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.
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.
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.