GB Railfreight (GBRf), in partnership with Hitachi Rail, is proud to have supported Lumo by delivering its brand-new fleet of Class 803 high-speed electric trains that entered service last month.
Since May, GBRf has provided Hitachi Rail with train planning, haulage, and crews for the testing of these new trains which aim to bring rapid, low-cost, electric travel to the East Coast Main Line, from London to Edinburgh. GBRf will shortly deliver the fifth and final train for the Lumo fleet to Hitachi Rail’s Edinburgh depot in Craigentinny.
Moving forward, the long-term partnership between GBRf and Hitachi Rail will focus on commissioning new trains for East Midlands Railway and the West Coast Partnership, in addition to transit and testing operations in support of existing fleets across the country.
John Smith, CEO of GB Railfreight, said:
“Working closely with our long-standing client Hitachi Rail, we’ve ensured the new fleet of Class 803 welcomes passengers as promised. This is a giant step forward in showcasing the role electric rail travel can, and must play, if the UK is to meet its net zero targets.”
Gary Townsend, Project Manager, Hitachi Rail, said:
“When it came to selecting a partner to act as Test Train Operator for the ECOA/Lumo fleet Hitachi chose GBRf based on their previous performance and values. Once again, they have delivered collaboratively with Hitachi against the backdrop of a global pandemic to deliver these 100% electric trains on time for the service launch.”
GB Railfreight has named a Class 92 electric locomotive ‘Billy Stirling’ during a ceremony at Mossend International Railfreight Park (MIRP) as part of COP26 in Glasgow.
Located next to the electrified West Coast Main Line, MIRP is Scotland’s largest international multi-modal rail freight park and welcomes up to 16 trains per day. At peak operation, the rail freight park has the capacity to save over 200,00 tonnes of carbon per year, supporting a transition to a zero-carbon economy.
The naming ceremony formed part of the ‘Let’s Talk about Rail Freight’ day at the Low Carbon Logistics event, developed to support the UK and Scottish Governments’ vision for a zero-carbon supply chain at COP26 and was unveiled by Billy Stirling’s daughter, Julie Corr.
Low Carbon Logistics is a three-day event committed to raising the profile and awareness of low carbon transition in the rail and road freight sectors, providing the opportunity to celebrate innovation and promote the importance of Pulling Together for Net Zero.
As the third generation of the 151-year-old family-owned operator, Peter D. Stirling Limited, Billy Stirling introduced rail involvement into the company. Following this success, the Peter D. Stirling operation moved to Mossend Railhead in 1981. Under Billy’s guidance, the operator continued to thrive, resulting in the MIPR of present day.
Class 92s are the most powerful electric locomotives in the UK, with the ability to work all over the electrified network as well as through the Channel Tunnel in France. They have been specially converted for operation of Caledonian Sleeper vehicles.
Tim Hartley, Business Development Director of GB Railfreight, said:
“Billy Stirling was a true pioneer of the modern rail freight market in Scotland and played a vital role in the UK’s economic prosperity. It’s great to see his legacy live on through the next generation of the Stirling family and the development of a major new low carbon, multi-modal rail freight facility in MIRP.”
David Stirling, Managing Director of Peter D. Stirling Limited, said:
“The whole Stirling family is very pleased that our father, Billy Stirling’s hard work in building up the business has been recognised in such a magnificent way . His name is now attached to one of the strongest and ‘greenest’ electric freight locomotives around – something he would have been very proud of.”
GB Railfreight name new locomotive to celebrate major Bescot LDC upgrade
08-10-2021 – GB Railfreight (GBRf) and Network Rail have named a Class 66 locomotive to celebrate the completion of major upgrade works to Bescot Local Distribution Centre (LDC).
The Class 66 locomotive No. 66795 has been named ‘Bescot LDC’ and was unveiled to an audience of GBRf and Network Rail colleagues at the West Midlands-based facility.
In July, GBRf announced it completed major upgrade projects funded by Network Rail worth over £1.5 million aimed at improving vital LDCs in Bescot and Eastleigh.
