Duncan Gets Spooked

"Never mind him, Peter Sam. He'd be frightened if he really saw a ghost."

- Rusty explaining Duncan to Peter Sam

Duncan Gets Spooked is the twenty-fourth episode of the fifth series. In the US, it aired with Sleeping Beauty in an episode of Storytime with Thomas.

Plot
The Skarloey Railway engines are busy clearing their line of branches and debris. After Peter Sam is helped by Rusty to a water tower with his train, his trucks break away out of boredom and roll onto a bridge, where they derail and plummet into the ravine. Peter Sam arrives to the scene of the incident and his driver realises that the trucks were not properly secured, and they will need help to retrieve them, knowing that the Fat Controller will not be happy about the accident.

Peter Sam's driver is correct; that evening, the Fat Controller scolds Peter Sam for his carelessness and punishes him by making him work in the yards until he can be trusted again. Duncan chortles that Peter Sam's trucks will return to haunt him, so Rusty asks him about being scared of ghosts. Despite Duncan brushing them off as rubbish, Rusty attempts to scare him by telling him a ghost story; long ago, there was an engine who was crossing the same bridge over the ravine to return home. Unfortunately, he derailed halfway across and fell over the side into the swamp below and was never found. In the light of the full moon, his spirit has since been seen by workmen haunting the bridge trying to get home, but he never reaches the other side. Duncan is dismissive, but Peter Sam's driver gets an idea and plans with Duncan's crew to give him a taste of his own medicine.

The next day, Duncan has to take coal trucks to the slate mines and bring ones filled with slate back. As part of the plan, his crew takes him over the bridge. Duncan comments that it does not seem haunted, but he still has Rusty's story on his mind. At the slate mine, Duncan tries to rush his crew to leave, complaining that Skarloey will take his favourite spot in the sheds. His driver tells him that they have to wait until their trucks are collected and he can tell the plan is working as Duncan is nervous.

That night, Duncan is just about finished with his work and is halfway across the bridge when he stops. He begins to see flickering lights that look like an engine in front of him, though it is actually just an engine formed by fireflies. Duncan's driver then secretly throws a large rock from the cab into the ravine below. Duncan (thinking it is the ghost of the engine) gets scared and quickly runs back to the safety of his shed.

Once back at his shed, Duncan closes his eyes tightly. His driver asks if he has been spooked, but Duncan claims he is asleep and initially refuses to open his eyes. He does, though, when he thinks that his driver is not looking to make sure that he is still there for him.

Characters

 * Duncan
 * Rusty
 * Troublesome Trucks
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Skarloey
 * Rusty's Ghost Engine
 * Peter Sam
 * Rheneas

Locations

 * Skarloey Slate Quarry
 * Old Iron Bridge
 * Boulder Quarry
 * Boulder Quarry Sheds
 * Skarloey Engine Sheds
 * Crovan's Gate Yards

