TUGS
Encyclopedia
TUGS is a British
children's television series
, first broadcast in 1988. It was created by the producers of Thomas the Tank Engine and 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
. It is set in the 1920s, during the booming business era of the Roaring Twenties
. It 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.
Following the initial airing of the series throughout 1988, television
rights were sold to an unknown party, with all models and sets from the series being sold to Britt Allcroft
. Modified set props and tugboat models were used in Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends from 1991 onwards, with footage from the original program being heavily dubbed
and edited for use in American
children's series Salty's Lighthouse
. Mitton returned to working with Thomas and Friends in 1991, while Cardona would go on to direct Theodore Tugboat
, a similarly natured animated series set in Canada
. All thirteen episodes of the show were released on VHS
between 1988 and 1993.
era of the early twentieth century. The Star Fleet compete for work in Bigg City Port
, alongside the fleet's biggest rivals, the Z-Stacks.
Throughout the series, the two fleets primarily contest contracts to dock
and tow
larger sailing vessels and objects, including ocean liner
s, tramp steamers and schooner
s. Various other contractual obligations were also completed by the two fleets, including transportation of stone
, munitions
and logging
fell. The series was considerably darker in tone than many other children's television programmes, with further plots involving crime, violence, and sabotagery. The characters' dialogue, too, was somewhat mature for a children's series, featuring slang
and terminology not normally directed at children. Characters would often insult each other, as well as use historical and maritime terms.
The Star Fleet are considered the show's protagonist
s, who aim to work together to achieve contract
s in the port. The models were styled upon the Crowley Maritime Corporation
, founded in San Francisco
in 1892. They are led by Captain Star, who narrates the series. The fleet consists of Ten Cents, Big Mac, O.J., Top Hat, Warrior, Hercules and Sunshine.
Another tugboat, Boomer, is briefly a member of the Star Fleet after being found floating at sea. Boomer believes himself to be jinxed, and he certainly seems to bring trouble with him wherever he went. After numerous nasty accidents, Captain Star sells Boomer, who is later made into a houseboat
. It is unknown whether he remains part of the fleet after this. The adventures of Boomer are centric to the episode "Jinxed". Grampus, a naval submarine
who appears throughout the series, is purchased from the navy by Captain Star to work for the Star Fleet. It is also unknown whether this remains after the conclusion of the series.
, who can be seen frequently trying to sabotage
the good work of the Star Fleet. They take on the more risky contracts in the port, at the attraction of a higher pay. The models' design was taken from the Moran Tugs of New York
. They are led by Captain Zero. The fleet consists of Zorran, Zebedee, Zak, Zug and Zip. As with the Star Fleet, Boomer also briefly works for the Z-Stacks, following being sold by the former. Despite this, Boomer is cast out the Z-Stacks also.
In the Japanese
version of the show, dubbed
voices were used. Those credited were:
, Captain Star (voiced by Patrick Allen
). Filming and production of the series took place throughout 1987-1988, in west London
's Shepperton Studios
. The series was animated using live-action models, which were seen as the most realistic method of portraying real tugboat
s. The set featured the Clearwater Periscope lens system
, a type of professional video camera
used to film at the models' eye level. Each model was mounted on a wheeled chassis, which were then pulled through the water using transparent string. Remote control
devices were initially tested in operating the machines, but the tugboats became too heavy and unable to move through the water. Remote controls were instead used to power other devices, such as the moving eye features of the models and some cranes.
in the United Kingdom
, and then on Australia
's ABC Network
. Talks of a second series were never finalised, and eventually all plans to create a follow-up were dropped. Redubbed
and heavily edited footage aired later as part of American children's series Salty's Lighthouse
, which aired in 1997. The series also aired in Japan
with Japanese
voice-overs.