As part of the major upgrade project for Bescot LDC, GBRf completed a series of works to repair and renew underinvested and unsafe track at the site. This included the removal of abandoned buildings, lighting upgrade works, installation of Armco crash barriers, new safe walking routes and safety steps, and the reinstatement of derelict siding 1 by using recycled rail and sleepers.
John Smith, CEO of GB Railfreight, said:
“Today’s naming cements our strong partnership with Network Rail to modernise this important facility. As rail activity grows across the West Midlands, Bescot LDC will play a crucial role in maintaining and renewing the area’s infrastructure.
“I’d like to thank the GBRf Project team who have completed an outstanding job.”
Young HS2 fan names new carbon-friendly freight train
14th September 2021 – A teenage rail fan has today been given the honour of naming a Class 66 locomotive that will transport HS2 construction materials by rail to help reduce carbon emissions.
Jermaine Allen from Leeds unveiled the nameplate for GB Railfreight engine 66796, which he has named ‘The Green Progressor’, at the official opening of HS2’s new 30-acre logistics hub near Willesden Junction in London.
The locomotive features a brand-new livery, promoting the environmental benefits of delivering construction materials by rail instead of road, which inspired the name that Jermaine has chosen.
For every locomotive that HS2 uses to transport aggregates and construction materials, up to 76 lorries are removed from the UK’s roads and motorway network.
On average, around 100 freight trains per week are moving HS2 construction materials across the rail network, which not only makes our roads safer, but also supports HS2’s commitment to reduce the carbon impact of construction by at least 50%, as each tonne of freight transported by rail reduces CO2 emissions by 76% compared to road.
A self-confessed train fanatic, Jermaine has closely followed the story of HS2’s development and construction since he was five-years-old. Accompanied by his parents, Jermaine has visited several construction sites along the 140-mile route that HS2 will follow between the West Midlands and London Euston, learning about the construction methods that HS2 is adopting in readiness for the arrival of Britain’s high speed railway providing low carbon transport.
Today’s invitation to visit HS2’s new Logistics Hub, which has been constructed and will be operated by HS2’s construction partner, Skanska Costain STRABAG joint venture (SCS JV), was a dream come true for the 15-year-old. But a special surprise on the day, organised by GB Railfreight and SCS JV, also saw Jermaine unveil a name plate for an engine named after him – a Class 08 shunting locomotive.
Speaking about his experience, Jermaine said:
“It’s great to have this fantastic once in a lifetime opportunity. I feel very privileged to name this locomotive and to be playing a part in the delivery of Europe’s biggest infrastructure project.”
The Green Progressor will transport construction materials, spoil and aggregates to depots right across HS2’s Phase One route between the West Midlands and London. 66796 is one of five Class 66 locomotives imported from Germany by GB Railfreight to provide more capacity for Britain’s growing rail freight sector. It is scheduled to make its maiden journey by the end of the year, once refurbishment works – that will see the locomotive fitted with the latest communications systems – are carried out.
The locomotive’s new livery and the opportunity to extend an invitation to Jermaine to name it was facilitated by HS2’s Conventional Rail Interface Manager, Andrew Graham and GB Railfreight’s CEO, John Smith. Both organisations were keen to highlight the crucial role that transporting materials by freight plays in reducing carbon impacts, while providing the opportunity for a budding rail enthusiast to make his mark in the construction of this once in a lifetime project.
John Smith CEO of GB Railfreight, Jermaine Allen HS2 Superfan, Mark Thurston CEO of HS2, James Richard Managing Director of SCS, and Liz Rawlinson Project Manager at SCS
Andrew Graham, Conventional Rail Interface Manager at HS2 Ltd said:
“Jermaine’s passion, enthusiasm and knowledge is simply outstanding and we are delighted to have created this opportunity for him.”
Class 08 shunter ‘Jermaine’ will occupy a permanent base at HS2’s new logistics hub in Willesden where it will move wagons into position ready to transport and receive materials.
John Smith, CEO of GB Railfreight said:
“It’s wonderful to provide a young rail enthusiast like Jermaine the opportunity to name one of our Class 66 locomotives. By choosing the name, ‘The Green Progressor’, he has truly captured the role rail freight can play in delivering a more sustainable logistics solution for the construction of HS2.
