Author: LukeBGB

GB Railfreight Announce New Chairman

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GB Railfreight is delighted to announce the appointment of James Cooper as Chairman. James commenced his new role on 29 November 2019.

James has had a prestigious career spanning the infrastructure and financial services industries. Most recently James served as Chief Executive of Associated British Ports. Prior to this James has also been Chief Executive and Chairman of Red Funnel Ferries and has served in leading roles within Infracapital, BNP Paribas, and Hambros Bank. He brings considerable knowledge across a broad range of industries complementary to the GB Railfreight business and will be a valuable addition to an already strong and experienced senior leadership team.

In September 2019, GBRf announced Infracapital’s new ownership of the company and James’s appointment highlights the business’s commitment to future growth and continuing to deliver a reliable and high-quality service for customers.

This appointment marks a very exciting time for GBRf who have a turnover in excess of £200 million a year and operate over 1,000 trainloads a week, moving approximately 23% of the UK’s rail cargo.

John Smith, GBRf Managing Director, and James will be working closely to ensure continued growth in freight, as the business makes a concerted effort to prioritise growth in the intermodal market and other key sectors as businesses look to more sustainable logistics solution.

John Smith, Managing Director GBRf, said:

“I am thrilled James is joining the GBRf family. As a business, we have entered an exciting time and James’s wealth of experience will help us meet and exceed our ambitious growth plans. The industry continues to evolve and innovate, and James is best placed to lead us into the future of rail freight.”

 James Cooper said:

 “I am delighted to be joining the Board of GBRf. The company has an outstanding reputation in the sector and as GBRf enters a new chapter focusing on ambitious growth plans, I look forward to contributing to the business’s success.” 

Ed Clarke, Managing Director at Infracapital, said:

“We at Infracapital welcome James to GBRf. His breadth of experience across the wider infrastructure sector will complement and support GB Railfreight’s existing wealth of management expertise. We look forward to working closely together to achieve the sustainable growth ambitions of this exciting business.”

GBRf celebrate longstanding employee with loco naming

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GB Railfreight are thrilled to announce the naming of a loco after longstanding colleague Chris Hopcroft MBE on Thursday 5 December.

Managing Director John Smith named a new Class 66 loco after Chris, with the ceremony taking place at Bristol Temple Meads station. Chris, accompanied by his wife and two children, was met by 50 of his closest friends and colleagues.

Chris spent the last 60 years on the railways, providing outstanding work and dedication to all his roles, the most recent as a train manager for GBRf. Throughout his long career he has trained up colleagues and passed on vital technical knowledge of operations.

His passion for, and service to, the railways was recognised in 1994 with an MBE for services to the safety of young people. Throughout his career, Chris has worked tirelessly to ensure every job he’s ever had was done to the best of his ability. The commitment that he has demonstrated every day since first starting has shown him to be an exemplary figure and inspired colleagues across the industry.

GBRf Managing Director John Smith said:

“It was my pleasure to name this Class 66 loco after Chris. Having started off at the bottom of the ladder and worked his way up, Chris has boundless experience, and knows the sector better than anyone.

 “As a 42-year railway person, I am a mere beginner when compared to the iconic Chris Hopcroft who has clocked an amazing 60 years. I’m not sure in the modern world that this will ever be bettered. Not only has Chris contributed to our industry over a huge period of time, he has been the consummate professional throughout and has the wonderful habit of reverting to happy when things are going slightly awry.

 “He has a reputation in the industry for being a highly reliable and skilled colleague who makes time to pass on his expertise and support modernisation in all aspects of the railway. We are proud to name this loco after him.”

Chris Hopcroft said:

“This has come as a complete surprise! Words cannot describe how much this means to me. Trains are not just a job for me – they’re my life and passion.

“I love being part of the GBRf family and I am delighted so many of my colleagues were able to attend this special day. I am over the moon and cannot thank John enough for this.”

