Engineering:Talus MB-H amphibious tractor

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Short description: RNLI amphibious launch tractor

Talus MB-H
Talus MB-H RNLI launch vehicle
TypeLaunch vehicle
ManufacturerClayton Engineering Limited
Production31
Length216 in (5.5 m)
Width96 in (2.4 m)
Height117 in (3.0 m)
Weight19.000 tonnes with track pads
Propulsiontracks
Engine modelCaterpillar 3208 V8 Diesel
Gross power210 hp (160 kW)
Drawbar pull15 tonnes (18 tonnes max.) on bare drum
Speed7.5 miles per hour (12.1 km/h)

Talus MB-H is a continuous track launch tractor which was specifically designed for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), to launch and recover carriage mounted lifeboats, particularly the Template:Lbc lifeboat, from beach-launched lifeboat stations.[1] In total, 31 tractors were manufactured by Clayton Engineering Limited of Knighton, Powys.[2]

The Mersey-class has been replaced mostly with the new Template:Lbc All-weather lifeboat, which uses the new Shannon Launch and Recovery System (SLARS) from Supacat and Clayton Engineering, or in some locations, with a Template:Lbc Inshore lifeboat.

On 18 December 2025, the last RNLI Template:Lbc All-weather lifeboat, 12-20 Leonard Kent (ON 1177) at Newcastle Lifeboat Station, County Down, was withdrawn from service. A final carriage launch, with the aid of the Talus MB-H (T-120), took place on 11 January 2026. The Template:Lbs Mersey-class was replaced with a Template:Lbc and Talus MB-4H in late 2025.

Some of the surplus Talus MB-H tractors will be transferred for use at stations using the Inshore Atlantic 85, with a few retained in the relief fleet. The rest are likely to be sold out of service. The following list will include those tractors now in use with Independent rescue services where known.

All of the following fleet details are referenced to the 2026 Lifeboat Enthusiast Society Handbook, with information retrieved directly from RNLI records.[3]

