The Fat Controller

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The Fat Controller
The Railway Series/Thomas & Friends/Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go character
The Fat Controller ("Sir Topham Hatt"), 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	UK Keith Wickham (2009–2021) Bruce Dow (2021–2022) Tom Dussek (2022–present) US: Kerry Shale (2009–2015) Keith Wickham (2015–2020) Bruce Dow (2021–present) Other: Simon Fisher-Becker (Question Time with Sir Topham Hatt) Rob Rackstraw (Thomas' Magical Birthday Wishes and Learn with Thomas)
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 in 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, as the railway has been nationalised. In the foreword 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. 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.