”Working with SCS JV, we were also honoured to celebrate Jermaine’s special connection to our railways by naming a Class 08 shunter after him.”
Over the next decade, up to 15,000 freight trains will haul 10 million tonnes of aggregate to HS2 construction sites, marking a significant investment for Britain’s rail freight sector.
Furthermore, once HS2 opens and moves long-distance, inter-city passenger services on to dedicated high-speed lines, the new railway will free up space for more freight services across the country, as well as additional local and regional passenger trains.
GB Railfreight rebrands locomotive to raise awareness of prostate cancer, in partnership with the League Managers Association and Prostate Cancer UK
Richard Bevan LMA Chief Executive, John Smith CEO of GB Railfreight and Angela Culhane CEO of Prostate Cancer UK
Photos taken by Pip Dunn
GB Railfreight (GBRf) has today unveiled a newly named Class 66 locomotive in honour of its partnership with Prostate Cancer UK, GBRf’s chosen charity, and the League Managers Association (LMA), GBRf’s corporate partner.
Revealed at Victoria Station in London, the locomotive has been named “League Managers Association” and painted in a unique livery featuring Prostate Cancer UK’s iconic logo – the Man of Men – to raise awareness of the most common cancer in men. After the naming ceremony, guests boarded a specially chartered service hauled by the newly named locomotive for a trip around the Kent countryside.
In addition to the unveiling, this September GBRf will be operating a 4-day rail tour in support of Prostate Cancer UK. ‘GBRf 2021’ will be the third 4-day rail tour organised by the company, having raised over a quarter of a million pounds from its previous two marathon charity charter trains.
GB Railfreight announced its partnership with Prostate Cancer UK back in January 2020. As GBRf’s chosen charity partner, all fundraising activities conducted by the company is in support of Prostate Cancer UK’s mission to stop the disease limiting lives.
GBRf has also been working with its corporate partner, the LMA, since 2020. As part of its partnership with GBRf, the LMA offers access to football managers, elite-level leadership and high-performance experts and the most recognisable personalities in sport.
Prostate Cancer UK is also the official charity of the LMA. The important partnership increases awareness of prostate cancer through football and activities conducted by the LMA’s membership from across The Football Association, Premier League, and Football Leagues.
Angela Culhane, Frank Clark, Roy Hodgson, David Pleat, Howard Wilkinson LMA Chairman, Richard Bevan and Tony Pulis
John Smith, CEO, GB Railfreight:
“Our specially painted Class 66 locomotive will be raising vital awareness around the issue of prostate cancer by showcasing the iconic Man of Men logo as it travels across the country on the railway. This has only been made possible by the strong collaboration GBRf has with its two brilliant partners, Prostate Cancer UK and the League Managers Association.”
Angela Culhane, CEO, Prostate Cancer UK:
“We are delighted the iconic Prostate Cancer UK “Man of Men” logo will be displayed proudly on the Class 66 locomotive together with the League Managers Association name plate. “This is an excellent initiative, which not only raises funds for vital research into better tests and treatments, it will also spark conversations about prostate cancer – a disease affecting one in eight men in the UK, and one in four black men. We are very pleased to be working with two of our fantastic partners on this life saving journey and thank them for their ongoing support.”
LMA, Chief Executive, Richard Bevan said:
“The LMA is privileged to be involved with the unveiling of this newly named Class 66 locomotive in collaboration with our Corporate Partner GB Railfreight and longstanding Charity Partner Prostate Cancer UK. We are excited to be able to raise awareness of our fantastic partnerships with both of these organisations and to continue to develop the partnerships into the upcoming season.”
LMA Chairman Howard Wilkinson said:
“On behalf of the LMA and all the association’s members, I would like to thank GB Railfreight for unveiling this locomotive in honour of its partnership with both the LMA and Prostate Cancer UK. We are extremely proud to be partners with these two fantastic organisations.”
GB Railfreight’s regional investment continues with new Peterborough HQ, officially opened by Rail Minister
John Smith, CEO of GB Railfreight and Chris Heaton-Harris MP, Minister of State for Transport
Rail Minister, Chris Heaton-Harris MP, officially opened the new GB Railfreight (GBRf) Peterborough headquarters today, marking a major long-term investment into the local area by the leading UK rail freight company.
