Tugs – Nostalgia Central

1 9 8 9 – 1 9 9 0 (UK)
13 x 15 minute episodes

In the 1920s, Bigg City Port was the biggest harbour in the world.

The busy working port was served day and night by hardworking tugboats whose strength and big hearts made them popular with everyone from Tramp Steamers to ocean liners.

The Star Fleet was managed by Captain Star (voiced by Patrick Allen), who narrated the episodes.

His fleet comprised three harbour tugs (Warrior, Big Mac and a Welsh paddle steamer named OJ), a railway tug (Top Hat), two little switchers (Ten Cents and Sunshine) and a large ocean-going tug named Hercules.

The Star Fleet’s biggest rival was Captain Zero (voiced by Sean Barrett) and his fleet of Z Stacks – Zorran, Zip, Zak and Zug – who employed devious tactics to steal business away from the Star Fleet, and nobble the Star tugs.

A frequent visitor to Bigg City Port was the rusty old Tramp Steamer Izzy Gomez, owned by the San Juan Banana Company. Izzy spoke with a South American accent, wore a sombrero, and had a tendency to fall asleep without warning.

Following the demise of the series, the tugboat models were used as set dressing on Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends until that series switched to CGI animation in 2009.

Captain Star/Narrator
Patrick Allen
Ten Cents
Simon Nash
Sunshine/Zak
Shaun Prendergast
Big Mac/Hercules/Captain Zero/Izzy Gomez
Sean Barrett
Top Hat/Zip
John Baddeley
OJ
Timothy Bateson
Warrior/Mighty Moe
Mike O’Malley
Zorran
Chris Tulloch
Zug
Nigel Anthony

Video