Sir Topham Hatt | Thomas the Tank Engine Wikia | Fandom powered by Wikia So far, there have been three controllers in charge of the North Western Railway. Sir Topham Hatt I (1880-1956) Topham Hatt was apprenticed at Swindon Works at age fourteen and seems to have struck a friendship with W. A. Stanier during his time there. He came to Sodor in 1901 and joined A. W. Dry & Co. at Tidmouth . On their recommendation, he became engineer to the Tidmouth, Knapford and Elsbridge Light Railway in 1909, the Tidmouth, Wellsworth & Suddery in 1912 and the North Western Railway upon its formation in 1914. On the North Western Railway, he rose to be general manager in 1923, managing director in 1936 and upon Nationalisation in 1948, he was created a baronet on his appointment as chairman of the Regional Executive. He married Jane , sister of Mr.

Handel Brown and retired in 1954 in favour of his son Charles, whom the board had no hesitation in electing as his successor. He died at Wellsworth in 1956. In The Three Railway Engines and Thomas the Tank Engine , he was nicknamed The Fat Director before his nickname changed to The Fat Controller in James the Red Engine . Sir Charles Topham Hatt II (1914-1997) Sir Charles Topham Hatt was the Fat Controller from 1954 to 1984, when he retired in favour of his own son. Charles Topham Hatt was educated at Abbey School and from there went to Crewe Works as an engineering pupil under Sir William Stanier. He was present during Henry's rebuilding. He was recommended for railway service overseas by Stanier, but he returned in 1939 to enlist in the Royal Engineers, serving with them throughout the Second World War. He was demobilised in 1945 with the rank of Colonel. He spent a further period oversea, before returning to Sodor in 1952 to become Chief Mechanical Engineer at Crovan's Gate Works and general assistant to his ageing father.

During his period of office, he began improvements to the harbour at Knapford , planned by his father and reopened the Arlesburgh branch in 1965/6, being responsible for the construction of the Arlesdale Railway and for establishing the ballast consortium which uses it. His cousin, Sir Handel Lloyd Brown II , was born in 1924. 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. Sir Stephen 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 had three children: Richard Topham, born in 1972 and no doubt destined to be Sir Topham Hatt IV (his father was seventy-four in 2015, though he has, as yet, given no hint of retiring), Charles Nicholas (1974-) and Emily Helen (1977-). With great skill, he masterminded the arrangements for the royal visit in 1995, when he welcomed the Prince of Wales on his visit to Sodor. Sir Topham Hatt in the Television Series In the television series there is only one Sir Topham Hatt. He can be described as a combination of the three controllers from the Railway Series . Prior to him becoming Controller of the North Western Railway, Sir Bertram Topham Hatt owned a Sentinel steam lorry named Elizabeth , who notes that he was not the best driver. When he was a young man, Edward always took him aboard an old coach on his birthday. He also built the Coffee Pots some time prior to Thomas arriving on Sodor. The Fat Controller later received his knighthood for his service to the railway industry.

Sir Topham was also the controller of the Skarloey Railway , until Mr. Percival was hired to help him manage the ever-increasing size of his railway industry. Prior to Blue Mountain Mystery , he bought a track inspection car named Winston , who is often used as a private transportation vehicle on the railway. Sir Topham Hatt married Lady Hatt and is the grandfather of Stephen and Bridget Hatt . He has a twin brother, Sir Lowham Hatt and his mother is Dowager Hatt . According to the Official Website , "we have yet to meet his children". As well as owning several engines, he owns a cat , two cars and lives in a mansion somewhere on the outskirts of Wellsworth . Persona Sir Topham Hatt is firm but fair. He can be strict, but also 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 does not stand bullying and even though he is usually serious, he does enjoy a good laugh. Despite his kindness and fairness, however, there are times where he berates the engines for situations beyond their control.

Attire Sir Topham Hatt is a short, stout gentleman. He is usually dressed in a black suit with grey trousers, a cream or yellow waistcoat, a black tie and a top hat. He is most often depicted as having thinning grey hair and blue eyes. Appearances Trivia Due to political correctness, the Fat Controller is always narrated as "Sir Topham Hatt" in America. The Fat Controller's television model from Lady Hatt's Birthday Party appeared in the 2009 "Children in Need" charity single and was animated using stop-motion. In an earlier draft of Thomas and the Magic Railroad, Diesel 10 called him "Fat Hatt", a combination of his nickname and his real name. According to Elizabeth, Sir Topham Hatt was a bad driver in his younger days. Since he started driving Winston, it seems his skills have not improved. The Fat Controller's office set was part of an exhibit at the Hangaram Museum in Korea in 2010. Large scale and miniature models of Sir Topham Hatt are currently in the safe hands of the Top Props preservation group, after they were sold by The Prop Gallery.

A large scale walking model of Sir Topham Hatt was also sold by The Prop Gallery. Throughout the television series, Sir Topham Hatt is accompanied by two men in standard blue railway uniforms. They are presumed to be his assistants. In Percy and the Calliope , the narrator refers to them as "helpers". The Fat Controller received his knighthood for his services to the railway industry and an award for "Services to Transport". In the book, Thomas-saurus Rex , it states that Sir Topham Hatt used to be called "Little Topham Hatt" in his youth. His grandfather also appears in the book. Sir Topham Hatt's television series model had eyebrows inconsistently. Between the sixth and eleventh seasons, the model mainly did not have them at all. The alternative rock band Catherine Wheel released a song named after The Fat Controller called "Here Comes The Fat Controller" on their 1997 album Adam and Eve. From the thirteen season to the fifteen season, Sir Topham Hatt was referred to as "Bertram". In most episodes and specials, Sir Topham Hatt is seen writing with his right hand.

