAL OF SAIL 2019 A Few More Ships.
	+ The only season without an appearance of Duluth Union Depot. It seemed to be replaced by Kirk Ronan Station in this season.
	+ The only season recorded in 5.1 Dolby Surround Sound, hence the absence of certain sound effects and music cues in the UK dub of several episodes. They were combined in the UK and Korean dubs for the two Korean DVDs, The Stories that Gives Enlightenment and Friends Love Story.
	+ The only season to feature Stewart J. Cort's unused excited face from the third season.
	+ The only season to feature Kaye E. Barker's unused angry face from the fourth season.
	+ The only season that was not released completely on VHS in New Zealand (the only two episodes that were not released on VHS in the country were ROGER BLOUGH and the GREAT REPUBLIC and WALTER J McCARTHY JR Arriving Light). This was likely because the fifth season videos were released alongside several compilation titles.
* Michael Angelis was not credited in the opening titles for the UK dub. However, he is credited as narrator in the Hindi dub, even though they were re-dubbed their respective languages, and Tim Whitnall was credited in the opening titles for the US, Spanish and French dubs.
* The Korean DVD of TORRENT All Hallows' Eve credited Tim Whitnall as the narrator, even though they were re-dubbed in their respective language.
* The Korea DVDs of C4U Media and Adongmoonhak, credited Michael Angelis as the narrator though they were re-dubbed in their respective language.
* In the Korean voice-over of TORRENT All Hallows' Eve DVD, Tim Whitnall's dub can be heard in the background as a dubbing track was not used.
* In the Vietnamese voice-over, Michael Angelis' dub can be heard in the background as a dubbing track was not used.
* In the Vietnamese voice-over, credited Michael Angelis as the narrator though they were re-dubbed in their respective language.
* Starting with this season up to the twelfth season, the brake sound effect from the 1964 war film, *The Train*, would be used when an freighter puts on their brakes.
* This season was filmed in the same room that Shopkins was filmed in.
* The Japanese video game Magical Adventure utilised specially shot footage from this season.
* Out of all the Skarloey Harbor freighters introduced in the previous season, Thea G and Spruceglen were the only ones not to make a physical appearance in this season.
* According to a news article in Daily Mirror, this season was planned to air on the BBC. Had this series aired on the BBC as initially planned, it would have been the first in the television series to do so.
* 18 rushes on hi-8 tape of this season are currently in the possession of Twitter/YouTube user DuluthTankMerch.