List of people and animals from Thomas and Friends

The television series Thomas & Friends (along with The Railway Series books) features many fictional people and animals, including train drivers, footplate crews, workers and signalmen, whom interact with the railway engine and vehicle characters and form the basis for many of the varying storylines.

The following list describes the more notable people and animals that have appeared. A few have appeared in more than one episode, but most appear just once.

A number of the characters originated in The Railway Series of children's books by the Rev. W. Awdry. Where appropriate, cross-links are provided to allow access to the non-TV side of the character in question.

Sir Topham Hatt (also known as The Fat Controller), is in charge of all the engines of the North Western Railway on Sodor, and has a great deal of influence on the Island. He is firm but fair, and is an extremely complex character.

He often acts as a father-figure to the railway engines of Sodor - when an engine is upset he speaks to them kindly, and he treats all his engines equally. He does not stand for nonsense, but 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.

He is also quite perceptive and shrewd, and is not above using elaborate schemes to get to the bottom of a problem. For example, when Diesel had been spreading rumours about Duck telling jokes about the big engines, he sent Duck to Edward's Branch line, but some time later, Sir Topham Hatt complimented Duck for his bravery, confiding that he never truly believed Diesel's lies.

He is undeniably nostalgic, and the way he runs his railway recalls the better elements of the days of steam. He is not afraid to get his hands dirty at the footplate of a steam engine. As a young man, he learned to drive a steam-powered lorry named Elizabeth.

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