Talus MB-H fleet

Op.No.[lower-alpha 1] Reg No. Station In service[3] Image Pay-load Comments
T91 UAW 558Y Trials 1982–1983 100px [4]
Template:Lbs 1983–1986
Relief fleet 1986–1993
Template:Lbs 1993–1995
Relief fleet 1995–1997
Template:Lbs 1997–2007
Relief fleet 2007–2008
Template:Lbs 2008–2017
Relief fleet 2017–2019
Template:Lbs 2019–2023
Storage 2023–
T92 A462 AUX Template:Lbs 1984–1997
Template:Lbs 1997–2007
Relief fleet 2007–2008
Template:Lbs 2008–2015
Relief fleet 2015–2019
Template:Lbs 2019–2020
Relief fleet 2020–
T93 A496 CUX Template:Lbs 1984–1995 [5]
Relief fleet 1995–1996
Template:Lbs 1996–2005
Relief fleet 2005–2007
Template:Lbs 2007–2019
T94 B567 FAW Relief fleet 1984–1986 100px Template:Lbc
Toby Rundle (B-872)
Template:Lbs 1986–1997
Relief fleet 1997–1999
Template:Lbs 1999–2008
Relief fleet 2008–2011
Template:Lbs 2011–2022
Relief fleet 2022–2024
Template:Lbs 2024–
T95 B188 GAW Template:Lbs 1985 100px [6]
Template:Lbs 1985–1996
Template:Lbs 1997–2007
Relief fleet 2007–2008
Template:Lbs 2008–2018
T96 B668 HUJ Template:Lbs 1985–1997 100px Template:Lbc
Tommy C 		[7]
Template:Lbs 1998–2006
Template:Lbs 2006–2023
Ballybunion (Ind) 2023–
T97 C282 LNT Template:Lbs 1986–1998 Template:Lbc
Hugh Miles (B-896)
Template:Lbs 1998–1999
Relief fleet 1999–2004
Template:Lbs 2004
Relief fleet 2004–2010
85-D-8571 Template:Lbs 2010–2013
C282 LNT Relief fleet 2013–2014
Template:Lbs 2014–
T98 C168 NAW Template:Lbs 1986–1992
Relief fleet 1992–1996
Template:Lbs 1996–1999
Relief fleet 1999–2000
Template:Lbs 2000–2011
Training (Hurn) 2011
Relief fleet 2011–2013
86-D-120010 Template:Lbs 2013–2019
C168 NAW Relief fleet 2019–2020
Template:Lbs 2020–2024
Storage 2024–
T99 C82 NUX Template:Lbs 1986–1993 100px
Relief fleet 1993–1995
Template:Lbs 1995–2006
Relief fleet 2006–2007
Template:Lbs 2007–2014
Relief fleet 2014–
T100 D466 RAW Template:Lbs 1986–1998 100px Template:Lbc
Hounslow Branch (B-950)
Relief fleet 1998–1999
Template:Lbs 1999–2008
Relief fleet 2008–2009
Template:Lbs 2009–2010
Relief fleet 2010–2011
Template:Lbs 2011–2023
Storage 2023–2024
Template:Lbs 2025–
T101 D335 SUJ Template:Lbs 1987–1998 100px Template:Lbc
Penny J II (B-939) 		[8]
Relief fleet 1998–2000
Template:Lbs 2000–2008
Relief fleet 2008–2015
MMN 258H Template:Lbs 2015–2021
D335 SUJ Relief fleet 2022–2023
Template:Lbs 2023–
T102 E387 VAW Template:Lbs 1987–1999 Template:Lbc
Howard Bell (B-899)
Relief fleet 1999–2001
Template:Lbs 2001–2011
Relief fleet 2011–2013
Template:Lbs 2013–2019
Relief fleet 2019–2021
Template:Lbs 2021–
T103 E589 WAW Template:Lbs 1987–2001
Template:Lbs 2001–2015
Relief fleet 2015–2016
T104 E269 YUJ Template:Lbs 1988–1999 100px Template:Lbc
Marjorie Shepherd (B-928)
Relief fleet 1999–2001
88-LH-3977 Template:Lbs 2001–2010
E269 YUJ Relief fleet 2010–2012
Template:Lbs 2012–2016
Relief fleet 2016–2019
Template:Lbs 2019–
T105 – Template:Lbs 1988–2001 100px Sold to Caldey Island to be used to tow a low water landing stage. Flooded in 2021, replaced with T117.
E837 XNT Relief fleet 2001–2002
FMN 664V Template:Lbs 2002–2015
E837 XNT Relief fleet 2015
T106 F760 BUJ Template:Lbs 1988–2001 100px
  • MST Rescue 900 RIB
  • E-ON Spirit of Maryport
Relief fleet 2001–2003
Template:Lbs 2003–2013
Relief fleet 2013–2015
Maryport Rescue (Ind) 2017–
T107 F415 EAW Template:Lbs 1989–2001
Template:Lbs 2001–2008
Relief fleet 2008–2013
Template:Lbs 2013–2024
Storage 2024–
T108 F133 FUJ Template:Lbs 1989–1997 100px [9]
Relief fleet 1997–1998
Template:Lbs 1998–2000
– Template:Lbs 2001–2003
F133 FUJ Training (Instow) 2003–2006
Stored 2006–2007
Template:Lbs 2007–2008
Relief fleet 2008–2009
Template:Lbs 2009–2014
Relief fleet 2014–2019
1222 MN Template:Lbs 2019–2021
Template:Lbs 2021–2022
F133 FUJ Relief fleet 2022
T109 G296 KUX Template:Lbs 1990–2003
Template:Lbs 2003–2013
Relief fleet 2013–2015
Training 2015
Relief fleet 2015–2016
T110 – Template:Lbs 1990–2002
G751 MNT Template:Lbs 2003–2012
Relief fleet 2012–2016
Template:Lbs 2016–2024
Relief fleet 2024–
T111 H926 PUJ Template:Lbs 1991–2003 100px
  • Alicat 5m RIB
  • Fred Dyble II
 [10]
Relief fleet 2003–2004
1222 MN Template:Lbs 2004–2019
H926 PUJ Caister (Ind) 2020–
T112 H977 SNT Template:Lbs 1991–2003 Ribcraft 6.4m-Pro RIB
The Freemason
Relief fleet 2003–2017
Ferryside Lifeboat (Ind) 2017–
T113 J794 VUX Template:Lbs 1992–2001
Relief fleet 2001–2003
Template:Lbs 2003
Relief fleet 2003–2006
Template:Lbs 2006–2015
Relief fleet 2015–2016
Training 2016–
T114 1222 MN Template:Lbs 1992–2004 100px [11]
Sold - now in private collection in Exmouth for restoration.
J126 WUJ Template:Lbs 2005–2017
T115 K499 AUX Relief fleet 1993–2005 100px Sold - Currently in Aldeburgh launching Fishing Vessels.[12]
Template:Lbs 2005–2021
T116 K920 DUJ Template:Lbs 1993–2005 Template:Lbc
Sea Weaver (ex B-762)
Template:Lbs 2005–2014
Relief fleet 2014–2015
Training 2015–2017
Hemsby (Ind) 2021–
T117 L784 JNT Relief fleet 1994–1995 100px [11]Sold to Caldey Island to be used to tow a low water landing stage, replacing T105. Reported decommissioned in October 2025.
Template:Lbs 1995–2005
Relief fleet 2005–2006
Template:Lbs 2006–2021
T118 M224 SNT Template:Lbs 1997–2006 100px Ribcraft Pro-800 RIB
Wildlands
Template:Lbs 2006–2022
ESRA (Ind.) 2022–
T119 N470 XAW Template:Lbs 1999–2006 100px [13]
Relief fleet 2006–2007
Template:Lbs 2007–2019
Template:Lbs 2019–2025
Relief fleet 2025–
T120 P514 HAW Template:Lbs 1999–2001 100px
Relief fleet 2001–2008
Template:Lbs 2008–2017
Relief fleet 2018–2022
Template:Lbs 2022–2023
Relief fleet 2023–2024
Template:Lbs 2024–
T121 DX04 YZG Template:Lbs 1992–2019 100px
Relief fleet 2019–2023
Template:Lbs 2023–2024
Storage 2024–
  1. ↑ Op. No. is the RNLI's Operational Number of the boat or vehicle carried on the hull.

