Fowler Challenger III amphibious tractor

Fowler Challenger III is a continuous track amphibious launch tractor, which was specifically designed for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), to launch and recover carriage mounted lifeboats, from beach-launched lifeboat stations.

Fowler Challenger III Crawler Tractor
Mick Bell

Fowler Challenger III
Fowler tractor T65 (VYT 878) RNLI Heritage Collection, Chatham
Type	Launch vehicle
Manufacturer	John Fowler & Co.
Production	13 (1952–1960)
Weight	14 tonnes with track pads
Propulsion	tracks
Engine model	Meadows 6 DC630 95 h.p.
Gross power	95 hp (71 kW)
Drawbar pull	17 tonnes

A total of 13 tractors were constructed over a seven-year period from 1953 to 1960. The tractor is a highly modified version of the standard 95 bhp Fowler Challenger III diesel crawler tractor, manufactured by John Fowler & Co. of Leeds.^[1]

A prototype was trialled successfully at Aberystwyth in 1952^[2]

The tractor developed a draw-bar pull of 21,100 Lbs, through its six-speed gearbox, and was fitted with a specially designed winch, allowing it to exert a maximum pull of 38,500 Lbs. at its lowest speed. Extended gear and clutch levers were fitted, to assist the driver when submerged.

The tractor has been made completely watertight, with the engine compartment sealed with watertight panels and doors. The engine was designed to run for long periods without overheating. Circular brass rubber-seated valves were fitted to the air intake and discharge ports, to be closed when submerged. To prevent damage, an automatic stop device was also employed.^[3]

There were many requirements of the RNLI variant tractor:

• Able to tow a life-boat and carriage weighing up to 14 tons over various types of terrain, including soft sand and deep shingle.
• Able to pull the life-boat and carriage up gradients of 1 in 4 and to hold them by its brakes on these gradients.
• Able to haul life-boat and carriage to the water, which at low water may be several miles at some stations.
• Capable of operating continuously at full power, in water up to a depth of seven feet.

Fowler Challenger III fleet

Op. No.[a]	Reg No.	Built	In service[1]	Station	Comments
T56	MYR 426	1953	1953–1960 1960–1962 1962–1967 1967 1968 1968–1969 1969–1977 1977–1982 1982 1982–1988 1988–1989	Hoylake Relief fleet St Ives Depot Dungeness Depot Llandudno Relief fleet Hoylake Clogherhead Stored (Arklow)	Featured in Meccano Magazine, April 1954.[4]
T57	NYE 351	1953	1953–1964 1964–1966 1966–1968 1968–1970 1970–1972 1972–1974 1974 1974–1976 1976–1978 1978–1983 1983–1985	Aberystwyth Relief fleet Boulmer Dungeness Hastings Relief fleet Rhyl Runswick Depot Clogherhead Depot	In a private collection in Tring, Herts
T58	OJJ 312 HZR 780	1953	1953–1965 1965–1974 1974–1975 1975–1976 1976–1989	Pwllheli Bridlington Rhyl Depot Kilmore Quay
T59	OJJ 866	1954	1954–1969 1969–1971 1971–1976 1977–1985	Wells-next-the-Sea Depot Kilmore Quay Newcastle
T60	OXO 323	1954	1954–1962 1963–1972 1972–1973 1973–1974 1974–1978 1978–1983 1983–1985 1985–1989	St Ives Rhyl Depot Hastings Bridlington Rhyl Wells-next-the-Sea Relief fleet
T61	PLA 561	1954	1954–1966 1966–1967 1967–1968 1968–1969 1969–1975 1975–1984 1985–1988 1988–1989	Boulmer Relief fleet St Ives Relief fleet Hoylake Scarborough Newcastle Relief fleet	Restored, was offered for sale in 2022.[5] In a private collection in Market Rasen
T62	PLA 698	1954	1954–1965 1965–1967 1967–1976 1976–1978 1978–1980 1980–1981 1981–1987 1987–1989	Bridlington Relief fleet Scarborough Runswick Sheringham Relief fleet Ilfracombe Depot	On display at Chain Bridge Honey Farm, Berwick-upon-Tweed (Stephen Robson Collection).
T63	PXF 163	1954	1955–1963 1963–1965 1965–1975 1975–1978 1979–1983 1984–1988 1988	Rhyl Relief fleet Pwllheli Hoylake Wells-next-the-Sea Scarborough Depot	In a private collection in Huddersfield
T64	PXF 575	1955	1955–1958 1958–1967 1968–1978 1978–1980 1980–1982 1982–1984 1984–1986	Gourdon Scarborough Sheringham Relief fleet Sheringham Relief fleet Sheringham	In a private collection in Huddersfield
T65	VYT 878	1958	1958–1959 1959–1963 1963–1970 1970 1970–1972 1972–1973 1974–1985 1985–1990	Gourdon Relief fleet Hastings Dungeness Relief fleet Hastings Hastings Relief fleet	On display at the RNLI Heritage Collection, Chatham Historic Dockyard
T66	XYP 400	1959	1959–1969 1969–1974 1975 1976–1986 1986–1989	Gourdon Runswick Aldeburgh Pwllheli Depot	In a private collection in Ravensden, Bedfordshire
T67	YLD 792	1960	1960–1969 1969–1972 1972–1974 1974–1979 1979–1982 1982–1983 1983–1984 1984–1985 1985–1987 1987–1989	Hoylake Relief fleet Rhyl Wells-next-the-Sea Relief fleet Hoylake Rhyl Relief fleet Aldeburgh Depot	November 2024, In a private collection in Redditch, Worcs.
T68	YUV 742	1960	1960–1968 1969–1974 1975–1978 1978–1982 1982–1984 1984–1987 1987 1987–1989	Sheringham Wells-next-the-Sea Rhyl Hoylake Sheringham Relief fleet Pwllheli Relief fleet	In a private collection in Tring, Herts

1. Op. No. is the RNLI's Operational Number carried on the hull.

See also

• New Holland TC45 launch tractor
• Talus MB-764 launch tractor
• Talus MB-H launch tractor
• Talus MB-4H launch tractor
• Talus Atlantic 85 DO-DO launch carriage