Donald and Douglas

"Now then, which one of you is 57646?"

- The Fat Controller, The Twin Engines

    Donald and Douglas  Donald and Douglas (originally known by their numbers, 57646 and 57647, respectively) are twin Scottish mixed-traffic engines.
 * Numbers: 9 and 10, formerly 57646 and 57647
 * Class: CR 812 0-6-0
 * Designer: John F. McIntosh
 * Builder: St. Rollox Works
 * Configuration: 0-6-0
 * Arrived on Sodor: 1959

Bio
Donald and Douglas were built by John F. McIntosh at the St. Rollox Railway Works in Springburn, Glasgow, Scotland and worked on the Caledonian Railway in Scotland, a large network that extended along the country's east coast as well as the central and south-western regions. Despite being limited to Caledonian metals, they appeared to have a familiarity with other railways, as they were familiar with the locomotives and livery of the Highland Railway.

Giving long and stalwart service, Donald and Douglas eventually became 57646 and 57647 on the Scottish Region of British Railways. In 1959 Sir Topham Hatt needed a goods engine and by his request, BR transferred 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. Neither engine could be told apart: both claimed to have forgotten their numbers, and indeed their numberplates had "slyly slipped off" during the journey from Scotland, forcing Hatt to keep both until he could determine which engine was freeloading on his hospitality. It was later revealed that this piece of skulduggery had been planned not only by the two engines, but also by their drivers and firemen, who were all related.

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 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 were more complicated when Donald crashed into a signalbox at Tidmouth and Douglas destroyed the Spiteful Brakevan.

Despite all this grief, the twin's 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, arguing the twins' case on their behalf and pleading that, if sent away, they would be scrapped. Hatt's reaction to this was mixed - though he understood the engines' feelings he did not approve or appreciate them trying to interfere with his decision-making. However, Percy's statement and the twins' excellent performance was enough for Hatt 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, and by their request they were painted NWR blue.

Since then, the twins have, by all accounts, "transformed" goods traffic on the main line. Such is their versatility that they regularly see service on Duck and Edward's Branch Lines, 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.

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

Persona
Donald and Douglas are Scottish twin engines. Donald is numbered 9 and Douglas 10. They are practical and level-minded, but, despite their maturity, they enjoy playing practical jokes and have been known to impersonate one another in the past. When they arrived on Sodor, they caused the Fat Controller confusion, as only one engine had been expected. The twins' numbers allegedly slipped off on the way and neither could recall them; a ploy to prevent one of them losing their twin to scrap. Namely, it was Douglas who had not been expected. His salvation from the scrap-heap may have contributed towards his decision to later aid Oliver in his own daring escape from scrap.

Donald and Douglas are very able workers, strong performers, and handle any task well. They are fully capable of being firm with the other big engines, such as Gordon and Henry, and even the troublesome trucks know better than to try their tricks on them. They are both used to harsh winter conditions too. Coupled back to back, with a coach between their tenders, they are very capable of patrolling the lines, clearing them of the snow. The twins both pull their weight on the Main Line and both Duck and Edward's branch lines. They can enjoy a joke with any engine. They are happy to act as the brawn of the Fat Controller's steam-driven goods haulers. Between the two, Donald tends to be the charming, witty joker whereas Douglas is the smart, quick-thinker, calmer-natured one of the pair. Both display a keen sense of wit and the pair usually get to have the last laugh, more often taking the moral high ground. But that does not mean they will not be just a little bit smug about it when a deserving engine meets their comeuppance.

Basis
Donald and Douglas are based on Caledonian Railway "McIntosh 812" 0-6-0s.

Livery
According to the Railway Series, Donald and Douglas were painted black from construction and arrived on Sodor in the BR's black goods livery with red-and-white lining on their tenders. They remained as such (with the addition of numbers on their tenders) until it was decided that both engines could stay, at which point they requested to be repainted in the NWR's blue livery with red-and-yellow lining. They apparently like the colour, as it reminds them of the Caledonian Railway, where many of their shedmates carried a similar shade of blue.

In the television series, the twins arrived in BR black and have remained in this livery ever since.

In the Railway Series, they carry two builder's plates on the sides of their cabs.

