The Talus Atlantic 85 DO-DO launch carriage is a drive on - drive off lifeboat launch and recovery carriage used by both the RNLI and Independent services, to launch their Atlantic-class Inshore lifeboats.

Design The design is by Clayton Engineering Limited, who worked with the RNLI to produce the launch system. The carriage works in conjunction with Talus tractors which are used to deploy the Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboats. There are three versions of the carriage which includes a standard carriage and the option of a hydraulic power pack so that the angle of the launch can be changed to suit the conditions. The carriage launch platform has a main bed which elevates through 10° to achieve this feature. The third variant of the carriage has the elevation bed mounted on a rail carriage system.

Operation Under normal launch conditions the lifeboat is loaded with its bow to the rear of the carriage to allow faster deployment. When the lifeboat is recovered it reverses back on to the launch bed. Depending on the sea condition the helmsman require good seamanship to achieve this.

All of the following fleet details are referenced to the 2008–2026 Lifeboat Enthusiast Society Handbooks, with information retrieved directly from RNLI records.

Carriage fleet Op.No. Station Image Current Payload Comments C-DD-001 2007– Henrietta H (B-948) C-DD-002 2007– Daddy's Girl (B-935) C-DD-003 2007– Uncle Johnny (B-936) C-DD-004 2007–2025 C-DDR-005-P(Hydraulic Cradle) 2007– Neil Crowe (B-951) C-DDR-006-S 2007– George D Dow (B-952) C-DDA-007 2007– RNLB The Oddfellows (B-818) C-DDA-008-PT 2007–2019 Florence and Ernest Bowles (B-937) 2019– C-DDA-009-S 2007–2019 Hello Herbie II (B-900) 2019– C-DDA-010 2007–2011 C-DDA-011-P 2007–2015 Hounslow Branch (B-950) 2019– 2012–2021 William and Eleanor (B-867) 2021– C-DDA-013 2008–2016 Elaine and Don Wilkinson (B-828) 2016– C-DD-014 2018– Clark (B-964)C-DD-015 2008–2016 Colonel Stock (B-930) 2021– C-DD-016 2009–2018 William Henry Liddington (B-834) 2019– C-DD-017 2009–2010 Geoffrey Charles (B-843) 2010–2021 2021– C-DD-018-P 2009–2022 C-DD-019 2009–2019 Tommy Niven (B-836) 2019– C-DD-020 2009–2018 Maureen Lilian (B-839) 2019– C-DDA-021P 2009–2019 Joy Morris 2020–2021 2021– C-DDA-022-P 2011–2020 C-DD-023 2010–2019 Hereford Endeavour (B-847) 2021– C-DD-024 2010–2019 Annette Mary Liddington (B-838) 2019– C-DDA-025 2013–2021 Frank Townley (B-938) 2021– C-DD-026 2010–2022 Spirit of West Norfolk (B-848) 2022– C-DD-027 2010–2021 Leicester Challenge III (B-858) 2022– 2010–2019 Charles Dibdin (B-837) 2019– C-DD-029 2016–2023 James and Helen Mason (B-862) 2023– C-DD-030 2010–2021 Edith Louise Eastwick (B-844) 2021– C-DD-031 2011–2021 Spirit of Loch Fyne (B-857) 2023– C-DD-032 2011–2023 Davdot (B-958) 2023– C-DD-033 2012–2023 Glaneley (B-861) 2023– C-DD-034 2012–2022 R. A. Wilson (B-854) 2023– C-DD-035 2012–2023 2024–2025 C-DD-036 2012–2023 C-DD-037 2012–2024 Richard Wake Burdon (B-864) 2024– C-DDA-038 2012–2024 C-DD-039 2021–2023 Patrick and Dianne O'Connor (B-957) 2026– C-DD-040 2013– Louis Simson (B-866)C-DD-041 2013–2024 Forever Yibba (B-959) 2025– C-DD-042 2013– Albatross (B-871)C-DD-043 2014–2024 Berylium (B-955) 2025– C-DD-044-P 2013– Rita Daphne Smyth (B-910) C-DD-045 2014– Toby Rundle (B-872) C-DD-046 2014– Rachael Hedderwick (B-876) C-DD-047 2014– Lewisco (B-877) C-DDA-048-S 2015– Penny J II (B-939) C-DD-049 2015– My Lady Anne (B-884) C-DD-050 2015– Peter and Ann Setten (B-886) C-DD-051 2015– Jacqueline Saville (B-887) C-DD-052 2016– Gordon and Phil (B-890) C-DD-053 2016– Sheila & Dennis Tongue II (B-894) C-DD-054 2016– Hugh Miles (B-896) C-DD-055 2016– Sheila & Dennis Tongue III (B-897) C-DD-056 2021– Marjorie Shepherd (B-928)C-DDA-057-P 2017–2023 Ralph (B-949) 2024– C-DD-058 2019– Doris Day and Brian (B-914) C-DDA-059 2019– The Missus Barrie (B-915) C-DDA-060 2022– Rose Of The Shires (B-832) C-DD-061 2022– Eric W Wilson (B-841) C-DD-062 2021– Douglas Murray (B-830) C-DD-063 2024– Joyce King (B-869) C-DD-064 2023– Jean McIvor (B-922) C-DD-065 C-DD-066 C-DD-067 2025– Loving You (B-942) C-DD-068 2025– Freshwater (Ind.) The Jillian Scott:Spirit of the West Wight V

See also List of RNLI stations List of former RNLI stations Independent lifeboats in Britain and Ireland Talus MB-H amphibious tractor Talus MB-764 amphibious tractor Talus MB-4H amphibious tractor RNLI New Holland TC45 launch tractor

References