A number of items of TUGS merchandise was produced surrounding the series' release in the early 1990s. Some of the merchandise includes:
In line with the series being released in Japan
, a range of Japanese merchandise was also released, such as models of the set and characters, videos, books and an LCD game.
versions of the series were released between 1988 and 1993 in the United Kingdom
, Australia
and Japan
. Three of these videos contained three fifteen minute episodes, while two contained two twenty minute episodes (these episodes were edited to fifteen minutes for television broadcasts, most likely due to time slot issues). In addition, a number of original scenes were extended/deleted for the videos, including an alternate opening title sequence. Those released included:
A four episode, 65 minute version was released in 1993:
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
children's television series
Children's television series
Children's television series, are commercial television programs designed for, and marketed to children, normally scheduled for broadcast during the morning and afternoon when children are awake. They can sometimes run in the early evening, for the children that go to school...
, first broadcast in 1988. It was created by the producers of Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends, Robert D. Cardona
Robert D. Cardona
Robert D. Cardona is an American writer, producer, director and animator. Cardona co-founded Clearwater Features, along with David Mitton, in 1980.-Career:...
and David Mitton
David Mitton
David Nelson Godfrey Mitton was a British television producer and director, and an experienced model maker and author, best known for directing and producing the children's television shows TUGS and Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends...
. The series dealt with the adventures of two anthropomorphized
Anthropomorphism
Anthropomorphism is any attribution of human characteristics to animals, non-living things, phenomena, material states, objects or abstract concepts, such as organizations, governments, spirits or deities. The term was coined in the mid 1700s...
tugboat
Tugboat
A tugboat is a boat that maneuvers vessels by pushing or towing them. Tugs move vessels that either should not move themselves, such as ships in a crowded harbor or a narrow canal,or those that cannot move by themselves, such as barges, disabled ships, or oil platforms. Tugboats are powerful for...
fleets, the Star Fleet and the Z-Stacks, who compete against each other in the fictional Bigg City Port
Bigg City Port
Bigg City Port is a fictional harbour the setting of the 1988 children's television series TUGS. The port is home to two tugboat fleets around which the series centres, the Star Tugs and The Z Stacks...
. It is set in the 1920s, during the booming business era of the Roaring Twenties
Roaring Twenties
The Roaring Twenties is a phrase used to describe the 1920s, principally in North America, but also in London, Berlin and Paris for a period of sustained economic prosperity. The phrase was meant to emphasize the period's social, artistic, and cultural dynamism...
. It was produced by Tugs Ltd., for TVS
Television South
Television South was the ITV franchise holder in the south and south east of England between 1 January 1982 and 31 December 1992. The company operated under various names, initially as Television South plc and then following reorganisation in 1989 as TVS Entertainment plc, with its UK...
and Clearwater Features
Clearwater Features
Clearwater Features Ltd. was a British film production company that produced the first two seasons of the children's television series Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends from 1984 to 1986, for The Britt Allcroft Company. Clearwater is also known for creating the hit children's TV show TUGS...
Ltd. Music was composed by Junior Campbell
Junior Campbell
Junior Campbell is a Scottish composer, songwriter and musician. He was a founding member, lead guitarist, piano player, and singer with the Scottish band Marmalade and co-wrote and produced some of their biggest successes, including "Reflections of My Life", "I See The Rain" and "Rainbow".He...
and Mike O'Donnell
Mike O'Donnell
Mike O'Donnell is an English film and television composer and bass guitarist.He co-wrote the scores for the children's television series Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends and TUGS, and the score for the films That Summer of White Roses, Merlin: The True Story of Magic and October 32nd with...
, who also wrote the music for Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends.
Following the initial airing of the series throughout 1988, television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
rights were sold to an unknown party, with all models and sets from the series being sold to Britt Allcroft
Britt Allcroft
Britt Allcroft is the multi- award-winning creator of a trio of children's entertainment produced in the 1980s and 1990s: "Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends", , "Shining Time Station" and "Britt Allcroft's Magic Adventures of Mumfie".She was born Hilary Mary Allcroft, in Worthing, England and, at...
