Category: Coastguard

K584 VEL
HM Coastguard
Land Rover Defender
A classic Land Rover Defender operated by HM Coastguard, featuring blue lights and dark blue and yellow livery. Displayed at a public event at Elvington.

HX18 CYJ
HM Coastguard
Ford Transit Connect
Spotted in Cleethorpes

HX18 DVY
HM Coastguard
Mitsubishi Shogun
Spotted in Cleethorpes

HX19 CTK
HM Coastguard
Mitsubishi Eclipse
Spotted in Cleethorpes

VU17 XNK
HMCG
Nissan Nivara
Training Unit, seen at the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow in 2021

MX21 RGU
HMCG
Ford Transit
At the Moray Coastal Operations Base

HX19 EEM
HMCG
Ford Tourneo
With coastguard branded trailer

EU17 DFD, KY16 RYZ
His Majesty’s Coast Guard
A Ford Transit Connect and a Skoda Yeti based at Amble in Northumberland.

HX68 AAN
HM Coastgaurd
Mitsubushi Outlander

HX19 EEF
HM Coastgaurd
Ford Transit

HF09 BDX
HM Coastgaurd
Nissan Pathfinder

HF12 FXW
HM Coastguard
Mitsubishi L200
Based at Craignure on the Isle of Mull, Scotland

HF12 FZD
HM Coastguard
Peugeot 308
Seen in Oban

G-HMGA
HM Coastguard
Beech 200 Super King Air
Used for coastal patrols. They carry pollution detection equipment and can detect people from up to 40 miles away

OU66 DNY
HM Coastguard
Mitsubishi L200
This vehicle is based at the Coastguard’s Bridlington base (pictured). The Truckman rear carries various rescue equipment for use on cliffs and other parts of the coastline.

HX68 EZD
HM Coastguard
Mitsubishi L200

OU66 DNF
HM Coastguard
Ford Transit Connect

WX17 EHH
HM Coastguard
Mitsibishi L200

LJ17 CWT
HM Coastguard
Kia Sportage

W291 PHO
HM Coastguard
Toyota Hilux
This 2000 model was still in service in 2017 in Millport on the Scottish island of Great Cumbrae

HM Coastguard
Rocket Rescue Cart
This horse-drawn cart was stationed at Bridlington and was built at some point between 1870 and 1910. Equipment carried includes rope ladders, cork helmets, cork lifebelt and rope with a cane attached to one end. Regular exercise drills allowed the volunteers to perfect rescue techniques and prize money was awarded to those who could throw the farthest.

HM Coastgaurd
Kia Sportage

HM Coastgaurd
Yamaha 4×4 off road buggy

WX65 HGA
HM Coastguard
Mitsubishi L200
Search and Rescue car

J27792
Jersey Coastguard
Ford Ranger

J119328
Jersey Coastguard
Toyota Hilux

Jersey Coastguard
Pilot boats Le Fret and Rival

HM Coastguard
Land Rover Defender
Search and rescue vehicle

HF62 GVO HM Coastguard Skoda Yeti SE Plus

HF62 GVO A Coastguard Skoda Yeti emergency vehicle.



The rear view.



A closer look at the logos on the rear of the sides.

HF62 GXD A Mitsubishi L200 Warrier Coastguard search and rescue car.



The rear.



A look up the side of the L200.

HF62 HEV A 2013 HM Coastguard Skoda Yeti 4×4. This is the UK Coastguard’s first venture into using Skoda vehicles. The first fleet of 30 cars are used by Sector Managers.



The rear view of the Yeti.

G-MCGB A Sikorsky S-92A that is used for search and rescue operations by HM Coastguard.



A look at the back of the craft.



The helicopter takes flight and skims along the ground.



The rescue chopper as seen from below.



The winchman is lowered from the craft over the sea.

Watch a video of this vehicle in action!

G-CGOC A Sikorsky S-92A that is used for search and rescue operations by HM Coastguard, seen here with sister aircraft G-MCGB.



The aircraft banks sharply while in flight.



The rescue copter on the ground taxiing.

Watch a video of this vehicle in action!

G-MCGA A Sikorsky S-92 that became operational in Sumburgh from June 2013. This was brought in by Bristow as they took over the SAR provision. The older aircraft are moved to Ireland to continue their good work.