GB Railfreight and Whitley Bay F.C. Under 8s Agree New Kit Deal

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GB Railfreight are pleased to announce that they have recently sponsored Whitley Bay F.C. Juniors under 8s Juve who play in the Pin Point League, Keegan Division. The sponsorship means the team can now look the part and have enough strips for new members who will join towards the end of the 2019/20 season.

John Watson, Port of Tyne TM and Father of Sam (pictured far left) said:

“The sponsorship from GBRf will allow the team to have enough strips for the next 2 years which is really important. After winning their division last season they have been placed in a higher division this time around, and it shows!

Whitley Bay F.C. Juniors U8 Juve Lost their first game 5-1 against local rivals North Shields, Sam scoring the only goal, it’s going to be tough season! Once we get the passing right, we’ll be halfway there. Thank you for all your help”

GBRf wishes the team the best of luck for the remainder of the season and we hope they put their new kits to good use.

GBRf Renew Sponsorship with Potteric Carr Nature Reserve

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GB Railfreight are delighted to renew our sponsorship with Potteric Carr Nature Reserve for another year. Situated next to the GBRf Doncaster Office, Potteric Carr Nature Reserve give local wildlife a safe haven to survive and flourish.

GBRf encourages people to visit the site and enjoy the abundance of habitats the South Yorkshire nature reserve has to offer.

Sarah Robinson, Corporate Partnerships Assistant at Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, said:

“We are delighted GB Railfreight has decided to sponsor Potteric Carr Nature Reserve for another year. Potteric Carr is famed for its wetland birds including bitterns and marsh harriers and provides a real oasis to animals in South Yorkshire.

A huge thank you to the whole organisation for helping Yorkshire Wildlife Trust keep wild places like this safe.”

GB Railfreight and Hanson Cement Sign Seven Year Contract

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GB Railfreight are delighted to announce a seven-year deal with Hanson Cement for rail freight services from Ketton cement works in Rutland and Ribblesdale cement works in Lancashire, to terminals at London King’s Cross, Avonmouth (Bristol) and Mossend (Glasgow).

GB Railfreight will operate on average nine trains a week transporting cement in tank wagons which will support major construction projects in London as well as the development of Hinkley Point C Nuclear Power Station.

The deal is a continuation of a very successful partnership between GB Railfreight and Hanson and will provide a reliable service moving cement to nationally significant infrastructure projects. The movement of cement from road to rail also helps to reduce carbon emissions and congestion on the road network.

John Smith, Managing Director of GB Railfreight, said:

“We are absolutely thrilled to be providing more rail freight services for Hanson. We already provide four trains a week between Ribblesdale and Avonmouth, and this deal will see GB Railfreight haul cement for the first time. We are delighted to continue our partnership and look forward to developing this specific part of Hanson’s supply chain.”

Matt Barlow, Supply Chain Director for Hanson UK, said:

“We are working to increase the tonnage of material we transport by rail across the UK. This arrangement helps us to take trucks off the roads and reduce our carbon emissions. We are thrilled to continue our partnership with GB Railfreight, who have always provided us with an excellent service.”

GB Railfreight’s John Smith Recognised with Lifetime Achievement Award

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GB Railfreight’s John Smith Recognised with Lifetime Achievement Award

John Smith, Managing Director of GB Railfreight was recognised last night for his dedication and service to the rail industry at the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Technology (CILT) Annual Awards for Excellence.

HRH Princess Anne presented John with the prestigious Presidents Award at the glittering ceremony surrounded by colleagues and friends.

John has worked on the railways for the past 42 years, founding GB Railfreight in 1999 and working tirelessly to grow the business. Today GBRf is the third largest rail freight business in the UK with ambitious plans to further develop their footprint in the intermodal market.

John is very deserving of this award. His experiences have afforded him a unique insight into the challenges and opportunities that rail freight faces, with the ability to compose solutions to guarantee the best possible service for GBRf’s highly valued customers.

Through strong leadership, taking the time to pass on his considerable knowledge to colleagues and generally being an approachable person, John has been an inspirational driving force and highly regarded by those working alongside him.

