The Fat Controller

Fictional character

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Fictional character

The Fat Controller

The Railway Series and Thomas & Friends character

Figurine prop as seen in the series 2 episode "Duck Takes Charge" (1986)

First appearance| The Three Railway Engines (1945)
Created by| Rev. W. Awdry
Designed by| William Middleton
Voiced by|

British

* Keith Wickham (2009–2021)
* Bruce Dow (2021–2022)
* Tom Dussek (2022–present)

American

* Kerry Shale (2009–2015)
* Keith Wickham (2015–2020)
* Bruce Dow (2021–present)

In-universe information
Gender| Male
Occupation| Controller of the North Western Railway
Family| Dowager Hatt (mother)
Sir Lowham Hatt (brother)
Spouse| Lady Hatt
Children| 2
Nationality| English

The Fat Controller is a fictional character originating from The Railway Series books written by Reverend W. Awdry and his son, Christopher Awdry.

In the first two books in the series (The Three Railway Engines and Thomas the Tank Engine) he is known as The Fat Director, and as of the third book (James the Red Engine) he becomes The Fat Controller. In the introduction to the 1951 book Henry the Green Engine, his real name is revealed to be Sir Topham Hatt.

The Fat Controller also appears in the television series Thomas & Friends, adapted from the books.[a] On television, he was usually portrayed in the form of several different static figures made with either wood or lead during series one, and resin from series two onwards,[1] but has been portrayed using CGI from the twelfth series onward.

The term "fat controller" has since been adopted in various contexts in the English language, beyond the sphere of the original stories, usually in reference to someone who runs a railway.

## The Railway Series

[edit]

In the original books, there are three Sir Topham Hatts, all of whom are direct descendants of one another.[2]

### Sir Topham Hatt I (1880–1956)

[edit]

Sir Topham Hatt aquired an apprentice job Swindon Works at the age of 14. While there, he became friends with W. A. Stanier.

He came to Sodor in 1901, joining A. W. Dry & Co at Tidmouth. On their recommendation, he became an engineer successively for 3 railways on the Island of Sodor.[2]

1. The Tidmouth, Knapford, and Elsbridge Railway in 1909
2. The newly-merged Tidmouth, Wellsworth, & Suddery in 1912
3. The North Western Railway on its formation in 1914

He became general manager of the NWR in 1923, was promoted to director in 1936, and was made controller when the railway was nationalised in 1948.

He was awarded a baronetcy by the British parliament for his achievements in railway management.

His achievements in manufacturing and construction included the design and construction of four vertical boiler "Coffee Pot" locomotives between 1905 and 1908, and a drawbridge linking Vicarstown to Great Britain in 1915.[3]

In 1953, he welcomed Queen Elisabeth II who visited the island.

He retired in 1954, and was superceded by his son Charles Topham Hatt.

### Sir Topham Hatt II (1914–1997)

[edit]

Charles served as Director of the North Western Railway from 1954 to 1984.

After graduating from Cronk School, he worked at a factory in Crewe, but in 1939 joined the Royal Engineers in World War II. He then was promoted to a Colonel, and completed his military service in 1945.[2]

In 1952, he returned to Sodor as an engineer at the Crovans Gate Works. Two years later, when his father retired, he became the second Director, and in 1956 he inherited the title of Baronetcy.[2]

HIs achievements include the refurbishment of Knapford Port, reopening the Arlesdale branch and building the Arlesdale Railway.

In 1940, he married Amanda Croarie and had two children, Stephen Topham and Bridget Hatt.

In 1984 he retired, and was superceded by his son, Stephen Topham Hatt.[3]

### Sir Topham Hatt III (1941–present)

[edit]

He became the third Director in 1984 and has had three children since marrying Helen Margaret in 1970, and in 1995 he welcomed the Prince of Wales to the Island of Sodor.[3]

According to the book, he was aged 65 in 2005, and has no intentions of retiring.

His son, Richard, is set to be the fourth director when Stephen retires.[3]

## Naming

[edit]

The first two original stories were written before the nationalization of Britain's four major private railways, so he was called "The Fat Director", as his railway was privately owned. In 1948, the year that the third book in the series, "James the Red Engine", was written and published, the four major private railways (and some minor ones) were nationalized under the 1947 Transport Act into British Rail, so his title was changed to "The Fat Controller".[2]

In the British TV series, he is called "The Fat Controller", as in the original work, but "Sir Topham Hatt" is sometimes used in formal situations.

Meanwhile, in the American English dub, the name was completely replaced with "Sir Topham Hatt" by the show's creators as they felt the term would be derogatory in the US.

## In real life

[edit]

"Day Out with Thomas" events are a popular way of raising money for heritage railways. These events are an opportunity for children to meet characters from the books and television series (or at least, engines that have been "dressed up" to resemble them). These events are invariably presided over by a Fat Controller, played by a railway volunteer of appropriate age and build.[4] The copyright holders are strict about how these volunteers should appear: the South Devon Railway's Fat Controller was forced to either quit or shave off his beard,[5] and it is absolutely forbidden for a Fat Controller to be too thin.[6] In the United States, on the other hand, he is instead portrayed as a costumed character (with the performer's face hidden).

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ There are three controllers, but he is portrayed as one character in the television series.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Jeremy King". Sodor Island Fansite.
2. ^ a b c d e Awdry, Wilbert (1987). The Island of Sodor, Its People, History, and Railways. Kaye and Ward (published 2 September 1987). pp. 105–107\. ISBN 9780434927623.
3. ^ a b c d Awdry, Christopher (2005). Sodor: Reading Between The Lines. Sodor Enterprises. pp. 20–21\. ISBN 0954966511.
4. ^ "Fat Controller teaches rail safety". BBC News. 21 June 2001. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
5. ^ "Close shave for Fat Controller". BBC News. 4 May 2002.
6. ^ "Red flag for hairy Fat Controller". BBC News. 20 July 2001. Retrieved 1 June 2022.

## External links

[edit]

* The Real Lives of Thomas page on the Fat Controller

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