| For other uses, see Duke. |
- “That would never suit his Grace!”
- ― Duke's catchphrase
Duke, named after the Duke of Sodor and originally called The Duke, is an orange-brown narrow gauge tank-tender engine, who is widely respected and considered a hero amongst all the engines. He initially worked on the Mid Sodor Railway as its No. 1 engine.
Biography[]
Duke was built at Boston Lodge in Minffordd, Wales to the order of John Arnold Norramby, Earl of Sodor and Chairman of the Mid Sodor Railway, in 1879 for the opening of the Mid Sodor Railway in 1880. The Board of Directors named him in honour of the Earl and restored him to haul the Opening Train. He worked with several other engines on the Mid Sodor, including Falcon and Stuart (later renamed Sir Handel and Peter Sam, respectively).
Soundly built, Duke was well maintained and kept in service until 1947 when the railway closed down. While Stuart and Falcon were sold, no buyers were interested in him, so he was left oiled, greased and sheeted up in Arlesdale Sheds, where he was all but forgotten. He believed that the Earl would come to rescue him, but as time went on, he did not show and Duke began to have doubts which grew stronger and stronger. He was unaware the Earl he knew had been killed during the Second World War and that his successor was just a boy, who did not know of Duke.
He was later discovered by Mr. Fergus Duncan, the Rev. Teddy Boston and the Rev. W. Awdry in 1969 and taken by road and rail to Crovan's Gate Works. There Duke was restored and rebuilt, through the kindness and generosity of the Fat Controller and the present Earl of Sodor, who shared the cost with Sir Handel Lloyd Brown. He was finally reunited with Sir Handel and Peter Sam and for the first time in its history, the Skarloey Railway had motive power to spare, which allowed Sir Handel to be lent to the Talyllyn Railway in 1982, while Sir Haydn was out of service for repairs.
Duke attended Ivo Hugh's naming ceremony in 1996.
Personality[]
Duke is one of the oldest, wisest and most experienced engines of the Skarloey Railway. He is also the mentor of Peter Sam and Sir Handel, from their younger days on the Mid Sodor Railway, when they were called Stuart and Falcon respectively. Being the oldest engine on the line, Duke liked everything to be "just so". Although once lost for many years in an old shed that nature tucked away and forgotten about after the Mid Sodor came to an end, he was found by rescuers, although quite by accident when one dropped in through his shed roof. He may have a headteacher 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 disapproval to, or pedantically stating how he thinks someone would have adhered to the rules and regulations in his younger days. Despite their teasing ways, Sir Handel and Peter Sam have grown to become very fond and deeply respect Duke and dearly nicknamed him "Granpuff" for his long service to the railway.
Technical Details[]
Basis[]
Duke is based on the Ffestiniog Railway "Small England" class 0-4-0ST+T locomotives, specifically Prince. Unlike the real Small Englands, Duke is built to 2ft 3in gauge rather than 1ft 11½in gauge.
Livery[]
Duke is painted red-brown with black lining. On the Mid Sodor Railway, Duke was numbered 1 and his tender had the Mid Sodor Railway's crest on it. When he moved to the Skarloey Railway, he was not repainted in the railway's standard red livery, instead being restored to his original livery; red-brown with brass nameplates. He neither has his MSR number (1) or his SR number (8) for unknown reasons. He has a black running board and red bufferbeams and valences.
On the Rev. W. Awdry's model railway, Duke had "The Duke" painted on his sides in yellow and his company's initials, MS, painted on his tender, also in yellow.