But in No Help At All , he is seen writing left-handed, this could most likely be a mistake. A photo of Sir Topham Hatt from the first season episode Trouble in the Shed was shown on a web-exclusive video of Last Week Tonight with John Oliver. Quotes - Toby , Toby the Tram Engine The Fat Controller spoke severely to Daisy too. "My engines do not tell lies!" he said. "They work hard with no shirking. I send lazy engines away!" Daisy was ashamed. "However," he went on. "Toby says you worked hard yesterday, after Percy's accident. So you shall have another chance!" "Thank you, sir!" said Daisy. "I will work hard, sir. Toby says he'll help me." "Excellent! What Toby doesn't know about branch line problems," The Fat Controller chuckled. "Such as er..bulls, isn't worth knowing. Our Toby is an experienced engine!" - Sir Topham Hatt and Daisy, "Percy's Predicament", "Branch Line Engines". "Oh, it's you!

Have you learned to drive properly yet?" Thomas and the Fat Controller's Engines | Thomas the Tank Engine Wikia | Fandom powered by Wikia Thomas and the Fat Controller's Engines 7,135pages on "Our Jubilee is a Golden one, because, in 1995, it is 50 years since stories about us began being books." -The Fat Controller to the engines Thomas and the Thomas and the Fat Controller's Engines is the thirty-ninth book of the Railway Series . Contents Foreword Dear Friends, I went to see the Fat Controller the other day. I told him that in 1995 it would be fifty years since the first stories about his Railway were published. "Good gracious me!" he said. "We must do something to celebrate that." And he set to work. Not everything went quite right. For instance, Thomas... but I won't spoil the stories - happy reading. Stories Birdstrike The Fat Controller tells the delighted engines that they will be celebrating the Golden Jubilee of the Railway Series this year. Gordon wants to pull the special train for the occasion, but the Fat Controller has borrowed Pip and Emma to pull the train.

Gordon has no time to be upset though, because he has to leave to pull the Express. Near Henry's Tunnel , some crows are flying close to the railway. When Gordon startles them with his whistle, the birds fly too close to him, and with a bump the brakes suddenly come on. The crew eventually find a bird knocked the seal off Gordon's front brakepipe, and the train sets off again, but no one forgets the incident, and tease Gordon about it. Edward and the Cabbages James is late one day and Edward hurries to make up time. Edward notes his front feels wobbly, and as they pass a cabbage patch one of Edward's bogie wheels snaps off and disappears. Nothing is said of the accident, but a surprised farmer later discovers Edward's wheel in his cabbage patch. Rabbits Rabbits have been burrowing under the stretch before Dryaw , and the Fat Controller imposes a ten mp/h limit on the stretch until something is sorted out. The day before the decision is put into effect, Thomas is puffing across the stretch when a rail tilts and he comes off.

Percy takes Annie and Clarabel home and after the workmen lift Thomas up with jacks to put rails underneath, Percy pulls him back to Knapford . Golden Jubilee Henry is depressed and claims the Golden Jubilee will be a disaster. However, by the time the big day comes Thomas' Branch Line and Edward's wheels are both repaired and Edward is chosen to clear the line for Pip and Emma. Unluckily, Edward and the branchline engines are about to leave Knapford when a cobweb short-circuits the signal box . They are flagged through, and the ceremony goes without a hitch, with the guest of honour, the Royal Personage, declaring the engines to be a credit to the Fat Controller. Characters Quotes Percy: Isn't a Jubilee a sort of party? Thomas and I took some Scouts to one once. Thomas: That was a jamboree. Percy: Was it? Sorry. Trivia This marks the final appearances of Mavis and Harold in the Railway Series, as well as Duck and Donald's final speaking roles. Christopher Awdry's working title for this book was "The Fat Controller's Engines", but the publishers insisted on a "Thomas" link in the title.

The Royal Personage is not named, but it is likely to be Prince Charles. This book was intended as a marketing tool; yet, ironically, while Christopher Awdry's books were out of print, this was the hardest one to obtain. Two real life engines are mentioned: Bahamas and The Silver Jubilee. Goofs The final two illustrations of "Golden Jubilee" don't match the text. Gordon, James and Henry apparently got to the station first, but Thomas and Mavis manage to get in front of them. What's more, Edward should have been there, but he doesn't appear at all. The Fat Controller | Christmas Specials Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends The Fat Controller (more formally referred to as Sir Topham Hatt), is the head of the railway in The Railway Series of books written by the Rev. W.V. 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. In the third book ( James the Red Engine ) he becomes the Fat Controller, as the railway has been nationalized. His full name is revealed in the foreword to the book Henry the Green Engine .

The Fat Controller also appears in many episodes of the television series Thomas and Friends, adapted from the books. In this he was usually portrayed in the form of a static figure, but from Season 12 onwards was portrayed using CGI. The name or term "fat controller" has since been adopted in various contexts in the English language, beyond the sphere of the original stories. The Fat Controller | Scratchpad | Fandom powered by Wikia [ show ] Sir Topham Hatt, (less formally but more commonly referred to as the Fat Controller), is the head of the railway in The Railway Series of books written by the Rev. W. V. 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. In the third book ( James the Red Engine ) he becomes The Fat Controller, as the railway is nationalised . His full name is revealed in the foreword to the book Henry the Green Engine . 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 text says "a Fat Director who was on the train told the guard to get a life. Initially this seems indicative of The Rev. W. Awdry's habit of capitalising many phrases and references which we today would not, but the character is referred to as the Fat Director/Controller for the remainder of the Railway Series, both in the narrative and by the other characters. The name Sir Topham Hatt is first mentioned in the Foreword to Henry the Green Engine'Duck and the Diesel Engine and then also appears on his trunk in the same book in the story Percy And The Trouser. But it is clear that he is comfortable with getting poked. The first use of the name Sir Topham Hatt in the narrative comes in List of Railway Series Books#Duck and the Diesel Engine when Diesel refers to the character as "Your worthy Fat..." but is interrupted and firmly corrected by Duck who says "'Sir Topham Hatt' to you". Character The Fat Controller might best be described as a "firm but flatulent" leader. Every time an engine is upset he speaks to them kindly and sometimes plays a tune using his anus.

