Duke the Lost Engine

Railway Series #25

by W. Awdry, Gunvor Edwards (Illustrator), Peter Edwards (Illustrator)

Introducing an engine called Duke, who was lost in his own shed for twenty-two years because of a landslide. He looks like a real engine called Prince which runs at Portmadoc in Wales.

25.1 Granpuff
25.2 Bulldog
25.3 You Can't Win!
25.4 Sleeping Beauty

Genres: Childrens, Fiction, Picture Books, Trains

57 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1970

About the author

Wilbert Vere Awdry, OBE, better known as the Rev. W. Awdry, was an English clergyman, railway enthusiast and children's author, and creator of Thomas the Tank Engine, who starred in Awdry's acclaimed Railway Series.

The characters that would make Awdry famous, and the first stories featuring them, were invented in 1943 to amuse his son Christopher during a bout of measles. The first book (The Three Railway Engines) was published in 1945, and by the time Awdry stopped writing in 1972, The Railway Series numbered 26 books. Christopher subsequently added further books to the series.

Reviews

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

A charming little hardback book which forms part of a series. Full of nicely detailed and colourful illustrations this is a big favourite of my son's.

[Lynn Maitlen · Rating 4 out of 5]

So I loved this one!

The first story had a nice little reveal that shows not only how clever Awdry was, but also how precise and detailed he was. He really put a lot of care into his stories. Duke was a delightful addition to these stories and totally deserving of his ending.

One of the best.

[Le Maistre Chat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Duke is an old steam engine whose railway servicing a mine goes out of business and he ends up buried in a shed until getting saved years later.
Rev. Awdry's anthropomorphizing of trains has led to a weird capitalist riff on Sleeping Beauty.

[Sophie Crane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thomas & Friends YouTuber The Unlucky Tug Described Duke The Lost Engine as The Absolute Best Book in The Railway Series & He Wasn't Wrong!

[Meowcats TV · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite Railway Series book.