Duncan Gets Spooked

"Never mind him, Peter Sam. He'd be frightened if he really saw a ghost."

- Rusty explaining Duncan to Peter Sam

Duncan Gets Spooked is the twenty-fourth episode of the fifth series. It aired in an airing of Storytime with Thomas on the US.

Plot
Ducan, Peter Sam, Skarloey and Rusty are busy clearing their line of branches and debris. After Rusty helps Peter Sam to the water tower with his train, Peter Sam's trucks break away and roll onto a bridge where they derail and plummet into the ravine. The Fat Controller punishes Peter Sam by making him work in the yards until he can trust him again. Duncan chortles that Peter Sam's trucks will return to haunt him, so Rusty tells him of an engine who long ago, tried to cross the same bridge over the ravine but derailed halfway across and fell into the swamp below. And ever since that night, his spirit has haunted the bridge. Duncan is dismissive, but Peter Sam's driver gets an idea. He and Duncan's crew plan to teach Duncan a lesson and take him to the bridge. That night when Duncan was just about finished with his work, he is halfway across the bridge and then stops. He begins to see flickering lights that looked like an engine in front of him, (though it is actually just an engine formed by fireflies) then Duncan's crew secretly throws a large rock from the cab and into the ravine below. Duncan, thinking it is the ghost of the engine, gets scared and quickly runs back to the safety of his shed.

Characters

 * Duncan
 * Rusty
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Skarloey (does not speak)
 * Peter Sam (does not speak)
 * Rusty's Ghost Engine (does not speak)

Locations

 * Skarloey Railway Slate Quarry
 * Old Iron Bridge
 * Cattle Creek
 * Boulder Quarry

Trivia

 * This is the first episode to use the new large scale models of the Skarloey Railway engines, although Duncan, Peter Sam, and Rusty's small scale models were used in the shed scene. However, in the fourth series, larger partial models of the engines were made for use with the close up scale human figures.
 * This is the only episode of the classic series in the US dub where the Skarloey Railway is referred to as a "railroad", judging by the fact that it is an American term. However, this is the first episode where a railway in the Island of Sodor is referred to as a railroad, which is a rare type of goof in the series since the term railway was the more appropriate term for the show since then.
 * In the UK version, when the trucks fall into the ravine, the music is omitted.
 * The ghost engine in Rusty's story uses Skarloey's model.
 * The shed that Rusty, Peter Sam and Duncan were at was really the shed from Rheneas Station from the previous series.
 * This is the only episode in the fifth series not to feature any standard gauge engines.
 * This episode marks Duncan's only speaking role in the fifth series.
 * The engine formed by the fireflies resembles Rheneas and Smudger.
 * This episode most likely takes place during the events of Rusty and the Boulder, as the quarry is seen in this episode. In the aforementioned episode, it is stated that the quarry is brand new and is also then closed in a short amount of time.
 * The "Best Quality Diesel Oil" barrel from Bowled Out can be seen in the shot of the workmen looking at the Ghost Engine.
 * This is the last episode written by David Maidment.
 * The slate truck behind Duncan is hiding his battery and receiver for his eye mechanism. Note how much taller it is then the other loads of slate.

Goofs

 * When Skarloey passes by in the first scene, a red wire is visible underneath him.
 * In the UK narration, the narrator says that Rusty whistled goodbye, but Rusty is a diesel, and therefore does not have a whistle.
 * In the US and in various international versions, when Rusty leaves Peter Sam at the water tower, he makes puffing noises despite being a diesel.
 * Duncan's face moves when he makes a ghost sound. This also happens to the other engines in this scene.
 * Because both scales of models were used, Rusty's face changes size in the shed scene.
 * When the fireflies form the engine, the end of the tracks is visible in the distance.
 * In the shot of Peter Sam's driver speaking to Duncan's crew about the trick, a workman next to Peter Sam is missing his legs, this is more clearly shown in a rare picture.
 * When Peter Sam's driver speaks to Duncan's crew about the trick, his eyes are wonky.
 * In a rare photograph, Peter Sam has his old funnel and is smiling instead of looking sad, and much like the scene in the actual episode, the workman next to him is missing his legs. This is because Peter Sam's old funnel was never removed. His square funnel was merely a funnel placed over the old one.
 * When the Ghost Engine goes onto the bridge, he is white, but when he falls into the ravine, he is red. This is because Skarloey's model is used for the Ghost Engine.
 * Due to a film cut, when Duncan's face fades from shut-eyed to looking sad, his cab moves slightly.

