Category: News

GB Railfreight is delighted to be marking Mental Health Awareness Week (18 May – 24 May) which champions the theme of kindness, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Like many organisations, GB Railfreight is passionate about trying to break down the stigma relating to mental health and as a company it seeks to create environments where people feel no shame or embarrassment to speak up if they are not ok.

2020 has been a breakthrough year for GBRf’s mental health strategy. It has seen the leading rail freight company work with incredible organisations and influencers such as a Suffolk Mind and Paul McGregor at Every Mind at Work. GBRf has now recruited and trained 45 Wellbeing Champions across the business who act as friendly ears to staff and signpost the free mental health support GBRf offer. This includes professional counselling sessions and access to resources to improve overall wellbeing, as well as the Wellness Centre hosted on GBRf’s Employee Benefits platform.

Marking Mental Health Awareness Week, John Smith, Managing Director of GB Railfreight, said:

“GB Railfrieght remains committed to ensuring all employees can take care of their mental health, especially at this time. Each day we are astounded by the kindness our staff demonstrate to each other and we feel fortunate that collectively that kindness has seen us reach out to communities through our Benefacto staff volunteering scheme and seen us raise over £180,000 for charities in the past year.

 “Statistics show that quarter of people will experience a mental health issue each year, it’s a statistic too big to ignore and our mission is to normalise conversation around mental health, not only in the workplace but to encourage people to discuss their mental health within their households, which is why we also offer our free mental health benefits to the immediate family members of our staff.

“We understand that the coronavirus has brought many new challenges on our mental health such as isolation, concerns over the health of ourselves and loved ones and challenges faced with learning to adapt to new ways of life. Our mission is to instil as much support and transparency as we can to our staff whilst the UK overcomes this virus. We will actively place our staff’s wellbeing firmly in the forefront of our plans during this time and continue to communicate openly and supportively and be sensitive to those challenges faced. As a business, we will champion the efforts of the amazing work mental health charities and industry bodies carry out to raise awareness of mental health issues.”

GBRf wants its staff to feel there is a safe, welcoming and open environment to talk about their mental health and gain access to the best support it can offer. GBRf is committed to placing a big spotlight on mental health both internally through its workplace strategies and through its external presence on social media.

GB Railfreight, one of the UK’s leading rail freight operators, has teamed up with model manufacture Hornby Hobbies to make a miniature version of the locomotive it named after Capt. Tom Moore last week to raise money for the NHS.

Having seen the reaction to the unveiling of the 129-tonne, Class 66 freight locomotive named in Capt. Moore’s honour last Thursday to mark his 100^th birthday, Hornby asked GB Railfreight if they could replicate their loco in miniature form with all profits being donated to the NHS as a thank you for the work frontline staff are doing during the course of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Having initially planned to make only 500 models, Hornby found it impossible to keep up with demand, and in less than 48 hours they had sold more than 2,500. Since then, they have added 1,000 more to their stocks, and a percentage of the sales will be given to NHS charities. So far the model of the GBRf locomotive produced by Hornby has raised £140,000.

GB Railfreight is playing its part in supporting the UK’s COVID-19 response by helping to keep essential services running across the country and ensuring that warehouses and supermarkets remain stocked, and vital medical supplies are transported across the country whilst ensuring all of our team are being kept as safe as possible.

The full-size Captain Tom Moore locomotive has already been playing its part to help the COVID-19 recovery by hauling loads, including containers carrying PPE gloves, from Southampton to distribution centres around the country.

Bob Tiller, Engineering Director of GB Railfreight said:

“We are delighted that the Captain Tom Moore locomotive ably reproduced by Hornby, has been such a success and sales have helped raise more money for NHS charities supporting our wonderful NHS heroes as we deal with the ongoing pandemic.  The popularity of the model shows what an inspiration, Captain Tom Moore has been to us all.

“The speed at which the 3,500 miniature locos had been sold is testament of the whole railway community, including railway enthusiasts’, appreciation for the work of the NHS during this period.

“I hope that this locomotive will be a cherished reminder on model railways for years to come of the debt we owe to the NHS and the important role that the railway and freight services have been playing in helping the UK through this crisis.”

Simon Kohler, Marketing & Product Development Director at Hornby Hobbies, said:

“Like others, we at Hornby were inspired by the achievements of the amazing Captain, now Colonel Tom Moore and we were so pleased that GB Railfreight, Porterbrook, Procast Foundry and Railwayana Auctions teamed up to create a special livery on one of GB Railfeight’s Class 66 locomotives.

