Tugs (TV series) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tugs |
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| Genre |
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| Created by |
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| Narrated by | Patrick Allen |
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| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of series | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 13 (list of episodes) |
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| Producer(s) |
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| Production location(s) | Shepperton Studios, Surrey, England |
| Cinematography | Clearwater periscope lens system |
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| Running time | Approx. 15 minutes |
| Production company(s) | Tugs Limited |
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| Picture format | PAL (576i) |
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| Original release | 4 April – 27 June 1989 |
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| Related shows | |
Tugs is a British children's television series that first aired on ITV in 1989. It was created by Robert D. Cardona and David Mitton. They had also worked on the popular show Thomas & Friends.
The series is set in the 1920s in a busy place called Bigg City Port. This port is known as "the biggest harbour in the world." The show is about two groups of tugboats: the Star Fleet and the Z-Stacks. These tugboats can talk and act like people. They often compete against each other while working in the port.
The music for Tugs was created by Junior Campbell and Mike O'Donnell. They also composed music for Thomas & Friends. Even though a second series was planned, only 13 episodes were made. This happened because the TV company, TVS, lost its broadcasting license. Some of the models and sets from Tugs were later used in Thomas & Friends. Footage from Tugs was also used in an American children's show called Salty's Lighthouse.
Contents
Meet the Characters
This section introduces the main tugboat characters from the show.
The Star Fleet: Heroes of the Port
The Star Fleet are the good guys in the show. They work together to get jobs done in the port. Their design was inspired by real tugboats from the Crowley Maritime Corporation.
Captain Star leads the Star Fleet and also narrates the series. The team includes:
- Ten Cents
- Big Mac
- O.J.
- Top Hat
- Warrior
- Hercules
- Sunshine
A tugboat named Boomer joins the Star Fleet for a short time. He thinks he brings bad luck, and strange things often happen around him. After many accidents, Captain Star sells Boomer, and he becomes a houseboat.
Grampus, a submarine from the Navy, is also bought by Captain Star to work with the Star Fleet.
The Z-Stacks: Rivals of the Port
The Z-Stacks are the rivals in the show. They often try to cause trouble for the Star Fleet. They take on more risky jobs in the port because they offer higher pay. Their design is based on the Moran Tugs from New York City.
Captain Zero leads the Z-Stacks. His fleet includes:
- Zorran
- Zebedee
- Zak
- Zug
- Zip
Boomer also briefly worked for the Z-Stacks after being sold by the Star Fleet. However, he was also kicked out of the Z-Stacks after an accident with an explosives barge.
Voice Actors
The voices for the characters were provided by these talented actors:
- Simon Nash as Ten Cents
- Shaun Prendergast as Sunshine, Zak
- Nigel Anthony as Warrior, Hercules, Zug, and others
- John Baddeley as Top Hat, Zip, and others
- Sean Barrett as Big Mac, Captain Zero, Zebedee, and others
- Timothy Bateson as O.J., Big Mickey, and others
- Lee Cornes as Grampus, Coast Guard, Billy Shoepack, Boomer
- Chris Tulloch as Zorran, Shrimpers
- JoAnne Good as Lillie Lightship, Sally Seaplane, Pearl
- Sue Glover as S.S. Vienna
- Patrick Allen as Captain Star, Narrator
Episodes of Tugs
Tugs first aired on Children's ITV in the United Kingdom. It was also shown on Australia's ABC TV. Plans for a second series were never completed. Later, the show's footage was used in the American series Salty's Lighthouse in 1997. Tugs also aired in Japan with Japanese voice actors.
Here is a list of the 13 episodes:
| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | |
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| 1 | "Sunshine" | David Mitton | Gloria Tors | 4 April 1989 | |
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Captain Star introduces Bigg City Port and the Star and Zero Fleets. Ten Cents helps new tug Sunshine. Zorran from the Zero Fleet tries to make Sunshine look bad during a docking job. But with help from another ship, Sunshine is welcomed into the Star Fleet.
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| 2 | "Pirate" | David Mitton | Tarquin Cardona | 11 April 1989 | |
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Barges start disappearing in Bigg City Port. The Star and Zero Fleets team up to find the thief. Grampus, a submarine, discovers a tug named Sea Rogue is being forced to steal. The tugs work together to catch the real villains.
