Diesel 10 first appeared as the main antagonist in Thomas and the Magic Railroad in 2000, a diesel locomotive fitted with a hydraulic claw called Pinchy. He later returned in the Thomas and Friends television series, where his deep horn helped set him apart from the island's steam engines. Short clips of his horn have since circulated on soundboards and in fan edits, where creators reuse it as shorthand for menace, trouble, or an unwelcome arrival.