Donald and Douglas

**Donald** and **Douglas** (originally known by their old numbers, **57646** and **57647**, respectively) are twin Scottish mixed-traffic tender engines. Douglas tagged along with Donald to Sodor in order to escape from scrap, 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. Donald and Douglas work together practically all the time, but they sometimes have a falling out.

## Biography

Donald and Douglas were designed by John F. McIntosh and built by the St Rollox Works for the Caledonian Railway in 1909. Upon nationalisation, they became part of the Scottish Region of British Railways, where they were renumbered 57646 and 57647. In 1959, Sir Charles Topham Hatt needed a goods engine and by his request, BR decided to transfer 57646 (Donald) to Sodor.

Donald and Douglas were designed by John F. McIntosh and built by the St. Rollox Works for the Caledonian Railway in 1909. Upon nationalisation, they became part of the Scottish Region of British Railways, where they were renumbered 57646 and 57647. In 1959, Sir Topham Hatt needed a goods engine and by his request, BR 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 "slyly slipped off" during the journey from Scotland. This caused the Fat Controller 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 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 Sir Topham 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 went from bad to worse when Donald crashed into a signal box at Knapford 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 Controller 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 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 Controller 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. By their request, they were painted NWR blue, in honour of their Caledonian heritage.

In 1967, Douglas helped save Oliver, Isabel and Toad from the prospect of scrap. The Fat Controller soon found out and arranged for the three to be repaired and painted in Great Western colours. Toad asked to be Douglas' brake van as a show of gratitude.

Later in 1975, 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.

Since then, the twins have, by all accounts, "transformed" goods traffic on the mainline. Such is their versatility that they regularly see service on the Little Western and Edward's Branch Line, as well as duties as station-pilots at Tidmouth. A turntable has been provided for them at Arlesburgh, although briefly decommissioned after Oliver was pushed into it by some trucks. They expressed their disgruntlement to him in the Scots.

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.

Such a demanding work-load has begun to tax them however and in 1993 the Fat Controller borrowed a navy saddle tank engine named Wilbert from the Dean Forest Railway to deputise for them on the Arlesburgh branch, with the intention of obtaining another engine of Wilbert's class to permanently fill that role.

In 2011, after bringing ballast from the Arlesdale Railway, they each slipped into a set of buffers which were nearly finished.

## Appearances

### Season 1

* Whistle Trouble (Donald only, cameo)
* A Near Miss For BoCo (*mentioned*)
* Daisy the Royal Diesel Rail-Car (Donald or Douglas cameo)
* Donald, Douglas and The Presents Train

### Season 2

* Toby and the Express (*mentioned*)
* Mollie the Station Cat (Donald only, cameo)
* George's Pub (Donald only)
* A Sticky Situation for Gordon and James (Donald only, cameo)
* Fibbing Thomas (Donald only, cameo)
* A Cow in the Tunnel (Donald only, cameo)
* Duck Runs Dry (Donald only, cameo)
* The Flaming Kipper
* The Forgotten Legend (Donald speaks only)
* A Christmas for Diesel (*cameos*)

### Season 3

* First Impressions
* Hunters (*cameos*)
* A Gronk and Bucket Rivalry (Donald only, cameo)
* The Past Is In The Past (Donald only, cameo)
* Inexperienced (Douglas mentioned, Donald only)
* Technology (cameo)
* The Spiteful Brake Van
* James' Branch Line (*do not speak*)
* A New Boiler for James (*do not speak*)
* William (Douglas does not speak)
* The Sodor Blitz (Donald or Douglas cameo)
* A Kyndley Christmas