Appearances[]
The Railway Series
Companion Volumes
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Official Description[]
From Official Media:[2]
| “ | Duke (MSR No.1; SR No.8): A "George England" type tender/saddletank 0-4-0 locomotive, built at Boston Lodge to the order of the Earl of Sodor in 1879 for the opening of the Mid Sodor Railway in 1880. The Directors named him “Duke” in honour of the Earl, their Chairman, and rostered Duke to haul the Opening Train. Duke was soundly built and well maintained. He remained in traffic till the railway’s closure in 1947 but found no buyer at the sale. He was left oiled, greased, and sheeted up in Arlesdale Shed, where he was all but forgotten. He was eventually found in 1969, and taken to Crovan's Gate for restoration and repair. Now rebuilt, and in service in the Skarloey Railway, he still proudly carries his MSR livery and brass nameplate, but not his MSR number. | ” |
From Official Media:[3]
| “ | Duke (8): Duke also came from the Mid Sodor Railway, having first arrived there for its opening in 1880. He was built at Boston Lodge by the Ffestiniog Railway for the Earl of Sodor, and is a 0-4-0 tender/saddletank engine to a design of George England, of which Prince is an example still at work on the Ffestiniog Railway. In traffic until the MSR closed in 1947 he was sheeted up in Arlesdale shed until discovered in 1969 by the Fat Clergyman. He was overhauled at Crovan's Gate and now runs in his official MSR brown livery. | ” |
Trivia[]
- Duke's current grace is Richard Robert Norramby.
- Duke is the only narrow gauge engine in The Railway Series to have a tender. He is additionally the first known tender-engine overall, to have ever arrived on Sodor.
- Duke was the first narrow-gauge engine on the Skarloey Railway to not be based on an engine from the Talyllyn Railway, and the only engine with this distinction in The Railway Series.
- The Official Website and the 1986 annual both state that Duke is the oldest of the narrow gauge engines. However, Skarloey and Rheneas are older, having been built in 1864 and 1865/6, respectively, while Duke was built in 1879. The mistake likely comes from Duke's basis being older than all three of them, having been built in 1863. The packaging for his ERTL toy also incorrectly states that this was when Duke was built.
- Duke's nickname, "Granpuff", was the endearment given to Rev. W. Awdry by his grandchildren because the smoke from his pipe looked similar to a steam engine.
- In New Little Engine, Duke was not illustrated with his tender. In addition, early photos of Duke on Awdry's Mid Sodor Mk1 layout show him pulling trains without a tender.
References[]
| Locomotives | Steam | Skarloey | Rheneas | Sir Handel | Peter Sam | Duncan | Ivo Hugh | Duke |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | Rusty | Fred | | |
| Other | Ivo's Flying Bedstead | Skarloey Funicular Railway Cars | |
| Rolling Stock | Passenger | Agnes, Ruth, Jemima, Lucy and Beatrice | Ada, Jane and Mabel | Cora | Gertrude and Millicent | Saloon Coaches | Quarrymen's Coaches |
| Goods | Slate Trucks | Open End Door Wagons | Plank Trucks | V-Tipper Wagons | Side Tipping Wagons | Mineral Wagons | Vans | |
| People | The Owner (Sir Handel Brown I, Sir Handel Brown II) | The Thin Controller (Mr. Mack, Mr. Robert Sam, Mr. Peter Sam, Mr. Roger Sam) | Mr. Hugh (David Hugh I, Ivo Hugh, David Hugh II) | |
| Infrastructure | Stations | Crovan's Gate | Cros-ny-Cuirn | Glennock | Rheneas | Lakeside | Skarloey |
| Sheds | Skarloey Railway Engine Sheds | |
| Tunnels and Bridges | Rheneas Bridge | Rheneas Tunnel | Rheneas Viaduct | |
| Locomotives | Duke | Stanley | Falcon | Stuart | Albert | Jim | Tim | The Mine Engine | Alfred* | Gerry* | John* | Jennings* | Atlas* |
|---|---|
| Rolling Stock | Cora | Mid Sodor Railway Coaches | Saloon Coaches |
| Trains | The Picnic | The Parliamentary | The Horse and Cart |
| People | The Mid Sodor Railway Manager |
| Stations | Arlesburgh Harbour | Arlesburgh Bridge Street | Ffarquhar Road | Marthwaite | Arlesdale Green | Arlesdale | Cas-ny-Hawin | Ulfstead Road | Ballamoddey | King Orry's Bridge |