Duchess

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This article is about the television series character. You may be looking for the Railway Series character.

Duchess of Loughborough
Background Information
First appearance	Thomas and the Royal Engine (T&F)
Last appearance	Thomas and the Royal Engine (T&F)
Creator(s)	Michael White Ian McCue
Voice Actors
UK/US voice actor	Rosamund Pike
Overview
Name	Duchess
Title	Duchess of Loughborough
Gender	Female
Country	England
Relative(s)	Duchess of Hamilton (sister) Henry (cousin)
Affiliation	Thomas Elizabeth II
Technical Details
Basis	LMS Coronation Class
Gauge	4'8½" (1,435 mm; standard gauge)
Power type	Steam
Vehicle	Locomotive
Type	Tender engine
Fuel type	Water and Coal
Configuration	4-6-2
Wheels	18
Top speed	114 mph (183 kph)
Designer(s)	Sir William Stanier
Builder(s)	Crewe Works
Year built	1948
Number	LMS 2020
Railway	London, Midland and Scottish Railway

Duchess (also known as Duchess of Loughborough) is a large cream-coloured tender engine that works on the Mainland. Her job is to transport the Royal Family to all their royal appointments.

Biography

Thomas & Friends

Upon first meeting Thomas, Duchess mistook his coach for one of her own. Later, when Thomas went to the washdown, Duchess accidentally backed into him and caused him to be covered in coal dust. While the two engines were there, Duchess formally introduced herself to Thomas and apologised for her earlier behaviour, explaining that she had an important job and could not be late.

Duchess later met Thomas again on the Main Line, where the two briefly talked. Duchess continued on her way shortly after; however the two soon met once again when Duchess' safety valve burst and she was stranded. Upon learning that she was also headed to London, Thomas helped push Duchess and her train to Victoria Station. While there, Thomas first learned of her status as a royal engine when Sir Topham Hatt noticed the crown on her buffer beam and the Queen stepped out of her coaches.

Personality

Duchess is described as "a lovely, warm, bubbly sort of effervescent engine who is very anxious to get things right." Although friendly, she can be forgetful, and she strives to be on time. Her tendencies to hurry can sometimes make her seem like she has lost her manners. Despite this, she is good-hearted and very respectful, always looking to be the best she can.

Technical Details

Basis

Duchess is based on the London Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) Coronation Class. Designed by William Stanier and built at Crewe Works between 1937 and 1948, these 4-6-2 tender locomotives were built for express passenger services and - on a test - were the most powerful steam locomotives ever used in Great Britain. They were in service until 1962 to 1964 when they were withdrawn from service and scrapped en masse. Three examples have been preserved, including No. 6229 Duchess of Hamilton at the National Railway Museum.

Duchess has some modifications from her original basis:

• Her smokebox, chimney, smoke deflectors and front frames are based on the Royal Scot Class.
• She has an LNER corridor tender of the same design as Flying Scotsman's.
• She also has circular buffers as opposed to oval ones, as well as a single chimney as opposed to the double chimney used on the Coronation class.

No. 46229 Duchess of Hamilton

No. 6233 Duchess of Sutherland

The basis for Duchess' smokebox, chimney, smoke deflectors and front frames

LNER corridor tender

Livery

Duchess is painted cream with gold lining and boiler bands. Her wheels, running plate, and buffer shanks are painted dark red, while her front bufferbeam is black. She has two golden nameplates with red backing, one on each side of her boiler, as well as a removable crown symbol on her front end when carrying the Royal Family. Her company's initials, LMS, are painted on her tender in gold with a red drop shadow, while her number is painted in gold on the side of her cab.

Appearances

• Television Series
• Other Media

Thomas & Friends

• Series 24 - Thomas and the Royal Engine

Videos

• 2020 - Meet Duchess of England! (does not speak)

Books

• 2020 - Thomas and the Royal Engine and Marvelous Machinery/The Royal Engine

Audio Files

Whistles

First used	Last used	Sound Effect
Series 24	Active

Trivia

• Duchess' number is 2020, is a reference to the year she was introduced.
• Duchess was the last new character created before the series’ conclusion and subsequent reboot.
• When Thomas first meets Duchess, she does not have the royal crest on her footplate. She only gains it after she meets Thomas again, as she is now pulling the Royal Train.
• The decision to base Duchess on an LMS Coronation Class was inspired by real-life classmate Duchess of Sutherland, which pulled the Royal Train in 2002 and 2005.
• Despite her full name being Duchess of Loughborough, her nameplate only reads Duchess.
• Duchess' whistle is a stock sound effect of an LMS whistle, which can be found on the BBC Sound Effects Library.
• Multiple parts of Duchess' CGI model are recycled from other characters:
  • Her chassis is recycled from Merlin's, with additional cab wheels.
  • Her tender is recycled from Flying Scotsman's standard tender with the lining error fixed (though the tender still erroneously has six wheels instead of eight).
• Like with Merlin’s own eccentric side rods, Duchess’ are not animated properly as they do not complete a full rotation around her larger connecting rods.
• In a promotional image for The Royal Engine, Duchess is missing her tender. This error was covered up in another version by placing Sir Topham Hatt in front of where her tender would be.
• Duchess is the first created under David Stoten's tenure as head writer of the series as well as the only character created by Michael White.
• In several promos, Duchess is shown to have blush, despite not having any in her introductory episode. This may have been a concept for her.
• Duchess' full name, Duchess of Loughborough, is completely fictional. None of the real members of her class received this name.

Merchandise

• Motorized

Video

Meet the Character Meet Duchess Thomas & Friends US Narration

US Narration

References

United Kingdom

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* RWS only | ** T&F only