- "Now then, which one of you is 57646?"
- — The Fat Controller, The Twin Engines
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Donald and Douglas (originally known by their numbers, 57646 and 57647, respectively) are twin Scottish mixed-traffic engines.
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 decided to transfer 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. Unfortunately for Sir Topham Hatt and any other worker, 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. This left 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, whom were related as well.
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 accidentally destroyed the Spiteful Brakevan.
Despite all this grief, the twins' 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 did not approve or appreciate them trying to interfere with his decision-making, he understood the engines' feelings upon the matters of saving steam engines and scrapping in general. In the end, 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. By their request they were painted NWR blue, in honor of their Caledonian heritage.
In 1967, Douglas helped saved Oliver, Isabel and Toad from the prospect of scrap. The Fat Controller soon found out and arranged for the three to be repaired and painted in Great Western colours. Toad decided to be Douglas' brakevan as a show of thanks.
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 the Little Western 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.
After Donald teased Duck about his "quacking", Duck's crew got a humorous payback by slipping a small duckling into Donald's tender. When discovered, the duckling became friends with Donald and his crew, and eventually settled down at Haultraugh, where a small pond was nearby. She was named Dilly by the stationmaster, but she is known to everyone else as Donald's duck.
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. Donald and Douglas work together all the time, but they sometimes have a falling out. This was proven when the two crashed into Trevor's hay cart. Donald accused Douglas of pushing him into the cart while Douglas accused Donald of pulling him. The twins refused speak to each other. When Duck needed help in the shunting yards, Donald took the opportunity to get away from Douglas. Things started to go wrong, and eventually Donald wasn't looking where he was going and crash through some buffers into a ditch. Duck convinced Douglas to help his twin and the two made up.
Later, Castle Loch was to be reopened by Lord Callan, so Donald and Douglas took some equipment up to the castle. The two argued whether or not the monster inside the lake existed or not. The two argued whether or not the monster inside the lake existed or not. Unfortunately for the twins, a landslide occurs, so the two became stranded. The Fat Controller promised help, but soon night came. The twins saw a shape moving towards them on the causeway. Donald and Douglas were petrified until they realised it was only Harvey who had come to help. Soon, the twins got their equipment to the castle on time and Lord Callan called them Really Useful engines.
In the eleventh season, some points were jammed and Gordon was sent to pick up the engineer to fix the points, but instead picked up the carpenter. Gordon reversed to Abbey hoping to collect the engineer, but Douglas was in the way. Gordon decided that Douglas should go to Wellsworth and Donald to go to Maron to collect the engineer, and Donald bring to engineer to Douglas, and Douglas bring him back to Gordon. The plan was carried out and the points were fixed. Gordon thanked the twins for helping him.
Afterwards, Harvey was sent to help the twins after a tree had been knocked down. But Thomas misunderstood and Harvey accidentally went the wrong way. Thomas was proud of himself, until he saw that Donald and Douglas were stuck. He came back to Harvey and gave him the correct directions. Thanks to Thomas, the line was cleared and the twins were on their way.
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.
Donald and Douglas hate to be parted from his brother, but, like most twins, they often have their arguments among themselves and can squabble with one another. They do, however, love playing practical jokes on the other engines, and they use to impersonate one another. They were fitted with nameplates to specifically end this element of their humour. Donald and Douglas use to also have a strong dislike of Diesels, because of them they could have been scrapped. Douglas once stated that he'd never trust one himself. But overtime, gradually their dislikement for diesels changed and they appeared to have grown accustomed to their diesel companions.
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.
Appearances
- Season 12 - Saved You!
They may appear in the eighteenth season or Tale of the Brave.
Voice actors
Donald:
- Joe Mills (UK/US)
- Thierry Kazazian (France and French speaking Canada)
- Yūki Satō (Japan; second - seventh seasons)
- Kyousei Tsukui (Japan; eleventh season onwards)
Douglas:
- Joe Mills (UK/US)
- Takeshi Endo (Japan; second - seventh seasons)
- Kyousei Tsukui (Japan; eleventh season onwards)
Theme Instrumental
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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.
- Donald and Douglas' TV series models are currently on display in Japan.
- Donald and Douglas' TV series models did not have water filler caps.
- 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 (reintroduced 2013; Douglas only)
- My First Thomas
- Motor Road and Rail (discontinued)
- TrackMaster
- My Thomas Story Library (discontinued)
- Trading Cards (discontinued)
- Bandai (several versions; discontinued)
- Tomica
- Bachmann
- De Agostini
- Wind-up Trains (Japan only)
- Nakayoshi
Gallery
Merchandise Gallery
| North Western Railway |
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| Thomas • Edward • Henry • Gordon • James • Percy • Toby • Duck • Donald and Douglas • Oliver |
| Harvey • Emily • Murdoch • Neville • Rosie • Whiff • Stanley • Hank • Flora • Victor • Charlie • Bash and Dash • Ferdinand • Scruff • Belle • Porter • Derek • Diesel 10 • 'Arry and Bert • Salty • Dennis • Den • Dart • Sidney • Paxton • Norman • Flynn • Winston • Stafford |