Duncan's Bluff

"You have caused delay and confusion, but you have told the truth, and a useful engine always tells the truth."

- Mr. Percival to Duncan

Duncan's Bluff is the twenty-fourth episode of the tenth series.

Plot
It is wintertime and Duncan is delivering coal from the wharf to the mountain villages. So James and Thomas are bringing Coal to the Wharf from the Coaling Plant for the Villagers. One day, he meets James and is quick to tease him for being late. James is not in the mood for Duncan's teasing; he has to take some children to a Christmas concert. Duncan thinks that two jobs in one day is too much for the medium red engine and James thinks he is much faster than Duncan. Duncan decides to challenge James to a coal delivery competition. Duncan reckons he can get coal to the villages faster than James can deliver coal to the wharf. James accepts the challenge and goes off to collect more coal from the coaling plant, leaving Duncan feeling a little sheepish. He is worried that he will lose the challenge as James is bigger and faster than he is.

Duncan delivers all of the coal to the villages, only to find James back with more coal trucks. However, not wanting to lose, Duncan tells James that he has not brought enough coal for the villages, so James sets off once again for the Coaling Plant. Duncan makes his deliveries, but once back at the wharf, there are still many coal trucks waiting for him even though no more coal is needed for the mountain villages. So Duncan decides to trick James by hiding the remaining coal trucks out of sight in a siding before he returns.

James is making his way back from the coaling plant, but he is getting worn out and he is using up a lot of coal. James is shocked to find Duncan already there, but James decides to get even more coal trucks for Duncan to take. However, James only succeeds in running out of coal and now he cannot collect the children for their concert.

The Thin Controller hears about James and informs Duncan about the situation. Duncan is struck with guilt; his trick had made things worse, so he owns up to his prank by telling the Thin Controller. Duncan quickly collects one of the hidden coal trucks, takes it to James, apologises to him about the trick, and tells him that he is Really Useful. However, James tells Duncan that he is Really Useful for bringing the coal to him. Once his tender is topped up with coal, James sets off to collect the children and Duncan agrees that they are both Really Useful Engines.

Characters

 * James
 * Duncan
 * Mr. Percival
 * Thomas
 * Skarloey
 * Mighty Mac

Locations

 * The Wharf
 * The Old Wooden Bridge
 * Tea Room Station
 * Mountain Village Station
 * The Coaling Plant

Trivia

 * Stock footage from Skarloey the Brave is used. Also, a deleted scene and stock footage from the opening of Thomas getting ready for work that was seen in TV airings was used.
 * This episode marks the first, last and only of a few things:
 * The first time the Thin Controller uses Sir Topham Hatt's "confusion and delay" catchphrase in an episode, albeit inversed.
 * The last appearance of The Old Wooden Bridge and the Tea Room Station.
 * The only model series episode to show James' tired and sad faces on his gauge 3 model.
 * During the filming of the scene when James runs out of coal, it showed his eyes looking too far down to where his pupils aren't visible. And on top of all that, During the filming of the scene of Duncan bringing James his coal, he kept on derailing.

Goofs

 * Mighty Mac have Sir Handel's whistle sound.
 * In many scenes, engines are missing their crew from their cabs.
 * Michael Angelis says "James snoted," indicating a narration flub-up.
 * Duncan's truck already has snow on it when the narrator says "Snow started to fall."
 * In the UK dub, Michael Angelis' voice changes when James yells "Pah!"
 * When Duncan puffs up to James to tease him his steam platform can be seen. You can also see it when Duncan arrives back at the wharf after the first delivery of coal.
 * When James comes back to the wharf after getting more coal there is no coal at the top of his tender. But in the closeup of Duncan in the shot afterwards there is coal at the top of his tender again.
 * In the US dub, Michael Brandon can be heard running out of breath when he laughs as Duncan, so a new audio recording of him has to be used when he switches scenes and talks about James.
 * In the Indonesian dub, there is one scene where James is called Jakes by the narrator.

Home Media Releases
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UK/AUS

 * The Complete Series 10

UK DVD Boxsets

 * Classic Collection

AUS DVD Boxsets

 * Complete Series 1-10
 * The Essential Collection
 * Series Nine and Series Ten Double Pack
 * The Complete Series Ten and Hero of the Rails Double Pack

US/CAN/NOR/SWE/DK/FIN

 * Thomas and the Treasure

US DVD Boxsets

 * Best Tales on the Tracks
 * Thomas and the Treasure/Thomas, Percy and the Dragon and Other Stories Double Feature
 * Ultimate Thomas Collection

ARA

 * Rocky to the Rescue

BRA

 * Fantasy Island

GER

 * Thomas on a Treasure Hunt

DVD Boxsets

 * Adventure on Rails!

SPN

 * Thomas and Friends - Volume 12

DVD Boxsets

 * Second Season

MYS

 * Thomas and the Colors and Other Adventures

THA

 * Thomas and Friends - Volume 45
 * Holiday Express

HUN

 * Thomas the Tank Engine 15 - The Pirate Assets

JPN

 * Thomas the Tank Engine Series 10 Vol.6
 * Thomas and the Toy Store

KOR

 * Thomas the Little Engine and Friends Season 5 Vol. 3

HK

 * Thomas and Friends Volume 19

TWN
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 * Thomas and Friends Volume 21

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