Trivia

 * According to a film slate, the hill set was filmed on the 24th of April 1998. It also refers to the episode as Episode Z, indicating that it was the twenty-sixth and final episode of the fifth series as opposed to the twenty-fourth.
 * This is the first episode to use the new large scale models of the Skarloey Railway engines, although Duncan, Peter Sam and Rusty's small scale models were used in the shed scene while Skarloey's was used as the Ghost Engine when he fell in the ravine. However, in the fourth series, larger partial models of the engines were made for use with the close-up scale human figures. Interestingly, the large scale model of Duncan from this episode is completely different from the model used from Series 6 onwards, it is also the only episode to feature the original large scale model.
 * In the UK dub, when the trucks fall into the ravine, the music is omitted.
 * In the US dub, when Duncan reverses back from the bridge after thinking it was the ghost, the chuffing sound is different from the UK and international dubs.
 * The ghost engine in Rusty's story uses Skarloey's model. Skarloey's large scale model is used when the engine falls off the bridge and his small scale model is used when it falls into the ravine.
 * The shed that Rusty, Peter Sam and Duncan were at was really the shed from Rheneas Station from the previous series.
 * This is the only episode of a few things:
 * The only episode when Gullane Entertainment was named The Britt Allcroft Company in the US dub where the Skarloey Railway is referred to as a "railroad," judging by the fact that it is an American term. However, this is the first episode where a railway on the Island of Sodor is referred to as a railroad, which is a rare type of goof in the series since the term railway was usually the more appropriate term for the show.
 * The only episode in the fifth series not to feature any standard gauge engines.
 * The only appearance of Rusty's Ghost Engine.
 * Duncan's only speaking role in the fifth series.
 * The only time where it is unconfirmed if the Ghost Engine is real or not.
 * The only episode to confirm fatalities in an accident (and thus the only episode where a character perishes on-screen).
 * The only episode to feature Duncan's original large scale model.
 * In the US dub, Alec Baldwin provided a Liverpudlian accent for Duncan rather than a Scottish one.
 * The engine formed by the fireflies looks exactly like Rheneas or Smudger.
 * Some deleted scenes may have implied that Peter Sam was originally intended to have a speaking role, and one deleted scene showed Peter Sam puffing after the trucks while wearing his large scale sad facemask. Had those scene not been cut, it would have been the first appearance of Peter Sam's large scale sad facemask and his only speaking role in the fifth series.
 * This episode most likely takes place during the events of Rusty and the Boulder, as the quarry is seen in this episode. In the aforementioned episode, it is stated that the quarry is brand new and is also then closed in a short amount of time.
 * The barrel the workmen stands near is the Best Quality Diesel Oil barrel from the fourth series episode, Bowled Out.
 * This episode marks the last time with two things:
 * The last episode written by David Maidment.
 * The last time Peter Sam's Giesl ejector is referred to as a 'Special Funnel' until the twenty-fourth series episode, The Great Little Railway Show and the last time it is referred to as such in the model era.
 * There are several deleted scenes that were left unused in the final episode:
 * The ghost engine is shown to be moving in another location before it reaches the bridge. It is also shown to have a crew in its cab.
 * Rheneas pulling some trucks of branches and debris.
 * Peter Sam complaining about being hot and bothered.
 * Peter Sam's driver assuring him that they will go to the Water tower.
 * Rusty pushing Peter Sam and his trucks to the water tower.
 * The trucks rolling down the hill.
 * Peter Sam is seen reversing to catch up with the runaway trucks after they broke free.
 * A POV shot of the trucks rolling past the Danger sign.
 * An alternate shot of the trucks rolling past the Danger sign.
 * Peter Sam reversing out of the bridge.
 * Duncan smilling at Peter Sam's dillema.
 * Duncan smirking at Peter Sam.
 * Duncan and Peter Sam listening to Rusty's ghost story.
 * An extended scene shows a clearer view of Rusty's Ghost Engine approaching the Old Iron Bridge, revealing the engine's black livery.
 * Peter Sam crossly stating that Duncan will never learn sense.
 * Peter Sam looking cheeky while listening to his crew talking to Duncan's crew about their plan.
 * Duncan is shown pulling coal trucks while looking worried while thinking about Rusty's ghost story
 * An alternate shot of The trucks being pulled up and down the incline.
 * An extended scene of Duncan leaving the quarry with his slate trucks.
 * Duncan's driver is seen in Duncan's cab after he drops the rock from the cab into the ravine.
 * Duncan frantically reverses with his slate trucks back to the slate quarry on his way back to the shed looking frightened after he thought he saw the ghost engine.
 * Duncan's crew laughing at Duncan.

Goofs

 * When Skarloey passes by in the first scene, a red wire is visible underneath him.
 * In the UK dub, the narrator says that Rusty whistled goodbye, but Rusty is a diesel, and therefore has a horn, not a whistle. The US dub leaves this out.
 * In the US and in various international dubs, when Rusty leaves Peter Sam at the water tower, he makes puffing noises despite being a diesel.
 * When Peter Sam's trucks fall off the bridge, they are connected to each other, but when they hit the water, they are separated. They also land one on top the other, when the previous shot clearly showed the last trucks getting whipped off the bridge with enough force to reach the opposite side of the swamp. Also their loads fly out when derailing, but magically return when they hit the swamp.
 * When Duncan tells Peter Sam his trucks will come back and haunt him, Peter Sam's crew have several chips paint missing, and one has black glue around his neck.
 * Duncan's face moves when he makes a ghost sound. This also happens to the other engines in this scene as their eyes move around.
 * When the ghost engine falls off the bridge, he is rotating, but when the shot changes to him landing in the swamp, he has stopped rotating, which is physically impossible if Newton's first law of motion is applied.
 * Because both scales of models were used, Rusty's face changes size in the shed scene.
 * When the narrator says that Duncan keeps thinking about Rusty's story, Duncan jolts up for a second.
 * When the fireflies form the engine, the end of the tracks is visible in the distance.
 * In the shot of Peter Sam's driver speaking to Duncan's crew about the trick, a workman next to Peter Sam is missing his legs. This is more clearly shown in a rare picture.
 * When Peter Sam's driver speaks to Duncan's crew about the trick, his eyes are wonky.
 * Due to a film cut, when Duncan's face fades from wincing to looking sad, his cab moves slightly.
 * In Alec Baldwin's narration for this episode:
 * When Duncan crosses the old iron bridge, he says "It's as tame as a pet rabbits," adding an s at the end.
 * When he reads the "•SLOW• STEEP BENDS AND RAVINE AHEAD" sign the trucks pass, he reads it as "Slow steep bends and ravine ahead," as if the bends and ravine are slow.

