Duke

Duke is an old tender engine that worked on the Mid-Sodor Railway until its closure in 1947.

Biography
Duke was built in 1879 and brought to construct the Mid Sodor Railway just a year later. He worked there and was the oldest engine both on the railway and one of the oldest on Sodor.

He was responsible for training and teaching Falcon, Proteus, Stuart, and many other engines and helped form them into the engines they are today. He unfortunately was forced to witness Proteus' death and helped Falcon through it.

He saw the railway through the first world war, the Great Depression, and the second world war until it had to close in 1947. Many things are responsible for the railway's closure, but it's safe to say Duke's near 70 year service was not one of them.

After the railway's closure, all the other engines were sold to other railways or scrapped, but no one wanted Duke. The MSR's manager felt it wrong to have Duke scrapped after everything he'd done for the railway, so he had Duke covered and hidden in his old shed. There he remains to this very day. His fate is unknown.

Personality
Duke is a grumpy, but kind and caring old engine who always tries to set thsoe that are younger than him up for success. He took an extreme liking to Falcon and Stuart and looked at them as family. It broke his heart when he was forced to be separated from them and only hopes that they are okay. Duke never loses hope and hasn't lost hope despite being locked away in a shed for over a decade by this point.

Basis
Duke is based on a Ffestiniog England Class locomotive and was built in 1879.

Livery
Duke is painted light brown with yellow lining and a light brown buffer beam.

Appearances

 * Sodor Then and Now 2: He's Number One! (S1, E2) (Does not speak)
 * Sodor Then and Now 3: Prototype Failure (S1, E3)
 * Sodor Then and Now 4: Gresley's Greatest (S1, E4) (Does not speak)
 * Sodor Then and Now 5: Proving Worthy (S1, E5)
 * Sodor Then and Now 6: Little Engines (S1, E5) (Does not speak)
 * Sodor Then and Now 7: Old Faithful (S1, E7) (Mentioned)

Trivia

 * Duke was initially going to appear in Episode 7's original draft featuring Duck, but that entire episode was cut.
 * Duke was initially going to have a line in Episode 2.