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"Duke the Lost Engine" was first published in 1970. It was written by the Reverend W. Awdry and illustrated by Gunvor and Peter Edwards.

Stories

Granpuff

Duke, Falcon and Stuart are three engines who live on the Mid Sodor Railway. Duke is a pompous engine who, when something goes wrong, says "that would never suit His Grace (the Duke of Sodor)", but Falcon and Stuart are cheeky, often making fun of Duke, or "Granpuff" as they nickname him, until he tells them the story Stanley, a rough engine who was punished by being turned into a pumping engine. The three have many adventures together, until their line closes in 1947. Falcon and Stuart are purchased and are sent to the aluminium works at Peel Godred, then brought by the Skarloey Railway, repainted red instead of their respective blue and green and renamed Sir Handel and Peter Sam respectively, but Duke isn't wanted. His crew shelter him in his shed and leave. Duke, unaware that the current Duke does not know of his existence, goes to sleep, while the line around him falls into disarray . . .

Bulldog

Sir Handel and Peter Sam, disheartened after finding the Duke was a person, tell the engines about Duke. Duncan is dismissive, but Skarloey asks the two to continue.

In the old days of the Mid Sodor Railway, when Sir Handel was blue and named Falcon, the Manager arranged for him to double-head a train with Duke to learn the mountain road. Falcon ignored Duke's warnings, and soon derailed, hanging dangerously over the edge. Duke held back, and gathered enough strength to pull Falcon back. Falcon was grateful, but Duke was modest and said he only did what he did because he didn't want Falcon's paint spoilt if he rolled down the mountain!

You Can't Win

Duke is old, and after maintainance one day Stuart jokes he and Falcon may have to keep him in order. Duke shrugs it off, and collects his passengers. However, his valves begin leaking, and after stopping at Arlesdale Green, waits for Falcon and Stuart to help. At Marthwaite, Falcon takes Duke's passengers while Stuart takes Falcon's train with Duke coupled in front. Duke and his driver, hearing Stuart's triumphant chortles, make a plan, and on the last hill Duke gives a great effort. At the station, a boy enquires as to why there were two engines, to which his father replies Stuart needed help, so Duke came, making Stuart disappear in a furious cloud of steam.

Sleeping Beauty

The Small Controller, the Thin Clergyman and the Fat Clergyman hear the story of Duke, and go looking for him. They have a hard job, and at first their only rewards are scratches and cuts, although they remain optimistic. At last, they find Duke after the Fat One stumbles and lands on Duke's boiler. Although Duke is apprehensive of them at first, calling them vandals, he cheers up when he finds the Duke is coming. Duke is, to his dismay, sent to Arlesdale by lorry, but is happier to discover he is still popular, and Donald carries him to the Skarloey Railway on a lowloader. Later, Sir Handel and Peter Sam find him beside the shed, and tease him by saying they can now keep him in order. Duke plays along with their joke, and when they leave, falls asleep happily in the sunshine.

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