. Modified set props and tugboat models were used in Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends from 1991 onwards, with footage from the original program being heavily dubbed
Dubbing (filmmaking)
Dubbing is the post-production process of recording and replacing voices on a motion picture or television soundtrack subsequent to the original shooting. The term most commonly refers to the substitution of the voices of the actors shown on the screen by those of different performers, who may be...
and edited for use in American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
children's series Salty's Lighthouse
Salty's Lighthouse
Salty's Lighthouse was a series for young children, produced by Sunbow Entertainment in 1997 in association with the Bank Street College of Education in New York. The show centred around a young boy named Salty, as he plays and learns with his friends in a magical lighthouse...
. Mitton returned to working with Thomas and Friends in 1991, while Cardona would go on to direct Theodore Tugboat
Theodore Tugboat
Theodore Tugboat is a Canadian children's television series about a tugboat named Theodore who lives in the Big Harbour with all of his friends. The show was produced in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada by the CBC , and the now defunct Cochran Entertainment, and was filmed on a model set using radio...
, a similarly natured animated series set in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. All thirteen episodes of the show were released on VHS
VHS
The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
between 1988 and 1993.
Synopsis
The series begins with the introduction of the Star Fleet, a small group of tugboats working the Roaring TwentiesRoaring Twenties
The Roaring Twenties is a phrase used to describe the 1920s, principally in North America, but also in London, Berlin and Paris for a period of sustained economic prosperity. The phrase was meant to emphasize the period's social, artistic, and cultural dynamism...
era of the early twentieth century. The Star Fleet compete for work in Bigg City Port
Bigg City Port
Bigg City Port is a fictional harbour the setting of the 1988 children's television series TUGS. The port is home to two tugboat fleets around which the series centres, the Star Tugs and The Z Stacks...
, alongside the fleet's biggest rivals, the Z-Stacks.
Throughout the series, the two fleets primarily contest contracts to dock
Dock (maritime)
A dock is a human-made structure or group of structures involved in the handling of boats or ships, usually on or close to a shore.However, the exact meaning varies among different variants of the English language...
and tow
Towing
Towing is the process of pulling or drawing behind a chain, line, bar or some other form of couplings. Towing is most visibly performed by road vehicles, but anything from waterborne vessels to tractors to people can tow cargo. Troop carrying and cargo carrying gliders were towed behind powered...
larger sailing vessels and objects, including ocean liner
Ocean liner
An ocean liner is a ship designed to transport people from one seaport to another along regular long-distance maritime routes according to a schedule. Liners may also carry cargo or mail, and may sometimes be used for other purposes .Cargo vessels running to a schedule are sometimes referred to as...
s, tramp steamers and schooner
Schooner
A schooner is a type of sailing vessel characterized by the use of fore-and-aft sails on two or more masts with the forward mast being no taller than the rear masts....
s. Various other contractual obligations were also completed by the two fleets, including transportation of stone
STONe
is a Japanese manga written and illustrated by Sin-Ichi Hiromoto. Kodansha released the two bound volumes of the manga on April 23, 2002 and August 23, 2002, respectively.The manga is licensed for an English-languague released in North America be Tokyopop...
, munitions
Ammunition
Ammunition is a generic term derived from the French language la munition which embraced all material used for war , but which in time came to refer specifically to gunpowder and artillery. The collective term for all types of ammunition is munitions...
and logging
Logging
Logging is the cutting, skidding, on-site processing, and loading of trees or logs onto trucks.In forestry, the term logging is sometimes used in a narrow sense concerning the logistics of moving wood from the stump to somewhere outside the forest, usually a sawmill or a lumber yard...
fell. The series was considerably darker in tone than many other children's television programmes, with further plots involving crime, violence, and sabotagery. The characters' dialogue, too, was somewhat mature for a children's series, featuring slang
Slang
Slang is the use of informal words and expressions that are not considered standard in the speaker's language or dialect but are considered more acceptable when used socially. Slang is often to be found in areas of the lexicon that refer to things considered taboo...
and terminology not normally directed at children. Characters would often insult each other, as well as use historical and maritime terms.
