Talus MB-764 amphibious tractor

Talus MB-764
Talus MB-764 RNLI Launch Vehicle
Type	Launch vehicle
Manufacturer	Clayton Engineering Limited [1]
Length	3.880 m (152.8 in)
Width	2.260 m (89.0 in)
Height	2.950 in (0.0749 m)
Propulsion	All Gear 4 wheel drive
Engine model	4 cylinder Diesel
Gross power	80  hp (60  kW)

Talus MB-764 is a four-wheel drive launch tractor which was specifically designed for the RNLI, to launch and recover inflatable inshore lifeboats from beach and shorebased launched lifeboat stations. ^[2] The Tractor is produced by the British company of Clayton Engineering Limited who are based in Knighton, Powys. ^[3]

Development

The MB-764 was the first launch tractor designed and developed in conjunction with the RNLI to launch the institutions smaller inshore inflatable lifeboat fleet. Clayton’s based the design of the MB-764 on Ford County Commercial Cars. ^[4] At the design and development stage the company presented two Prototype models. The first being the main take up by the RNLI. The first of these launch tractors went into service with the RNLI in 1975 and since then over 30 tractors have been operated by the Institute around the United Kingdom and Ireland. The basic design, operating and performance characteristics have not changed from the initial design concept vehicle, with the exception of the propelled wading capability.

The fleet information is correct with reference to the Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2025 unless noted otherwise. ^[5] .