Quotes

 * Trucks: Let's break away!
 * Narrator: Their loads were heavy, and the couplings old. One snapped.
 * (a coupling snaps, punctuated with a "boing" sound effect; the trucks break away from Peter Sam)
 * Truck: Faster, faster!
 * ___________________________________________________________________________________
 * (Peter Sam arrives at the Old Iron Bridge to the scene of the trucks' accident)
 * Peter Sam's driver: This was our fault. We didn't secure them properly. We have to get help to pull them out. The Fat Controller/Sir Topham Hatt will be very annoyed.
 * Narrator: (cut to the sheds later that evening) And he was.
 * Sir Topham Hatt: You will shunt trucks/work in the yards until I can trust you again.
 * ____________________________________________________________________________________
 * Duncan: [to Peter Sam] Fancy not securing your trucks/freight cars on a hill. They'll come back to spook you and your special funnel. Who-hoo-hoo!/Woo-ooo!
 * Rusty: And who's to say you're not afraid of ghosts?!
 * Duncan: Ghosts? Things that go bump in the night? Rubbish!
 * Rusty: Well, I'll tell you a story that'll make your funnel quiver. [cut to the Old Iron Bridge one night] A long time ago, a little engine was returning home. It was a misty moonlit night. As the engine crossed the Old Iron Bridge, he suddenly lost control, and plunged over the side, into the swamps below./Suddenly, the engine lost control and plunged over the side, into the swamps below. [the engine falls into the ravine] He was never found again, but many a workman will tell you that when the moon is full, they have seen the little engine trying to get home. But he never reaches the other side. [cut back to the present] So, what do you think of that, Duncan?
 * Duncan: Pah! Nonsense!/Rubbish!
 * _____________________________________________________________________________________
 * Rusty: Never mind him, Peter Sam. He'd be frightened if he really saw a ghost.
 * Peter Sam's Driver: Let's play a trick on Duncan.
 * _____________________________________________________________________________________
 * Duncan: Haunted bridge. Pah!/Rubbish! It's as tame as a pet rabbit!
 * _____________________________________________________________________________________
 * Duncan: If we don't go now, Skarloey will take my favo(u)rite place in the sheds.
 * Driver: We can't go back until we've collected all the trucks./We have to collect our cars first.
 * (Duncan gives a nervous look)
 * _____________________________________________________________________________________
 * Duncan: It's the ghost! Take me back! Take me back, please!
 * (Duncan reverses and reaches the safety of his shed, and closes his eyes tightly)
 * Narrator: When Duncan reached the safety of his shed, he closed his eyes tightly.
 * Driver: Spooked, are you, Duncan?
 * Duncan: No, I'm asleep!
 * (Duncan initially refuses to open his eyes, but does, realizing that his driver was making sure he was alright)
 * Narrator: And (Duncan) refused to open his eyes. He did though when he thought his driver wasn't looking, just to make sure that he was still there.

Home Media Releases
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UK

 * Spooks and Surprises
 * The Complete Series 5

DVD Boxsets

 * Classic Collection

US

 * Spills and Chills and Other Thomas Thrills
 * Awesome Adventures Vol. 3: Thrills and Chills
 * Thomas & Friends Classic Volume 5

CAN

 * Spills and Chills and Other Thomas Thrills
 * Awesome Adventures Vol. 3: Thrills and Chills

DVD Packs

 * Totally Thomas Volume 1
 * New Friends for Thomas/Spills and Chills Double Feature

JPN

 * New Thomas the Tank Engine 2 Vol.6
 * The Complete Works of Thomas the Tank Engine 2 Vol.4
 * Strange Story of Thomas the Tank Engine

KOR

 * Friends Love Story

AUS

 * Spooks and Surprises
 * Rescues on the Railways
 * The Complete Series 5

DVD Packs

 * Complete Series 1-10
 * Classic Collection
 * Series Five and Series Six

NZ

 * Spooks and Surprises

ZA

 * Thomas and the Rumours

PHL

 * Happy Ever After

ITA

 * Back All!

SWE

 * Hidden in Snow

GRC

 * Time for Work

DK

 * Forward and Backward and Other Stories

MYS

 * Salty's Secret and Other Thomas Adventures
 * Busy Going Backwards and Other Adventures

HK

 * Thomas and Friends Volume 13
 * Thomas and Friends Volume 1

THA

 * Thomas and Friends - Volume 19

TWN
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 * Thomas and Friends Volume 14

El Susto de Duncan דאנקן מפוחד まんげつのよるのできごと Przestraszony Damian Дункан и привидение