See also

Notes

References

  1. ↑ "Talus MBH Tractor". Description and details of the Model. Clayton Engineering Limited. http://www.claytonengineering.co.uk/equipmentitem/4d78d64aeeeb8/Talus-MBH. Retrieved 24 March 2014. 
  2. ↑ OS Explorer Map 201 - Knighton and Presteigne Tref-y-clawdd a Dyffryn Elan, Author: Ordnance Survey. Publisher: Ordnance Survey. Work: Folded Map. ISBN 9780319237588
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2026). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2026. Lifeboats Enthusiasts Society. pp. 88-90. 
  4. ↑ "UAW 558Y - 1982 Talus MB-H Crawler - Launch And Recovery Tractor". flickr photograph of T91. flickr. https://www.flickr.com/photos/homer----simpson/8711917374/. Retrieved 25 March 2014. 
  5. ↑ Skegness Lifeboats – An illustrated History. Author: Leach, Nicholas. Publisher:Landmark Publishing Ltd. Year Published:2008. Work: Chapter 7, Lincolnshire Poacher, Page 84, Arrival of new boat and tractor. ISBN 9781843064237
  6. ↑ "A Man and his Beast". Photos from the Lytham St Annes Station of their new Talus MB-H (T 103). Copyright © 2014, Industry MRO Pty Ltd. http://www.industrymro.com.au/on-the-road/a-man-beast. Retrieved 25 March 2014. 
  7. ↑ "Ballybunion Sea & Cliff Rescue Service". Ballybunion Sea & Cliff Rescue Service. https://ballybunionrescue.com/equipment/. 
  8. ↑ The Bridlington Lifeboat – The First 200 Years, 1805-2005. Author: Fred Walkington, MBE. Publisher: Phillimore & CO. Ltd. 2005 Edition. Work: Chapter 6, Page 108, Illustration 37. The present lifeboat tractor, T101. ISBN 9781860773358
  9. ↑ "The Tractor has Arrived". Photos from the Exmouth Station Website of their new Talus MB-H (T103). Exmouth Lifeboat Station - RNLI. http://www.exmouth-lifeboat.org.uk/Tractor_14_04_09/index.html. Retrieved 24 March 2014. 
  10. ↑ "Caister Lifeboat | EXPLORE OUR LIFEBOATS" (in en). https://www.caisterlifeboat.org.uk/lifeboats. 
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Skegness Lifeboats – An illustrated History. Author: Leach, Nicholas. Publisher:Landmark Publishing Ltd. Year Published:2008. Work: Chapter 7, Lincolnshire Poacher, Page 94, illustrations: Talus T114 bottom left of page, Talus T117 top of page. ISBN 9781843064237
  12. ↑ Geko Nautic. "Aldeburgh Post". https://www.facebook.com/GeckoNautiq/posts/661194766474518. 
  13. ↑ "Hastings Lifeboat Station – RNLI website". Home page of the Hastings station. RNLI © 2014. http://www.rnli.org/findmynearest/station/Pages/Hastings-Lifeboat-Station.aspx. Retrieved 6 September 2016. 



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