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.

The tractor is produced by the British company of Clayton Engineering Limited who are based in Knighton, Powys.OS Explorer Map 201 - Knighton and Presteigne Tref-y-clawdd a Dyffryn Elan, Author: Ordnance Survey. Publisher: Ordnance Survey. Work: Folded Map. The tractor plays an important role within the operations required for saving lives at sea.

Technical specification 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.

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

RNLI Talus MB-4H Fleet Op.No. Reg No. Station Image Current Lifeboat Payload CommentsTW16Hb(Mk.1.5)H610 SUJ 1991–1993 Relief fleet 1993–1995 1995–2001 2001–2009 Relief fleet 2009–2010 2010–2025 Relief fleet 2025–TW17Hb(Mk.1.5)H593 PUX 1990–1995 1996–2001 Relief fleet 2001–2003 2003–2010 Relief fleet 2010–2011 Atlantic College 2011–2013 Relief fleet 2013–2014 Training 2014–2018 Relief fleet 2018–TW18Hb(Mk.1.5)H710 RUX 1991–1993 Relief fleet 1993–1995 1995–2003 2003–2012 2013–2021 2021–2025 Relief fleet 2025–TW19Hc(Mk.2)J120 VNT 1991–1995Florence and Ernest Bowles (B-937) Relief fleet 1995–1998 1998–1999 1999–2000 Relief fleet 2000–2006 2006–2010 Relief fleet 2010–2014 2014–TW20Hc(Mk.2)J125 WUJ 1992–1999Charles Dibdin (B-837)Hunstanton Lifeboats. Author: Leach, Nicholas. Publisher:Tempus Publishing, First edition,2008. Works: Page 63, Reference to the arrival of the new Talus (TW20H0) on station in 1992. ISBN 9780752447490 Relief fleet 1999–2003 2003–2014 Relief fleet 2014–2016 2016–TW21Hc(Mk.2)J495 XUJ 1992–2003 Relief fleet 2003–2004 2004–2017 Relief fleet 2017 2017–2023 Relief fleet 2023–2026 2026–TW22Hc(Mk.2)K501 AUX 1993–2004Richard Wake Burdon (B-864) Relief fleet 2004–2005 2005–2015 2015–TW23Hc(Mk.2)K805 CUX 1993–2003Lewisco (B-877) 2003–2013 Relief fleet 2013–2014 2014–TW24Hc(Mk.2) K313 ENT 1994–2005William Henry Liddington (B-834)Sheringham Lifeboats: By Leach, Nicholas and Russell, Paul :Published by landmark Pub Ltd, 2009.Work: Page 85, reference to the arrival of TW24H in 1994. 2005–TW25Hc(Mk.2) – 1994–2005L807 KNT 2006–2017 2018–2023 Relief fleet 2023–M423 OAW 1995–2006William and Eleanor (B-867) 2006–2021 Relief fleet 2021–2022 2022–TW27Hc(Mk.2)M741 RUX 1996–2006RNLB The Oddfellows (B-818) Relief fleet 2006–2008 2008–2015 Relief fleet 2015–2022 2022–TW28H(Mk.3)N671 UAW 1996–2006Jacqueline Saville (B-887) Relief fleet 2006–2013 2013–2014 Relief fleet 2014–2019 Trials 2019–2025 2025–TW29Hc(Mk.2)N144 WUJ 1996–2008Rose Of The Shires (B-832) Relief fleet 2008–2009 2009–2012 Relief fleet 2012–2015 2015–TW36Hc(Mk.2)N805 XUJ Relief fleet 1996–1997Sheila & Dennis Tongue II (B-894) 1997–2003 Training (Instow) 2003–2007 Relief fleet 2007–2012 2012–2017 Relief fleet 2018–2019 2019–TW37Hc(Mk.2)P898 CUX Relief fleet 1996–2000Uncle Johnny (B-936) 2000–2003 Relief fleet 2003–2008 2008–2015 2015–2017 2017–TW45Ha(Mk.1)T249 JNT 1999–2008Loving You (B-942) 2008–2016 Relief fleet 2016–2023 2023–2024 Relief fleet 2024–2025 2025–TW46Hb(Mk.1.5)V938 EAW 2001–2008Albatross (B-871) Relief fleet 2008–2009 2009–2013 2013–2014 Relief fleet 2014–2017 2017–2022 2022–2023 Relief fleet 2023–2024 2024–TW49Hb(Mk.1.5)W652 RNT 2000–2008 Joy Morris (B-831) Relief fleet 2008–2010 2010–TW50Hb(Mk.1.5)W419 UUJ 2000–2010Leicester Challenge III (B-858) 2010–TW51Hb(Mk.1.5)X651 BUJ 2001–2010Spirit of West Norfolk (B-848) Relief fleet 2010–2011 2011–2023 Relief fleet 2023–2025 2025–TW52Hc(Mk.2)Y506 JNT2002–2011Elizabeth Jane Palmer (B-820) Relief fleet 2011–2012 2012–2022 Relief fleet 2022–2023 2023–TW53Hb(Mk.1.5)DU51 FET 2002–2011Sheila & Dennis Tongue III (B-897) Relief fleet 2011–2012 2012–TW54Hc(Mk.2)DU02 WEJ 2002–2009 Relief fleet 2009–2011 2011–2012 Relief fleet 2012–2014 2014–2020 Relief fleet 2020–TW55Hc(Mk.2)DU52 XGA 2003–2011Doris Day and Brian (B-914) Relief fleet 2011–2017 2017–TW56Hc(Mk.2)DY52 EFR 2003–2017Hello Herbie II (B-900) Relief fleet 2017–2020 2020–TW57Hc(Mk.2)DX03 UZF 2003–2019 Relief fleet 2019–2021 2021–2025 Relief fleet 2025–TW58Hc(Mk.2)DX53 VRF 2003–2013Berylium (B-955) Relief fleet 2013–2015 2015–2017 Relief fleet 2018–2025 2025–TW59Hc(Mk.2)DU04 DVW Relief fleet 2004–2008Daddy's Girl (B-935) 2008–2014 Relief fleet 2014 2014–2015 Relief fleet 2015–2017 2017–TW60Hc(Mk.2)DX54 UYM 2006–2021Maureen Lilian (B-839) Relief fleet 2021 2021–TW61Hb(Mk.1.5)DX09 LRZ 2009–2022{Jean McIvor (B-922) Relief fleet 2022–2024 2024–TW62Hb(Mk.1.5)DX59 LHZ 2010–2013Frank Townley (B-938) 2013– TW65H(Mk.3) HF24 BWO 2024– Colonel Stock (B930) – Built for Private Owner TW67H(Mk.3) – In Build

See also Fowler Challenger III launch tractor New Holland TC45 launch tractor Talus MB-764 launch tractor Talus MB-H launch tractor Talus Atlantic 85 DO-DO launch carriage

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