The new £3 million building accommodates GBRf’s traincrew and office staff including its 24-hour control centre, training and operations departments, as well as the asset management team.
GBRf will look to become the industry’s leading training provider for those embarking on a promising career in rail freight. The building plays host to three new purpose-built classrooms and state-of-the-art simulators which will be used to develop future generations of talent from the local area and beyond.
This year alone, 120 people are expected to use the facility and develop skills to qualify for a variety of roles from trainee train drivers to apprenticeships.
Sustainability and wellbeing are central to the new headquarters, with features such as solar panels, electric vehicle charging points and cycle racks as well as a catering hub and new shower facilities for its around the clock staff. This reinforces GBRf’s commitment to sustainability and investing in its workforce.
John Smith, Paul Bristow MP, Chris Heaton-Harris MP, Councillor Wayne Fitzgerald, Leader of the Peterborough City Council
John Smith, CEO of GB Railfreight, said:
“The new Peterborough headquarters is one of GBRf’s single largest investments to date and builds on our ever-growing presence in the local community and commitment to regional development. As we build towards a brighter future, we want to foster the next generation of rail freight talent and our new headquarters will help us achieve this aim.”
Chris Heaton-Harris MP, Rail Minister, said:
“It is a pleasure to open the brand-new GB Railfreight headquarters, which will provide future generations with the essential skills and knowledge for a successful career in rail freight.
“Our rail freight sector has kept our country and economy moving through the pandemic, and we will continue to support the growth of this key industry, particularly as we look to decarbonise transport and deliver net-zero by 2050.”
GB Railfreight complete £1.5 million upgrade to Eastleigh and Bescot LDCs for Network Rail
26th July 2021 – GB Railfreight (GBRf) has completed two major upgrade projects funded by Network Rail worth over £1.5 million, aimed at improving vital Local Distribution Centres (LDCs) in Eastleigh and Bescot.
Both LDCs act as a focal point for the shunting, marshalling and preparation of trains needed to support vital engineering works carried out by Network Rail.
The work on Eastleigh LDC, in Hampshire, has been two years in the making with GBRf replacing old cabins with updated facilities that provide full recreational capability, offices for management, a meeting room, as well as a vantage point that overlooks the yard. Alongside this, GBRf undertook a car park overhaul, maximising the potential parking for those operating onsite.
Staff officially relocated to the new facility on 1 June, moving from temporary accommodation which has been a welcome change.
The West Midlands-based Bescot LDC has undergone a series of works to repair and renew underinvested and unsafe track at the site. The project included the removal of abandoned buildings, lighting upgrade works, installation of Armco crash barriers, new safe walking routes and safety steps, and reinstatement of siding 1 which has been derelict for many years by using recycled rail and sleepers.
Backed by Network Rail Supply Chain Operations (SCO) and the Network Rail Freight Safety Improvement Fund, Bescot LDC has been hugely improved to prevent derailments.
Mike Black, Supply Chain Services Director of Network Rail said:
“Local distribution centres may not instinctively sound like the most critical part of running a railway, but they’re absolutely vital to maintaining and renewing the railway, and keeping our passengers and freight moving.
“The improvements delivered at Eastleigh and Bescot are part of our wider strategy to modernise supply chain operations sites in order to make working practices even safer and more efficient while also improving performance.”
David Golding, Asset Director of GB Railfreight, said:
“Our partnership with Network Rail has seen the completion of both projects on time and within budget, providing the facilities needed to ensure the smooth running of LDCs, which are a vital part of our infrastructure system in the UK. This work will help to bring LDCs into the twenty-first century, as we see demand for UK-wide possession and support services increase post-pandemic.”
Life of former inspector of railways celebrated with freight train named in his honour
GB Railfreight and the Office of Rail and Road has honoured the last Royal Engineer officer to be appointed a HM Railway Inspector, Major John Poyntz, by naming a freight train after him.
GB Railfreight’s Class 66 train – 66764 – will take the name of the former inspector, who died in November 2020 aged 82.
