Sir Topham Hatt

"Oh, it's you. Have you learned to drive 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 65 in 2006 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, the same Sir Topham Hatt runs the railway.

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)
 * Bachmann
 * Bandai Tecs (in car)
 * My Thomas Story Library
 * Take-Along
 * Learning Curve Wooden
 * TOMY/Trackmsater
 * My First Thomas

Trivia

 * In the Japanese version he was first voiced by Kōhei Miyauchi. After Miyauchi's death in 1995 Sir Topham Hatt's voice was provided by Takeshi Aono until the end of Season 8. Starting from Season 9, Sir Topham Hatt's voice actor is Rokuro Naya.
 * The Fat Controller's TV model was used in the 2009 "Children in Need" charity single. It was animated using stop-motion. Strangely, his top-hat is crumpled.
 * Kerry Shale will start voicing Sir Topham Hatt in Hero of the Rails, in the US.
 * Keith Wickham will voice The Fat Controller starting with Hero of the Rails, in the UK.