The Hatts spent a long holiday on Toby's old line in East Anglia. Stephen was excited when he first met Toby, but Bridget accidentally offended him by assuming he was an electric tram.
He became the Fat Controller in 1984, succeeding to his father's baronetcy in 1997. In 1970, he married Helen Margaret, a distant cousin and granddaughter of the Reverend Nicholas Dreswick, the much-respected historian of Sodor. They had three children: Richard Topham, born in 1972 and no doubt destined to be Sir Topham Hatt IV (his father will be seventy-four in 2015, though he has, as yet, given no hint of retiring), Charles Nicholas (1974-) and Emily Helen (1977-).
With great skill, he masterminded the arrangements for the royal visit in 1995, when he welcomed the Prince of Wales on his visit to Sodor.
Bio in the Television Series
Stephen had never grown up to be controller, and has always remained as about the same age. He was amongst the boys who teased Daisy about bull's-eyes, and was also amongst the boys who teased Sir Handel about George. He and Bridget helped Toby discover an old castle. He thought that Edward was the strongest and the best, after Edward pushed Duck, Gordon, and their trains into Knapford Station. He and Bridget flew a kite, which got blown away, but Thomas, along with Charlie, Percy, Edward and Emily retrieved it. He and Bridget later caught chickenpox, convincing Henry that engines could catch chickenpox as well.
In the magazines, he and Bridget have a friend named Marcus.
In the magazine story, The Hallowe'en Special, it is said that Stephen and Bridget live on the Mainland and only come to stay with Sir Topham and Lady Hatt every so often.
In Saved from Scrap, Stephen appeared as one of The Vicar's sons.