Faulty Whistles

"Look! It's Duncan the Musical Engine!"

- Rusty

Faulty Whistles, shortened to Faulty Whistle in one North American release, is the twenty-sixth and final episode of the sixth series.

Plot
Duncan waits at a junction one morning for Peter Sam to deliver his goods to take to Strawberry Grove. He is also assigned the task to take the headmaster and the new organ. After having steamed overnight all the way to the morning to deliver Duncan his goods, Peter Sam is approaching the junction his whistle is knocked off by a branch. As a result, Peter Sam cannot run anywhere without a whistle as it would be unsafe. Duncan brags that an engine is not an engine without a whistle and lets off a big blast with his whistle, but the other engines ignore him. Duncan becomes cross while he sets off with his goods because he thinks the other engines are jealous of his whistle.

On the way, Duncan whistles at some sheep, but they are too busy eating to pay attention. Duncan becomes frustrated and thinks he needs to whistle louder and longer. He approaches a crossing where Elizabeth is carrying the Farmer's Prize Bull. As Duncan approaches the crossing, he whistles loud and long, startling the bull. Elizabeth scolds Duncan but to no avail as he finds it fun, not knowing that his whistle has become loose. When he sees Terence ploughing a field, he prepares to give him the same surprise. Unfortunately, he blows his whistle so hard that it simply flies off and lands out of sight.

With his whistle nowhere to be found, Duncan's driver tells him they are stuck and cannot continue on. However, with Duncan carrying the organ destined for Strawberry Grove School, Duncan's crew cleverly decide to have Headmaster Hastings play the organ in lieu of Duncan's whistle, which alerts every person at stops during the delivery, despite Duncan not thinking so. When Duncan reaches home, he is teased by Rusty for being a "musical engine" while Rheneas and Skarloey whistle along. Peter Sam, having been in the works for a new whistle, tells Duncan that he was brave to go on and make his deliveries without a whistle, which cheers Duncan up. The headmaster makes one last "toot" on the organ and all the other engines whistle back in reply, except Duncan who just grins.

Characters

 * Rheneas
 * Peter Sam
 * Rusty
 * Duncan
 * Elizabeth
 * Headmaster Hastings
 * Skarloey
 * Terence
 * Farmer Finney

Locations

 * The Depot
 * Skarloey Bridge
 * Cattle Creep
 * Strawberry Grove
 * The Mountain Line
 * Rheneas Viaduct

Trivia

 * This episode appears to be a loose adaptation of the Railway Series story, Mike's Whistle. Peter Sam and Duncan take the roles of Duck and Mike respectively. The actual story was later adapted in the twentieth series episode of the same name.
 * In the US dub, when Duncan passes Elizabeth at the level crossing, the chuffing sound is different from the UK dub.
 * The organ plays the song "She'll Be Coming Round the Mountain" while Duncan puffs on the cliffside.
 * When Duncan delivers his trucks, music is played only in the UK dub.
 * Headmaster Hastings is named after the episode's writer, Ross Hastings.
 * Peter Sam's large-scale wincing face may have been used when he runs into the branch and gets his whistle knocked off but is off-screen.
 * This episode is the first series finale in which Thomas does not appear. It is also the first series finale in which Percy does not appear.
 * This episode marks the last of a few things:
 * The last episode narrated by Alec Baldwin in the US due to him pursuing other projects and Terje Strømdal in Norway, as well as by Vladimir Jurc in Slovenia until the thirteenth series.
 * The last episode to have Britt Allcroft as an executive producer.
 * The last episode to be produced solely by Gullane Entertainment.
 * The last episode where Duncan has an American accent in the US dub.
 * Counting this as a loose adaptation of Mike's Whistle, the last episode based on a story from the Railway Series until Tit for Tat.
 * The last episode to feature music composed by Mike O'Donnell and Junior Campbell in the US (not counting the seven episodes from seventh series on New Friends for Thomas and Thomas & the Jet Engine where it is retained).
 * This episode marks a couple of things for Peter Sam:
 * His first speaking role since the fourth series episode, Gallant Old Engine.
 * His only speaking role in the sixth series.
 * The first time his large scale fifth series sad face is used on-screen.
 * The second time he loses a part of his body that was then replaced with a better one in the same episode; the first was his funnel in Special Funnel.
 * This is the first appearance of Duncan's chuckling face.
 * There are a few deleted scenes from this episode including:
 * A scene that showed where Duncan's whistle actually landed, however the scene is featured in the music video for the Whistle Song.
 * A scene of Peter Sam pulling the train he had in the opening with a sad face after he lost his whistle. This scene was in the Take Along Faulty Whistles Movie Car.
 * A scene of Duncan going around a bend possibly before reaching the field. This scene was also featured in the Faulty Whistles Movie Car.

