Category: News

GB Railfreight unveils new locomotive to thank our NHS heroes

Posted on by LukeBGB

Leading UK Railfreight operator, GB Railfreight and their industry partner Porterbrook have unveiled a specially repainted freight locomotive painted with the blue and white colours of the National Health Service.  The unveiling was timed to be part of the weekly celebrations to thank frontline workers in our health and social care sector.

GB Railfreight, one of the UK’s largest rail freight operators, decided to mark the fifth, now weekly ‘clap,’ by repainting one of its freight locomotives and unveiling it at 8pm just as millions of people across the UK were stepping outside their front doors to thank the frontline workers who are putting their lives on the line to save countless others across our hospital and care homes.

The repainting of 66731 was co-funded by the locomotive’s owner and long-term GB Railfreight partner, Porterbrook. The painting was undertaken by Arlington Fleet Services, Eastleigh.

GBRf staff joined in with the clapping as the newly decorated locomotive was unveiled to express their gratitude to all those working to keep us safe during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

GB Railfreight is playing its part in supporting the UK’s COVID-19 response by helping to keep essential services running across the country. GBRf services are playing a vital role in ensuring the continuation of supplies and trains are running from ports such as London Gateway, Southampton, Felixstowe and Teesport to distribution centres across the country.  These flows are ensuring that warehouses remain stocked, and supermarkets as well as other essential retailers remain supplied.

John Smith, Managing Director of GB Railfreight said:

“Thank you to all NHS staff and carers across the country for the hard work you have been doing to keep us safe. Across the UK you are seeing week in, week out, an outpouring of love and affection of our frontline staff and we are taking a minute today to say our thanks on behalf of GB Railfreight and the rail industry.

 “The unveiling of this locomotive is our way of saying thanks for all you are doing. We are inspired by you and wanted to say thank you in the usual GBRf way, by painting one of our regular Class 66 which will be travelling the length and breadth of the country to keep our economy moving during the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. Now it will also carry our message of thanks to all our carers.”

Mary Grant, Porterbrook CEO, said:

“We are delighted to support GB Railfreight in thanking NHS staff and carers for all that they do at this unprecedented time in our nation’s life. Porterbrook is also hugely grateful to all the front-line railway staff, including John’s team, who are the unsung heroes in keeping Britain’s economy moving.”

GB Railfreight welcomes the go ahead of the construction phase of HS2

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Leading rail freight operator GB Raifreight has welcomed the Government’s announcement that it has issued the ‘notice to proceed’ for construction to start on phase one of HS2.

John Smith, Managing Director of GB Railfreight said:

“This is welcome news for business across the construction supply chain.  Uncertainty about the future of the project followed by the COVID-19 disruption has caused difficulties for the sector. Confidence that work is about to begin will be a big boost for businesses across the UK.

“Better connectivity across the country will be important in supporting the UK’s long-term economic growth. The go ahead for HS2 shows that that Government is willing to deliver on its promises to invest in infrastructure to support economic growth across the UK.

“GBRf has already been playing a role in supporting preparations for the construction phase to begin and we will support the delivery of the project though our role in the construction supply chain.”

GB Railfreight and Drax helping to ‘keep the lights on’ during Covid-19 crisis

Posted on by LukeBGB
A GBRf biomass train makes its way from Drax Power Station after February floods. Credit Chris Davis

TEAMS at GB Railfreight (GBRf) are continuing to work closely with Drax to maintain supplies of the sustainable biomass needed for the UK’s largest power station to generate electricity needed by millions of homes and business during the Covid-19 crisis.

Severe storms and flooding in the area near Drax in February resulted in damage to the rail tracks. GBRf has been working closely with Drax to reschedule rail deliveries and maximise capacity on the rail link while the repairs are completed – maintaining the vital supplies of biomass needed for Drax to generate enough renewable electricity for up to four million households.

The rail planners who helped rework the timetable to accommodate the new train timings combined forces with train drivers, signal controllers, Network Rail train marshals and Drax logistics specialists to speedily restore flows of sustainable biomass to the power station.

