ThomasNATION Reviews - Not So Secret Mission
May 02, 2026
If you were to ask any longtime fan of Thomas what their thoughts were on the original television series as a whole, they would more often than not tell you that it's been many years since Sir Topham Hatt first came to Sodor as a railway engineer as he rose quickly in the company being a director at an early age and eventually chairman. His imposing appearance no less than his firm but kindly handling of both engines and staff earned him the affectionate nickname of The Fat Director. Then after nationalization when he was awarded a knighthood for his services to the railway industry, he became Sir Topham Hatt (or The Fat Controller depending on which country you read or watch the show in). With that being said, it shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone whether you're a longtime fan or an aspiring newcomer to the world of Thomas that All Engines Go seems to be giving Sir Topham Hatt a sort of degradation, from a respectable authority figure that the engines could look up to for guidance into the franchise's biggest comic relief, as he somehow manages to cause all of the lamp posts in Vicarstown to fall and shatter. First, you risk your private engine's life for the sake of a roller coaster ride down a dangerous hill and now this? Dude, how are you still in charge of this joint? It's baffling.
I've seen some longtime fans theorize that this version of Sir Topham Hatt could be Sir Richard Topham Hatt in terms of the Hatt Family timeline if we're going off of the canon from the Railway Series books, but even I know that he would want to keep the reputation of this railway that has been a part of his family for generations intact in the eyes of the public. That being said however, I do like how this episode acts as a follow-up to "License To Deliver" which was one of my favorite episodes from all the way back in Season 1 with Thomas donning his "secret agent" disguise from said episode. And speaking of Thomas, I find his dilemma of trying to follow orders discreetly but ends up getting more engines involved as a result of making mistakes as not only relatable for both kids and adults but also kind of funny seeing as Thomas was the one who wanted to know about the surprise that his friends had planned for him as a "thank you" for keeping the lines clear of snow back in Season 8's "Don't Tell Thomas".
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