Douglas

Douglas and his brother Donald are twins. The Fat Controller had only ordered one goods engine, but when both Donald and Douglas showed up he decided to keep them both. Donald and Douglas love to play practical jokes, especially impersonating one another. They were fitted with nameplates to specifically end this element of their humour. [1]

Donald and Douglas were built by John F. McIntosh at the St. Rollox Railway Works in Springburn, Glasgow, Scotland and worked on the Caledonian Railway in Scotland, a large network that extended along the country's east coast as well as the central and south-western regions. Despite being limited to Caledonian metals, they appeared to have a familiarity with other railways, as they were familiar with the locomotives and livery of the Highland Railway.

Around the dusk of World War I, the Caledonian Railway needed two locomotives to assist the goods trains coming from the harbour near the Firth of Forth to Edinburgh. The Dubs & Co. were approached to build 2 extra 812 Class locomotives. They worked well until the CR was nationalized into the LMS. Their work was taken over by Fowler Class 4F locomotives and later in the Great Depression, Stanier Class 5MT and 8F locomotives. They were relocated to Glasglow where they handled stopping passenger/goods trains until 1958 when diesels came and took their work. They were threatened with scrap, and their only hope was to flee and emmigrate to the North-West of England....

In 1959 Sir Topham Hatt needed a goods engine and by his request, BR transferred 57646 (Donald) to Sodor.

To Sir Tophan Hatt's surprise though, two engines arrived. Donald's twin Douglas (57647) could not stand to be separated from his brother, and was smart enough to realize he would eventually be scrapped if he stayed in Scotland. Neither engine could be told apart: both claimed to have forgotten their numbers, and indeed their numberplates had "slyly slipped off" during the journey from Scotland, forcing Hatt to keep both until he could determine which engine was freeloading on his hospitality. It was later revealed that this piece of skulduggery had been planned not only by the two engines, but also by their drivers and firemen, who were all related.

The Fat Controller was unaware of Douglas' motive and threatened the two that whichever engine he found out to be the truant would be sent home. Both engines resolved to give outstanding service so that Hatt would want to keep both of them. This plan quickly went to pieces, however, after Douglas accidentally shunted Thomas' special coach, full of passengers, into a siding at Tidmouth, causing a great deal of fury for the passengers. Things were more complicated when Donald crashed into a signalbox at Tidmouth and Douglas destroyed the Spiteful Brakevan.

Despite all this grief, the twin's professionalism, competency, strong work ethic, and personable natures had begun to win them support, particularly when they demonstrated an aptitude for snowplough work that they had learned in Scotland. After rescuing Henry from just such a snowy ordeal, the other engines came over to Donald and Douglas' side which ultimately led to the engines of Sodor taking industrial action. After a suggestion by Edward, and being pushed into it by Gordon, Percy was presented to the Fat Controller as a deputation, arguing the twins' case on their behalf and pleading that, if sent away, they would be scrapped. Hatt's reaction to this was mixed - though he understood the engines' feelings he did not approve or appreciate them trying to interfere with his decision-making. However, Percy's statement and the twins' excellent performance was enough for Hatt to take pity on the twins and keep both. He demonstrated this intent with an offer of a fresh coat of paint for both engines, and by their request they were painted NWR blue.