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 Dr Beeching was closing down branch lines on the Mainland, Charles was reopening them on Sodor. He retired as Controller in 1984, and died in 1997 at age 83. He appeared in: Percy the Small Engine Percy and the Signal Duck Takes Charge Percy's Promise The Eight Famous Engines Percy Takes the Plunge Gordon Goes Foreign Double Header The Fat Controller's Engines Duck and the Diesel Engine Domeless Engines Pop Goes the Diesel Dirty Work A Close Shave The Twin Engines Branch Line Engines Thomas Comes to Breakfast Daisy Percy's Predicament Stepney the "Bluebell" Engine Bluebells of England Bowled Out Main Line Engines Buzz, Buzz Wrong Road Edward's Exploit Small Railway Engines - Ballast Enterprising Engines Tenders for Henry Super Rescue Escape Little Western Oliver the Western Engine Donald's Duck Resource and Sagacity Toad Stands By Bulgy Tramway Engines Woolly Bear Toby's Tightrope Really Useful Engines Stop Thief! Fish Triple-Header Sir Stephen Topham Hatt, 3rd Baronet (1941-) Stephen Topham Hatt was first seen as a child in the book Toby the Tram Engine. As an adult, he was made the third Controller of the North Western Railway. His son, Richard Topham Hatt, is tipped to be the next Fat Controller on Stephen's retirement, and at Stephen's death, he will inherit the family's baronetcy and the title 'Sir Topham Hatt'. He appeared in: Toby the Tram Engine - Toby and the Stout Gentleman James and the Diesel Engines Old Stuck-Up Crossed Lines More About Thomas the Tank Engine Thomas, Percy and the Coal The Runaway Better Late Than Never Gordon the High-Speed Engine High-Speed Gordon Smokescreen Fire Escape Gordon Proves His Point Toby, Trucks and Trouble Mavis and the Lorry Toby's Seaside Holiday Bulstrode Toby Takes the Road Thomas and the Twins Scrambled Eggs Trevor Helps Out Thomas and the Great Railway Show Museum-Piece Not the Ticket Trouble on the Line Thomas and the Railtour Thomas