Star Fleet
Protagonist
A protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
s, who aim to work together to achieve contract
Contract
A contract is an agreement entered into by two parties or more with the intention of creating a legal obligation, which may have elements in writing. Contracts can be made orally. The remedy for breach of contract can be "damages" or compensation of money. In equity, the remedy can be specific...
s in the port. The models were styled upon the Crowley Maritime Corporation
Crowley Maritime
Crowley Maritime Corporation, based in Jacksonville, Florida, and founded in 1892, is primarily a family and employee-owned company that provides transportation and logistics services in U.S...
, founded in San Francisco
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
in 1892. They are led by Captain Star, who narrates the series. The fleet consists of Ten Cents, Big Mac, O.J., Top Hat, Warrior, Hercules and Sunshine.
Another tugboat, Boomer, is briefly a member of the Star Fleet after being found floating at sea. Boomer believes himself to be jinxed, and he certainly seems to bring trouble with him wherever he went. After numerous nasty accidents, Captain Star sells Boomer, who is later made into a houseboat
Houseboat
A houseboat is a boat that has been designed or modified to be used primarily as a human dwelling. Some houseboats are not motorized, because they are usually moored, kept stationary at a fixed point and often tethered to land to provide utilities...
. It is unknown whether he remains part of the fleet after this. The adventures of Boomer are centric to the episode "Jinxed". Grampus, a naval submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
who appears throughout the series, is purchased from the navy by Captain Star to work for the Star Fleet. It is also unknown whether this remains after the conclusion of the series.
Z-Stacks
The Z-Stacks are the show's antagonistsAntagonist
An antagonist is a character, group of characters, or institution, that represents the opposition against which the protagonist must contend...
, who can be seen frequently trying to sabotage
Sabotage
Sabotage is a deliberate action aimed at weakening another entity through subversion, obstruction, disruption, or destruction. In a workplace setting, sabotage is the conscious withdrawal of efficiency generally directed at causing some change in workplace conditions. One who engages in sabotage is...
the good work of the Star Fleet. They take on the more risky contracts in the port, at the attraction of a higher pay. The models' design was taken from the Moran Tugs of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. They are led by Captain Zero. The fleet consists of Zorran, Zebedee, Zak, Zug and Zip. As with the Star Fleet, Boomer also briefly works for the Z-Stacks, following being sold by the former. Despite this, Boomer is cast out the Z-Stacks also.
| Voice actor | Character(s) |
|---|---|
| Patrick Allen Patrick Allen John Keith Patrick Allen was a British film, television and voice actor.-Life and career:Allen was born in Nyasaland , where his father was a tobacco farmer. After his parents returned to Britain, he was evacuated to Canada during World War II where he remained to finish his education at McGill... |
Captain Star (as narrator and character) |
| Nigel Anthony Nigel Anthony Nigel Anthony, is a British theatre and television actor, who has also worked notably in radio with many broadcasts to his credit He is married to the actress Kate Binchy and is also an accomplished drummer with a wide knowledge of jazz.His theatre work includes The Taming of the Shrew, Happy... |
Big Mac, Hercules, Zebedee, Fire Tug, Sea Rogue, Frank |
| John Baddeley John Baddeley (actor) Edward John Baddeley is a British actor. Apart from his work in the theatre in the provinces and the West End, he is also notable for his work with the BBC and as voice-over artist... |
Top Hat, Zip, Puffa, Burke, The Quarry Master, The Shrimpers |
