List of Tugs characters

*Tugs* is a 1989 British children's television series created by the producers of *Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends*, Robert D. Cardona and David Mitton, features two groups of anthropomorphized tugboat fleets: the Star Fleet and the Z-Stacks. They compete against each other in the fictional town of Bigg City Port.

In the North American adaptation, *Salty's Lighthouse*, the stories were re-purposed for a younger audience. The two groups were no longer rival tug fleets, and the characters underwent various changes. Sunshine, Captain Star, and Little Ditcher were considered female. Sunshine became the sister of fellow switcher Ten Cents. British accents were changed to American accents. Some names were changed, for instance, Big Mac became Big Stack, O.J. became Otis, and Zebedee became Zeebee.

## Star Fleet

The Star Fleet is a group who aims to work together on getting and fulfilling port contracts. It is led by Captain Star. Its symbol is a red funnel with blue and white stripes around the top. Fleet members have yellow bodies and also carry a red flag with a white star. Reporting to Captain Star are seven tugs, each of which has a numbered smoke stack. In "Regatta", Grampus the submarine becomes a member of Star Fleet. The Star Fleet tugs are modeled after the San Francisco tugs of the 1920s.

### Ten Cents

Ten Cents (#1) works as a harbour switcher on a wide variety of tasks around Bigg City Port. Ten Cents is one of the younger, and he is one of the braver Star Tugs. He has a tendency to be somewhat cheeky at times, but is strong-willed, and it takes a lot to break him. He is quick-witted and takes action swiftly without hesitation. He never lets other tugs bully him, never fails to stand up for others, and is always willing to set aside his own safety for the sake of others. He has a bit of a short temper, but he is also smart enough to listen to the advice of the older, more experienced tugs. He speaks with a teenage East End Cockney accent.

Chris Tulloch notes that Ten Cents was the first model he built for the series: "Ten Cents was 20 [inches] long, and his hull (fibreglass) was the basis for Zip and Zug."

Ten Cents was voiced by Simon Nash. In the Japanese dub, he was voiced by Shigeru Nakahara. In *Salty's Lighthouse*, he was voiced by Ian James Corlett.

### Big Mac

Big Mac (#2) is a harbour tug who speaks with a Scottish accent. He can come across as a rude and stubborn tug, but he has a heart of gold, despite his tendencies to be macho, gruff and tough at times. He is very much willing to set aside his own safety for the sake of others, and usually (but not always) remains level-headed when undergoing a strategy. Big Mac works mainly with Warrior, and the two tugs have a very close friendship. Even though Warrior's clumsiness and thick head occasionally frustrates him, he still respects and cares for him. He also stands up for Warrior if anyone makes fun of him.

As opposed to his gruff personality, he is fitted with a rich and melodic chime whistle.

Big Mac was voiced by Sean Barrett. In the Japanese dub, he was voiced by Keiji Fujiwara. In *Salty's Lighthouse*, he was named Big Stack and was voiced by Paul Dobson.

### O.J.

O.J. (#3) is the sole remaining paddle-driven harbour tug in Bigg City Port. He can be described as "slow, but versatile". As Captain Star once said in "Quarantine", "He had given many years of good service, but time was catching up on him". He is indeed capable of a variety of tasks, but is sometimes restricted by his age and mechanical condition. He speaks with a South Welsh accent.

Chris Tulloch noted that the O.J. model used in the series was one of the most reliable. Other models, which had internal machinery, would often threaten to "turn turtle" and would have to be fixed firmly to a chassis.

After the production of *Tugs* was shut down, his model was passed on to the sister series *Thomas and Friends* to be converted into "Lakesider lll", seen on the Skarloey Railway on Season 4. His model was later sold to The Star Tugs Trust along with his original head, wheelhouse, smokestack, and glasses (though at the moment, he is painted in the Lakesider lll livery).

He was voiced by Timothy Bateson. In the Japanese dub, he was voiced by Masaaki Tsukada. In *Salty's Lighthouse*, he was named Otis and was voiced by Ian James Corlett.

He is also the only Tug seen with a red waterline on his hull.

### Top Hat

Top Hat (#4) is a railway tug with a top hat and monocle. He is very uppity and snobbish and tends to look down on most tugs, especially the Z-Stacks". He also believes he is the best tug in the Star Fleet. Despite his self-absorbed and arrogant demeanor, he means well, works hard and despite rarely showing it, he cares for the rest of the Star Fleet. He speaks in a posh English accent.