He does not stand for any nonsense, but he is also forgiving. When an engine misbehaves, as they often do on his railway , he is willing to allow them a second chance if they are truly sorry and if they will pull his finger. He is also quite perceptive and shrewd, and is not above using elaborate schemes to get to the bottom of a problem, though not the problem of his bottom. For example, when Diesel had been spreading rumours about Duck telling pedos to touch the engines, the Fat Controller sent Duck to Edward 's Branch line. Duck was chased by the pedos down the line and they pushed him into a Brothel. When The Fat Controller arrived he spoke kindly to the prostitutes for stopping a serious S.T.D and for being so horny (see Duck and the Diesel Engine ), and revealed that sending Duck away was an elaborate scheme to get rid of his horny attitude towards the other engines. He is nostalgic , and the way he runs his railway recalls the better elements of the days of steam [citation needed] , but also the fumes. Indeed, he is not afraid to get his hands dirty if it is on the footplate of a steam engine.

In his first appearance, in The Three Railway Engines , he was a rather more pompous and lazy figure who would guff now and again. By the next book, Thomas the Tank Engine , he had evolved into his more windy present form. In the television series, he is also a highly philanthropic individual, performing a number of charitable acts for the people of Sodor. He gets on well with children (maybe too well) he and his wife are often having sex with their grandchildren, Stephen and Bridget, after their parents went to prison for humping a giant white snowman. Biography (Railway Series) In the Railway Series , there have actually been three Fat Controllers, none of whom are popular in elevators as they each got raped in one by the alarm system. This is never discussed 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 explicitly clear.

Sir Topham Hatt I This man was a talented engineer who was apprenticed with William Stanier at the Great Western Railway 's Swindon works, which gave him a great love of all things Great Western. He went on to assist A. W. Dry in the construction of the Tidmouth, Knapford and Elsbridge Light Railway (which ultimately became Thomas' branch line) and designed the locomotives that ran upon it. When the standard gauge railways of the Island were merged into the North Western Railway in 1914 , Topham Hatt was once again called upon for his engineering skill. He constructed a bridge to link Sodor with the Mainland, as well as a number of branch lines and improvements to locomotive facilities. He was immediately made a Director of the railway. When the North Western Railway was nationalised and became part of British Railways in 1948, Topham Hatt was made Controller of the railway. 1948 also saw him made a baronet for his services to the railways of Sodor. It is no exaggeration to say that the prosperity of modern day Sodor can be put down to this man.

Sir Topham Hatt II Charles Topham Hatt was the son of the first Sir Topham Hatt and the second Controller of the NWR. He too served an apprenticeship with Stanier, this time working under the locomotive designer. Like his father, he was an innovative engineer and made a number of improvements to the railway and its engines. He was also the originator of the scheme to construct the Arlesdale Railway and the ballast consortium that used it. He was responsible for the line's policy of retaining steam locomotives long after they had been abolished on the rest of British Railways, and while Richard Beeching was closing down branch lines on the Mainland, he was reopening them on Sodor. Sir Topham Hatt III Stephen Topham Hatt was first seen as a child in the book ' Toby the Tram Engine '. As an adult, he was elected as the third Controller of the North Western Railway. He, like his father and grandfather before him, is an innovator and a canny businessman. He has been involved in a number of schemes for improving the railways of Sodor, from assisting in the construction of new engines to plans to introduce a direct London-Sodor train service.

He has recently been investigating the possibility of obtaining a new steam engine for the North Western Railway and of using his extensive Works for the manufacture of locomotive parts for other railways. He has a son named Richard, who, it is assumed will carry on in the family business, and eventually become Sir Topham Hatt IV. Biography (television series) In the television series, the Fat Controller is always the same man, with the same wife and grandchildren. There is no indication of his age and very little of his history is revealed. He is in charge of all the engines on Sodor and seemingly has a great deal of say over other vehicles. As a young man, he learnt to drive in Elizabeth the vintage Sentinel lorry. He has overseen the construction of a number of lines and has been involved with the opening of several tourist attractions on Sodor. In the American version of the show, he is entirely referred to as Sir Topham Hatt, due to politeness. [citation needed] The "Sir" part of his title comes from the fact that he was knighted for his services to the railways of Sodor.

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 . Mode of dress In his iconic top hat and morning suit, the Fat Controller looks rather old fashioned and formal. However, it should be noted that until at least the late 1950s it was customary for railway officials in Britain to be so dressed — for Sir Topham Hatt to be dressed any other way would be far more unusual. When he "lets one off", his coat tails flap. American fans have also noted that this outfit resembles a 19th century railroad baron , although this is purely coincidence. Sir Topham's suit has often been used for comic effect, being augmented with scarf and mittens in winter. The television series plays on the outdated nature of this outfit, giving Sir Topham an entire wardrobe of old-fashioned and unnecessarily formal clothes for occasions when he is not "on duty" and making the character look faintly ridiculous.

