The Fat Controller
The Fat Controller, whose real name is Sir Topham Hatt, is a fictional character in The Railway Series books that were written by the Reverend Wilbert Awdry and his son Christopher. His full name is revealed in the foreword to the 1951 book Henry the Green Engine. He also appears in the television series Thomas and Friends, adapted from the books, and also its reboot, Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go!.
| The Railway Series/Thomas and Friends/Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go! character | |
| First appearance | The Three Railway Engines (1945) (Railway series) Thomas and Gordon (Thomas & Friends) |
|---|---|
| Created by | Rev. W. Awdry |
| Voiced by |
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| Gender | Male |
| Occupation | Controller of the North Western Railway |
| Spouse(s) | Lady Jane Hatt |
| Children | 2 |
Origin of nickname
The character is first seen in "The Sad Story of Henry" in the first book in the Railway Series, The Three Railway Engines. When Henry refused to leave a tunnel, the story says that "A fat director, who was on the train, told the guard to get a rope". The character is referred to as The Fat Controller from the third book, James the Red Engine, for the remainder of the Railway Series, due to the nationalisation of British Railways. The name Sir Topham Hatt is first mentioned in the foreword to Henry the Green Engine and also appears on his luggage trunk in the same book in the story "Percy and the Trousers". The first use of the name Sir Topham Hatt in the TV series comes in the episode 'The Sad Story of Henry' when the narrator (Ringo Starr in both US and UK versions and George Carlin in the second US version) introduces him to the audience.
Biography (Railway Series)
There have been three Fat Controllers. This is not revealed directly in the stories, as they all look very similar and are all known as Sir Topham Hatt. However, the books The Island of Sodor: Its People, History and Railways (written by Rev. W. Awdry and George Awdry) and Sodor: Reading Between the Lines (by Christopher Awdry) make this clear.
