Sir Topham Hatt

Sir Topham Hatt, nicknamed "The Fat Controller" (previously known as "The Fat Director"), is the controller of the North Western Railway.

Personality
Sir Topham Hatt is firm but funny and fair. He can be strict, but with a good reason and he deeply cares about the engines and also shows a fatherly side to them. He is quite a strong character and will remind the engines that he is in charge if they start to rebel against his authority. He does not stand bullying and even though he is usually serious, he does enjoy a good jolly laugh.

Despite his kindness and fairness, however, there are times where Sir Topham Hatt berates the engines for situations beyond their control, although it's usually because he still feels like their carelessness or ignorance played a hand in it. Like any son, he does hold a slight bit of respect for his mother, Dowager Hatt. But like all parental relationships, there are some things he finds more personal than others.

At times, Sir Topham Hatt can be the comic relief character, having high levels of irony and occasional slapstick. He can also be overhasty and forgetful at times and misplace priorities. He also has a slight sweet tooth, having a particular taste for creme buns, ice cream and milkshakes.

That being said, he also shows a distinctly more fatherly side to his engines. When one of them goes missing, he is staunchly determined to find them - even if it means travelling entire countries to do so! Sir Topham is also known to be very proud of his signature top hat, and often distresses about it should the hat come to harm. He does care about his engines much more though, as he threw it aside upon finding Thomas on Misty Island.

Attire
Sir Topham Hatt is a short, chubby gentleman. He usually wears morning dress, consisting of grey trousers, a white shirt, a black tie, a cream, yellow, blue, purple or grey waistcoat, a black tailcoat and a black top hat. He is most often depicted as having thinning grey, black or brown hair and brown eyes, while in the television series, he is depicted as completely bald.

Appearances

 * Season 1 - The Trouble With Trucks

Trivia

 * According to Sodor: Reading Between the Lines, the Fat Controller is based on no one in particular, though Christopher Awdry suggests his doctor at the time the character was created may have been an "unconscious contribution".
 * Due to different societal norms, the Fat Controller is always referred to by his real name, "Sir Topham Hatt" in the US.
 * Although, in certain US episodes following the CGI series, the engines' mouths are not reanimated properly, as their mouths say "The Fat Controller" when they verbally say "Sir Topham Hatt". In a few occasions, this is reversed.
 * Also, several times in the UK script, Sir Topham Hatt is addressed by his nickname in public, when it would be inappropriate, possibly due to broadcasting concerns. This was fixed in Blue Mountain Mystery, when Victor called the Fat Controller by his real name "Sir Topham Hatt".
 * The Fat Controller's television series model from The Grand Opening appeared in the 2009 "Children in Need" charity single and was animated using stop-motion.
 * In Thomas and the Magic Railroad, Diesel 10 calls 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. When he is seen driving Winston, it seems his skills have not improved.
 * The Fat Controller's office set was part of an exhibit at the Hangaram Art 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 the sixteenth series episode, Percy and the Calliope, the narrator refers to them as "helpers".
 * 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 series, the model mainly did not have them at all, excluding the seventh series episode, The Grand Opening. It would not be until the CGI series that he would permanently have eyebrows.
 * 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 thirteenth series to the fifteenth series, Sir Topham Hatt was referred to as "Bertram" (not to be confused with the engine).
 * From Hero of the Rails to the eighteenth series, Sir Topham Hatt had an American accent in the US dub.
 * In most episodes and specials, Sir Topham Hatt is seen writing with his right hand. But in the nineteenth series episode, No Help At All, he is seen writing left-handed. This could likely be a mistake, but may also mean he is ambidextrous (being able to write with both hands).
 * A photo of the Fat Controller from the first series episode, Trouble in the Shed was shown on a web-exclusive video of Last Week Tonight with John Oliver.
 * Sir Topham Hatt is the only named human character to appear and speak in every series of the television series.
 * Between the thirteenth and fifteenth series, Hero of the Rails to Tale of the Brave, Sir Topham Hatt was the only character from the model series to still be voiced by the narrator in the CGI Series in the Finnish dub.
 * His name is a pun on top hat, the constant loss of which is a running gag throughout the series.
 * Although unconfirmed, his sweet tooth might be the showrunners poking fun at his weight.