In the Season 8 episode "Halloween", he is shown wearing pajamas and a nightcap, and in the Seasons 9 & 10 episodes "Flour Power" and "Sticky Toffee Thomas", he is briefly shown naked. Sir Topham's household Wife: Lady Hatt Lady Jane Hatt, a.k.a Mrs. Hatt, formerly Jane Brown, helps her husband run the railway, and is happiest when she sees new lines opened, and has had some special birthday parties (but most of the time surprises occur on her birthday). She likes the railway, but had a certain dislike of Annie and Clarabel. Later, she took a liking to them, after they got new coats of paint. Although her husband runs a railway, she likes a day out on a boat or in their car. She first appeared in Season 1, and has had a few appearances throughout the series, her last appearance (currently) being in "Thomas And The Birthday Picnic". (But by season 7, a completely different figurine was used) Mother: Dowager Hatt Dowager Hatt visited Sodor once, and her son held a party for her.

Her Dalmatian dog (soon to be named Gremlin) ran away. She says the Railway is really useful, and the Fat Controller says she is always right. She was right about his love of cabbage, for instance! Dowager Hatt was introduced in Season 5, made a cameo in Season 6, and appears again in a Season 9 Story. Her full title is Dowager Hatt, revealed in the Season 9 episode in the UK. She is the only member of the household to originate in the television series, never having appeared in the books. Grandson: Stephen Hatt Stephen Topham Hatt lives on the Island of Sodor, and regularly has outings and holidays with his grandparents and sister. Stephen loves trains, and was excited when he first met Toby the Tram Engine. Stephen also has a bit of knowledge about the Island, of which is the reason they discovered the Old Castle and the mine (in which Bertram was found). Stephen Hatt only appeared in a few Season 1 and 5 episodes, but made cameos in 'Thomas and the Tuba' and 'Thomas and the Circus'. In the Railway Series, Stephen ultimately took the railway over, and is the current Fat Controller.

However, in the television series he has always remained a child. Granddaughter: Bridget Hatt Bridget Amanda Hatt lives on Sodor, and regularly goes for outings and holidays with her grandparents. On one occasion they went to Toby the Tram Engine 's old line, and she thought he was an electric tram! But, apart from that, they had a wonderful holiday, and Toby enjoyed it too. Sometimes they also go to the seaside, which one time led to a hunt for an old castle and a mine, in which Toby ended up making a new friend, who later died. Bridget Hatt loves living on Sodor, and seeing the trains. Bridget Hatt's full name is Bridget Amanda Hatt (her middle name being her mother's). Her parents (mentioned only in the book 'Sodor: Reading Between the Lines') are Charles and Amanda Hatt. Bridget was last featured in Season 5, but made a cameo in Thomas and the Tuba (in which Thomas mistakes the sound of a tuba for Sir Topham's epic trumping), and Thomas and the Circus in Season 8.

Butler Sir Topham Hatt has a butler who is featured in the Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends TV Series. He is a loyal and trustworthy butler, who answers the phone for the Fat Controller, and does many other household jobs. Sir Topham Hatt's Butler has only been featured in three stories, "Thomas in Trouble" ("Thomas Breaks the Rules" in the U.S. ) in Season 1, and "Fergus Breaks The Rules", in Season 7, but made a good impression. Car(s) Sir Topham Hatt/the Fat Controller owns a blue car featured in the Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends TV Series. This is based on his ownership of one in the book Troublesome Engines . He uses it to go to places when the engines are busy, or to go see what the engines are doing. It once caused trouble when he drove it into a pothole in the road, but he thinks it very reliable, and wouldn't want to get to work in any other vehicle. It helped when some trucks ran away from Percy. Despite its usual blue colour, Sir Topham's car has taken on many forms throughout the years.

It was blue in The Railway Series, but consisted of three different models in the TV Series. In the puzzles and other merchandise, the car is yellow, and in one is seen as being red. It is possible that the Fat Controller has more than one car. In all cases, his car is presented as a typical vehicle of the 1940s and 50s. Inspiration Several suggestions have been made as to who the Fat Controller was based upon. One of the most persistent names is that of Rev. Teddy Boston, who was in real life a railway enthusiast, a somewhat large-built figure and a good friend of Rev. W. Awdry. He appeared in person in Small Railway Engines and Duke the Lost Engine as "the Fat Clergyman". However, the Fat Controller appeared in the books long before Rev. W. Awdry knew Teddy Boston, and Boston did not suffer from flatulence. Another common suggestion is Horace May, who was General Manager of the Bluebell Railway during the 1960s. This man also appears in the Railway Series as Stepney's Controller in Stepney the "Bluebell" Engine , and does resemble the Fat Controller as portrayed by illustrator John T. Kenney.

But again, it should be noted that the Fat Controller had been in the books since 1945, long before Horace May rose to prominence in railway preservation circles. And again, Horace May was not a "guffer". Christopher Awdry suggests in Sodor: Reading Between the Lines that the character could have been loosely inspired by the doctor who treated him when he had measles , who woffed like a brass band. The same book also implies that Sir Topham Hatt III (see above) might have something of Christopher Awdry himself in him, although one hopes that it is not his methane: Christopher Awdry saw the engine that inspired the character of Toby the Tram Engine when he was on holiday as a boy. In the book Toby the Tram Engine , Stephen Topham Hatt, who would later become Sir Topham Hatt III, sees Toby while on holiday. Sir Topham Hatt III takes over the North Western Railway at around the time of the book Really Useful Engines , which was when Christopher Awdry took over writing the Railway Series.