Sir Peter Hendy CBE, Chair of Network Rail:

“John is a great present-day railway industry leader, and this award is richly deserved. He has made GBRf what it is and made a huge contribution to the wider industry. Well done, John!”

John Smith, Managing Director GB Railfreight:

“I am absolutely thrilled to have received this award. It is an honour and privilege. I first started out on the railways at the age of 16 as a Technician Apprentice at British Rail. This was an incredible opportunity for me and set me on the right path. Now, after 42 years in the sector I’m delighted to help play a role in bringing new talent into the sector and drive forward growth in freight. I feel we are entering an important and very exciting time for the industry.”

GBRf honour long serving employees with loco naming

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On Wednesday 14 August, GB Railfreight celebrated two long-serving and highly dedicated members of staff by naming Class 66 locomotives in their honour.

The naming of ‘Maria’ and ‘Amanda’ took place during a special service from Doncaster, calling at Cleethropes for the official naming by John Smith, Managing Director of GB Railfreight. This continues a long tradition of naming locomotives after the key women who make GBRf the successful and fast-growing company it is today.

Maria Dennison, an Assistant Train Manager in Peterborough joined GBRf in 2003, and Amanda Wilson, Business Manager, Bulk Services, started with the company in 2012. Both employees have been a considerable asset to the GBRf team and are very deserving of this accolade.

Guests of honour Maria and Amanda were presented with commemorative replicas of the engines and the name plaques that will adorn the locomotives as they move across the length and breadth of Britain.

John Smith, Managing Director of GB Railfreight said:

“Both Amanda and Maria are hugely valued members of the team and it was my pleasure to name two new locomotives after them. Our staff are the lifeblood of GB Railfreight and we are delighted to be able to recognise their contribution to our success in this way.

 “It is a longstanding GBRf tradition to name locomotives after some of our most hardworking female members of staff and apart from celebrating their hard work it is also a sign of the diverse makeup of our workforce – something we are incredibly proud of.”

 Amanda Wilson, Business Manager, Bulk Services said:

 

“Having started in the industry in 1983 on a youth training scheme, this is my 35th year of fulltime employment so the timing of this couldn’t be better or seem more appropriate.”

 “This is a huge honour, and as a lover of trains I am delighted there is now one named after me on the railways”

GB Railfreight Unveil New Brighton Pride Rainbow Locomotive

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In celebration of this year’s Brighton Pride, GB Railfreight are delighted to announce the naming of a Class 66 locomotive held on the eve (2 August) of the Pride weekend festivities at Brighton Station.

The special rainbow livered GB Railfreight locomotive – ‘Pride of GB Railfreight’ – was unveiled by Times columnist Matthew Parris and Engineering Director Bob Tiller, alongside representatives from Brighton and Hove City Council: Cllr Amanda Grimshaw, Council lead for Equalities; and Cllr Alan Robins, Chair of the Tourism, Development and Culture Committee.

GBRf is the UK’s fastest growing rail freight company, employing over 900 people across the UK. The new livered locomotive recognises LGBT+ employees across the rail industry and celebrates the businesses ongoing commitment to ensuring diversity and equality in the sector.

 

Bob Tiller, Engineering Director at GBRf said:

“We are delighted to be part of Brighton Pride this year. Our newly named rainbow loco is symbolic of the changing nature of the rail sector and how important our LGBT+ employees are. As a business, we are keen to ensure that diversity and equality shines through, and the ‘Pride of GB Railfreight’ helps us in our mission.”

 Stuart Meek, Train Services Director, Govia Thameslink Railway said:

“We are pleased to be able to work in partnership with GBRf to promote diversity in the rail sector and are thrilled to be part of the unveiling of the ‘Pride of GB Railfreight’ at Brighton station which is joining our Thameslink ‘trainbow’ out on the Brighton Main Line and beyond. It’s a real testament to the company’s commitment to showing everyone is welcome on board both freight and passenger trains.”