The old and the new.



Another view of G-MCGA.

Watch a video of this vehicle in action!

HF12 FYS A Peugeot 308 Access used by the coastguard for search and rescue work and well as routine patrols.



The rear view.

HF12 FYC An HM Coastguard Mitsubishi L200. From 2012 the coastguard introduced this revised livery with a white base bodywork rather than the previous blue.

NA08 OMO Sunderland Volunteer Life Brigade operate this Ford Ranger. The service assists the Coastguard and it is labelled as Coastal Search and Rescue.



The rear view.

HF12 FYX A Peugeot 308 that carries a Sector Manager for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.



The rear view of the 1.6-litre petrol Peugeot. Notice on the side how the signage is just ‘coastguard’ rather than ‘HM coastguard’ seen on the front and rear of the car.

HF51 LVR A Nissan Terrano II that is based on Northumberland’s Holy Island or Lindisfarne. The island can be accessed by a causeway twice a day during low tide, but outside of these times it is a true island.



The rear view. Notice the red lights integrated into the roof light bar. In the background is the small base for the vehicle.



Looking over the bonnet of the Terrano at Lindisfarne Castle, one of many castles down the Northumberland coastline.

M904 KJT This Nissan D21 pick-up is the sole Coastguard vehicle on the Northern Ireland island of Rathlin.



The rear view of the aging Nissan. When photographed in 2012 it still looks in great condition despite its 17 years.

J108092 The Jersey Coastguard use this dark blue Subaru Forester. It is fitted with a dual-colour light bar of amber and blue. It follows a similar colour scheme to the Her Majesty’s Coastguard in mainland UK.



The rear view of the Forester.

This coastguard boat is moored at Hugh Town, Isles of Scilly, for use by the part-time crew. Notice the small blue flashing light above the cabin.

P462 WCG This is a 1996 Nissan Terrano II used by HM Coastguard on the island of Tresco, Isles of Scilly. Still operational in 2011, this 4×4 is one of a small number of motorised vehicles on the island. A small white tube can be seen connected to the front which keeps the battery topped up.

The rear view.

This is a trailer towed by the Terrano above. It is in the usual Coastguard colours and carries additional rescue equipment. If required it can be towed by other vehicles.

HF57 HRR This is a Coastguard Search and Rescue Nissan Navara. It is fitted with four flashing blue LEDs on the grille.



The rear view. Notice the absence of additional blue lights on the rear.

This atmospheric shot shows airborne and sea-going emergency rescue craft.

G-SARB is a HM Coastguard helicopter in flight with the setting sun reflecting off the underside.

HMN-629-Y This is an Isle of Man Coastguard Land Rover Defender. They have a very similar colour-scheme to HM Coastguard vehicles, but are a separate service. The Isle of Man is not part of the UK and they broke away from HM Coastguard in 1989.



A look at the rear of the Land Rover.

G-SARD is a Agusta Westland AW139 coastguard rescue helicopter.

HF54 JPO This is a Coastguard Nissan Navara on patrol.

HF07 ESN is a Ford Focus Estate and HF08 TCY is a Nissan Navara, both belonging to the Coastguard. They are seen here displaying some of the rescue equipment that they carry.

W928 KJT is a Land Rover Defender 90 and HF53 LGV is a Ford Focus, both belonging to the Coastguard at Fort William.



The rear shot of the two vehicles.

Y521 FEL is a Toyota Hilux and HF53 NWD is a Nissan Navara. Both of these coastguard cars are four wheel drive and have double cabs.

W906 PCG This is a Coastguard Nissan Terrano II caught in a snow storm.

HF53 NWB is a Nissan Navara 2.5 DI coastguard rescue vehicle.

G-CGIJ This is “India Juliet”, an August-Westland AW139 rescue helicopter based at Lee-on-Solent on England’s south coast.

A coastguard rib (rigid inflatable boat) called Peregrine being used around the North-West England coast.

G-SARB, a HM Coastguard rescue helicopter. It is a CHC Scotia Sikorsky S-92A and is based at the Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre in Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis, Scotland.

G-BPWB This is one of the four Coastguard helicopters based around the UK in 2007. It has callsign “Rescue Whiskey Bravo” and was made famous by its numerous appearance on the BBC TV series Seaside Rescue.