Quotes

 * Trucks: Let's break away! (a coupling snaps and the trucks break away from Peter Sam) Faster! Faster!
 * ___________________________________________________________________________________
 * Peter Sam's driver: This was our fault. We didn't secure them properly. We have to get help to pull them out. The Fat Controller will be very annoyed.
 * Narrator: (cut to the sheds later that evening) And he was. 
 * The Fat Controller: You will shunt trucks in the yards until I can trust you again. (US: "You will work in the yards until I can trust you again.
 * ____________________________________________________________________________________
 * Duncan: [to Peter Sam] Fancy not securing your trucks on a hill. They'll come back to spook you and your special funnel. WHOO!!!
 * Rusty: And who's to say you're not afraid of ghosts?!
 * Duncan: Ghosts? Things that go bump in the night? Rubbish!
 * Rusty: Well, I'll tell you a story that'll make your funnel quiver.
 * [cut to the Old Iron Bridge one night]
 * Rusty: A long time ago, a little engine was returning home. It was a misty moonlit night. As the engine crossed the Old Iron Bridge, he suddenly lost control, and plunged over the side, into the swamps below.
 * [the engine falls into the ravine]
 * Rusty: He was never found again, but many a workman will tell you that when the moon is full, they have seen the little engine trying to get home. But he never reaches the other side.
 * [cut back to the present]
 * Rusty: So, what do you think of that, Duncan?
 * Duncan: Pah! Nonsense! (US: "Rubbish!")
 * _____________________________________________________________________________________
 * Rusty: Never mind him, Peter Sam. He'd be frightened if he really saw a ghost.
 * Driver: Let's play a trick on Duncan.
 * _____________________________________________________________________________________
 * Duncan: Haunted bridge. Rubbish! It's as tame as a pet rabbit!
 * _____________________________________________________________________________________
 * Duncan: If we don't go now, Skarloey will take my favourite place in the sheds.
 * Driver: We can't go back until we've collected all the trucks.
 * (Duncan gives a nervous look)
 * _____________________________________________________________________________________
 * Duncan: It's the ghost! Take me back! Take me back, PLEASE!!!
 * (Duncan reverses and reaches the safety of his shed, and closes his eyes tightly)
 * Driver: Spooked, are you, Duncan?
 * Duncan: No, I'm asleep.
 * (Duncan initially refuses to open his eyes, but does, realising that his driver was making sure he was alright)

Home Media Releases
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UK

 * Spooks and Surprises (Direct-to-Home Video)
 * The Complete Series 5

DVD Boxsets

 * Classic Collection

US

 * Spills and Chills and Other Thomas Thrills
 * Awesome Adventures Vol. 3: Thrills and Chills
 * Thomas & Friends Classic Volume 5

DVD Packs

 * Totally Thomas Volume 1
 * New Friends for Thomas/Spills and Chills Double Feature

JPN

 * New Thomas the Tank Engine 2 Vol.6
 * The Complete Works of Thomas the Tank Engine 2 Vol.4
 * Strange Story of Thomas the Tank Engine

AUS

 * Spooks and Surprises
 * Rescues on the Railways
 * The Complete Series 5

DVD Packs

 * Complete Series 1-10
 * Classic Collection
 * Series Five and Series Six Double Pack

NZ

 * Spooks and Surprises

PHL

 * Happy Ever After (Philippine DVD)

ITA

 * Back All!

SWE

 * Hidden in Snow

GRC

 * Time for Work

DK

 * Forward and Backward and Other Stories

MYS

 * Thomas and the Special Letter and Other Adventures
 * Busy Going Backwards and Other Adventures
 * Salty's Secret and Other Thomas Adventures

THA
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 * Thomas and Friends Volume 13 (Thai DVD)
 * Thomas and Friends - Volume 19 (Thai DVD)

El Susto de Duncan דאנקן מפוחד まんげつのよるのできごと Przestraszony Damian Дункан и привидение