John Smith, Managing Director of GB Railfreight, said:

“GB Railfreight is playing its part in supporting the UK’s Covid-19 response by helping to keep essential services running across the country. Our partnership with Drax Power Station in Yorkshire is proof of this. We are delivering vital supplies of sustainable biomass which are transported across the country by rail to Drax, which supplies five percent of the UK’s electricity needs.

“GB Railfreight stops at nothing to get vital supplies from one part of the country to the other – as we saw during the recent floods near Drax. We will be redoubling our efforts to ensure we keep the country going during these trying times.”

Drax CEO, Will Gardiner, said:

“The teams who are working tirelessly across the UK rail freight system and also within our power stations to keep the lights on and keep the country going during this Covid-19 crisis are doing a tremendous job.

“As teams work around the clock to keep generating the power the country needs, their health, safety and wellbeing are vital. Across all our sites we have implemented strategies to reduce the chances of spreading the virus and have operational plans in place to ensure continued delivery of power into the grid.

“GBRf’s rail deliveries are an important part of our global supply chain for sustainable biomass that supports thousands of jobs and has delivered economic growth across the north of England and in the US south.”

Nick King, Group Director, Network Services for Network Rail, said:

“The railway plays a crucial part in keeping Britain running, particularly in these challenging times and strong teamwork across the rail industry is absolutely key in keeping freight services moving.  

“Recent flooding in this area brought additional challenges to keeping services moving, however the hard work and dedication of our people has meant that vital supplies of sustainable biomass have continued to be transported.”

Our support for the UK’s COVID-19 response

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A statement from GB Railfreight Managing Director, John Smith:

“GB Railfreight is playing our part in supporting the UK’s COVID-19 response by helping to keep essential services running across the country.

“We are focused on helping our staff protect their health by following Government advice helping people work at home whenever possible and supporting our key workers who are operating our rail freight services to protect themselves while at work.

“Our services are playing a vital role in ensuring the continuation of supplies. We are running services from ports such as London Gateway, Southampton, Felixstowe and Teesport to distribution centres across the country.  These flows are ensuring that warehouses remain stocked, and supermarkets and other essential retailers remain supplied.

“GB Railfreight’s services are also ensuring that the UK can keep the lights on. We are delivering vital supplies of biomass which are transported across the country by rail to Drax Power Station in Yorkshire, which supplies six percent of the UK’s electricity needs.

“Our teams 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. With each train able to move between 40 to 70 equivalent lorry loads of goods, rail freight has an important role to play to ensure that supplies can be maintained if the number of available staff across the road freight sector is hit due to illness or the need to isolate.

“I would like to play tribute to the GBRf team and those working across the rail freight sector for the role that they are playing and will continue to play as the UK responds to the pandemic. We all have to work together to ensure we keep the goods we most need moving across the entire country.”

GB Railfreight invest £3 million in new Peterborough office

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GB Railfreight are very excited to unveil the plans for a £3 million new ‘operational and training facility’ in Peterborough. Founded in 1999 and headquartered in London, GB Railfreight is the third largest rail freight operator in the UK, with a turnover in excess of £200 million. GB Railfreight is one of the fastest growing companies in the railway sector and transports goods for a wide range of customers. To meet increasing demand for rail freight, GBRf are expanding operations by investing in new offices and training facilities. At present their fleet management and control centre is located in Peterborough, with a resource centre in Doncaster and additional offices across the UK. Nationwide GBRf have an 850 strong workforce. Lindum have been appointed to undertake the construction of the three-storey office building on Maskew Avenue, on the edge of the city centre. The work will involve the demolition of existing temporary office buildings and construction of a new building to house a control room, three classrooms, a board room and staff welfare facilities. GBRf was granted planning permission for the development in December 2019, with Peterborough based construction company Lindum involved in the project since the early stages. The scheme will be completed in November 2020. John Smith, Managing Director of GB Railfreight said:

“The plans for our new Peterborough office have been a long time in the making and following planning permission being granted at the end of last year, we are eager to get shovels in the ground so that we can provide the best possible facilities for our colleagues. Our decision to award Lindum with the construction contract was an easy one to make. Their reputation and track record sets them apart.”

Speaking about the scheme, Lindum Commercial Manager Steve Angus said:

“It is great to see a market-leading company like GBRf reaffirming its commitment to Peterborough in this way and we are delighted to be involved in the project.” “This particular site is brown field land and was previously owned by Network Rail. It is positive to see it being regenerated in this way. The land is close to the city centre and, with the planned access road, car parking spaces and forty bike spaces, it will prove to be a much-improved home for GBRf.”