| Sean Barrett Sean Barrett (actor) Seán Barrett is a British actor and voice actor.He began acting as a child appearing on BBC children's television and in films such as Bang! You're Dead, War and Peace, The Genie and Four Sided Triangle.Years later he made many appearances in television and films including ITV Television... |
Warrior, Mighty Moe, Scuttle Butt Pete, Blair, Bluenose, Johnny Cuba, Jack the Grappler, Nantucket |
| Timothy Bateson Timothy Bateson Timothy Dingwall Bateson was a British actor. The son of Dingwall Bateson, a solicitor later knighted, he was educated at Uppingham School and Wadham College, Oxford.... |
O.J., Lord Stinker, Little Ditcher, Big Mickey, Eddie, Municipal Garbage Corporation |
| Lee Cornes Lee Cornes Lee Cornes is a British actor.He appeared in three series of Blackadder, as a talking extra, in two episodes of The Young Ones and in the TV show Bottom, as barman, 'Dick Head'. He made an appearance in the first episode of Filthy, Rich & Catflap as a binman. He also starred in children's drama... |
Grampus, The Coast Guard, Billy Shoepack, Boomer, The Fuel Depot |
| Mike Mulloy Mike Mulloy Mike Mulloy is a British actor who became a member of the cast of The Benny Hill Show in its later years, although his roles were usually very minor and he more often acted as Hill's stand-in. He also played the Garage Manager in Through an Unknown Land, the Landlord's friend from The Return, and... |
Captain Zero, Zug, Izzy Gomez |
| Simon Nash Simon Nash - Television Fame :Nash made his television debut in 1980 at the age of 8 as Sammy in the 1980 sitcom Nobody's Perfect. He later starred as Sean Stebbings in the 1987 black sitcom Tickets for the Titanic, as Garth Stubbs in the first series of Birds of a Feather, and in the children's TV programme... |
Ten Cents |
| Shaun Prendergast Shaun Prendergast Shaun Prendergast is a British actor and writer. Prendergast has made hundreds of appearances in television, film and on radio and written extensively for the stage, television, radio and film. He played Greg Doland in British soap opera Emmerdale from August 2007 until July 2008. In 2009 he... |
Sunshine, Zak |
| Chris Tulloch Chris Tulloch Chris Tulloch is a British animator, who has worked on children's series such as TUGS, Salty's Lighthouse and Dream Street.He is best known for voicing the crucial antagonist part of Zorran in TUGS and directed four of the thirteen episodes that currently exist today.He currently collaborates with... |
Zorran |
In the Japanese
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
version of the show, dubbed
Dubbing (filmmaking)
Dubbing is the post-production process of recording and replacing voices on a motion picture or television soundtrack subsequent to the original shooting. The term most commonly refers to the substitution of the voices of the actors shown on the screen by those of different performers, who may be...
voices were used. Those credited were:
| Fleet | Character | Voice actor |
|---|---|---|
| Star Fleet | Ten Cents | Shigeru Nakahara Shigeru Nakahara is a veteran seiyū . He works at Vi-Vo .-Notable voice roles:*Another Century's Episode 2 , *Arion *Aura Battler Dunbine *Biker Mice from Mars... |
| Big Mac | Keiji Fujiwara Keiji Fujiwara is a Japanese voice actor from the Tokyo Metropolitan area who is affiliated with Air Agengy.His best known projects include Crayon Shin-chan as Hiroshi Nohara, Eureka Seven as Holland, Fullmetal Alchemist as Lieutenant-Colonel Hughes, Zoids: Chaotic Century as Irvine, Final Fantasy VII Advent... |
|
| O.J. | Masaaki Tsukada Masaaki Tsukada is a Japanese voice actor working for Mouse Promotion. His wife, Masako Nozawa, is also a voice actress.-Voice roles:Major roles are in bold.* Black Lagoon as Chief Watsup* Bleach as Shikeguni Yamamoto-Genryūsai* Crusher Joe as Barney... |
|
| Top Hat | Masashi Ebara Masashi Ebara , better known as , is a Japanese voice actor, actor, and narrator from Kanagawa Prefecture. He stands at 175 centimeters and is affiliated with 81 Produce.... |
|
