Up River (TUGS episode)

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"Up River" was the twelfth episode of the British children's television series TUGS.

[edit] Plot

It is winter in Bigg City Port. The worst of it is over, and the snow is starting to melt. It’s a very busy time.

One of the big tasks is logging, which under Captain Star’s held contract, the Star Tugs must take thousands of logs from Down River to the sawmills.

A large jam has formed, which Big Mac and Sunshine are finding difficult to overcome. Big Mac advises Sunshine to take care. Sunshine continues to ram, unluckily causing a chain-reaction which starts the logs to tumble down and trap him. Then Puffa arrives, who goes to get help from Down River. Big Mac is concerned about how the logs are heating up.

Puffa, meanwhile, has found Ten Cents, and tells him everything.

Big Mac tries to shift the logs to free Sunshine, but can’t. Big Mac and Sunshine find that smoke is starting to rise from the logs! When Ten Cents arrives, Big Mac says for him to help try and shift the logs, to get Sunshine out. Then Billy Shoepack arrives – with a small load of dynamite! Ten Cents suggests Billy set off a little blast to free Sunshine. The smoke continues to build, and the logs are now well on fire. Billy Shoepack sets up his dynamite. Upon countdown, up the logs go, and Sunshine is free! It was a very big bang though, which has caused the whole jam to break up. The logs charge Down River, threatening to wreck Uptown! When Puffa pulls up to them, Ten Cents tells him to warn Uptown, who steams off as fast as he can. The tugs set off down the way.

It’s difficult to puff along the icy rails, but Puffa presses on. He toots warnings all the way down the line, and soon arrives in Uptown Docks, where Top Hat, O.J. and Warrior are working. Puffa tells them everything. Top Hat says how the logs will wreck the whole quayside and themselves! Warrior comes up with a plan to build a “dam” across the river entrance.

Once all are in place, including Little Ditcher, they prepare themselves for the logs.

The logs continue to charge along, demolishing a small quay along the way. Some logs are stopped by the wreckage, but many more still continue. Ten Cents, Sunshine and Big Mac follow along still.

At Uptown, the church bells are ringing to warn everybody. The logs begin to approach – but Warrior is on the wrong side of the dam! O.J. says they should all rev their engines to try and push back the logs, diverting them. The logs glance off and take out a factory due for demolition in spectacular, “explosive” fashion. At least the owner won’t have to pay now!

Ten Cents, Sunshine and Big Mac arrive to the others. Warrior is dubbed a hero, and the tugs head to clear up.

[edit] Notes

First time Billy Shoepack the alligator tug moves his head and eyes and changes his face - in his debut Trapped, his features stayed immobile.
Last appearance of Billy Shoepack.
The original model of Boomer can be seen working in the background of this episode.
Hercules and all of the Z-Stacks are absent in this episode.
This is the only episode not to feature the Z-Stacks.
This is, also, the only episode Zorran doesn't appear in.
This individual episode features the least amount of characters throughout the entire series.
Watch clip here [1].
Puffa's only major speaking appearance.
Little Ditcher's voice sounds different then what it sounded like in the episode Trapped.