| Talus MB-4H | |
| Manufacturer: | Clayton Engineering Limited[1] |
| Length: | 4.475m (14.682feet) |
| Width: | 2.66m (08.73feet) |
| Height: | 2.75m (09.02feet) |
| Weight: | 9.38 Tonnes |
| Propulsion: | 4 wheel drive |
| Type: | Launch vehicle |
| Engine Model: | Caterpillar 3114, 4 cylinder, 4.4 litre, Turbo Diesel |
| Gross Power: | 105abbr=onNaNabbr=on |
| Drawbar Pull: | 5-6 Tonnes |
| Speed: | 22mph |
Talus MB-4H is a four-wheel-drive launch tractor which was specifically designed for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), to launch and recover inshore lifeboats from beach launched lifeboat stations.[2]
The tractor is produced by the British company of Clayton Engineering Limited who are based in Knighton, Powys.[3] The tractor plays an important role within the operations required for saving lives at sea.
The driver can be seated facing forwards or backwards. The tractor has a steering wheel and throttle pedal for each direction, with fully automatic transmission.
The enclosed cab is fully waterproof, and the vehicle can be operated in calm water to a depth of 1.6m.
Two glazed waterproof boxes containing headlights, side and tail lights, indicators and blue flashing lights, are fitted to both ends of the tractor. There are two cab mounted floodlights at the front and rear.[4]
| Op.No. | Reg No. | Station | In service[5] | Image | Current Lifeboat Payload | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TW16Hb (Mk.1.5) | H610 SUJ | Relief fleet New Brighton Relief fleet | 1991–1993 1993–1995 1995–2001 2001–2009 2009–2010 2010– | Jacqueline Saville (B-887) | ||
| TW17Hb (Mk.1.5) | H593 PUX | New Brighton Relief fleet Relief fleet Atlantic College Relief fleet Training Relief fleet | 1990–1995 1996–2001 2001–2003 2003–2010 2010–2011 2011–2013 2013–2014 2014–2018 2018– | [6] | ||
| TW18Hb (Mk.1.5) | H710 RUX | Relief fleet | 1991–1993 1993–1995 1995–2003 2003–2012 2013–2021 2021– | David Porter MPS (B-863) | ||
| TW19Hc (Mk.2) | J120 VNT | Relief fleet Relief fleet Relief fleet | 1991–1995 1995–1998 1998–1999 1999–2000 2000–2006 2006–2010 2010–2014 2014– | Florence and Ernest Bowles (B-937) | ||
| TW20Hc (Mk.2) | J125 WUJ | Relief fleet Relief fleet New Brighton | 1992–1999 1999–2003 2003–2014 2014–2016 2016– | Charles Dibdin (Civil Service No.51) (B-837) | [7] | |
| TW21Hc (Mk.2) | J495 XUJ | Relief fleet Relief fleet Relief fleet | 1992–2003 2003–2004 2004–2017 2017 2017–2023 2023– | [8] | ||
| TW22Hc (Mk.2) | K501 AUX | Relief fleet | 1993–2004 2004–2005 2005–2015 2015– | Richard Wake Burdon (B-864) | ||
| TW23Hc (Mk.2) | K805 CUX | Relief fleet | 1993–2003 2003–2013 2013–2014 2014– | Lewisco (B-877) | ||
| TW24Hc (Mk.2) | K313 ENT | 2005– | William Henry Liddington (B-834) | [9] [10] | ||