| Warrior | Mitsuaki Madono Mitsuaki Madono is a voice actor who was born in Osaka, Japan. He has a penchant for voicing characters who are supposedly jokers, but sometimes hide a more insidious nature is a voice actor (seiyū) who was born in Osaka, Japan. He has a penchant for voicing characters who are supposedly jokers, but sometimes... |
|
| Sunshine | Yūko Mita Yuko Mita is a Japanese voice actress. She is known for playing gentle, sexy bishōjo as well as many roles of young boys. Her hobbies include tennis and skiing... |
|
| Captain Star | Rokurō Naya Rokuro Naya is a Japanese voice actor. He is the brother of voice actor Gorō Naya. A lifetime resident of Tokyo, he is affiliated with Mausu Promotion.-Anime:*Aquarius Camus in Saint Seiya*Sensui Shinobu in Yu Yu Hakusho*Enchou in Crayon Shin-chan... |
|
| Z-Stacks | Zorran | Hazime Ozeki |
| Zebedee | Kōji Ishii Koji Ishii is a Japanese voice actor currently affiliated with Vi-Vo.-Notable voice roles:*Chief Koutarou Taiga in The King of Braves GaoGaiGar and The King of Braves GaoGaiGar FINAL*Kimura-sensei in Azumanga Daioh*Jose Collins in A.D... |
|
| Zak | Hideyuki Umezu Hideyuki Umezu is a Japanese voice actor and member of 81 Produce.-Anime:* Bakugan Battle Brawlers * Blood+ * Bonobono * Death Note * Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood... |
|
| Zug | Taro Arakawa | |
| Zip | Masashi Ebara | |
| Captain Zero | Masaaki Tsukada |
Format and production
The series consists of thirteen fifteen-minute episodes (though four exist as twenty-minute episodes on the TUGS Videos), each told by the show's narratorNarrator
A narrator is, within any story , the fictional or non-fictional, personal or impersonal entity who tells the story to the audience. When the narrator is also a character within the story, he or she is sometimes known as the viewpoint character. The narrator is one of three entities responsible for...
, Captain Star (voiced by Patrick Allen
Patrick Allen
John Keith Patrick Allen was a British film, television and voice actor.-Life and career:Allen was born in Nyasaland , where his father was a tobacco farmer. After his parents returned to Britain, he was evacuated to Canada during World War II where he remained to finish his education at McGill...
). Filming and production of the series took place throughout 1987-1988, in west London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
's Shepperton Studios
Shepperton Studios
Shepperton Studios is a film studio in Shepperton, Surrey, England with a history dating back to 1931 since when many notable films have been made there...
. The series was animated using live-action models, which were seen as the most realistic method of portraying real tugboat
Tugboat
A tugboat is a boat that maneuvers vessels by pushing or towing them. Tugs move vessels that either should not move themselves, such as ships in a crowded harbor or a narrow canal,or those that cannot move by themselves, such as barges, disabled ships, or oil platforms. Tugboats are powerful for...
s. The set featured the Clearwater Periscope lens system
Clearwater Periscope lens system
The Clearwater Periscope lens system was a type of television camera developed in 1985 by Clearwater Features for use on children's television series' TUGS and Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends. The cameras were used together with live action model animation, to produce the image of character...
, a type of professional video camera
Professional video camera
A professional video camera is a high-end device for creating electronic moving images...
used to film at the models' eye level. Each model was mounted on a wheeled chassis, which were then pulled through the water using transparent string. Remote control
Remote control
A remote control is a component of an electronics device, most commonly a television set, used for operating the television device wirelessly from a short line-of-sight distance.The remote control is usually contracted to remote...
devices were initially tested in operating the machines, but the tugboats became too heavy and unable to move through the water. Remote controls were instead used to power other devices, such as the moving eye features of the models and some cranes.