After the filming of *Tugs* ended, sadly, Top Hat's model was presumed to be lost. He is one of the two *Tugs* characters who has not been sold to The Star Tugs Trust, along with Grampus. If Top Hat's model is found in the future, he may have his shocked face mask on. His other face masks are currently the only parts that are last left of him.

He was voiced by John Baddeley. In the Japanese dub, he was voiced by Masashi Ebara. In *Salty's Lighthouse*, he was voiced by French Tickner.

### Warrior

Warrior (#5) has a large face and blue flat cap, and speaks with a burly London accent. He usually works with Big Mac and sometimes, Top Hat. He is often clumsy and rather dimwitted, but tries not to mess up. He is known only to get in the way of the Z-Stacks. He is extremely hardworking, despite the fact that his inherent clumsiness often leads to problems. He is loyal, strong-willed, and determined, and never gives up. Despite Warrior's shortcomings, he has proved himself to be a valuable member of the Star Fleet with notable examples being when he helped put out the fires, saved Izzy Gomez and stopped the logs that were flowing from up the river.

He was voiced by Nigel Anthony. In the Japanese dub, he was voiced by Mitsuaki Madono. In *Salty's Lighthouse*, he was voiced by French Tickner.

### Hercules

Hercules (#6) is an ocean-going tug who is tasked with escorting large vessels to port, or answering distress calls at sea. He is in charge of large operations and important contracts. Hercules is a cool-headed fighter. He speaks with a clear, soft tone and received pronunciation, but his words are often hard. Although he can be strict and serious with his comrades, he also displays a gentler side and a sense of humour on occasion. Nothing can break him and not even the antics of the Z-Stacks and Bluenose can set him back. He is held in high regard by most of the tugs in the harbour, and even Zorran knows that he cannot win a confrontation with Hercules. He is not as seen as often as the other Star Tugs, mainly due to him being on his own missions. Hercules is famously known for referring to his colleagues as "m'dears", "old darlings", and "sweetheart".

He was voiced by Nigel Anthony. In the Japanese dub, he was voiced by Sukekiyo Kameyama. In *Salty's Lighthouse*, he was voiced by Paul Dobson.

### Sunshine

Sunshine (#7) is a small harbour switcher who performs various tasks. Sunshine can be occasionally cheeky at times, but he is very strong willed nevertheless. He is quick-witted and takes action swiftly without hesitation. He is generally level-headed and cheerful, and takes on most jobs with little complaining. He also appears to have a slight crush on Sally Seaplane. Sunshine speaks with a Geordie accent.

Sunshine was voiced by Shaun Prendergast. In the Japanese dub, he was voiced by Yūko Mita. In *Salty's Lighthouse*, Sunshine was the sister of Ten Cents and was voiced by Lenore Zann.

### Grampus

Grampus (#8) is a small submarine that formerly worked for the Navy. He appears for the first time in the episode "Pirate", in which he helped to prove Ten Cents' innocence. In the episode "Regatta", he saved Lillie Lightship from sinking by plugging the hole in her side with his front. Later, he was nearly blown up by Bluenose the naval tug having been branded as 'too old' for further service and was out of commission. He was thankfully swiftly rescued by the Star Tugs Ten Cents, Big Mac, O.J., and Top Hat. On the same day, he was bought by Captain Star and joined the Star Fleet as their first Star submarine. He speaks with a Central English accent (with a noticeable lisp). Grampus also has a tendency to squirt water in the tug's faces, most prominently at Bluenose in "Regatta" and at Top Hat while he was sleeping in the episode "Ghosts".

According to model maker Jeremy King, Grampus was modeled after Grampus-class submarines. Spike Knight fashioned Grampus in fiberglass by looking at old Grampus photos. He used a "parallel lifting version of the tugs' pull along trolleys so he could surface."

His model is one of two star characters that has not been sold to The Star Tugs Trust, along with Top Hat, his face masks are currently the only part that is last left of him, if Grampus's model is found in the future, his model may have his thrilled face mask.

He was voiced by Lee Cornes. In the Japanese dub, he was voiced by Sakurako Kishiro. In *Salty's Lighthouse*, he was voiced by French Tickner.

### Captain Star

Captain Star is the owner of the Star Fleet. He narrates the series in the past tense. He is quite obviously a veteran sailor, and owns and cares for the Star Fleet. He always appears as a loudhailer in the window of the Star Dock building. He takes great pride in his fleet, but he knows that it is important to be hard on them in order to succeed. He is usually very strict if something does not go as shipshape as it is supposed to.

Captain Star was voiced by Patrick Allen. In the Japanese dub, he was voiced by Rokurō Naya. In *Salty's Lighthouse*, Captain Star was a female character and was voiced by Lenore Zann.

