Talus MB-H amphibious 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 Mersey-class 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 Shannon-class All-weather lifeboat, which uses the new Shannon Launch and Recovery System (SLARS) from Supacat and Clayton Engineering, or in some locations, with a B-class (Atlantic 85) Inshore lifeboat.

On 18 December 2025, the last RNLI Mersey-class All-weather lifeboat, 12-20 Leonard Kent (ON 1177) at Newcastle Lifeboat Station, County Down, was withdrawn from service.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 Newcastle Mersey-class was replaced with a B-class (Atlantic 85) 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.[a] Reg No. Station In service[3] Image Pay-load Comments
T91 UAW 558Y Trials 1982–1983 [4]
Hoylake 1983–1986
Relief fleet 1986–1993
Wells-next-the-Sea 1993–1995
Relief fleet 1995–1997
Rhyl 1997–2007
Relief fleet 2007–2008
Llandudno 2008–2017
Relief fleet 2017–2019
Minehead 2019–2023
Storage 2023–
T92 A462 AUX Rhyl 1984–1997
Hoylake 1997–2007
Relief fleet 2007–2008
Ilfracombe 2008–2015
Relief fleet 2015–2019
Clovelly 2019–2020
Relief fleet 2020–
T93 A496 CUX Skegness 1984–1995 [5]
Relief fleet 1995–1996
Dungeness 1996–2005
Relief fleet 2005–2007
Rhyl 2007–2019
T94 B567 FAW Relief fleet 1984–1986 B-class (Atlantic 85)
Toby Rundle (B-872)
Hoylake 1986–1997
Relief fleet 1997–1999
Llandudno 1999–2008
Relief fleet 2008–2011
Pwllheli 2011–2022
Relief fleet 2022–2024
Clovelly 2024–
T95 B188 GAW Hastings 1985 [6]
Dungeness 1985–1996
Hastings 1997–2007
Relief fleet 2007–2008
Lytham St Annes 2008–2018
T96 B668 HUJ Hastings 1985–1997 B-class (Atlantic 75)
Tommy C 		[7]
North Sunderland 1998–2006
Wells-next-the-Sea 2006–2023
Ballybunion (Ind) 2023–
T97 C282 LNT North Sunderland 1986–1998 B-class (Atlantic 85)
Hugh Miles (B-896)
Ilfracombe 1998–1999
Relief fleet 1999–2004
Barmouth 2004
Relief fleet 2004–2010
85-D-8571 Clogherhead 2010–2013
C282 LNT Relief fleet 2013–2014
Aberdovey 2014–
T98 C168 NAW Sheringham 1986–1992
Relief fleet 1992–1996
Cromer 1996–1999
Relief fleet 1999–2000
Pwllheli 2000–2011
Training (Hurn) 2011
Relief fleet 2011–2013
86-D-120010 Clogherhead 2013–2019
C168 NAW Relief fleet 2019–2020
Clovelly 2020–2024
Storage 2024–
T99 C82 NUX Wells-next-the-Sea 1986–1993
Relief fleet 1993–1995
Wells-next-the-Sea 1995–2006
Relief fleet 2006–2007
Hoylake 2007–2014
Relief fleet 2014–
T100 D466 RAW Bridlington 1986–1998 B-class (Atlantic 85)
Hounslow Branch (B-950)
Relief fleet 1998–1999
Ilfracombe 1999–2008
Relief fleet 2008–2009
Bembridge 2009–2010
Relief fleet 2010–2011
New Quay 2011–2023
Storage 2023–2024
Walmer 2025–
T101 D335 SUJ Ilfracombe 1987–1998 B-class (Atlantic 85)
Penny J II (B-939) 		[8]
Relief fleet 1998–2000
Bridlington 2000–2008
Relief fleet 2008–2015
MMN 258H Ramsey 2015–2021
D335 SUJ Relief fleet 2022–2023
Minehead 2023–
T102 E387 VAW Llandudno 1987–1999 Atlantic 85-class
Howard Bell (B-899)
Relief fleet 1999–2001
New Quay 2001–2011
Relief fleet 2011–2013
Filey 2013–2019
Relief fleet 2019–2021
Aldeburgh 2021–
T103 E589 WAW Pwllheli 1987–2001
Scarborough 2001–2015
Relief fleet 2015–2016
T104 E269 YUJ Newcastle 1988–1999 B-class (Atlantic 85)
Marjorie Shepherd (B-928)
Relief fleet 1999–2001
88-LH-3977 Clogherhead 2001–2010
E269 YUJ Relief fleet 2010–2012
Anstruther 2012–2016
Relief fleet 2016–2019
Filey 2019–
