Sir Topham Hatt

"Oh, it's you. Have you learned to drive properly yet?"

- Elizabeth, Elizabeth the Vintage Lorry, sixth season

Sir Topham Hatt, nicknamed the "Fat Controller", previously the Fat Director, is the manager of the North Western Railway.

The Fat Controllers
There are, in fact, three controllers that have run the North Western Railway:

Sir Topham Hatt I (1880-1956)
Mr. Topham Hatt was the engineer in charge of the construction of the Tidmouth, Knapford and Elsbridge Light Railway. When the job was finished he was made a director of the company, and after the Wellsworth and Suddery Railway was linked with the original line at Knapford he was elected a director of that company too. He was created a baronet for his services to the the railways of Sodor in 1948. He married Jane, sister of Mr Handel Brown, and retired in 1954 in favor of his son Charles, whom the board had no hesitation in electing as his successor.

Sir Charles Topham Hatt II (1914-1997)
Sir Charles Topham Hatt was the Fat Controller from 1954 to 1984, when he retired in favour (flavor) of his own son. During his period of office he began improvements to the harbour (harbor) at Knapford, planned by his father, and re-opened the Arlesburgh branch in 1965/6, being responsible for the construction of the Arlesdale Railway and for establishing the ballast consortium which uses it. He married Amanda Croarie in 1940 and they had two children - Stephen Topham, born in 1941, and Bridget, born in 1943. Charles inherited his father's baronetcy in 1956 and died thirteen years after his own retirement.

Sir Topham Hatt III (1941-)
Sir Stephen Topham Hatt (who first appeared in Toby the Tram Engine while on a family holiday in East Anglia with his parents and grandfather) became the Fat Controller in 1984, succeeding to his father's baronetcy in 1997. In 1970 he married Helen Margaret, a distant cousin and granddaughter of the Reverend Nicholas Dreswick, the much-respected historian of Sodor. They have three children: Richard Topham, born in 1972 and no doubt destined to be Sir Topham Hatt IV (his father will be 69 in 2010 though he has, as yet, given no hint of an impending retirement), Charles Nicholas (1974-) and Emily Helen (1977-).

He played a part in arranging the construction of the Arlesdale Railway's new locomotive, Jock, in 1990, a project which had been dear to his father's heart. With great skill he masterminded the arrangements for the royal visit in 1995, when he welcomed the Prince of Wales on his first visit to Sodor.

The Fat Controller in the television series
In the television series, Sir Bertram Topham Hatt, a combination of the three from the Railway Series, runs the railway. He has a brother, Sir Lowham Hatt.

