Relief fleet

The Margaret Russell Fraser was first posted to the Republic of Ireland, where she spent the next three years stationed at Rosslare Harbour, Ballycotton, Valentia, and finally Aran Island.^{[7][8][9][10]} In September 1989 she was sent across the Irish Sea to Yarmouth Lifeboat Station on the Isle of Wight, her first English station posting.^[11]

While at Yarmouth she was involved in the October 1989 rescue of the RoRo cargo vessel Al Kwather 1.^[12] The Margaret Russell Fraser launched into gale force 9 winds to assist the Swanage Rother-class lifeboat RNLB Horace Clarkson (ON 1047), which had been on the scene since 11.30 am.^[13] The Margaret Russell Fraser arrived on the scene at 3.10 pm, but both vessels soon departed as the Al Kwather 1 appeared to be in no immediate danger.^[14]

Just after midnight, the captain of the Al Kwather 1 requested assistance again following engine trouble. When the two lifeboats returned, the ship was in complete darkness, listing to port and rolling violently.^[14] The Margaret Russell Fraser approached from the stern and rescued one of pair of crewmen hanging on to a cargo net.^[14] The coxswain of the Margaret Russell Fraser was awarded an RNLI Bronze Medal for his part in the service.^[15]

Calshot Lifeboat Station

In 2002 the Margaret Russell Fraser was taken out of the relief fleet and placed on her sole permanent posting at Calshot Lifeboat Station in Hampshire, where she replaced the Brede-class lifeboat RNLB Safeway (ON 1104).^[16] She remained on service at Calshot for just over two years before she was replaced by the Arun-class lifeboat RNLB Mabel Williams (ON 1159).