Amphibious earth moving plant

[NARSES2]

Must admit saw some long ones in Canada when we were goning from Banft to Vancouver. As we had to wait for them to pass our passenger train we to played the count the cars game. It's a bugger when you forget where you got up to out of sheer boredom 

[Mossie]

Clayton engineering do the Talus range of amphibious tractors.  They're used for launching boats rather than earth moving (the RNLI is the main customer) but it's not difficult to imagine them fitted with buckets & such.

The Talus MB-764 is a small wheeled tractor based on the Ford County 754
http://www.claytonengineering.co.uk/equipmentitem/4d78e5751bf16/Talus-MB764

The Talus MB-H is a purpose built (I think) tracked vehicle for launching heavier lifeboats
http://www.claytonengineering.co.uk/equipmentitem/4d78d64aeeeb8/Talus-MBH

The Talus MB-4H is a purpose built larger wheeled tractor
http://www.claytonengineering.co.uk/equipmentitem/4d78e22f702ba/Talus-MB4H

Snapped a MB-4H at RNLI Flamborough a few years back.  What's not obvious in the pic is that it's articulated in the middle.

[chrisonord]

Which model of Talus is that one on the left Mossie   
Chris.

[kitnut617]

Must admit saw some long ones in Canada when we were goning from Banft to Vancouver. As we had to wait for them to pass our passenger train we to played the count the cars game. It's a bugger when you forget where you got up to out of sheer boredom 

When they go through the mountains, they are split into two separate trains from the single ones that come across the Prairies

[Rheged]

Which model of Talus is that one on the left Mossie   
Chris.

It looks like the classic "Little grey Fergie"  to me. I learned to drive one of those at the age of 12 and I've had a soft spot for them since..........

[chrisonord]

My late friend Andy, loved tractors too, he wore a red massey furgusson hat everywhere, his wife got a little grey massey furgusson tractor on a trailer as part of his funeral convoy, along with 0ver 300 motorcycles and riders.
chris.

[PR19_Kit]

Which model of Talus is that one on the left Mossie   
Chris.

It looks like the classic "Little grey Fergie"  to me. I learned to drive one of those at the age of 12 and I've had a soft spot for them since..........

As kitted by Airfix too, their very first kit.

[Hobbes]

Clayton engineering do the Talus range of amphibious tractors.

oh, nice.

In the same vein, the Dutch sea rescue organisation uses these:


A Caterpillar Challenger tracked vehicle modified for seaside duty.

[rickshaw]

I always thought that British lifeboats got launched down ramps out of sheds at the end of piers.  Thats how they are always shown in BBC drama shows! 

[PR19_Kit]

I always thought that British lifeboats got launched down ramps out of sheds at the end of piers.  Thats how they are always shown in BBC drama shows! 

That's 'cos the shows are scripted by people who only go to seaside towns with piers. 

There's quite a few places where they launch them across the beach though.

[Mossie]

I always thought that British lifeboats got launched down ramps out of sheds at the end of piers.  Thats how they are always shown in BBC drama shows! 

There are a handful of slipway launches left, but I think there has generally been a move by the RNLI to remove them.  Not sure why, but I'd guess maintainance is the reason.  The above lifeboat used to launch from a slipway on the North Landing of Flamborough Head, that was moved to the current site at South Landing in the early nineties.  Part of the reason was the change to an inshore lifeboat when the old Oakely class all weather boat was retired.

[NARSES2]

Must admit saw some long ones in Canada when we were goning from Banft to Vancouver. As we had to wait for them to pass our passenger train we to played the count the cars game. It's a bugger when you forget where you got up to out of sheer boredom 

When they go through the mountains, they are split into two separate trains from the single ones that come across the Prairies

"bloody 'ell"

[Mossie]

Which model of Talus is that one on the left Mossie   
Chris.

It looks like the classic "Little grey Fergie"  to me. I learned to drive one of those at the age of 12 and I've had a soft spot for them since..........

As kitted by Airfix too, their very first kit.

Could be. A good handfull of these vintage tractors still exist locally for launching small boats, old Fergusons, Fords & the odd David Brown.  My Dad had a little boat we used to use for fishing in the summer months, kept at a compound in a holiday camp near Bridlington.  Tractor was the only way of getting the boats down the ramp built into the cliff.  They were ancient in the eighties & I believe one or two of them are still going there.

[RLBH]

I always thought that British lifeboats got launched down ramps out of sheds at the end of piers.  Thats how they are always shown in BBC drama shows! 

Slipway launch is well suited to launches on rocky shorelines, but apart from maintenance is somewhat dangerous - I'm sure it's obvious that the lifeboat meeting the water at the end of the ramp can be a rather rough experience especially in foul weather. The long-range all-weather lifeboats (Severns and Trents) don't need launching at all, as they're kept afloat.

There's actually one lifeboat station somewhere in Wales that's in the middle of the town, which is (IIRC) at the base of a peninsula with coastline either side. In the event of a launch, the lifeboat is dragged through the town by a tractor to the side where it's required to be launched. The requirement to get around some of the corners is one of the limiting factors on the size of the new Shannon class.

[Aircav]

You've all got it wrong , this is what you need. 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBnqSEiws6s
http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2011/03/radical-screw-propelled-vehicles.html