Sir Topham Hatt III is described in Sodor: Reading Between The Lines as being partly responsible for the construction of Jock , which was a project close to his father's heart. Christopher Awdry wrote the first stories to actually feature Jock, but his father created the character without featuring him in any stories. In The Thomas the Tank Engine Man , Rev. W. Awdry states that he considers the Fat Controller to be something of a God figure, but this appears to have been a later development, as the earliest stories featuring the character depict him as more of a comical figure. Real Fat Controllers "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. 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 ( see external link ), and it is absolutely forbidden for a Fat Controller to be too thin.

Impact on popular culture The Fat Controller has proven to be a popular figure outside of the world of Thomas. In British slang , the name has come to symbolise any authority figure linked with flatulence, or any authority figure of large build. The most notable figure of recent years to be compared to Sir Topham is the former British Deputy Prime Minister , John Prescott . He does not suffer from such terrible flatulence, but he certainly does talk out of his arse. A rather more contemptuous term, "fat cart controller", has been applied to the executives of transport firms. Freddy Shepherd , the chairman of Newcastle United Football Club is also sometimes referred to as the "Fat Controller". One of the Fat Controller's most identifiable quotes is "Better out than in". This is apparently the highest compliment an engine can receive and usually results in the engine's eyes spinning and/or blushing. The phrase has a certain nostalgic popularity outside the world of Thomas when used as a compliment in a similar tone to Sir Topham Hatt's. Sir Andrew Lloyd-Webber paid tribute to this catchphrase by naming his theatre group Theatre Out Than In .

Other uses of the name "Fat Controller" The name "Fat Controller" has also been given to a student magazine (the name aptly describes the contents), an electronic snow glove that is "as warming as a really good fart" and at least one pubic louse in the United Kingdom . It is also the nickname given Samuel Northcliffe, the malevolent influence on the life of protagonist Ian Fharton in British novelist Will Self 's 1993 novel My Idea of Fun. The British alternative rock band Catherine Wheel recorded a song, Here Comes the Fat Controller on their 1997 album Adam and Eve Let One Off . Electronic musician Squarepusher has a song called Fat Controller in his album Hard Normal Daddy .

Counterparts JB King (Shining Time Station) King Acorn (Sonic the Hedgehog) Toadsworth (Super Mario Bros.) Mayor Adam West (Family Guy) Henry's Dad (Horrid Henry) People of Sodor: The Fat Controller The Real Lives of Thomas the Tank Engine The Fat Controller "The Fat Controller seized his hat..." No amount of political correctness can erase several generations of British children’s collective memory concerning Sodor’s philosopher-king, the Fat Controller, in trademark garb of top hat, tails and spats. By this title he is quoted in the House of Commons by MPs in Hansard (See the new section below of the actual quotations). His various identities are described as follows: Fat Director: In "The Three Railway Engines" (1945) and "Thomas the Tank Engine" (1946) - seen smoking a cigar Fat Controller: In "James the Red Engine" (1948) onwards - following nationalisation in 1948. The "stout gentleman": In "Toby the Tram Engine" (1952), incognito on holiday with grandchildren Stephen and Bridget on Toby's doomed old railway.

Sir Topham Hatt: Name painted on trunk in "Henry the Green Engine" (1951) with which Percy collides. Otherwise named in rebuke of Diesel by Duck in "Duck and the Diesel Engine" (1958) - "Sir Topham Hatt to you," and formally named in the introduction to that book. To add further confusion, there have been three Sir Topham Hatts according to the Rev Awdry in The Island of Sodor. The first (1888-1956) ruled until the end of "Four Little Engines". He is not a knight but a baronet, a hereditary title conferred on nationalisation in 1948 (By this logic, the "Fat Director" was thus plain Mr Topham). His wife, who makes a brief cameo in "Toby the Tram Engine", is Lady Jane Hatt. The second Fat Controller, Sir Charles Topham Hatt (1914-) ruled from "Percy the Small Engine" until retirement in 1984.

We can only assume that the fat controlling man in Christopher Awdry's books from that date on is the boy from "Toby the Tram Engine", Steven Topham Hatt. -----------OOoo--ooOO----------- Nowadays Hansard, the British Parliament's venerable record of proceedings, is searchable online. There follow all references to the stout man of national affairs since 1999: 1. House of Lords, 5 Apr 2001, 6.46 p.m. Lord Greaves: My Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Beaumont of Whitley, for introducing this debate. I profess to feeling a certain degree of intimidation--or perhaps not intimidation, but something similar--at the professional and academic expertise which certainly my noble friends who sit in front of me have brought to this debate. I started my life-long interest in railways approximately 50 years ago when, one Christmas, I received a first edition of Thomas the Tank Engine in a parcel from Santa Claus. As a book dealer, I very much regret that I do not still own that first edition.

My mother gave it away to the local hospital with a load of Eagle annuals and other things, which I also regret I no longer own. From a childhood enlivened by the Reverend W Awdry's books, I remember the wonderful character of the Fat Controller. He was a bureaucrat; he was a man with a hat; and he was derided by the people who really ran the railway--who, in those stories, were the engines--for not knowing much about rail engineering. It sounds a little like Railtrack. Nowadays, we have the Rail Regulator; we have the Strategic Rail Authority and its chairman; we have Her Majesty's Railway Inspectorate, which I believe is now part of the Health and Safety Executive; we have the Secretary of State; we have Railtrack and its own Fat Controller; we have the train operating companies with all their Fat Controllers, including the rail freight companies; and, of course--a matter about which we should be very pleased in your Lordships' House--we have the Minister. I do not by any means suggest that the Minister is a Fat Controller; he is far too lean and hungry.