### Season 4

* High Speed Sneeze (Donald only, Douglas mentioned)
* The Fishy Smell (Donald or Douglas cameo)
* BoCo's New Driver (Douglas only, cameo)
* Derek (Donald only, mentioned)
* Tender Engines Don't Shunt (*mentioned*)
* The Lost Engine of Ballahoo (Donald only, cameo)
* Respect (Donald, does not speak, Douglas mentioned)
* The Ffarquhar Constable (Donald only, does not speak)
* Kidnapped! (Douglas does not speak, Donald cameo)
* Twins Stick Together
* Looking Splendid (Douglas only, cameo)
* Jim (*cameos*)
* Neil (Donald or Douglas, cameo)
* Gordon and the Pigs (Donald only, does not speak)
* Rumours and Reveals (Donald only, cameo)
* A Christmas Wish
* New Year, New Life (Donald or Douglas)

### Season 5

* Stationmaster Cat (Donald, only)
* Thomas and the Cleaner (Donald only, does not speak)
* Who's The Favourite? (Douglas only, does not speak)
* Timothy the 'Ghost' Engine (*mentioned*)
* Jim & The North Western Railway (Donald only, cameo)
* Forgotten? (*do not speak*)
* The Flying Duck (*cameos*)
* Ryan (*mentioned*)
* The Fat Controller's Bad Day (Donald does not speak, Douglas only)
* Mike's Christmas (Donald or Douglas, cameo)

### Season 6

* Whistle Trouble (5th Anniversary Episode) (*Donald only, cameo*)
* Respect For Toby (*cameos*)
* Philip and the Windy Runaway (*cameos*)
* The Legend of Emily Davidson (*cameos*)
* Slow Down, Gordon! (*cameos*)

### Season 7

* No Laughing Matter (*mentioned*)
* Mavis' Impatient Driver (Donald only, cameo)
* Inadequate Replica (Donald or Douglas, cameo)
* Thomas and Percy's Field Trip (Donald or Douglas, cameo)
* Percy "Spots" James (Donald or Douglas, cameo)
* Glynn and the Hill (Donald or Douglas, cameo)
* Bill and Ben's Christmas Rescue (*cameos*)

### Season 8

* Paxton (*cameos*)
* Changed? (*mentioned*)
* Amends (Donald only, cameo)
* Lobster on the Line (Donald does not speak)
* Typical Engines (Donald only, cameo)

### Season 9

* BoCo and the Brake Tender (*cameos*)
* Philip's Royal Rescue (*cameos*)
* Gordon and the Bluebell Railway (Donald or Douglas, cameo)

### Season 10

* No Rails for Winston (*cameos*)
* Auld Faker
* Pardon My French (Donald only, does not speak)
* Seasons E-Greetings? (Donald only, does not speak)

### Season 11

* Don't Mess with Oliver
* Really Useful Engine (*cameos*)
* The Ugly Diesel
* Oliver and BoCo (*mentioned*)
* Diesel's Christmas Carol (10th anniversary remake)
* The Santa Special (*Donald only, cameo*)

### Season 12

* Ballast Train (*Douglas only*)
* Gordon's Fallout
* Reckless Rex (*cameos*)
* Framed! (*Douglas does not speak, Donald cameo*)
* Thomas and Douglas
* Fowl Train (*Douglas only*)
* A Cranky New Year! (*music video cameos*)

### Thomas The Tank Engine & Friends

#### Series 1

* James Makes a Mistake (*cameos*)
* Thomas and Timothy (Donald only, cameo)
* Engines and Egos (Douglas only, cameo)
* Oliver The Famous Engine (Douglas only, does not speak)
* Duke The Proud Engine (Donald only, cameo)
* Thomas' Bad Day (Donald only, cameo)
* Bear Reads a Book (Douglas only, cameo)
* The Missing Coach
* Preservation (Donald only, cameo)
* Bertie's Guaranteed Connection (Donald only, cameo)
* Toby and the Old Coaches (Donald only, cameo)
* Oliver's Faithful Friend (*does not speak*)
* The Tale of the Bad Engine (Donald or Douglas, cameo)
* Goods Engines

#### Series 2

* Gordon's Trucks (Donald only, cameo)
* One Bump Too Many (Donald only, cameo)
* When the Whistle Blows (Douglas only, cameo)

#### Series 3

* Stranger by the Shore
* A New Friend for Arthur
* Skarloey's Passengers (Donald only, cameo)