Planned second series
In an interview in April 2008, David Mitton revealed that a second series had been planned well in advance of the shooting/filming of the first series. Already over 96 scripts had been written by Mitton himself and other writers with a regular 13 episodes to be produced. Most of the series would have been set 'up river' instead of the Bigg City harbour setting, which Mitton considered restrictive and difficult to film in. As well as the same regular main cast, some new tugs would have been introduced. TVS going bankrupt ultimately halted the second series from being produced.Airing
TUGS first aired on CITVCITV
CITV is a British television channel from ITV Digital Channels Ltd, a division of ITV plc. It broadcasts content from the CITV archive, as well as commissions and acquisitions. CITV itself is the programming block on the main ITV Network .The CITV channel broadcasts from 06:00 to 18:00...
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, and then on Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
's ABC Network
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
. Talks of a second series were never finalised, and eventually all plans to create a follow-up were dropped. Redubbed
Dubbing (filmmaking)
Dubbing is the post-production process of recording and replacing voices on a motion picture or television soundtrack subsequent to the original shooting. The term most commonly refers to the substitution of the voices of the actors shown on the screen by those of different performers, who may be...
and heavily edited footage aired later as part of American children's series Salty's Lighthouse
Salty's Lighthouse
Salty's Lighthouse was a series for young children, produced by Sunbow Entertainment in 1997 in association with the Bank Street College of Education in New York. The show centred around a young boy named Salty, as he plays and learns with his friends in a magical lighthouse...
, which aired in 1997. The series also aired in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
with Japanese
Japanese language
is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
voice-overs.
Merchandise
- Ertl models - Ten Cents and Sunshine models were produced by toyToyA toy is any object that can be used for play. Toys are associated commonly with children and pets. Playing with toys is often thought to be an enjoyable means of training the young for life in human society. Different materials are used to make toys enjoyable and cuddly to both young and old...
company ErtlErtl CompanyThe Ertl Company is an American toy company best known for its die-cast metal alloy collectible replicas of farm equipment and vehicles. The company is based in Dyersville, Iowa, home of the National Farm Toy Museum...
. The full Star Fleet cast were originally to be produced, but only the above two were made. In addition, none of the Z-Stacks were produced. - Photo Books
- 2 hardbackHardcoverA hardcover, hardback or hardbound is a book bound with rigid protective covers...
annuals - 1 hardback dot-to-dotConnect the dotsConnect the dots, also known as dot to dot or join the dots is a form of puzzle containing a sequence of numbered dots. When a line is drawn connecting the dots the outline of an object is revealed. The puzzles often contain simple line art to enhance the image created or to assist in rendering a...
book - JigsawJigsawJigsaw may refer to:* Jigsaw , a tool used for cutting arbitrary curves* Jigsaw puzzle, a tiling puzzle that requires the assembly of interlocking pieces- Film and television :* Jigsaw , a 1949 film noir...
sets - A bed cover
- A TUGS-themed board gameBoard gameA board game is a game which involves counters or pieces being moved on a pre-marked surface or "board", according to a set of rules. Games may be based on pure strategy, chance or a mixture of the two, and usually have a goal which a player aims to achieve...
- Collectors edition thimblesThimbleA thimble is a small hard pitted cup worn for protection on the finger that pushes the needle in sewing.The earliest known thimble was Roman and was found at Pompeii. Made of bronze, its creation has been dated to the 1st century AD...
- Card Game
- Publicity Pack
In line with the series being released in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, a range of Japanese merchandise was also released, such as models of the set and characters, videos, books and an LCD game.
VHS release
A number of VHSVHS
The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
versions of the series were released between 1988 and 1993 in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. Three of these videos contained three fifteen minute episodes, while two contained two twenty minute episodes (these episodes were edited to fifteen minutes for television broadcasts, most likely due to time slot issues). In addition, a number of original scenes were extended/deleted for the videos, including an alternate opening title sequence. Those released included:
- "Sunshine"/"Pirate"
- "Trapped"/"Ghosts"/"High Winds"
- "Jinxed"/"Quarantine"/"Up River"
- "Bigg Freeze"/"Warrior"/"High Tide"
- "Munitions"/"4th of July"
A four episode, 65 minute version was released in 1993:
- "Trapped"/"Ghosts"/"High Winds"/"4th of July"