Duke

"That would never suit his grace!"

- Duke's catchphrase

   Duke   Duke, named after the Duke of Sodor and originally The Duke, is considered a hero amongst the engines. He is also one of the oldest engines on Sodor.
 * Number: 8, originally MSR 1
 * Builder: Boston Lodge
 * Built: 1879
 * Configuration: 0-4-0ST+T
 * Arrived on Sodor: 1880
 * Restored: 1983

Bio in the Railway Series
Duke was built at Boston Lodge in Minfford, Wales in 1879 before being transported to Sodor for the opening of the Mid Sodor Railway in 1880.

In 1947, the line closed and Duke was sheeted and sheltered in Arlesdale Sheds. He was later discovered by Fergus Duncan, the Reverend Teddy Boston and the Reverend W. Awdry in 1969 and taken by road and rail to Crovan's Gate, where he was restored and returned to service in 1983.

Bio in the television series
Duke lived on the Mid Sodor Railway with several engines including Stuart, Falcon, and briefly Smudger, until the line went bankrupt and Stuart and Falcon were sold. Duke, however, was sheeted until a group of adventurers found his shed, buried under soil that had washed down from the mountains. Skarloey and Rheneas took him back to the Skarloey Railway, where he was soon returned to service.

Persona
Duke is one of the oldest and most experienced engines of the Narrow Gauge Railway. He is also the mentor of Peter Sam and Sir Handel, from their older days on the Mid-Sodor Railway, when they were called Stuart and Falcon respectively. Although once lost for many years in an old shed that nature tucked away and forgot, after the Mid-Sodor Railway came to an end, he was found by rescuers, although quite by accident, when one came in through his shed roof. He may have a head teacher attitude and maintain his authority at all times, but can be quick to apply his knowledge and years of experience to help guide and correct any younger engine. He is proud of his name and keen to uphold the respect it merits. He can often be heard to say "That would never suit his Grace!" upon hearing or seeing something that he takes a disapproval to, or pedantically stating how he thinks someone would have adhered to the rules and regulations in his young days. Despite their teasing ways, Sir Handel and Peter Sam in particular have grown to become very fond of Duke and dearly nicknamed him "Granpuff".

Basis
The story of Duke being rediscovered was based upon a true story about an engine abandoned in the Brazilian rainforest. Duke himself is based on Prince, a tender engine from the Ffestiniog Railway at Porthmadog, North Wales.

Livery
Duke is painted brown with yellow lining in the television series and has two red plaques on either side of his saddletank with his name written in gold. On the Reverend W. Awdry's model railway, he had "The Duke" written on his sides and "MS" written on his tender. In the Railway Series, Duke was painted dark brown with red lining. On the Mid-Sodor Railway, Duke was numbered one.

Appearances
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Railway Series

 * Duke the Lost Engine
 * Great Little Engines
 * New Little Engine (non-speaking role)

Television series

 * Season 4 - Granpuff, Sleeping Beauty, Bulldog, You Can't Win, Trucks! (cameo), Home at Last (cameo), Rock 'n' Roll (cameo), Special Funnel (cameo), Steam Roller (cameo), and Gallant Old Engine (cameo)
 * Season 5 - Bye George! (portrait cameo) and Oliver's Find (portrait cameo)
 * Season 7 - Harold and the Flying Horse (stock footage cameo)

He also appeared in two fifth and two sixth season songs.

Duke's model was used for Bertram in the fifth season. The portrait of him that appeared in Bulldog was seen throughout the fourth and fifth seasons as well.

Magazine stories

 * 1997 - Percy's Surprise (does not speak)
 * 1998 - Duncan Has a Spill
 * 2005 - Holiday Fun and Grand Old Duke
 * 2006 - Really Useful Ride (mentioned)
 * 2007 - Works Outing and Good Old Duke! (does not speak)
 * 2011 - The New Works

Duke also appeared in the magazine stories, Diesel Display, Duncan Gets Upset, Hello, Skarloey!, and Peter Sam. }}

Voice Actors

 * Masaharu Satō (Japan)

Trivia

 * Duke's current grace is Sir Robert Norramby.
 * The official website incorrectly states that Duke is the oldest of the narrow gauge engines. However, Skarloey, Rheneas and Sir Handel are older.
 * Duke is one of the only two narrow gauge tender engines on Sodor; the other is Bertram. Ironically, Duke's model was used to create Bertram as a last minute resort.
 * The Reverend W. Awdry's model of "The Duke" was at the Reverend Teddy Boston's Cadeby Light Railway, before the railway finally closed in 2005.

Quotes

 * Sometimes they would wink at each other and chant solemnly. "Engines come and engines go, Granpuff 'goes on' forever!"
 * "You imprudent scallywags." Duke would say indignantly. "Whatever are young engines coming to nowadays?!"
 * "Nevermind Granpuff, were only young once."
 * "Well you better mind, unless you want to end up like No.2...."

- Stuart and Falcon teasing Duke, "Granpuff", "Duke the Lost Engine".


 * Duke was alone locked up in the shed.
 * "Where's his grace?" he wondered. "Its not like him to forget me."
 * But his grace had been killed in the war. And the new Duke, a boy, hadn't heard of his little engine.
 * "Oh well," said Duke to himself. "I'll go to sleep. It will help to past the time."
 * Years past, winter torrents washed soles from the hill over the shed. Trees and bushes grew around. You wouldn't have known a shed was there, let alone a little engine asleep inside it.

- Duke alone locked up in his shed, "Granpuff", "Duke the Lost Engine".

Merchandise

 * ERTL (normal and metallic; discontinued)
 * Wooden Railway (two versions; discontinued)
 * Take Along (discontinued)
 * Take-n-Play (discontinued)
 * TrackMaster (discontinued)
 * Bandai (several versions; discontinued)
 * Trading Cards (discontinued)
 * De Agostini (discontinued)
 * Brio (discontinued)
 * Nakayoshi (discontinued)
 * Wind-up (Japan only)
 * Departing Now