## Z-Stacks

The Z-Stacks are devious, tricky and scheming boats. Their leader is Captain Zero, although the first tug Zorran runs the day-to-day operations. They regularly find ways to hinder and infuriate their rival Star Fleet tugs. Their physical appearance is modeled after the 1920s Moran tugs that were active in New York City.

### Zorran

Zorran is Captain Zero's first tug, and the fleet leader of the Z-Stacks. He is a harbour tug who hatches various devious schemes against the Star Fleet. Zorran is looked up to in fear from most of the other tugs. However, though being able to generally get what he is looking for, Zorran is depicted as a very pragmatic tug, who will be devious only as far as common sense and necessity allows.

The majority of the episodes portray him as a leading antagonist in some way. Although he is undoubtedly the most intelligent Z-Stack, his plans usually end up backfiring: either through the incompetence of the other Z-Stacks or his own overconfidence. Zorran has shown to regularly employ fellow Z-Stacks Zip and Zug to carry out his operations, which more often than not results in adverse consequences.

Zorran was voiced by Chris Tulloch. In the Japanese dub, he was voiced by Hajime Koseki. In *Salty's Lighthouse*, he was voiced by Scott McNeil.

### Zebedee

Zebedee is Captain Zero's second tug; he performs a variety of tasks around Bigg City Port. Like the other Z-Stacks, Zebedee is based on the NYC Moran Fleet tugs from the 1920s. His personality resembles Shemp Howard. Zebedee is one of the more complex *Tugs* characters, an easy-going tug who winds up the Star Fleet for a reason or another mean and vindictive on the outside, but on the inside there is much to his personality. Beneath his tough exterior is the only Z-Stack to have a conscience.

In the episode "High Winds", his guilty conscience proves he has good in him when he helps the Star Fleet tow the liner Princess Alice. He was once offered to join the Star Fleet but refused, saying he is a Z-Stack at his heart. Zebedee's lighter side was never examined again in the series, but it was in another form of media which stated his owner was Captain Star, meaning it would have been expanded on in Season 2.

He was voiced by Sean Barrett. In the Japanese dub, he was voiced by Kōji Ishii. In *Salty's Lighthouse*, his name was pronounced "Zee-Bee" and was voiced by Ian James Corlett.

### Zak

Zak is the third member of the Z-Stacks and usually works with Zebedee. Like the rest of the Zero Marine, Zak is based on the Moran Fleet tugs from the Roaring 20s. Zak has been seen as a second-in-command to Zorran.

He was voiced by Shaun Prendergast. In the Japanese dub, he was voiced by Hideyuki Umezu. In *Salty's Lighthouse*, he was voiced by Scott McNeil.

### Zug

As the fourth tug in the Z-Stacks, Zug is a harbour switcher that tows barges and works on liner docking operations. He mainly works with Zip, and likes to think of himself as the intelligent one. He comes up with devious plans for him and Zip to use (although the plans usually fail). Zug's capabilities range from the towing of barges to liner docking operations. Like the rest of the Zero Marine, Zug is based on the Moran Fleet tugs of the 1920s. He is sneaky, cowardly and he needs the other Z-Stacks around for courage. Zug is a scheming sort of tug, though his plans rarely if ever work as planned. Zug is intimidated by the main Z-Stack Zorran and has a tendency to be somewhat nervous and jittery around him.

He was voiced by Nigel Anthony, with a Central European accent reminiscent of Peter Lorre. In the Japanese dub, he was voiced by Tarô Arakawa. In *Salty's Lighthouse*, he was voiced by Scott McNeil.

### Zip

Zip is the second harbour switcher in the Z-Stacks fleet. He works alongside Zug on minor contracts such as the freighting of quarried boulders. Zip is often described as 'Zug, only worse'. His head is often in the clouds, and he is well known for being a coward. He is easily scared and sometimes speaks out of turn, as well as being quick to back down when engaging in an argument, and is easily dominated.

He was voiced by John Baddeley. In the Japanese dub, he was voiced by Masashi Ebara. In *Salty's Lighthouse*, he was voiced by Ian James Corlett.

### Captain Zero

Captain Zero is the owner of the Z-Stacks. Unlike Captain Star, he is the devious and scheming sailor. He is known to have criminal connections and was originally affiliated with Johnny Cuba before something happened between the two. He is also known to be quite bad tempered.

He was voiced by Sean Barrett. In the Japanese dub, he was voiced by Masaaki Tsukada. In *Salty's Lighthouse*, he was voiced by Paul Dobson.