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- “Look! It's Duncan the Musical Engine!”
- ― Rusty
Faulty Whistles is the twenty-sixth and final episode of the sixth series.
Plot
Duncan waits at a junction one morning for Peter Sam to deliver his goods to take to Strawberry Grove. He is also assigned the task to take the headmaster and the new organ.
Peter Sam has steamed overnight all the way to the morning to deliver Duncan his goods, but as he approaches the junction his whistle is knocked off by a branch. As a result, Peter Sam cannot run anywhere without a whistle as it would be unsafe. Duncan brags that an engine is not an engine without a whistle and lets off a big blast with his whistle, but the other engines ignore him. Duncan becomes cross while he sets off with his goods because he thinks the other engines are jealous of his whistle. On the way, he whistles at some sheep, but they are too busy eating to pay attention. Duncan becomes frustrated and thinks he needs to whistle louder and longer. He approaches a crossing where Elizabeth is carrying the Farmer's Prize Bull. As Duncan approaches the crossing, he whistles loud and long, startling the bull. Elizabeth scolds Duncan but to no avail as he finds it fun, not knowing that his whistle has become loose. When he sees Terence ploughing a field, he prepares to give him the same surprise, but he blows his whistle so hard, it simply flies off and lands out of sight.
With his whistle nowhere to be found, Duncan's driver tells him they are stuck and cannot continue on. However, with Duncan carrying the organ destined for Strawberry Grove School, Duncan's crew decide to have Headmaster Hastings play the organ in lieu of Duncan's whistle, which alerts every person at stops during the delivery, despite Duncan not thinking so. When Duncan reaches home, he is teased by Rusty for being a "musical engine" while Rheneas and Skarloey whistle along. Peter Sam, having been in the works for a new whistle, tells Duncan that he was brave to go on and make his deliveries without a whistle, which cheers Duncan up. The headmaster makes one last "toot" on the organ and all the other engines whistle back in reply, except Duncan who just grins.
Characters
- Rheneas
- Peter Sam
- Duncan
- Rusty
- Elizabeth
- Headmaster Hastings
- Terence (does not speak)
- Skarloey (does not speak in US version)
- Farmer Finney (not named; does not speak)
Locations
Trivia
- This episode appears to be a loose adaptation of the Railway Series story, Mike's Whistle. Peter Sam and Duncan take the roles of Duck and Mike respectively. The story was later adapted more closely in the twentieth series episode of the same name.
- The organ plays the song "She'll Be Coming Round the Mountain" while Duncan puffs on the cliffside.
- When Duncan delivered his trucks, music is played in the UK version but not in the international versions.
- Headmaster Hastings is named after the episode's writer, Ross Hastings.
- This episode is the first series finale in which Thomas does not appear, and the only one to have this trait until the twenty-third series finale, Diesel Glows Away. It is also the first series finale in which Percy does not appear.
- This episode marks the last of a few things:
- The last episode narrated by Alec Baldwin in the US due to him pursuing other projects, and Terje Strømdal in Norway and the final episode narrated by Vladimir Jurc in Slovenia until the thirteenth series.
- The last episode to have Britt Allcroft as an executive producer.
- The last episode to only have one soundtrack, the one composed by Mike O'Donnell and Junior Campbell.
- The last episode produced by Gullane Entertainment.
- Counting this as a loose adaptation of Mike's Whistle, the last episode based on a story from the Railway Series until Tit for Tat.
- The last episode to use the original theme song in the US.
- This episode marks the first and last of a few things for Peter Sam:
- His first speaking role since the fourth series episode Gallant Old Engine.
- His first appearance since the fifth series episode Duncan Gets Spooked.
- His last speaking role until the seventh series episode The Refreshment Lady's Tea Shop.
- A deleted scene shows where Duncan's whistle actually landed. It was cut from the final version for unknown reasons. It is featured in the music video for the Whistle Song.
- This is the one and only Series 6 episode that Sir Topham Hatt does not appear.
Goofs
- When Elizabeth is carrying the bull, her eyes are wonky.
- For the first shot of the camera "pulling" Duncan, at the bottom of the screen a wire is seen bouncing up and down.
- The narrator says "The rest of the engines just ignored [Duncan]," but Peter Sam was the only one there.
- In the close-up of Duncan's whistle flying off, his crew are not in his cab.
- When Peter Sam crosses the bridge at the beginning of the episode, his cab is empty and his whistle is already missing.
- When the engines all whistle together at the end, Duncan's whistle can be heard faintly in the background.
Quotes
- Peter Sam: [without his whistle] I can't run on the tracks without my whistle. It'd be too dangerous.
- Duncan: An engine is not an engine without a whistle.
- [after the whistle-less Duncan has returned with the headmaster, who is still playing his organ]
- Rusty: Look! It's Duncan the musical engine!
- Rheneas: Let's whistle along!
- Peter Sam: You really did well to deliver your goods without a whistle.
- Duncan: Did you think so?
- Peter Sam: Absolutely, even though an engine's not an engine without a whistle... (whistles)
- Headmaster: ...or an organ! (toots the organ)
- (the other engines whistle back in reply, except for Duncan, who just smiles)
In Other Languages
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Merchandise
- Take Along (four-pack and movie car; both discontinued)
- Books - Duncan and the Faulty Whistles and A Smart Idea (Germany only)
- Magazine stories - Musical Duncan
Home Media Releases
UKDVD Packs
WALUSDVD BoxsetsAUS
DVD Packs
JPNMYS
NOR/DKDK DVD BoxsetsSWEPHLITAKORHKTHATWN |
| #01 Salty's Secret | #10 Twin Trouble | #19 Buffer Bother |
| #02 Harvey to the Rescue | #11 The World's Strongest Engine | #20 Toby Had a Little Lamb |
| #03 No Sleep for Cranky | #12 Scaredy Engines | #21 Thomas, Percy and the Squeak |
| #04 A Bad Day for Harold the Helicopter | #13 Percy and the Haunted Mine | #22 Thomas the Jet Engine |
| #05 Elizabeth the Vintage Lorry | #14 Middle Engine | #23 Edward the Very Useful Engine |
| #06 The Fogman | #15 James and the Red Balloon | #24 Dunkin Duncan |
| #07 Jack Jumps In | #16 Jack Frost | #25 Rusty Saves the Day |
| #08 A Friend in Need | #17 Gordon Takes a Tumble | #26 Faulty Whistles |
| #09 It's Only Snow | #18 Percy's Chocolate Crunch | |