RNLI Talus MB-764 fleet

Current Location

Op. No. [a]	Reg No.	Station	In service [5]	Image	Pay-load	Comments
TW01	XTK 150M J72200	New Brighton Cardigan Relief fleet St Bees Relief fleet St Catherine Relief fleet Trearddur Bay Relief fleet Teignmouth	1974–1987 1987–1995 1995–1996 1996–2000 2000–2002 2002–2010 2010–2011 2011–2020 2020–2024 2024–		Atlantic 85 Claude and Kath (B-947)
TW02	LRU 581P	Relief fleet Beaumaris Cardigan Abersoch Silloth Relief fleet Lyme Regis Relief fleet Weston-super-Mare Relief fleet Portishead	1976 1976–1987 1987 1988–1997 1998–2003 2003–2004 2004–2014 2014–2015 2015–2023 2023–2024 2024–		Atlantic 85 My Lady Anne (B-884)
TW03	RLJ 367R	Blackpool Relief fleet Newbiggin Relief fleet St Ives Rye Harbour Aberystwyth Relief fleet Arran (Lamlash) Relief fleet Largs Relief fleet Kinghorn Kessock Relief fleet Kinghorn Relief fleet Lyme Regis	1977–1979 1979–1981 1981 1981–1986 1986–1991 1991–1992 1992–1996 1996–1998 1998–2004 2004–2005 2005–2012 2012 2012–2014 2015–2016 2016–2017 2017–2022 2022–2023 2023–		Atlantic 85 Spirit of Loch Fyne (B-857)
TW04	TEL 705R J 93085	Whitstable Cardigan Trearddur Bay Relief fleet Kinghorn Relief fleet Kinghorn Relief fleet St Catherine	1977–1994 1995–2002 2002–2010 2010–2011 2011–2012 2012–2014 2014–2017 2017–2019 2019–		Atlantic 85 Eric W Wilson (B-841)
TW05	UJT 151S	Littlestone-on-Sea Staithes and Runswick Relief fleet St Ives Trearddur Bay Mudeford Relief fleet Weston-super-Mare Rhyl	1977–1978 1978–1987 1987–1991 1991–1995 1996–2002 2002–2006 2006–2007 2007–2011 2012–		D-class (IB1) Geoff Pierce (D-903)
TW06	VRU 611S BMN 476L	Abersoch Peel Largs Kinghorn Relief fleet Barmouth Bude Cleethorpes	1978–1988 1988–1992 1992–1997 1998–2003 2003–2004 2004 2004–2007 2007–		D-class (IB1) James and Deanna Adams (D-889)
TW07	MAN 49W XLJ 796S 88-D-43711	Peel St Bees Abersoch Skerries	1978–1988 1989–1996 1997–2003 2003–		Atlantic 85 Louis Simson (B-866)	[6] [7]
TW08	D508 RUJ 87-CE-3065	Littlestone-on-Sea Lough Swilly Beaumaris Kilrush	1979–1994 1995–1996 1996–2000 2001–		Atlantic 85 Edith Louise Eastwick (B-844)	[8] [9]
TW09	PEL 169W J 93085	Newbiggin Staithes and Runswick Atlantic College Abersoch St Catherine Relief fleet Burry Port	1981–1992 1992–1993 1994–2002 2003–2009 2010–2019 2019–2022 2022–		Atlantic 85 The Missus Barrie (B-915)
TW10	VEL 99X	Hunstanton Relief fleet Kinghorn Relief fleet Training(Instow) Relief fleet Beaumaris Relief fleet Largs Relief fleet Appledore	1982–1992 1992–1994 1994–1998 1998–2002 2003–2006 2006–2008 2008–2010 2010–2012 2012–2013 2013–2017 2017–		Atlantic 85 Glaneley (B-861)
TW11	B251 HUX	Relief fleet Redcar Staithes and Runswick Criccieth Largs Staithes and Runswick Training(Instow) Barrow Shoreham Harbour Relief fleet Weston-super-Mare Relief fleet Lymington	1985–1986 1986–1987 1987–1992 1992–1997 1997–1998 1998–2003 2006–2007 2007–2008 2008–2010 2010–2012 2012–2015 2015–2016 2016–		Atlantic 85 David Bradley (B-882)	[10]
TW12	D508 RUJ BPR 667T	Kinghorn St Catherine Relief fleet Beaumaris Hayling Island Relief fleet Beaumaris	1987–1994 1995–1997 1997–2000 2000–2008 2008–2018 2019–2012 2021–		Atlantic 85 Annette Mary Liddington (B-838)
TW13	D948 SAW	Beaumaris St Catherine Red Bay Relief fleet Beaumaris Relief fleet Silloth	1987–1996 1997–2002 2002–2009 2009–2010 2010–2021 2021–2024 2024–		Atlantic 85 Elaine and Don Wilkinson (B-828)
TW14	D659 TNT J 15014 87-D-38843	New Brighton St Catherine Youghal Relief fleet Lough Swilly Relief fleet West Mersea Relief fleet Burry Port Relief fleet Tighnabruaich	1987–1990 1991–1995 1996–1999 1999–2001 2001–2007 2007–2009 2009–2019 2019–2020 2020–2022 2022–2023 2023–		Atlantic 85 James and Helen Mason (B-862)
TW15	E592 WNT	Redcar Relief fleet Sheringham Silloth Largs Relief fleet Appledore Relief fleet Hayling Island	1987–1991 1991–1992 1992–1994 1994–1998 1998–2005 2005–2007 2007–2017 2017–2018 2018–		Atlantic 85 Derrick Battle (B-829)	[11]
TW30	L123 HUX	Staithes and Runswick Relief fleet Youghal Relief fleet Lymington Training Relief fleet Red Bay	1993–1998 1998–1999 1999–2005 2005–2006 2006–2016 2016–2017 2018–2019 2019–		Atlantic 85 Geoffrey Charles (B-843)	[12] [13]
TW31	L526 JUJ	Littlestone-on-Sea Relief fleet Barmouth Rhyl Relief fleet Red Bay Relief fleet Lough Swilly Relief fleet	1994–1999 1999–2004 2004–2006 2006–2008 2008–2009 2009–2019 2019–2021 2021–2022 2022–
TW32	L161 LAW	Whitstable Relief fleet Penlee Relief fleet Burry Port Relief fleet Kinghorn	1994–2000 2000–2003 2003–2014 2014–2018 2018–2020 2020–2022 2022–		Atlantic 85 Tommy Niven (B-836)
TW33	M562 OUX	Lough Swilly Relief fleet Rhyl Mudeford	1996–2001 2001–2002 2002–2006 2006–		Atlantic 85 Henrietta H (B-948)
TW34	M71 RUX	Kilrush Relief fleet Kessock Relief fleet Kessock	1996–2001 2001–2002 2002–2015 2015–2016 2016–		Atlantic 85 Robert and Isobel Mowat (B-873)
TW35	N506 WNT	Red Bay Tighnabruaich Silloth Relief fleet	1996–2002 2002–2012 2013–2024 2024–
TW38	N469 XAW	Skerries Silloth Relief fleet Abersoch	1997–2003 2003–2013 2013–2016 2017–		Atlantic 85 Peter and Ann Setten (B-886)	[14]
TW39	N687 YAW 96-D-61119	Lyme Regis Clifden	1997–2004 2004–		Atlantic 85 Joyce King (B-869)	[15] [16]
TW40	P472 CUJ	Aberystwyth Relief fleet Kinghorn Weston-super-Mare Tighnabruaich Weston-super-Mare	1996–2002 2002–2003 2003–2011 2011–2012 2012–2023 2023–		Atlantic 85 Alexander (B-875)
TW41	P301 DAW	Tighnabruaich Relief fleet Arran (Lamlash) Relief fleet Portishead Relief fleet	1997–2002 2002–2004 2004–2013 2013–2015 2015–2024 2024–
TW42	97-G-8631	Clifden Relief fleet Youghal	1998–2004 2004–2005 2005–		Atlantic 85 Gordon and Phil (B-890)	[17] [18]
TW43	S540 UNT	Hayling Island Relief fleet Abersoch Relief fleet West Mersea	1998–2008 2008–2009 2009–2017 2018–2019 2019–		Atlantic 85 Just George (B-879)
TW44	S193 RUJ	Appledore Relief fleet Rhyl Burry Port Relief fleet Trearddur Bay	2000–2007 2007–2008 2008–2010 2010–2018 2018–2020 2020–		Atlantic 85 Hereford Endeavour (B-847)
TW47	T315 FLG 99-D-87952	Lymington Relief fleet Lough Swilly Relief fleet Lough Swilly	2000–2006 2006–2007 2007–2021 2021–2022 2022–		Atlantic 85 Minnie and Ernest George Barry (B-819)	[19] [20]
TW48	V281 EUJ	West Mersea Relief fleet Trearddur Bay Relief fleet Southwold Arran (Lamlash)	2000–2009 2009–2010 2010–2011 2011–2012 2012–2013 2013–		Atlantic 85 Rachael Hedderwick (B-876)
TW63	DS13 LGW	Largs	2013–		Atlantic 85 R. A. Wilson (B-854)	[21]
TW64	HG63 VAO	Lyme Regis Relief fleet	2014–2023 2023–