Appearances
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Donald:

 * The Twin Engines
 * Branch Line Engines (does not speak)
 * Stepney the "Bluebell" Engine
 * Mountain Engines
 * Main Line Engines
 * Small Railway Engines (not seen)
 * Enterprising Engines
 * Oliver the Western Engine
 * Duke the Lost Engine (does not speak)
 * 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 (does not speak)
 * Thomas and the Fat Controller's Engines
 * Thomas and his Friends (does not speak)

Douglas:

 * The Twin Engines
 * Branch Line Engines (mentioned)
 * Stepney the "Bluebell" Engine
 * Main Line Engines
 * Small Railway Engines
 * Enterprising Engines
 * Oliver the Western Engine
 * James and the Diesel Engines (does not speak)
 * 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 (does not speak)
 * Thomas and the Fat Controller's Engines (does not speak)
 * Thomas and his Friends

Television series

 * Season 2 - Break Van, The Deputation, Thomas Comes to Breakfast, and Thomas and the Missing Christmas Tree
 * Season 3 - Gordon and the Famous Visitor (cameo), Donald's Duck, Henry's Forest (Donald does not speak), Tender Engines (Donald only), Escape (Douglas only), Oliver Owns Up, and Thomas and Percy's Christmas Adventure (Donald only; cameo)
 * Season 4 - Four Little Engines (cameo), Rusty to the Rescue (Douglas only), Thomas and Stepney (Douglas only), Train Stops Play (cameo), Bowled Out, Toad Stands By (Douglas only), Thomas and the Special Letter (Douglas does not speak), and Paint Pots and Queens (Donald only; cameo)
 * Season 5 - Horrid Lorry (cameo) and Make Someone Happy (Donald only; cameo)
 * Season 6 - Twin Trouble, Harvey to the Rescue (Donald only; cameo), A Bad Day for Harold the Helicopter (cameo), Elizabeth the Vintage Lorry (cameo), Percy and the Haunted Mine, James and the Red Balloon, and Thomas the Jet Engine (Donald only; cameo)
 * Season 7 - Percy Gets it Right (Donald only; cameo), Edward's Brass Band (cameo), Bad Day at Castle Loch, Salty's Stormy Tale (Douglas only; cameo), Peace and Quiet (Douglas only; cameo), Harold and the Flying Horse (Donald only; cameo), and Gordon and Spencer (Douglas only; cameo)
 * Season 8 - Edward the Great (deleted scene) and You Can Do it, Toby! (mentioned)
 * Season 11 - Gordon and the Engineer
 * Season 12 - Saved You!

Despite Douglas not appearing in any episodes from the fifth season, he made cameos in two music videos from that season.

Magazine stories
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 * 1993 - Roof Repairs! (Donald only; cameo)
 * 1998 - Donald and Douglas, Donald's Duck! (Donald only), and Copycat! (Donald only; mentioned)
 * 2001 - A Special Story About Donald and Douglas
 * 2003 - New Year Promise! and Castle Celebrations!
 * 2004 - Special Signal (mentioned)
 * 2007 - Snow Chute and The Scottish Connection
 * 2008 - Treasure Chest!
 * 2011 - Monster Mistake (do not speak)

Voice actors
Donald:
 * Hiroyuki Satō (Japan; Season 2 - 7)
 * Kyousei Tsukui (Japan; Season 11 onwards)

Douglas:
 * Takeshi Endo (Japan; Season 2 - 7)
 * Kyousei Tsukui (Japan; Season 11 onwards)

Trivia

 * The Reverend W. Awdry only made a model of Donald for his model railway; there never was (or is) a Douglas model. The model is currently on display at the Narrow Gauge Museum in Tywyn.
 * According to the magazines, Donald and Douglas' drivers are related.
 * In the third season, Donald and Douglas' nameplates were moved from their smokeboxes to the middle of their boilers.
 * In one illustration of Branch Line Engines, Donald had a nameplate above his face.
 * The twins' original numbers are an in-joke. The 812 Class numbers only went up to 57645.

Merchandise

 * ERTL (discontinued)
 * Wooden Railway (discontinued)
 * Take-Along (discontinued)
 * Take-n-Play
 * My First Thomas
 * TOMY/TrackMaster
 * My Thomas Story Library (discontinued)
 * Bandai Tecs
 * Tomica
 * Bachmann
 * De Agostini
 * Wind-up Trains (Japan only)