Donald and Douglas

"rrmeelalu rrmeelalu"

- Douglas, "Thomas and the Special Letter"

    Donald and Douglas the Scottish Twins 
 * Number: 9 & 10, respectively
 * Former Number: 57646 & 57647, respectively

Donald and Douglas, originally known by their numbers, 57646 and 57647, are twin engines from Scotland.

Bio
Donald and Douglas were built by John F. McIntosh at St. Rollox Works in 1899 and worked in various parts of Scotland, including the Highlands, before Donald was brought to Sodor in 1959 to help with goods work. However, the Fat Controller was amazed when Donald arrived with his twin Douglas - Douglas didn't want to lose his twin, or be scrapped, which would have been his fate had he stayed. The Fat Controller was unaware of Douglas' motive, and threatened the two that one would be sent home. After Douglas accidentally shunted Thomas' special coach, causing a great deal of fury to some foreign visitors, the twins were practically puffing on eggshells, and things were only complicated when Donald crashed into a signalbox and Douglas destroyed the Spiteful Breakvan. After the twins rescued Henry from a snowy ordeal, the others started to back up Donald and Douglas and when Percy told the Fat Controller the twins would be scrapped if they returned to Scotland, the Fat Controller took pity and had the twins painted blue, a livery which the twins were lacking as they had only been goods engines on the C.R.

When the Tidmouth-Arlesburgh branch line was re-opened in 1968, Donald and Douglas brought down ballast from Arlesburgh, courtesy of the Arlesdale Railway. The twins mainly work this line now with Duck and Oliver, although they sometimes work on the main line and Edward's branch line.

When the twins needed help in 1993, the Fat Controller borrowed a navy saddletank named Wilbert from the Dean Forest Railway to help them, but as Percy was away Wilbert was redirected to Thomas' branch.

Persona
Donald and Douglas are shrewd, cynical, stubborn characters who nevertheless enjoy a joke, especially impersonating one another - this doesn't seem to have stopped even though the twins have had nameplates fitted!

Donad and Douglas understandably held a grudge against diesels for a time - after all, the oil-guzzling engines were taking over their work - but after BoCo helped them in Edward's absence they have agreed that there is nothing wrong with diesels on the whole.

Appearances
Donald's Railway Series appearances are listed below, in chronological order:


 * "The Twin Engines"
 * "Branch Line Engines" (non-speaking role)
 * "Stepney the "Bluebell" Engine"
 * "Mountain Engines"
 * "Main Line Engines"
 * "Small Railway Engines" (not seen)
 * "Enterprising Engines"
 * "Oliver the Western Engine"
 * "Duke the Lost Engine" (non-speaking role)
 * "'''James and the Diesel Engines
 * "More About Thomas the Tank Engine" (mentioned)
 * "Gordon the High-Speed Engine"
 * "Thomas and the Twins" (mentioned)
 * "Henry and the Express"
 * "Wilbert the Forest Engine" (non-speaking role)
 * "Thomas and the Fat Controller's Engines"

Douglas' Railway Series appearances are listed below, in chronological order:


 * "The Twin Engines"
 * "Branch Line Engines" (mentioned)
 * "Stepney the "Bluebell" Engine"
 * "Main Line Engines"
 * "Small Railway Engines" (not seen)
 * "Enterprising Engines"
 * "Oliver the Western Engine"
 * "James and the Diesel Engines" (non-speaking role)
 * "More About Thomas the Tank Engine" (mentioned)
 * "Gordon the High-Speed Engine"
 * "Thomas and the Twins" (mentioned)
 * "Jock the New Engine"
 * "Henry and the Express"
 * "Wilbert the Forest Engine" (non-speaking role)
 * "Thomas and the Fat Controller's Engines" (non-speaking role)

Donald and Douglas first appeared in the second season and later appeared in the third, fourth, sixth, seventh and eleventh seasons. They also made cameos in the fifth season.

Basis
Donald and Douglas are based on CR "812" 0-6-0s.

Livery
Donald and Douglas remain in the B.R.'s black livery and red-and-white lining in the television series, but in the Railway Series they are painted in the NWR's blue livery and red lining. They have red nameplates with gold writing mounted on their smokeboxes. Initially, they're nameplates were mounted above their smokeboxes (as seen in the RWS version of 'Thomas Comes to Breakfast'). Awdry's model of Donald had his nameplate underneath the cab windows.