Diesel 10

"You'll be laughing on the other side of your boilers soon, silly Steamies!"

- Diesel 10, Misty Island Rescue

Diesel 10 is the secondary asshole antagonist of Thomas and Friends who debuted in the film Thomas and the Magic Railroad as the hidden main antagonist. He is a renegade diesel engine on the Island of Sodor who is noted by Thomas for being 10 out of 10 brutal strength and devious deeds. Diesel 10 is a villainous diesel with a roof-top hydraulic grabber titled "Pinchy". He is particularly fond of causing trouble and is obsessed with destroying Lady, a magical steam engine. In the past, he had deliberately caused her to crash and although he badly damaged her, he failed to destroy her.

Thomas and the Magic Railroad
Diesel 10 is the supporting protagonist (turned main antagonist in the chase). In his debut appearance, he is accompanied by two shunting diesel cohorts Splatter and Dodge. (A running gag in the film is that he'd never remember both their names, often calling them "Splodge".) Throughout the film, he causes trouble, such as attacking the exposed scaffolding of the being-fixed Tidmouth Sheds although he is foiled by Mr. Conductor with the threat of clogging his tank with sugar. He later tries to kill Mr. Conductor by dangling him over a bridge but is foiled again when Mr. Conductor cut Pinchy's piping with a pair of pliers, resulting in Mr. Conductor being flung to safely land on stacks of flour near the mill.

Despite his villainy, Diesel 10 acts rather incompetent. One such incident occurs when Toby rings his bell to distract them. Diesel 10, believing a steam engine to be close by, has Pinchy go out on the attack. Unfortunately for him and his shunter diesel cronies, Pinchy causes the shed they're in to crash, entrapping them. Another instance occurs when Diesel 10, wanting to prove how menacing he is, has Pinchy go on the attack again. Pinchy smacks the chute of a coal loader and Diesel 10 is then covered in coal. This comes as a bit odd considering Diesel 10 otherwise hinted at having nearly accurate control of Pinchy. Particularly, he demonstrated how Pinchy was capable of carving his face in a rock wall. He later tries to kill James and Junior backwards into the melting pit behind them at the Sodor Ironworks. But Junior uses the last remaining of his Gold Dust to take him and James to Mr. Conductor.

At the film's climax, Diesel 10 pursues Thomas and the reconstructed Lady (though not until after Splatter and Dodge defect, telling Diesel 10 to do his own dirty work). The bridge, being under construction, barely supports Lady and Thomas to get across. Diesel 10 applies his brakes but falls over the edge, Pinchy grabbing the dangling rails. Pinchy loses its grip and Diesel 10 plunges into the hull of a barge. Diesel 10 is then carted away.

Following Appearances
However, Diesel 10 returns later on, apparently not defeated once and for all. He briefly appears in Calling All Engines! as the former supporting antagonist. Though he wasn't really a villain within the work, he is still antagonistic towards Thomas who eventually musters up the courage to ask Diesel 10's help in the construction of Sodor's airport. Diesel 10 aids in the construction on the pretense of proving himself to be useful.

He later appeared in the stinger of Misty Island Rescue remarking that the steamies will "laugh on the other side on their boilers soon" and a minor antagonist in this film. His comment foreshadows the following feature Day of the Diesels as the main antagonist.

During Day of the Diesels, Percy becomes depressed over Thomas befriending the new engine Belle and is won over by Diesel who claims he can be Percy's new friend. Percy goes with Diesel to the Dieselworks (a place steam engines are informed to never go) and discovers Diesel 10 amongst the other diesels of the special. Ultimately, Diesel 10 manipulates Percy into siding with the diesels by playing with his sympathy in regards to the horrid condition of the Dieselworks. Percy progressively tries to help, such as enlisting Kevin the Crane from the Steamworks, but becomes more and more upset when he's unable to relate the diesels' situation and when Thomas becomes chummier with the new characters. Thomas is sent to retrieve Kevin once the truth comes out but is held prisoner at the Dieselworks.

Diesel 10's plot ultimately to take over the Steamworks as diesel territory and he mocks Percy as he and his cronies fool around on the Steamworks' equipment and sidings. Fortunately, Percy sets things right, even as the Dieselworks burns down in the process. Diesel 10 is then scolded by Sir Topham Hatt at the Steamworks who informs him that "some things are worth waiting for" (which oddly shames Diesel 10). The Dieselworks is rebuilt and Diesel 10 seemingly becomes a good guy once more. Though time will tell if he tries another attempt at evil-doing.

Despite seemingly returning to his villain status, Diesel 10 is still the victim of abuse within Day of the Diesels in how the automatic doors to his shed in the Dieselworks repeatedly beat him up as he exits and enters it.