Actros mans the lifeboats
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III Is this the best haulage job in Britain? The Royal National Lifeboat Institution has just bought three Mercedes-Benz Actros 1835 4x2 rigids to take parts and supplies to its stations around the UK and Ireland, The 18-tonners replace three Merc 1820s, and will live at RNLI headquarters in Poole, Dorset.
The trucks are highly speciI ied, with a 350hp engine mated to Autotrans fully automatic transmission. A rear-mounted Palfinger crane, tilt-and-slide roof and a towbar (for hauling inflatable inshore lifeboats) add to their flexibility.
The Actroses will be out on the road for a week or more, and drivers have to carry bulky waterproofs and cold-weather gear, so they get sleeper cabs fitted with extras such as air conditioning, airbags and a CD player.