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COLLECTION · Series · 1989

TUGS

TUGS is a British children's television series first broadcast in 1988. It was created by the producers of Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends, Robert D. Cardona and David Mitton. The series dealt with the adventures of two anthropomorphized tugboat fleets, the Star Fleet and the Z-Stacks, who compete against each other in the fictional Bigg City Port. The series was set in the Roaring Twenties, and was produced by TUGS Ltd., for TVS and Clearwater Features Ltd. Music was composed by Junior Campbell and Mike O'Donnell, who also wrote the music for Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends. Due to the bankruptcy of production company TVS, the series did not continue production past 13 episodes. Following the initial airing of the series throughout 1988, television rights were sold to an unknown party, while all models and sets from the series sold to Britt Allcroft. Modified set props and tugboat models were used in Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends from 1991 onwards.

Source: TMDB
* 8.3 (3)DramaFamily
Creators
Robert D. Cardona · David Mitton
Studios
ABC TV · Clearwater Features · Tugs Ltd
Runtime
15 min/ep
Release
04/04/1989
Score
8.3 / 10 (3)
Where to watch
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Seasons and episodes
Season 1
13 episodes · 1989
Sunshine
Episode 1. Sunshine
1989-04-04 · 15 min

It is the 1920's: Rival tug fleets compete for work in Bigg City Port. Captain Star briefs his Star Tugs - he's trying the regular contract to dock The Duchess ocean liner. It'll be a difficult job but to help out, the captain has…

Episode 2. Pirate
1989-04-11 · 15 min

Ten Cents delivers his last cargo barge to the Old Quay after a very busy day. As night falls, it is towed away by a mysterious boat. Captain Star is cross to hear that one of his customer's deliveries is missing and puts Ten Cents on…

Trapped
Episode 3. Trapped
1989-04-18 · 15 min

The Z-Stacks must share the up-river jobs with the Star Tugs. When a tramper that Zorran and Zug are towing goes out of control blocking the river and trapping the Stars, Zorran tries to take advantage of the situation to get more work…

Regatta
Episode 4. Regatta
1989-04-25 · 15 min

Lillie Lightship is sad. Moored out of the harbour to guide boats and keep them out of danger, she never gets to see the Regatta. In spite of Lillie's warnings, a tramper sees her too late and hits her, making a large hole in her side.…

Munitions
Episode 5. Munitions
1989-05-02 · 15 min

During the annual manoeuvers, both Bigg City tug fleets service the navy. It is a dangerous job, handling ammunition and explosive barges. All is going smoothly until Bluenose, a bossy naval boat demands immediate priority with a…

Warrior
Episode 6. Warrior
1989-05-09 · 15 min

Warrior had always had a reputation for being a bit clumsy, but on this day he sets out to prove to Captain Star that he is capable of working without causing accidents. However, on his usual trips between the quarry and the old quayside…

High Tide
Episode 7. High Tide
1989-05-16 · 15 min

The Stars and the Z-Stacks are both competing for a big steel contract. the fleet which can transport the most steel in one day, wins the contract. The canal is a short cut through Bigg City but Big Mac of the Stars decides to go round…

Quarantine
Episode 8. Quarantine
1989-05-23 · 15 min

It has been one of the hottest weeks of the summer. In such hot weather, there was a greater danger that ships might be carrying diseases. If this was the case, the ships would have to go into quarantine for several days and wait out in…

Ghosts
Episode 9. Ghosts
1989-05-30 · 15 min

Old sea stories - especially about ghosts - are favourites amongst the tugs of Bigg City Harbour. No one will admit to taking them too seriously; so when Big Mac rushes back to the Star Pier one foggy night the other tugs laugh when he…

Jinxed
Episode 10. Jinxed
1989-06-06 · 15 min

In the estuary late one evening Ten Cents and Sunshine came across a tug named Boomer, who was just drifting along hoping to be run down by a big ship and sunk because he was extremely unhappy. Things were always going wrong for Boomer…

High Winds
Episode 11. High Winds
1989-06-13 · 15 min

An old dirty tramper from Australia suspected of smuggling lurks outside the limits of Bigg City bay. It is the notorious Johnny Cuba. When bad weather suddenly comes, he forces Zebedee, one of the Z-Stacks, to tow him into the safety if…

Up River
Episode 12. Up River
1989-06-20 · 15 min

Towing huge piles of logs was always a very dangerous operation. When the snows began to melt and the rivers swelled it added to the danger. Because of the sudden rush of water that it could cause, log jams had to be carefully untangled.…

Bigg Freeze
Episode 13. Bigg Freeze
1989-06-27 · 15 min

An Ocean liner called Vienna is to come into Bigg City Port but Lillie Lightships needs to refuel, if there isn't a light Vienna can't come. Supplies are low, Ten Cents and Sunshine try to find oil for Lillie but they only find one which…

Cast by season
Patrick Allen
Patrick Allen
Timothy Bateson
Timothy Bateson
Shaun Prendergast
Shaun Prendergast
?
John Baddeley
?
Chris Tulloch
Lee Cornes
Lee Cornes
?
Simon Nash
?
Nigel Anthony
Sean Barrett
Sean Barrett
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