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| 3 | "Trapped" | Chris Tulloch | Chris Tulloch | 18 April 1989 | |
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Both fleets are working on a logging job. Zorran's impatience causes a ship to block the river, trapping the Star Fleet. Billy Shoepack, an Alligator Tug, uses dynamite to clear the way. Zorran ends up stuck on rocks.
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| 4 | "Regatta" | David Mitton | David Mitton | 25 April 1989 | |
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Lillie Lightship is damaged and brought to port. Bluenose, a Naval Tug, arrives looking for Grampus to use him for target practice. The Star Fleet works to save Grampus before the Regatta festival.
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| 5 | "Munitions" | David Mitton | David Mitton | 2 May 1989 | |
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The tugs deliver dangerous cargo for the Navy. Bluenose, a bossy Naval Tug, causes trouble. His actions lead to a huge explosion at the docks. Ten Cents bravely moves a petrol barge to safety.
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| 6 | "Warrior" | Chris Tulloch | Robert D. Cardona | 9 May 1989 | |
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Warrior is strong but clumsy. He accidentally sinks a barge and causes issues. Later, he helps Ten Cents and Izzy Gomez, proving himself useful despite his clumsiness.
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| 7 | "High Tide" | David Mitton | David Mitton | 16 May 1989 | |
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The Star and Zero Tugs compete for a steel contract. Zebedee and Zak try a shortcut through a canal. But they don't consider the high tide, which causes problems with a railway bridge.
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| 8 | "Quarantine" | Chris Tulloch | Tarquin Cardona | 23 May 1989 | |
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During a heatwave, ships are quarantined to stop illness from spreading. O.J. has engine trouble and causes an accident. Sunshine discovers a ship breaking quarantine. O.J. saves Ten Cents from being quarantined.
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| 9 | "Ghosts" | David Mitton | David Mitton | 30 May 1989 | |
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A thick fog covers Bigg City Port. Big Mac sees mysterious white tugs and gets scared. The other tugs laugh at him. But soon, everyone starts seeing the strange tugs. Hercules explains what's really happening.
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| 10 | "Jinxed" | David Mitton | David Mitton | 6 June 1989 | |
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Ten Cents and Sunshine find a drifting tug named Boomer. Boomer believes he is jinxed, and bad luck follows him. Many accidents happen around Boomer, leading Captain Star to decide he can't be a tug anymore.
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| 11 | "High Winds" | Chris Tulloch | Chris Tulloch | 13 June 1989 | |
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A criminal named Johnny Cuba enters Bigg City Port. Zebedee is caught between his work and Cuba's demands. Meanwhile, the Star Tugs struggle with strong winds while doing their jobs.
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| 12 | "Up River" | David Mitton | David Mitton | 20 June 1989 | |
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Sunshine gets trapped by burning logs. Puffa, a steam locomotive, tells Ten Cents. Billy Shoepack offers to help with explosives. The explosion frees Sunshine but sends logs downstream, causing more trouble.
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| 13 | "Bigg Freeze" | David Mitton | Roy Russell | 27 June 1989 | |
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Bigg City Port freezes over. Hercules needs to bring in the S.S. Vienna. Ten Cents and Sunshine need fuel for Lillie Lightship, but Zorran won't share. The tugs work together to guide Vienna in, using creative solutions.
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Preserving the Tugs Models
The TUGS: The Exhibition
For a long time, people thought the original models from the Tugs TV series were lost. But in 2012, a group of fans found and bought them online!
In 2013, these fans started 'The Star Tugs Company Ltd', now called 'TUGS: The Exhibition'. This group is a non-profit trust. Their goal is to save, fix, and show the models and props used in the show.
As of 2020, the exhibition owns most of the main and supporting character models. They also have different faces for the characters, props, and other items from the series. (The models for Top Hat and Grampus are still missing).
You can visit the exhibition! It's located in a railway coach at Butterley station. This station is part of the Midland Railway – Butterley in Derbyshire, England. The exhibition is open when the railway is running and on special 'TUGS' weekends.
