A Close Shave

"A Close Shave", retitled "A Close Shave for Duck" in American releases, is the fourteenth episode of the second season.

Plot
Edward feels sorry for Duck and asks him to act as a back engine for his goods train. Duck is delighted to help, but when he's running back down the hill, the trucks break away and chase after Duck. Duck manages to gain control, but is horrified to see James on the line in front of him. Miraculously, the points are switched and Duck runs onto a siding and into a barber's shop. The furious barber lathers Duck's face, but when the Fat Controller tells the barber about how Duck saved the day the barber cleans Duck's face. As if that weren't happy enough, Diesel has been sent away and the others want Duck back.

Featured characters

 * Edward
 * Duck
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Thomas (does not speak)
 * James (does not speak)
 * Henry (cameo)
 * Gordon (cameo)
 * Percy (cameo)
 * Toby (cameo)
 * Diesel (mentioned)

Trivia

 * Trackmaster has released a three-vehicle set based on this episode, including a Duck with a face remold from when his face was covered in shaving cream.

Goofs

 * At the beginning of the episode a light reflects off Duck's eyebrow.
 * After Edward says "Why don't you help me with these trucks?" the front truck's face disappears.
 * The brakevan loses its face once the trucks catch up with Duck.
 * When Duck speeds through Wellsworth the middle track is raised higher than the others.
 * James inexplicably stops as soon as he starts to leave the station.
 * The narrator says that Duck shut his eyes, but his eyes are still open.
 * The narrator says that the barber lathers Duck's face all over, but he actually only lathers half of his face from his chin up to his nose.
 * Even though the barber is furious at Duck, he doesn't show it until the Fat Controller arrives. Even then, the only shot where he is visibly angry is when he says "I do not like engines popping through my walls". To add to that, none of the customers seem cross at Duck's unorthodox entry.
 * Duck was meant to be upset whilst being caked in shaving foam, but he has a broad grin on his face.
 * When the derailed trucks are shown, you can see that the coal slab has been deliberately placed.
 * In the close-up of Thomas' wheels when he pulls Duck from the barbershop, a wire can be seen sticking out near his wheels.
 * The barber washes half of the shaving cream off Duck's face, but when Duck is pulled back onto the rails the shaving cream is back all over his face again.
 * The face on Duck's large model has a round nose instead of a pointed one. This is because the face was recycled from the larger Thomas model used in "Thomas Comes to Breakfast".
 * Why would a barber shop be placed right in front of the track?
 * In the restored version the scene of the trucks passing Wellsworth is sped up.

Deleted Scenes

 * An extended scene of Duck veering from James' coaches to a siding.
 * A deleted frame of the barber admiring his lathering job on Duck.

Episode
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