In the television series, the Fat Controller has appeared in:
 * Season 1 - Thomas and Gordon (cameo), The Sad Story of Henry, Edward, Gordon and Henry, Thomas' Train, Thomas and the Trucks, Thomas and the Breakdown Train, James and the Coaches, Troublesome Trucks, James and the Express, Thomas goes Fishing, Trouble in the Shed, Percy Runs Away, Coal, The Flying Kipper, Whistles and Sneezes, Toby and the Stout Gentleman, Thomas in Trouble, Dirty Objects, Off the Rails, Down the Mine, and Thomas' Christmas Party
 * Season 2 - Thomas, Percy and the Coal (does not speak), Old Iron, Percy and the Signal (does not speak), Duck takes Charge, The Runaway, Percy Takes the Plunge, Pop Goes the Diesel, Dirty Work, A Close Shave, Breakvan, The Deputation, Thomas Comes to Breakfast, Daisy, Percy's Predicament, Wrong Road (does not speak), Edward's Exploit (does not speak), and Thomas and the Missing Christmas Tree
 * Season 3 - A Scarf for Percy, Percy's Promise, Time for Trouble, Gordon and the Famous Visitor (cameo), Donald's Duck, Thomas gets Bumped, Thomas, Percy and the Dragon, Diesel Does it Again, Henry's Forest, The Trouble with Mud, No Joke for James, Thomas, Percy and the Post Train, Toby's Tightrope, Edward, Trevor and the Really Useful Party (does not speak), One Good Turn, Tender Engines, Escape, Oliver Owns Up, Heroes, and Percy, James and the Fruitful Day
 * Season 4 - A Bad Day for Sir Handel, Peter Sam and the Refreshment Lady (does not speak), Trucks!, Home at Last, Special Funnel, Passengers and Polish, Bowled Out, Henry and the Elephant, Toad Stands By, Thomas and the Special Letter, Paint Pots and Queens, Fish, and Special Attraction
 * Season 5 - Cranky Bugs, Horrid Lorry (cameo), A Better View for Gordon, Lady Hatt's Birthday Party, James and the Trouble with Trees, Gordon and the Gremlin, Bye George!, Baa!, Put Upon Percy, Toby and the Flood, Haunted Henry, Double Teething Troubles, Stepney gets Lost, Toby's Discovery, Something in the Air, Thomas, Percy and Old Slowcoach, Thomas and the Rumours, Oliver's Find, Happy Ever After, Sir Topham Hatt's Holiday, A Surprise for Percy, Make Someone Happy, Duncan gets Spooked, and Rusty and the Boulder
 * Season 6 - Salty's Secret, Harvey to the Rescue, No Sleep for Cranky, A Bad Day for Harold the Helicopter, Elizabeth the Vintage Lorry, The Fogman, It's Only Snow, Twin Trouble, The World's Strongest Engine, Scaredy Engines, Percy and the Haunted Mine, Middle Engine, James and the Red Balloon, Jack Frost, Gordon Takes a Tumble, Percy's Chocolate Crunch, Buffer Bother, Toby Had a Little Lamb, Thomas, Percy and the Squeak, Thomas the Jet Engine, Edward the Very Useful Engine, Dunkin' Duncan, and Rusty Saves the Day
 * Season 7 - Emily's New Coaches, Percy Gets it Right, The Old Bridge, Edward's Brass Band, What's the Matter with Henry?, James and the Queen of Sodor, The Refreshment Lady's Tea Shop, The Spotless Record, Toby's Windmill, Bad Day at Castle Loch, Rheneas and the Roller Coaster, Salty's Stormy Tale, Snow Engine, Something Fishy, The Runaway Elephant, Peace and Quiet, Fergus Breaks the Rules, Bulgy Rides Again, Harold and the Flying Horse, The Grand Opening, Gordon and Spencer, Not so Hasty Puddings, Trusty Rusty, and Three Cheers for Thomas
 * Season 8 - Thomas and the Tuba, Percy's New Whistle, Thomas to the Rescue, Henry and the Wishing Tree, James Gets a New Coat, Thomas Saves the Day, Percy's Big Mistake, Thomas, Emily and the Snowplough, Emily's New Route, Thomas and the Firework Display, Gordon takes Charge, Spic and Span, Edward the Great, Squeak, Rattle and Roll, Thomas and the Circus, Thomas Gets It Right, As Good as Gordon, Fish, Emily's Adventure, Halloween, You Can Do it, Toby!, Chickens to School, Too Hot for Thomas, James Goes Too Far, and Percy and the Magic Carpet
 * Season 9 - Percy and the Oil Painting, Thomas and the Rainbow, Molly's Special Special, Thomas' Milkshake Muddle, Thomas and the Toy Shop, Thomas and the Birthday Picnic, Tuneful Toots, Thomas and the New Engine, Toby Feels Left Out, Thomas Tries His Best, Thomas and the Statue, Henry and the Flagpole, Emily Knows Best, Thomas' Day Off, Thomas' New Trucks, Bold and Brave, Saving Edward, Thomas and the Golden Eagle, Keeping up with James, and Flour Power
 * Season 10 - Follow that Flour (cameo), Thomas and the Jet Plane, Percy and the Funfair, The Green Controller, Toby's Afternoon Off, It's Good to be Gordon, Seeing the Sights, Toby's New Shed, Edward Strikes Out, Topped Off Thomas, Which Way Now?, Thomas and the Shooting Star, Big Strong Henry, Sticky Toffee Thomas, Thomas' Frosty Friend, Emily and the Special Coaches, Thomas and the Colours, Thomas and the Treasure, and James the Second Best
 * Season 11 - Hide and Peep (mentioned), Thomas and the Storyteller, Dream On, Dirty Work, Gordon and the Engineer, Thomas and the Spaceship, Henry's Lucky Trucks, Thomas and the Lighthouse, Smoke and Mirrors, Thomas Sets Sail, Don't be Silly, Billy, Edward and the Mail, Toby's Triumph, Thomas and the Runaway Car, Thomas and the Stinky Cheese, and Percy and the Left Luggage
 * Season 12 - Thomas and the Billboard, Steady Eddie, Rosie's Funfair Special, Henry Gets It Wrong, Heave Ho Thomas!, Toby's Special Surprise, Excellent Emily, Saved You!, Tram Trouble, Gordon Takes a Short Cut, Percy and the Bandstand, and Best Friends
 * Season 13 - Creaky Cranky, The Lion of Sodor, Tickled Pink, Double Trouble, Slippy Sodor, The Early Bird, Play Time, Time For a Story, Percy's Parcel, Toby's New Whistle, A Blooming Mess, Thomas and the Runaway Kite, Steamy Sodor, Splish, Splash, Splosh!, The Biggest Present of All, Snow Tracks, Henry's Good Deeds, and Hiro Helps Out
 * Season 14 - Thomas' Tall Friend, James in the Dark, Thomas' Crazy Day, Thomas and the Hats, and Henry's Magic Box

Specials:
 * Thomas and the Magic Railroad (cameo)
 * Calling All Engines
 * The Great Discovery
 * Hero of the Rails
 * Misty Island Rescue

He may also appear in Day of the Diesels.

Persona
The Fat Controller is seen as a firm but fair character. Despite being strict, he shows a fatherly side to the engines. He is quite a strong character and will remind the engines that he is in charge when they start to rebel against his authority. He doesn't stand for bullying, and even though he is usually serious he does enjoy a laugh.

Appearance
The Fat Controller is a small stout gentleman dressed in a black suit with gray trousers, a cream-coloured waistcoat, a black tie and a top hat. He has thinning gray hair and blue eyes.

"Your worthy Fat..." "Sir Topham Hatt to you!"
Due to political correctness, the Fat Controller is always known by his Sunday name of "Sir Topham Hatt" in the American narration of the television series.

Merchandising

 * ERTL (with a conductor and his wife; discontinued)
 * Learning Curve Wooden
 * Take-Along (in car)
 * TOMY/TrackMaster
 * Bachmann
 * Bandai Tecs (in car)
 * My First Thomas
 * My Thomas Story Library
 * Brio

Voice Actors

 * Kerry Shale (US) (Hero of the Rails - Present)
 * Keith Wickham (UK) (Hero of the Rails - Present)
 * Kōhei Miyauchi (Japan) (Season 1 - Season 4)
 * Takeshi Aono (Japan) (Season 5 - Season 8)
 * Rokuro Naya (Japan) (Season 9 - present)

Trivia

 * The Fat Controller's TV model from Lady Hatt's Birthday Party was used in the 2009 "Children in Need" charity single. It was animated using stop-motion.
 * In Play Time and Percy's Parcel Sir Topham Hatt is called Bertram.