Donald and Douglas

## Douglas

**Donald** and **Douglas** Donald and Douglas (originally known by their old numbers, 57646 and 57647) are twin Scottish mixed-traffic tender engines and are the railway's number 9 and 10 engines respectively. Douglas tagged along with Donald to Sodor, despite Donald being the only engine expected. After proving themselves to be really useful, they were both allowed to stay. They now work as utility engines on the NWR; working wherever they are needed. They work primarily on the Little Western, but sometimes on Edward's Branch Line and the Main Line.

## Biography

Donald and Douglas are Scottish twin engines. They are practical, peppery and proud, but, despite their maturity, they enjoy playing practical jokes and have been known to impersonate one another in the past. They were fitted with nameplates to specifically end this element of their humour.

Donald and Douglas are very able workers, strong performers and handle any task well. They are fully capable of being firm with the other big engines, such as Gordon and Henry and even the Troublesome Trucks know better than to try their tricks on them. They are both used to harsh winter conditions too. Coupled back to back, with a coach between their tenders and a snowplough on each of their buffers, they are very capable of patrolling the lines, clearing them of the snow. The twins both pull their weight on the Main Line and on Duck’s branch line

They can enjoy a joke with any engine. They are happy to act as the brawn of the Fat Controller's steam-driven goods haulers. Both are smart. Between the two, Donald tends to be the charming, witty joker whereas Douglas is the quick-thinking, calmer-natured one of the pair. Both display a keen sense of wit and the pair usually get to have the last laugh, more often taking the moral high ground. But that does not mean they will not be just a little bit smug about it when a deserving engine meets their comeuppance. Donald and Douglas hate to be parted from each other, but, like most twins, they occasionally have their arguments among themselves and can squabble with one another. Also, Donald and Douglas used to have a strong dislike of diesels. But over time their dislike for diesels has softened and they appeared to have grown accustomed to their diesel companions.

Upon nationalisation, they became part of the Scottish Region of British Railways, where they were renumbered 57646 and 57647. In 1954, Sir Topham Hatt I needed a goods engine and by his request, British Railways decided to transfer 57646 (Donald) to Sodor.

To Sir Topham 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 realise he would eventually be scrapped if he stayed in Scotland. Unfortunately for Sir Topham Hatt and any other worker, neither engine could be told apart: both claimed to have forgotten their numbers and indeed their number plates had "simply slipped off" during the journey from Scotland. This caused the Fat Director to keep both until he could determine which engine was freeloading on his hospitality. It was later revealed that this piece of skullduggery had been planned not only by the two engines but also by their drivers and firemen, who were related as well.

The Fat Director 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 Sir Topham Hatt I 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 went from bad to worse when Donald crashed into a signal box at Tidmouth and Douglas accidentally destroyed a Spiteful Brake Van, who had caused trouble for him earlier.

Despite all this grief, the twins' 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 Director as a deputation to argue the twins' case on their behalf and pleading that if they were sent away, they would be scrapped. Although Sir Topham Hatt I did not approve or appreciate them trying to interfere with his decision-making, he understood the engines' feelings upon the matters of saving steam engines and scrapping in general. In the end, Percy's statement and the twins' excellent performance was enough for The Fat Director 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, as well as giving them both nameplates to avoid any more confusion.

In 1957, Douglas helped save Oliver and Toad from the prospect of scrap. The Fat Director soon found out and arranged for them to be repaired and painted in Great Western colours. Toad asked to be Douglas' brake van as a show of gratitude.

After Donald teased Duck about his "quacking", Duck's crew got a humorous payback by slipping a small duckling into Donald's tender. When discovered, the duckling became friends with Donald and his crew and eventually settled down at Haultraugh, where a small pond was nearby. She was named Dilly by the stationmaster, but she is known to everyone else as Donald's duck.

The Twins work together practically all the time, but they sometimes fall out with each other. This was shown when the two crashed into Trevor's hay cart. Donald accused Douglas of pushing him into the cart while Douglas accused Donald of pulling him. The twins refused to speak to each other, leading to Donald taking the opportunity to help Duck at the Sodor Ironworks so as to get away from Douglas. While Douglas missed his twin and was ready to make up, Donald began to experience lapses of incompetence and demanded an apology. Eventually, Donald was not looking where he was going and crashed through some buffers into a ditch. As soon as Douglas heard from Duck that Donald was in trouble, he immediately rushed over to help his twin and the two engines made up.

Later, Callan Castle was to be reopened by Lord Callan and Donald and Douglas took some equipment up to the castle. The two argued whether or not the monster inside the lake existed. Unfortunately for the twins, a landslide occurred and the two became stranded. The Fat Controller promised help, but soon night came. The twins saw a shape moving towards them on the causeway and were petrified until they realised it was only Harvey who had come to help. Soon, the twins got their equipment to the castle on time and Lord Callan called them really useful engines.

The twins later helped with the construction of the Harwick Branch Line, delivering most of the heavy construction materials. When Douglas went over the unstable trackbed that hid the tunnel into Calles Cavern it began to crack and the workmen only just stopped Donald from going over it. The twins witnessed Rocky lifting Captain Calles' Pirate Ship out of the cavern and helped deliver it to Arlesburgh Harbour. They later attended the branch line's opening ceremony.

Once, they had to clear snow from the tracks during winter, but they kept arguing over which tracks to clear next. Douglas was accidentally separated from his tender and left behind by Donald, who eventually found him in a siding with some help from Toby.

## Basis

Donald and Douglas are both based on Caledonian Railway (CR) McIntosh 812 Class 0-6-0 goods engines.

## Livery

Donald and Douglas are painted in British Railways (BR) black livery with white and red lining on their cabs and tenders. Their numbers (9 and 10 respectively) are painted on their tenders in yellow with red outlines. They have black running boards with red bufferbeams and valences. The pair also have brass nameplates with red backing, mounted on either side of their smokeboxes.

## Appearances

### Season 2

* The Missing Coach
* Break Van
* The Deputation
* Thomas Comes To Breakfast
* Thomas and the Missing Christmas Tree

### Season 3

* Gordon and the Famous Visitor *(cameos)*
* Donald’s Duck *(Douglas cameo)*
* Henry’s Forest *(Donald does not speak; Douglas cameo)*
* Tender Engines *(Donald only)*
* Escape *(Douglas only)*
* Oliver Owns Up *(Douglas does not speak)*
* Toad Stands By *(Douglas only)*
* Thomas and Percy’s Christmas Adventure *(Donald only; cameo)*

### Season 4

* Thomas and Stepney *(Douglas only)*
* Bowled Out
* Thomas and the Special Letter

### Season 5

* A Better View For Gordon *(Donald only; cameo)*

### Season 6

* The World’s Strongest Engine *(Donald only; cameo)*
* James and the Red Balloon
* Twin Trouble

### Season 7

* Peace and Quiet *(Douglas only; cameo)*
* Bad Day at Castle Loch

### Season 14

* Sodor’s Legend of the Lost Treasure
* Love Me Tender

### Season 15

* Mountain Engine (Donald only)
* Bad Look Out (Donald only, does not speak)
* Danger Points (Donald only)

## Trivia

* Donald and Douglas' original numbers are fictional. The 812/652 Class BR numbers only went up to 57645.
* Douglas is one of the two engines who were able to save an engine from scrap. The other being Thomas who saved Hiro.