1. Op. No. is the RNLI's Operational Number

See also

• Fowler Challenger III launch tractor
• New Holland TC45 launch tractor
• Talus MB-H launch tractor
• Talus MB-4H launch tractor
• Talus Atlantic 85 DO-DO launch carriage

References

1. "Clayton Engineering Ltd – Home Page". Home Page of Company web-site. Clayton Engineering Ltd. Retrieved 25 March 2014.
2. "Talus MB-4H Tractor". Description and details of the Model. Clayton Engineering Limited. Retrieved 25 March 2014.
3. OS Explorer Map 201 - Knighton and Presteigne Tref-y-clawdd a Dyffryn Elan, Author: Ordnance Survey. Publisher: Ordnance Survey. Work: Folded Map. ISBN   978-0-319-23758-8
4. "The foremost in four-wheel drive - The Definitive County Register Online". Information about County Commercial Cars. County Commercial Cars. Retrieved 26 March 2014.
5. Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2025). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2025. Lifeboats Enthusiasts Society. pp. 107–109.
6. "Skerries Lifeboat Station – RNLI website". Home page of the Skerries station. RNLI © 2014. Archived from the original on 13 March 2014. Retrieved 28 March 2014.
7. "Skerries – Talus Launch Tractor". Photograph of TW11 and registration No. © 2009-2014 Irish Lifeboats. Retrieved 30 March 2014.
8. "Kilrush Lifeboat Station – RNLI website". Home page of the Kilrush station. RNLI © 2014. Retrieved 29 March 2014.
9. "Kilrush – Talus Launch Tractor". Photograph of TW 08. © 2009-2014 Irish Lifeboats. Retrieved 30 March 2014.
10. "Lymington Lifeboat Station – RNLI website". Home page of the Lymington station. RNLI © 2014. Retrieved 28 March 2014.
11. Hayling Island Lifeboats. Author: Leach, Nicholas. Publisher:Foxglove Media, 2010 edition. Work: Chapter – 1995 to 2005, page 47: reference to the arrival of TW43 in 1998. Chapter – 2005 to present, Page 54: reference to dates of service of TW43. ISBN   978-0-9513656-9-4
12. "Red Bay Lifeboat Station – RNLI website". Home page of the Red Bay station. RNLI © 2014. Retrieved 28 March 2014.
13. "Red Bay – Talus Launch Tractor". Photograph of TW31 and registration No. © 2009-2014 Irish Lifeboats. Retrieved 30 March 2014.
14. "Abersoch Lifeboat Station – RNLI website". Home page of the Abersoch station. RNLI © 2014. Retrieved 28 March 2014.
15. "Clifden Lifeboat Station – RNLI website". Home page of the Clifden station. RNLI © 2014. Retrieved 28 March 2014.
16. "Clifden – Talus Launch Tractor". Photograph of TW 39 in the boathouse at Clifden. © 2009-2014 Irish Lifeboats. Retrieved 30 March 2014.
17. "Youghal Lifeboat Station – RNLI website". Home page of the Youghal station. RNLI © 2014. Retrieved 28 March 2014.
18. "Youghal – Talus Launch Tractor". Photograph of TW42 and registration No. © 2009-2014 Irish Lifeboats. Retrieved 30 March 2014.
19. "Lough Swilly Lifeboat Station – RNLI website". Home page of the Lough Swilly station. RNLI © 2014. Archived from the original on 6 November 2014. Retrieved 28 March 2014.
20. "Lough Swilly – Talus Launch Tractor". Photograph of TW47 in the boathouse at Lough Swilly. © 2009-2014 Irish Lifeboats. Retrieved 30 March 2014.
21. "Largs Lifeboat Station – RNLI website". Home page of the Largs station. RNLI © 2014. Retrieved 28 March 2014.