Dean Duthie, Head of Major Projects said:

“This is a fantastic investment for us, bringing together a variety of teams under one roof. The training school will support our state-of-the-art class 66 simulators, whilst our control tower overlooks East Coast mainline bringing us closer to frontline operations” “It is a privilege to have the opportunity to lead on such scheme”

GB Railfreight Sponsor Sharpness AFC

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GB Railfreight are thrilled to announce that they have recently sponsored Sharpness AFC, who play in the Gloucestershire County League. The sponsorship has enabled the club to purchase new training tops for the players.

Stuart Priday, Eastleigh based Operations Manager, is on the committee for the team, whilst his son plays and wife acts as Physio. The team are going to need all the support they can receive this season as they look to finish top, following their successful run dating back to promotion last year.

GBRf would like to wish the team all the best for the remainder of the season.

GB Railfreight Announce New Commercial Director

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GB Railfreight is delighted to announce the appointment of Liam Day as Commercial Director. Liam, currently GBRf’s Head of Contracts, will take over his new role this week. 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. Liam joined GBRf in August 2014 as Terminal Development Manager, where he was responsible for the maintenance of GBRf depots across the UK, including setting up new facilities. Following a short spell as Head of Estates, Liam moved to the position of Business Manager (and latterly General Manager) in the Commercial Department in April 2016 where he was responsible for a team of Account Managers looking after GBRf’s client relationships and contractual arrangements with its Bulk customers. Liam began his career on the railways in Network Rail’s graduate management training programme before joining the Freight and National Passenger Operator (FNPO), where held the positions of Customer Manager and Route Freight Manager. Liam will be replacing Lee Armstrong who is joining the Associated British Ports (ABP). Lee will support Liam until he begins his new role at ABP. John Smith, Managing Director GBRf, said:

“I am absolutely delighted to appoint Liam Day to the post of Commercial Director. Liam has played a key role in securing long term contracts with Cemex, Hanson Aggregates and Hanson Cement whilst expanding GBRf’s bulk portfolio to its current worth of circa £75m per annum.  “As a business we are entering an exciting time and I will be working closely with Liam as we continue to grow.  “I’d like to thank Lee for his hard work and wish him all the very best for the future.”

 Liam Day, said:

“I am extremely proud to be appointed as GB Railfreight’s Commercial Director. Since I joined GB Railfreight in 2014, we have experienced huge growth and I have been very fortunate to work with both long standing and new customers to develop rail freight solutions that meet their needs. I am passionate about ensuring the service we offer is industry leading and will be focused on working with our customers to remove cost and inefficiency from their supply chains to ensure GB Railfreight continues to offer a viable logistics solution for years to come.  “There are a number of exciting challenges ahead. None bigger than helping to deliver the game changing infrastructure project that is HS2. It is an exciting time to be involved in the rail freight industry and there is no business better placed to step up to the challenge.  “I am focused on making GB Railfreight greener and leaner and building on our legacy as a people focused business that goes the extra mile for our customers.”

GBRf employee wins Lifetime Achievement Award at the end of a 60-year career

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GB Railfreight are thrilled to announce that longstanding colleague Chris Hopcroft MBE was awarded with the Lifetime Achievement Award at last night’s (27 February) Rail Business Awards ceremony in London.

Managing Director John Smith collected the award on behalf of Chris.

Chris, who started working when he was 16 has spent the last 60 years on the railways, providing outstanding work and dedication to all his roles, most recently 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.

Now 76, Chris only retired at the end of 2019. To thank him for his years of service, the GBRf team named a loco after him in a special ceremony attended by his family and close friends.

GBRf Managing Director John Smith who collected the award on Chris’s behalf said:

“We are absolutely delighted for Chris and his family that he won the Lifetime Achievement Award at this year’s Rail Business Awards. 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.

“Chris contributed to our industry over a huge period of time, and he has been the consummate professional throughout. 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 incredibly proud of him and this is a fantastic way to end a 60-year career on the railways.”