Goofs

 * In the beginning and the end of the episode, Peter Sam has Duncan's whistle sound.
 * When Peter Sam crosses the bridge at the beginning of the episode, his cab is empty, and his whistle is already missing.
 * The narrator says, "The rest of the engines just ignored [Duncan]," but Peter Sam was the only one there.
 * In the first shot of the camera "pulling" Duncan, at the bottom of the screen a wire is seen bouncing up and down.
 * When Elizabeth is carrying the bull, her eyes are wonky.
 * Terence's model is out of scale compared to Duncan due to the former's gauge one model being used.
 * In the close-up of Duncan's whistle flying off, his crew are not in his cab.
 * A steam platform is visible when Duncan comes to a stop after losing his whistle.
 * When Rheneas says "let's whistle along," Skarloey had Peter Sam's original whistle sound.
 * On Salty's Secret and Other Thomas Adventures, the episode's titled 'Faulty Whistle.

Quotes

 * Peter Sam: [without his whistle] I can't run on the tracks without my whistle. It'd be too dangerous.
 * Duncan: An engine is not an engine without a whistle.

 
 * [after the whistle-less Duncan has returned with the headmaster, who is still playing his organ]
 * Rusty: Look! It's Duncan the musical engine!
 * Rheneas: Let's whistle along!
 * Skarloey: (UK Dub only) Toot Toot!
 * Peter Sam: You really did well to deliver your goods without a whistle.
 * Duncan: Did you think so?
 * Peter Sam: Absolutely, even though an engine's not an engine without a whistle. (whistles)
 * Headmaster: Or an organ. (toots the organ)
 * (the other engines whistle back in reply, except for Duncan, who just smiles)

Merchandise

 * Take Along
 * Books - Duncan and the Faulty Whistles and A Smart Idea
 * Magazine stories - Musical Duncan

Home Media Releases
{{Scroll box|

UK

 * The Chocolate Crunch and other stories
 * The Complete Series 6

DVD Packs

 * Classic Collection
 * Pulling Together! & The Chocolate Crunch Double Pack
 * Brave Little Engines & The Chocolate Crunch Double Pack
 * Peep Peep Party, Engines to the Rescue, & The Chocolate Crunch Triple Pack
 * Double DVD Giftset

WAL

 * Brave Little Engines

US

 * Percy's Chocolate Crunch and Other Thomas Adventures
 * Thomas & Friends Classic Volume 6

CAN

 * Percy's Chocolate Crunch and Other Thomas Adventures

DVD Boxsets

 * Totally Thomas Volume 1

AUS

 * Rusty Saves the Day
 * The Complete Series 6

DVD Packs

 * Complete Series 1-10
 * The Great Adventures of Thomas and Friends
 * Trainloads of Thomas Fun
 * Series Five and Series Six Double Pack

JPN

 * People of Sodor Island
 * Thomas the Tank Engine Series 6 Vol.6

MYS

 * Thomas and the Jet Engine and Other Thomas Adventures (Malaysian DVD)
 * Scaredy Engines and Other Adventures

NOR/DK

 * Percy's Chocolate Crash

DK DVD Boxsets

 * Danish DVD Boxset

SWE

 * Percy's Chocolate Dip

PHL

 * Edward, the Very Useful Engine

ITA

 * The Jet Engine

KOR

 * The Story of Getting to Know Nature

HK

 * Thomas and Friends Volume 15
 * Thomas and Friends Volume 11

THA

 * Thomas and Friends - Volume 23

TWN
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 * Thomas and Friends Volume 5

El Silbato Defectuoso צופרים לקויים かわったきてき Zepsute Gwizdki Испорченные свистки