Duncan

**Duncan** is a Scottish narrow gauge tank engine who came to the Skarloey Railway as a spare engine after Peter Sam's accident with some slate trucks.

## Bio in the Railway Series

Duncan was built by Andrew Barclay Sons & Co. at their Caledonia Works in Kilmarnock, Scotland and worked in a factory in Scotland, which Peter Sam claims is the source of his strong language and volatile temper.

In 1958, Duncan was bought secondhand to Sodor as a spare engine, as the workload was too much for Sir Handel and Peter Sam to manage unassisted. He came soon after Peter Sam's accident with the slate trucks and was re-gauged to 2ft 3in. Duncan was rude and arrogant at first. However, following accidents involving the tunnel and a worn stretch of track south of Cros-ny-Cuirn, he began to see sense and made up his feud withRusty, whom he had detested for being a diesel.

He was still selfish and prone to temper tantrums and actually stalled on Rheneas Viaduct on the claims that he was overworked and not polished enough. Skarloey, fed up with his careless attitude, finally taught him sense with the story of Rheneas' single handed running of the railway and how passengers are far more important than a polish.

When some boy scouts were camping and volunteering for the Skarloey Railway, they were going to help fix a part of the line that was wet and mushy when it rains. When the scouts became thirsty, the leader stopped Duncan to help them find something for them to drink in fear that they might be dehydrated. Unfortunately, the Refreshment Lady ran out of drinks since business was very busy for her, but Duncan suggested another tea shop near the station by the lake. They managed to pick up enough drinks, and the boys cheered Duncan for helping them. He even replied by saying "It's only fair we should help you too!"

Duncan has visited the Talyllyn Railway in Wales as a tourist attraction. The Talyllyn Railway now has events called Duncan Day when the engines are dressed as their counterparts.

## Bio in the Television Series

Duncan has also been very cocky, but this has often fired back at him. His driver and fireman spooked him one evening when fireflies formed the shape of an engine. This put Duncan in his place, thinking he had just seen a ghost. His ego once landed him in a swamp, after being careless working on the incline railway.

Duncan is well known and often teased for his temper. He has met his match before, a passenger who grumbled more than him! He also showed a lack of Christmas spirit and often grumbled about the busy work he has to do during that time of year, even going as far to say "Bah Humbug!" Despite his rough exterior, he heroically helped Luke up a hill around Christmas time, showing his kinder side, and was rewarded with a new coat of paint.

A while later, Duncan was at Crovan's Gate when he saw Hugo race by the station surprising him and Sir Handel, who were both wondering if that was an engine.

## Personality

Duncan is a Scottish narrow gauge engine with rough manners and a strong temper, making him the least social of the Skarloey Railway fleet. He was prone to boisterously bouncing about, which became known as "rock 'n' roll", whenever the mood took him, which once led to wedging in the north mouth of Rheneas Tunnel (probably caused from keystones knocked down by his funnel) and derailing on a stretch of line near Cros-ny-Cuirn.

While Duncan means well, he often grumbles and complains, usually about not being polished or being over-worked and can be rude, rough and bad tempered. He has also been shown to dislike Christmas for some reason. He claims to be a plain engine who believes in plain speaking, an approach which can cause him to make callous or belligerent remarks. Duncan can be a competitive engine too, particularly with James. He can be impulsive, even more so than Sir Handel and make rash decisions which usually lead to his own downfall, (such as getting in arguments or short lived feuds with Rusty). He is not always quick to apologise or realise the error of his ways. However, upon Skarloey recalling Rheneas' gallant act to get his passengers home, Duncan admitted he had the wrong attitude and tried hard to be a more useful, respectable engine in the future.

In spite of his rough ways, Duncan can be a little misunderstood as he is focused, confident, resourceful and has a big heart. He is always willing to lend a helping hand whenever he can and wants to be really useful.

## Trivia

* Duncan guest star in Thomas and Twilight Sparkle's Adventure Series with the other narrow gauge engines.
* Duncan is also best friends with Scootaloo.
* When the Skarloey Railway returned in the sixteenth series, Nitrogen Studios went to the Talyllyn Railway to take measurements of the locomotives to make CGI models of the Skarloey engines. Unfortunately, Duncan's basis, Douglas, was having an overhaul and could not be measured, hence why Duncan did not return in Series 16. When Duncan actually did return in Series 18, he is clearly based on his television model, not his basis, unlike the other engines. Because of this, he is the only narrow gauge engine to have brake pipes and not to have a Talyllyn styled tail lamp.
* Duncan is the only narrow gauge engine who has not gained a new whistle sound since his debut in the fourth series.