A tube cleaning apparatus for tubes and pipes installed in power plant and similar industrial equipment utilizes a rotating brush assembly fitted to one end of a rotary cable encased in a protective casing and driven at its other end in clockwise and counterclockwise rotation by a reversible motor. The invention provides a drive unit fitted with a plurality of drive rollers for engaging the protective casing and propelling the casing, cable and brush assembly at a high rate of speed into and out of each tube being cleaned. A control system for the drive unit enables the operator to manipulate the reversible motor by issuing pulses to actuate switches controlling on/off and direction of rotation of the motor. An arresting device provides for stopping forward progress of the brush assembly as it reaches the end of each tube being cleaned.