“As a special thank you to Col. Tom Moore and the NHS, Hornby will be producing as a limited edition, 3500 models of locomotive 66 731, ‘Capt. Tom Moore – A True British Inspiration’ the sales of which will generate £140,000 which will be donated to the NHS Charities with our heartfelt appreciation in what they are doing for us all.”

GB Railfreight, one of the UK’s leading rail freight operators, has thanked Captain Tom Moore for his fundraising efforts for the NHS with a birthday surprise – a freight locomotive named in his honour.

A 129-tonne, Class 66 freight locomotive, will be named ‘Captain Tom Moore’, with the added inscription ‘A true British inspiration’. The name plates were produced by Procast, one of which has been kindly donated by Neil Booth, Director of Railwayana Auctions UK Ltd, as a thank you for Captain Moore’s amazing efforts.

The naming took place to coincide with Captain Moore’s 100^th birthday (30 April). The name plate which will now adorn the locomotive, was unveiled by GB Railfreight Managing Director John Smith, with Captain Moore watching the ceremony from home.

Captain Moore won the hearts and minds of the nation, raising over £29,000,000 for the NHS. GB Railfreight was keen to do its bit to thank NHS workers for their extraordinary efforts during this period and decided to paint a locomotive with a message of gratitude from GB Railfeight to the NHS. Given Captain Moore’s inspirational story, it was decided to name the locomotive after him.

GB Railfreight is playing its part in supporting the UK’s COVID-19 response by helping to keep essential services running across the country and ensuring that warehouses and supermarkets remain stocked, and vital medical supplies are transported across the country whilst ensuring all of our team are being kept as safe as possible.

John Smith, Managing Director of GB Railfreight said:

“Happy birthday Captain Tom! On behalf of myself and the whole team at GB Railfreight I wanted to offer a huge ‘thank you’ for your fantastic efforts in raising money for the NHS. We are in awe of your achievement. We thought we were good at fundraising but you have achieved a level that is quite simply inspiring.

“Last week we unveiled one of our freight locomotives in thanks to our wonderful critical workers at the NHS by painting it in their colours. In honour of your efforts, we are very proud to name this locomotive after you.”

“After today, it will be pulling crucial rail freight throughout the country helping to supply the NHS. It will also help deliver food to people’s tables and kick start the country’s economy as we move forward from the current difficulties. Thank you again for all of your efforts.”

Lifelong rail enthusiast Neil Booth, Director of Railwayana Auctions UK Ltd, said:

“I was inspired by the sheer tenacity and conviction of the fundraising task for the NHS that Captain Tom Moore had set himself and thought that it would be a wonderful idea to name a locomotive in his honour on his 100th birthday. Once we had his family’s permission to do so, we very quickly had the nameplates cast, had Sir Peter Hendy CBE, Chairman of Network Rail and John Smith, Managing Director of GBRf on board along with his management team and staff who have  bent over backwards in providing a more than suitable locomotive to be honoured in this way. I just can’t thank everyone enough for their sterling efforts in making this happen within just seven days.”

GB Railfreight, one of the UK’s largest rail freight operators, has successfully trialled using former commuter trains for the express delivery of parcels.  A service was run into Euston station earlier this month using a 100mph, Class 319, EMU train, which until recently was providing commuter services in the West Midlands.

The trial showed the trains could successfully be loaded and offloaded with standard roll cages at most mainline stations across the UK and when seats are removed the carriages can carry significant volumes of parcels.

This is the first time that successful trial of using a converted commuter train has been undertaken in the UK and GB Railfreight is in discussion with Government about how the service could play a role in helping with the logistical challenge of delivering supplies to UK hospitals.

The railway network used to be extensively used for parcel deliveries between stations, but apart from specially designed trains used by the Royal Mail between dedicated terminals, parcel delivery by train disappeared decades ago.

As well as strengthening supply chains during the current crisis, a return of parcel delivery services to mainline stations would provide online retailers with a more sustainable and reliable options for overnight parcel deliveries, bringing deliveries into the heart of major cities.

John Smith, Managing Director of GB Railfreight said:

“We are committed to continuing to help the UK get through this period by ensuring that vital supplies are delivered. Rail freight has the advantage in being able to efficiently move very large volumes of goods in a safe and reliable way.

 “This successful trial shows how the railways can play their role in helping the speedy delivery of vital supplies and we are keen to be able to do our bit to help the NHS meet the logistical challenge of keeping our hospitals supplied during this period of huge demand.

 “Post-crisis these services could play a role in reducing air pollution and carbon emissions associated with parcel deliveries.  With deliveries being brought into the heart of cities by train overnight and last mile deliveries then undertaken by electric powered vehicles.”