However, a question that people ask time and time again in relation to the railway industry in this country is: who is the Fat Controller? Who is in charge? Where does the buck stop? The truth is that no one knows. Until that matter is sorted out, or, at least, until our incredibly fragmented railway system is de-fragmented to some degree, I do not believe that we shall make a great deal of progress. ----- 2. House of Commons, 10 May 2000, 9.19pm Mr Jenkin: The final part of the Bill is old Labour striking back at railway privatisation. There is a role for Sir Alastair Morton in helping the industry to develop, but not for the rebirth of the old British Railways Board; not for whole new powers to direct investment; not for new powers for unlimited fines; not for powers for the interference in access agreements; and not for the restoration of the ultimate control over the industry, once again, by the Secretary of State--the Fat Controller himself. ----- 3. House of Commons, 18 Jan 2000 Mr Snape: The hon.

Member for North Wiltshire started with a ritual dig at the Deputy Prime Minister with whom I have served on various Committees, as has the right hon. Member for Kensington and Chelsea. My right hon. Friend is not someone who seeks to avoid his responsibilities, but, as Deputy Prime Minister and the head of a significant Department, he has many other pressing duties that take up his time. He has been described as the Fat Controller: staying with the Rev. Awdry and "Thomas the Tank Engine'', was not Gordon the pompous locomotive? Perhaps the hon. Gentleman will play the role of Gordon. Mr. Gray: The humble shunter. ------- 4. House of Commons, 19 Jul 1999 Mr Redwood: The Opposition urge the House to adopt our reasoned amendment to the procedure for the handling of the Bill. An enormous mess and muddle has been revealed at the top of Government, a huge row between the Prime Minister and his deputy and obvious second thoughts around the ministerial table about the wide-ranging powers that are being offered through the Bill to the Secretary of State and to the quango creature that is being established beneath him.

If this were the world of "Thomas the Tank Engine", this would be the Bill to make the Fat Controller wax lyrical at night at the great strengthening of his powers. ======== Gordon - Character Profile & Bio | Thomas & Friends Gordon HEAR GORDON READ ABOUT GORDON Gordon is the No. 4 blue engine who pulls the express. As the senior member of the engine family, he is the fastest and most powerful of The Fat Controller's team - and he knows it. He's goodhearted, always willing to forgive, and uses his superior strength to help smaller engines out of trouble. Fun Fact! When the Queen visited the Island of Sodor,The Fat Controller asked Gordon to take her around. Gordon is based on a Gresley Liner A3 4-6-2 engine. Preview Thomas & Friends Talking Fat Controller - YouTube Preview Thomas & Friends Talking Fat Controller Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later.

Uploaded on Dec 29, 2011 Thomas the Tank Engine is a collection of magical stories starring Thomas and his friends and has been favourites of children and parents for almost 60 years. Each train has a life of their own and live on the magic island of Sodor where all their adventures take place. Children love the bright and smiling trains who all aim to be 'real useful engines,' and with Golden Bear's My First Thomas range, they can be apart of Thomas' wonderful world. Specially made for little hands, the Thomas & Friends range is made from a robust, chunky, colourful plastic, suitable for children as young as 12 months. Sir Topham Hatt , like every engine in the collection, features 7 unique phrases and moving eyes. With Thomas & Friends there's a whole world of characters to play with, so start your collection today. Join in the fun with Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends! The Talking Thomas & Friends range has been created especially for the younger Thomas fans ! Sir Topham Hatt is made from chunky bright plastic and specially designed for little hands to hold.

Hear Sir Topham Hatt say 7 fun phrases , and listen for the special noise as you move him across the floor in his car! Category Thomas | Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Main article: Thomas in the Railway Series Details of Thomas' arrival on the North Western Railway in 1915 are more or less undocumented. There is no official explanation to how he arrived on the island. However, the most popular rumour (according to Sodor: Reading Between the Lines ) is that he was sent to Sodor due to a war-time mix up. Instead of returning to the south coast of England when the problem was sorted, both his driver and fireman married local girls and decided to stay. Sir Topham Hatt purchased Thomas for a "nominal fee". Bio in the television series Thomas the Tank Engine started his life on the Island of Sodor as a cheeky little engine who shunted coaches for the Main Line engines, such as Henry and Gordon . He liked to play tricks on them, including Gordon, "the biggest and proudest engine of all". He was taught a lesson when Gordon tricked him into being coupled to him during his express run.

Tired out, he vowed never to tease Gordon again, realising he did not have to be important. Soon he desired to pull his own passenger train too, much to the bemusement of the other engines. He got his chance when Henry became ill, and no one could pull the passenger train. However, Thomas was so excited that he accidentally left his train and his passengers behind, believing he was pulling it easily. He soon realised his mistake and returned to pull the train. The engines laughed at him, though, and soon Thomas wanted to get out of the shunting yards and see the world. Edward offered him a chance to pull trucks, and Thomas excitedly took the job, not realising how troublesome trucks could be. The trucks pushed him down Gordon's Hill into a siding, where the Fat Controller told him to practice so that one day he would become as good as Edward. Thomas soon proved himself when he rescued James after his accident with the trucks, using the Breakdown Train . As a reward for his quick and heroic action, the Fat Controller promised him his own branch line. Thrilled, Thomas soon began running his branch line with his two new coaches, Annie and Clarabel , who he grew to love very much.