Chris Hopcroft said:

“I am over the moon for this award. Thank you to the Rail Business Awards and to GB Railfreight for putting my name forward.

“The railways have been my life and I have loved every minute of the last 60 years.  The last 10 years of my career working with GBRf have been the most rewarding of my career. I would like to thank everyone at GBRf for making my last few years on the railways so special.”

GBRf Scoop a Hat Trick of Awards at Rail Business Awards

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GB Railfreight are celebrating a successful night at Thursday’s (27th Feb) Rail Business Awards with the business taking home a haul of three awards.

The team scooped the ‘Training and Education Excellence award’ recognising the value that the business’s £1 million investment in two class 66 simulators in Peterborough has brought both to GBRf’s training programme and the availability of training simulators for the whole rail freight sector.

GBRf were also given the accolade of ‘Rail Business of the Year’.  This is the third time the business has won the award, which is a recognition of GBRf’s long term commitment to innovation and excellence in customer service.

Former GBRf employee Chris Hopcroft MBE was awarded a lifetime achievement award, to mark a 60-year career on the railway and a commitment not just to the railway, but to the community, with a particular focus on educating young people on rail safety.

Chris has provided outstanding dedication in all his roles, most recently as one of GBRf’s Train Managers. His passion for, and service to, the railways was recognised in 1994 with an MBE for services to the safety of young people.

GBRf Managing Director John Smith said:

“Our success at the Rail Business Awards underlines the quality and dedication of the GBRf team and the strong relations we have with our customers and partners.

“The Training and Education Excellence award’ for the class 66 simulators at Peterborough marks the first step of our investment towards creating a world class training centre which is transforming our ability to develop the next generation of GBRf Train Managers, but will also act as resource in training the next generation of rail professionals, supporting the growth of the rail freight sector.

“I am proud of our success in taking home the ‘Rail Business of the Year award’ for the third time.  I know that the GBRf team prides itself in delivering continued excellence in the service we deliver.  The business has enjoyed rapid growth over the years, but we remain true to our key values of delivering for our customers and a supportive environment for all those who work for the business.

“More important than either of the above was the final award for Lifetime Achievement. This was given to our own, recently retired, Train Manager Chris Hopcroft MBE following his 60 years of service to the industry.”

GB Railfreight Holds Recruitment Day for Military Service Leavers in Peterborough

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On Wednesday 12 February, GB Railfreight, in partnership with the Ministry of Defence’s Career Transition Partnership (CTP), held their first recruitment day specifically for military service leavers at its newly opened locomotive simulator facility in Peterborough

GB Railfreight is the third largest rail freight operator in the UK and one of the fastest growing companies in the railway sector, transporting goods for a wide range of customers. As the business continues to grow, GBRf are seeking to recruit ex-military staff for Groundstaff and Trainee Train Manager (Driver) positions in various locations within the UK including, Peterborough, Doncaster, London, Scotland and Midlands.

The recruitment day provided military service leavers a broad understanding of the exciting opportunities available for a railway career within GBRf and how the military skill set transfers to the sector.

Service leavers had the opportunity to hear from the GBRf team and other service leavers who have successfully made the transition into GB Railfreight, whilst also learning about current and future opportunities within the business. In addition, attendees had a chance to experience what it’s like to drive a GBRf locomotive by taking part in a test drive using one of the facility’s simulators unveiled last year.

John Smith, Managing Director of GB Railfreight, said:

“We are on a recruitment drive for new people to join our growing team across the country and the skill set that military service leavers proses make them great candidates for a career with us. We partnered with CTP to make our recruitment day a success and welcomed 30 ex-military personnel to our brand-new locomotive simulator in Peterborough to show them what a life on the railways looks like. I hope many will consider joining our ranks in the future!”

Rail Minister Chris Heaton Harris MP said:

“Every part of society should honour the debt we owe those who’ve served our country. Getting our veterans into quality jobs in our rail sector not only provides security for them and their families but boosts the economy of global Britain.

 “I’m proud that this Government recently announced a new Veteran’s railcard, extending discounted fares to more than 830,000 former service personnel, and delighted that GB Railfreight, and the wider rail industry, is doing its bit.”

For further information about working with GB Railfreight, please email Gemma Platt on Gemma.Platt@gbrailfreight.com