T105 – Clogherhead 1988–2001 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 Ramsey 2002–2015
E837 XNT Relief fleet 2015
T106 F760 BUJ Scarborough 1988–2001
  • MST Rescue 900 RIB
  • E-ON Spirit of Maryport
Relief fleet 2001–2003
Filey 2003–2013
Relief fleet 2013–2015
Maryport Rescue (Ind) 2017–
T107 F415 EAW Kilmore Quay 1989–2001
Lytham St Annes 2001–2008
Relief fleet 2008–2013
Margate 2013–2024
Storage 2024–
T108 F133 FUJ St Ives 1989–1997 [9]
Relief fleet 1997–1998
Bridlington 1998–2000
– Kilmore Quay 2001–2003
F133 FUJ Training (Instow) 2003–2006
Stored 2006–2007
Cromer 2007–2008
Relief fleet 2008–2009
Exmouth 2009–2014
Relief fleet 2014–2019
1222 MN Peel 2019–2021
Ramsey 2021–2022
F133 FUJ Relief fleet 2022
T109 G296 KUX Filey 1990–2003
Margate 2003–2013
Relief fleet 2013–2015
Training 2015
Relief fleet 2015–2016
T110 – Ramsey 1990–2002
G751 MNT Anstruther 2003–2012
Relief fleet 2012–2016
Anstruther 2016–2024
Relief fleet 2024–
T111 H926 PUJ Margate 1991–2003
  • Alicat 5m RIB
  • Fred Dyble II
 [10]
Relief fleet 2003–2004
1222 MN Peel 2004–2019
H926 PUJ Caister (Ind) 2020–
T112 H977 SNT Anstruther 1991–2003 Ribcraft 6.4m-Pro RIB
The Freemason
Relief fleet 2003–2017
Ferryside Lifeboat (Ind) 2017–
T113 J794 VUX New Quay 1992–2001
Relief fleet 2001–2003
Filey 2003
Relief fleet 2003–2006
St Ives 2006–2015
Relief fleet 2015–2016
Training 2016–
T114 1222 MN Peel 1992–2004 [11]
Sold - now in private collection in Exmouth for restoration.
J126 WUJ Skegness 2005–2017
T115 K499 AUX Relief fleet 1993–2005 Sold - Currently in Aldeburgh launching Fishing Vessels.[12]
Aldeburgh 2005–2021
T116 K920 DUJ Aldeburgh 1993–2005 B-class (Atlantic 75)
Sea Weaver (ex B-762)
Dungeness 2005–2014
Relief fleet 2014–2015
Training 2015–2017
Hemsby (Ind) 2021–
T117 L784 JNT Relief fleet 1994–1995 [11]Sold to Caldey Island to be used to tow a low water landing stage, replacing T105. Reported decommissioned in October 2025.
Skegness 1995–2005
Relief fleet 2005–2006
Seahouses 2006–2021
T118 M224 SNT St Ives 1997–2006 Ribcraft Pro-800 RIB
Wildlands
Newcastle 2006–2022
ESRA (Ind.) 2022–
T119 N470 XAW Newcastle 1999–2006 [13]
Relief fleet 2006–2007
Hastings 2007–2019
Walmer 2019–2025
Relief fleet 2025–
T120 P514 HAW Lytham 1999–2001
Relief fleet 2001–2008
Bridlington 2008–2017
Relief fleet 2018–2022
Newcastle 2022–2023
Relief fleet 2023–2024
Newcastle 2024–
T121 DX04 YZG Barmouth 1992–2019
Relief fleet 2019–2023
Newcastle 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. 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. ^ a b 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. 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. Archived from the original on 1 May 2017. Retrieved 25 March 2014.
  7. ^ "Ballybunion Sea & Cliff Rescue Service". Ballybunion Sea & Cliff Rescue Service. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
  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. Archived from the original on 26 March 2014. Retrieved 24 March 2014.
  10. ^ "Caister Lifeboat | EXPLORE OUR LIFEBOATS". www.caisterlifeboat.org.uk. Retrieved 5 August 2022.
  11. ^ a b 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".
  13. ^ "Hastings Lifeboat Station – RNLI website". Home page of the Hastings station. RNLI © 2014. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
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