| TW25Hc (Mk.2) | L807 KNT | Relief fleet | 1994–2005 2006–2017 2018–2023 2023– | |||
| TW26Hc (Mk.2) | M423 OAW | Relief fleet | 1995–2006 2006–2021 2021–2022 2022– | William and Eleanor (B-867) | ||
| TW27Hc (Mk.2) | M741 RUX | Relief fleet Relief fleet | 1996–2006 2006–2008 2008–2015 2015–2022 2022– | [11] | ||
| TW28H (Mk.3) | N671 UAW | Relief fleet Relief fleet Trials | 1996–2006 2006–2013 2013–2014 2014–2019 2019– | |||
| TW29Hc (Mk.2) | N144 WUJ | Relief fleet Relief fleet | 1996–2008 2008–2009 2009–2012 2012–2015 2015– | Rose Of The Shires (B-832) | ||
| TW36Hc (Mk.2) | N805 XUJ | Relief fleet Training(Instow) Relief fleet Relief fleet | 1996–1997 1997–2003 2003–2007 2007–2012 2012–2017 2018–2019 2019– | Sheila & Dennis Tongue II (B-894) | ||
| TW37Hc (Mk.2) | P898 CUX | Relief fleet Relief fleet | 1996–2000 2000–2003 2003–2008 2008–2015 2015–2017 2017– | Uncle Johnny (B-936) | ||
| TW45Ha (Mk.1) | T249 JNT | New Brighton Relief fleet | 1999–2008 2008–2016 2016–2023 2023– | John Darbyshire (D-845) | [12] | |
| TW46Hb (Mk.1.5) | V938 EAW | New Brighton Relief fleet Relief fleet Relief fleet | 2001–2008 2008–2009 2009–2013 2013–2014 2014–2017 2017–2022 2022–2023 2023– | |||
| TW49Hb (Mk.1.5) | W652 RNT | Relief fleet | 2000–2008 2008–2010 2010– | Joy Morris MBE (B-831) | ||
| TW50Hb (Mk.1.5) | W419 UUJ | 2000–2010 2010– | Leicester Challenge III (B-858) | |||
| TW51Hb (Mk.1.5) | X651 BUJ | Relief fleet Relief fleet | 2001–2010 2010–2011 2011–2023 2023– | |||
| TW52Hc (Mk.2) | Y506 JNT | Relief fleet Relief fleet | 2002–2011 2011–2012 2012–2022 2022–2023 2023– | Elizabeth Jane Palmer (B-820) | ||
| TW53Hb (Mk.1.5) | DU51 FET | Relief fleet | 2002–2011 2011–2012 2012– | |||
| TW54Hc (Mk.2) | DU02 WEJ | Relief fleet Relief fleet Relief fleet | 2002–2009 2009–2011 2011–2012 2012–2014 2014–2020 2020–2017 | |||
| TW55Hc (Mk.2) | DU52 XGA | Relief fleet | 2003–2011 2011–2017 2017– | Doris Day and Brian (B-914) | [13] [14] | |
| TW56Hc (Mk.2) | DY52 EFR | Relief fleet | 2003–2017 2017–2020 2020– | Hello Herbie II (B-900) | ||
| TW57Hc (Mk.2) | DX03 UZF | Relief fleet | 2003–2019 2019–2021 2021– | Spirit of West Norfolk (B-848) | ||
| TW58Hc (Mk.2) | DX53 VRF | Relief fleet Relief fleet | 2003–2013 2013–2015 2015–2017 2018– | |||
| TW59Hc (Mk.2) | DU04 DVW | Relief fleet Relief fleet Relief fleet | 2004–2008 2008–2014 2014 2014–2015 2015–2017 2017 | Daddy's Girl (B-935) | ||
| TW60Hc (Mk.2) | DX54 UYM | Relief fleet | 2006–2021 2021 2021– | Maureen Lilian (B-839) | ||
| TW61Hb (Mk.1.5) | DX09 LRZ | Relief fleet | 2009–2022 2022–2024 2024– | Jean McIvor (B-922) | ||
| TW62Hb (Mk.1.5) | DX59 LHZ | 2010–2013 2013– | Frank Townley (B-938) | |||
| TW65H (Mk.3) | HF24 BWO | 2024– | Colonel Stock (B930) | |||
| TW66H (Mk.3) | ||||||