He soon considered his branch line to be the most important part of the entire railway, a fact he would constantly remind the other engines of. However, he continued to make mistakes and dream big, and sometimes this got him into trouble, such as when he was so impatient that he left his guard behind at Elsbridge or when he wanted to fish, not realising the implications of a fish being in his boiler. His greatest mistake was when he got his snowplough broken in the winter and ended up stuck in a snow drift, having to be rescued by Terence , whom he had insulted earlier for not having "real" wheels. He soon proved himself again, though, when he beat Bertie the bus in a great race. He quickly became friends with both Terence and Bertie, despite their differences. Although Thomas' branch line was indeed the pride of the line, on the main line, things were not going well for the Fat Controller, who was having to deal with Gordon, Henry, and James' sulking, refusing to do Thomas' former work of shunting themselves. After they went on strike, Thomas was brought back to help alongside Edward and their new friend, Percy, who quickly became Thomas' closest friend.

Thomas also became friends with Toby after he was asked by the Fat Controller to help their railway avoid a lawsuit from a rude policeman. But Thomas still had some cheekiness in him, returning to teasing Gordon after Gordon slid into a ditch. He soon needed Gordon's help after he blatantly went past a danger sign and fell down a mine. They soon became friends after that and promised never to tease each other again. Thomas and Toby later helped Mrs. Kyndley at her cottage after she was snowed in and helped her celebrate Christmas with a very special Christmas party. The following year, Thomas shared a shed on his branch line with Percy and Toby. However, he became conceited about his brilliant blue paint and soon paid the price when Percy accidentally caused a coal hopper to pour coal all over him. Thomas was angry at Percy, but the two friends soon made up after Percy had an accident with some coal trucks. Thomas soon met Trevor , a friend of Edward 's, who proved his usefulness when he helped Thomas at the newly constructed harbor. Unfortunately, Thomas became ill a few months later and had to be sent to the Works , while Duck looked after his branch line.

When Thomas came back, his brakes were stiff, and made it seem as if they were hard on. As a result, one day, when his fireman was ill, a substitute accidentally caused Thomas to run away, and Harold had to help stop him. Later, when the Viaduct needed to be repaired, the main line engines became late to drop off Thomas' passengers and, as a result, made him late for Bertie . Thomas continued to be of great service to Sir Topham Hatt's railway, although he still remained a cheeky little engine. Thomas later became conceited again when he took his driver 's compliment to heart and believed he no longer needed him to work his branch line. This was untrue, but Thomas was too puffed up with himself to not believe it and, one morning, found himself rolling along the line, when a cleaner had accidentally started him up. He soon broke into a stationmaster 's house and ruined the family's breakfast. He had to be rescued by Donald and Douglas . As a result, the Fat Controller angrily sent him to the works again. He arrived back a few weeks later just in time to take over for a battered Percy, who just had a predicament with some trucks.

The following Christmas, Thomas was eager to sing carols with the other engines, but had to pick up a Christmas tree for the Fat Controller. Unfortunately, on his way back, he was caught in a snow drift and was lost. Donald and Douglas soon rescued him in time to sing carols with all his friends. Persona Thomas is rather cheeky, but is good at heart and generally behaves well, except when he is getting into mishap. He loves teasing the others and, on occasion, brags about his superiority, but is always brought down to earth in due course. If Thomas has one major character flaw, it is that he is forgetful, and slightly impatient. However, he is also optimistic and idealistic. Although their friendship has been turbulent at times, Percy is generally portrayed as Thomas' best friend, especially in the television series. Basis Thomas is based on the Billington E2-Class 0-6-0T locomotives built for the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway between 1913 and 1916. He is apparently one of the last batch built as only these engines featured his distinctive extended-side-tanks, projecting forward over the leading wheels and little downsweeps at each end of footplate.

The E2s were introduced in 1915 to replace earlier members of the E1 class, which had been scrapped. The last five in the ten strong class had extended side tanks to give a greater water capacity, but all engines had two inside cylinders and driving wheels 4'6" in diameter. After so many years of service, all of the Billington E2s, both original and modified, spent their last working years at Southampton Docks and they were all scrapped by 1963, the very last pair being Nos 31204 and 31209, the latter being amongst the last batch. Thomas has a slight modification of having wheel splashers over his front wheels whereas the original E2s did not. Livery Thomas is painted in the North Western Railway's standard blue livery with red-and-yellow lining and the number "1" painted on his tank sides in yellow with a red border. In the Railway Series, he carries two builder's plates on the sides of his cab. In the first three seasons of the television series, Thomas also had red lining on the back of his bunker.

However, when characters received new models in 1994, the lining had been excluded for unknown reasons. Running plate Thomas's running-plate was allegedly a source of some contention to the Reverend W. Awdry during the course of the Railway Series. As originally drawn, it had a distinctive dip at the front, but none at the back. The story goes that, to Awdry's eyes, this meant that Thomas' buffers would be at different levels, an operational inaccuracy and impossibility. This seems curious on Awdry's part, as all the artists had drawn Thomas as having an extra-deep rear bufferbeam to compensate, thus putting the front and rear buffers at the same level. Be it a matter of taste or inaccuracy, the issue of the running-plate had to be settled: thus Thomas' excursion into the Stationmaster's house at Ffarquhar was arranged. After his repairs at Crovan's Gate , Thomas returned with a new running plate that was flat and level from smokebox to bunker.