His life was celebrated at industry event, Rail Live, today (16 June) where the unveiling was announced in front of a socially distanced crowd.
Major John Poyntz was in the army for 35 years, serving with the Royal Engineers and later the Royal Corps of Transport.
After military service, he joined the Railway Inspectorate – now part of the Office of Rail and Road – a move he viewed as an honour and privilege.
He was the last Royal Engineer to take such route, spending 25 years in the role as a Railway Inspector. His work included inspections of heritage railways and dealing with accidents and incidents such as the Severn tunnel rail accident and the Cannon Street rail crash both in 1991.
Ian Prosser, HM Chief Inspector of Railways at ORR, said:
“His enthusiasm for anything on the railways was unparalleled and he would often be seen with a notebook in hand, while looking from a train window.
“It was a privilege to have got to know him and he remains greatly missed. I am pleased to donate this name plate on behalf of ORR and thank GB Railfreight for offering its locomotive to place this commemorative plaque, and have his name etched in the railways.”
GBRf Managing Director John Smith said:
“Major John Poyntz had a very special connection to the railway throughout his established and celebrated career.
“Working with ORR, we’re proud to see his legacy continue by naming a Class 66 locomotive in his honour. After today, the loco carrying his name will be supporting the movement of crucial rail freight across the network.
“A fitting tribute to Major John who dedicated so much of his time for country and the railways.”
GBRf runs first Stanton Gate service since 2009 for Ward
GB Railfreight, one of the UK’s leading transport companies and the fastest growing rail freight operator, operated the first loaded freight service from Stanton Gate since 2009 on behalf of Ward.
GBRf reacted to a late notice demand from Ward and was asked to transport in excess of 1400 tonnes of fragmented steel to Immingham Dock. Previous trials had been run at the site to prove the ability to transport bulks services following significant infrastructure work.
The site at Stanton Gate was recently acquired by Verdant Regeneration, a joint venture between Ward and Trust Utility Management. The team has plans to transform the former steel works – one of the largest potential development sites in the East Midlands – into a thriving national distribution, logistics and rail freight hub for the Midlands, to be called New Stanton Park.
The service is further proof of GBRf’s reliable and resilient customer service, which once again delivered for its commercial partners at a moment’s notice. Having already run trials to prove its credentials, the GBRf team showed how it can turn around services such as this in a short space of time and that it will stop at nothing to meet customer demands.
Carl Kent, Head of Sales at GB Railfreight, said:
“The acquisition of such a large site by Verdant JV will help breathe new life into the local area and we hope further opportunities for sustainable freight by rail. The commitment that Ward have shown to developing new rail freight has been impressive and we have worked with them to promptly respond to their demand. If all parties involved are committed and work collaboratively, there is no reason at all that new to rail freight activity from dormant freight estate need take many months or years to deliver.”
GBRf celebrate wins at Golden Whistles Awards 2021
Ian Langton, GBRf Production Director, receiving the award from Glen Merryman, Chair of the IRO South East Council
GB Railfreight are celebrating two wins at this year’s virtual Golden Whistles Awards, following the announcement that GBRf has won the Silver Whistle award in the Freight Performance and the Delay Minutes Award categories.
The Golden Whistles Awards are organised by Modern Railways and the Institution of Railway Operators and have taken place throughout the week.
The Silver Whistle is awarded to the “most improved” freight operator in the Freight Performance category and is based on ‘A2F’ (Arrival to Fifteen) moving annual average scores of freight operating companies. The Minimising Delay Minutes award meanwhile takes into account all routes and assesses them for delay minutes caused to all operators, moving the annual average to end of Period 9. GBRf was also awarded the Silver Whistle in this category.
GBRf Production Director Ian Langton said:
“Huge congratulations to all the GBRf team for another awards win. These two awards are a reflection of the work the team does across the business, showing us to have been the most improved in both the Freight Performance and the Delay Minutes Award categories.
“What these awards also show is the deep resilience of our business model, and our constant focus on improving and innovating. As a company we always strive to do better and these two ‘most improved’ awards are a testament to the hard work done by the amazing GBRf staff.”