A first for this website: a tram! Yes, this electric tram is marked-up in coastguard colours and is used in Blackpool to help advertise the coastguard’s search and rescue service.

This boat, fitted with blue flashing light, is used by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency on inland waterways.

HF03 LRL is a Coastguard Land Rover Defender based at St. Andrews, Scotland.

R387 AEC Here a Coast Rescue Land Rover belonging to Sunderland Volunteer Life Brigade is flanked by two of the team’s bikes. The mountain bikes are decked out in Coastguard colours and allow the team to monitor the coastline at places that are difficult to get to by car. It also make it easier for the team of this declared coastguard facility to talk to locals and makes them faster to respond to local incidents.

TYO 286S This is a HM Coastguard Land Rover that was new in 1977.

HF51 USB Here is coastguard rescue helicopter Victor Alpha alongside a coastguard Land Rover.



Here is the helicopter and Land Rover again among the scenic landscape where they spend most of their time.

W899 PCG This is a HM Coastguard Nissan Terrano II based at Lee-on-Solent. It is decked out in the usual blue and yellow paint scheme, with blue lights on the roof. Unusually the rear window has also been covered with yellow. The reason for this becomes clear when you see the side view.



The side view of the same Terrano. The two crests on the rearmost windows are HM Coastguard and Hampshire Ambulance Service. This car carries medical equipment in the rear as a Co-response Unit. If it closer to a medical emergency than an ambulance, it will respond.

X282 WCG A CG Ford Focus is parked up with blue lights showing at a night-time cliff-top exercise.

NL52 HNW This blue Land Rover Discovery is carrying a liveried roof-box with ‘Medical Team’ wording. On the sun visor is a fold down ‘Coastguard Rescue’ sign. The vehicle itself does not carry any livery on the bodywork. The rear of the roof-box shows that it is run by ‘Lifeline Medical Transport Service’.

V918 DAA is a CG Toyota Hi-Lux, assisting with the landing of a rescue helicopter callsign ‘Rescue 177’ from HMS Gannet, Prestwick.

G-GDIJ This is a coastguard rescue helicopter, which is similar in appearance to a Royal Navy resuce helicopter, however this one is launched by the coastguard to help rescue (by winching) or transport injured people on or near seas and rivers. Its callsign is ‘Rescue India Juliet’. This is denoted by ‘IJ’ being written on the nose of the aircraft, and is formed from the last two letters of its air registration.

This is a Bournemouth 03-registered Nissan Navara Coastguard vehicle. After extensive on and off-road trials, this Nissan was put into operation in 2004. It is pictured on the seafront at Margate, Kent.

A Toyota 4×4 Coastguard vehicle.

V502 DHO and HJ52 SYZ On the right is a Toyota Landcruiser and on the left is a Ford Focus coastguard vehicle.

HF03 GWZ is a 2003 Toyota which is being used by Her Majesty’s Coastguard. The vehicle is suited to the terrain coastguards need to cover, as demonstrated in this picture.

This Toyota Land Cruiser Colorado is used by Her Majesty’s Coastguard. The advantage of having four wheel drive is immense when on a wet beach or a rocky coastal area.

The sector manager uses this type of Ford Escort estate.

P466 WCG is a Vauxhall 4×4.

W506 DHO is a Toyota Land Cruiser four wheel drive.



The rear view.

A rather steep incline is no problem for the coastguard in their 4WD Toyota!

M925 KJT is a Land Rover Defender 90.

K589 VEL is a Vauxhall Astravan. Note the distinctive dark blue and yellow livery which is unique to this emergency service.

J163 PRU This is a Vauxhall Frontera conversion from the coastguard’s fleet, with an inset of their emblem from the driver’s door.

G925 MTV This image shows a vehicle belonging to Sunderland Volunteer Life Brigade. They are a coastguard declared facility providing coastal search and cliff rescue capabilities between Sunderland and South Shields and are not, as is commonly misunderstood, lifeguards.



A second view of the Land Rover.

This is a custom built Land Rover (constructed by Land Rover Special Vehicles in 1996) adapted for coast rescue operations. It is owned by South Shields Volunteer Life Brigade and is the only example of such a vehicle in the UK.