The E2's on which Thomas was based had dipped running-plates at both front and rear and the Hornby Thomas model displays these features, having been retooled from a set of moulds formerly used by Hornby to make E2 models. His television counterpart, however, retains the unique forward-dipped running plate. Too much Thomas? While he may seem innocent enough, poor Thomas created a fair bit of trouble for Christopher Awdry and Egmont Books , publishers of the Railway Series, when the latter started asking for more books about the happy little tank engine. Granted, Thomas was the most popular character in the original Railway Series books, but Egmont went too far and thus the problem continues. With the advent of the television series, Egmont started asking for more Thomas and to this day Thomas has eight Railway Series volumes under his undercarriage. Two of the titles actually have very little to do with Thomas - Thomas Comes Home dealt with the adventures of the branch line engines during Thomas' visit to York, while Thomas and the Fat Controller's Engines only featured one story about Thomas, although he did appear in two of the other three stories. As a result of Thomas' fame, classic characters like Oliver and Bear have become largely neglected.

Thomas and the toddler When the Reverend W. Awdry created Thomas, he existed only as a wooden toy made for his son, Christopher. This engine looked rather different from the character in the books and television series, and was based on a LNER J50 or a Hudswell Clarke with smaller side tanks and splashers. He was painted blue with yellow lining, and carried the letters "NW" on its side tanks. Awdry claimed that this stood for "No Where", but later works would identify the railway Thomas and his friends worked on as the North Western Railway . Oh, the Payne For the illustrations of Thomas the Tank Engine, Edmund Ward , then-publisher of the Railway Series, hired illustrator Reginald Payne , who decided to base Thomas on the LB&SCR E2 Class. (Awdry was annoyed that Thomas was obviously not the tank engine he had first drawn, but was satisfied when Payne explained that he was drawn after a real prototype). Unfortunately, Payne did not receive any credit for his work; it is only since the publication of Brian Sibley 's The Thomas the Tank Engine Man that he has received recognition.

Thomas on the big screen In 2000, Thomas made it to cinemas in the box-office flop Thomas and the Magic Railroad , in which he was voiced by Edward Glen . He was the only engine from the television series to play a major role in the story, and even left Sodor briefly. Popular culture The Nene Valley Railway at Peterborough, England, was the first railway in the world to possess a full-scale replica "Thomas", an industrial tank engine built by Hudswell Clarke so nicknamed for its blue livery and resemblance to the famous tank engine. In 1971 the name was made official by the Reverend W. Awdry. Other tank engines the world over have since been dressed up as Thomas. Some railways have even gone so far as to rebuild locomotives to produce a better replica. Unfortunately this has created a divide between preservationists: some claim it disfigures historic locomotives and trivializes the preservation movement, others say it attracts visitors and can potentially spark an interest in railways amongst young children. A "real Thomas" (built for The All Aboard Live Tour ) was used in a special play staged to celebrate the eightieth birthday of Queen Elizabeth II , starring beloved characters from children's literature.

In the play, Thomas was used to convey Sophie Dahl, the granddaughter of the late Roald Dahl, to center stage, and was greeted by thunderous applause and cheers from the audience of two thousand children and their parents. Another "Real Thomas" is used during "A Day Out With Thomas" events where people actually ride in his passenger coaches and get their pictures taken with Sir Topham Hatt. Additional attractions include petting zoos, pony rides, story telling, viewing of "Thomas and Friends" videos, and temporary tattoos. There are stage performances called Thomas the Tank Engine Live , where people get to see Thomas and his friends perform on stage. Three different plays have been made - "Thomas Saves the Day", "A Circus Comes to Town", and "Thomas Saves the Day". Appearances The Fat Controller song - YouTube The Fat Controller song Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Uploaded on Nov 30, 2011 Thomas and Friends (c) Copyright of HiT Entertainment. I own or endorse nothing.

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ToyTrains4u 51,341,663 views 1:01:40 Shop Trains, Toys and Railway Sets | Thomas & Friends ‹ Previous Next › Thomas Potty Book If it's time for your toddler to say goodbye to nappies, then Thomas & Friends are here to cheer the whole family through the highs and lows of potty training! Covering choosing grown-up pants and that all-important potty, trying again and again, having accidents and learning to wash your hands, Thomas & Friends take you through every step of potty training. And with lots of photographs of real children, your toddler will be motivated to give it a go just like them. Thomas always tries his best, making him a great role model for potty-training toddlers. So say goodbye to nappies with Thomas! ‹ Previous Next › The Story of Thomas the Tank Engine This is a beautifully-illustrated story about Thomas the little blue Tank Engine, who worked really hard on The Fat Controller’s railway. Every day he puffed around Sodor shunting trucks and pulling freight. But what he dreamed about was having his very own branch line...

‹ Previous Next › Thomas The Busy Engines Lift-the-Flap Book There's so much to look at and find on the Island of Sodor! With sturdy flaps to lift and interesting facts and information, you'll soon learn all about your favourite engines and what they do. A perfect interactive book for all Thomas the Tank Engine fans. ‹ Previous Next › My First Thomas 123 Children will love counting from 1 to 10 with their favourite engine and all his Really Useful friends. ‹ Previous Next › My First Thomas ABC Learn the alphabet from A to Z with Thomas and his engine friends in this fun first-learning book! ‹ Previous Next › Thomas Steam Team Play Book They're 2, they're 4, they're 6, they're 8! Young Thomas fans and their families will soon be singing along to this exciting novelty book - based on the words of their favourite song, the Thomas theme tune. With goggly eyes, touch-and-feel elements, flaps to lift, tracks to follow with your finger and a big pop up of everyone's favourite engine at the end, this playbook is sure to delight. ‹ Previous Next › Thomas the Tank Engine This is a story about Thomas the Tank Engine.

Thomas worked really hard, shunting coaches for the big engines. But what he wanted more than anything was his very own branch line ... ‹ Previous Next ›

Question: In the children's stories of Thomas the Tank Engine, what is the name of the Fat Controller?
Answer: Sir Topham Hatt