Category: News

GBRf calls for the appointment of a ‘Freight Evangelist’ as Rail White Paper is published

Posted on by sam.batey@gbrailfreight.com

GBRf calls for the appointment of a ‘Freight Evangelist’ as Rail White Paper is published

GB Railfreight, one of the UK’s leading transport companies and the fastest growing rail freight operator, has called for the appointment of a new dedicated rail freight ‘guiding mind’ to steer the sector through the next phase in order to assure future growth, particularly following the COVID-19 crisis.

The new position, which will oversee all rail freight operations, is expected to be unveiled with the publication of the long-awaited Rail White Paper this week, in what looks set to be the biggest shake-up of the UK’s railways since privatisation in the 1990s.

GB Railfreight is calling for the new ‘Freight Evangelist’ to sign up to its Freight Manifesto, a five-point plan outlining of proposed measures which will ensure the sector can continue to grow and support the UK economy, while also putting the industry as a whole on a path towards sustainability.

The five-point plan is calling for the new Evangelist to:

  1. Champion the economic value of freight, so that it is put on an equal footing with passenger services;
  2. Put decarbonisation at the heart of their plan for the sector, in order to champion the ongoing modal shift from road to rail;
  3. Enforce an access regime that is reliable and fair to allow operators to deliver for their customers;
  4. Deliver investment that is freight specific, notably on electrification and improvements to critical infrastructure that unlocks freight capacity;
  5. Take an integrated national perspective, but also devolve powers over operations to the regions to ensure the smooth running of services across the country.

John Smith, Managing Director at GB Railfreight, said:

“We are at a critical point in the rail sector’s future. The decisions in the White Paper this week will have long-lasting consequences on all aspects, including rail freight. For this reason, GBRf is calling for the appointment of a dedicated ‘Freight Evangelist’ that can guide the sector into the next phase of our development.

“What rail freight needs now is parity of esteem with passenger services, and we need a voice round the table that can make the case for us. We have kept going during the pandemic, showing that we are an integral part of the UK economy. Rail freight also has an important role to play in reaching net zero emissions – it is right our voices are heard, both within Network Rail and across Whitehall.

“Today’s Freight Manifesto is a list of demands of the new guiding mind which will ensure rail freight can play its full part in shaping the future of the UK’s railways and put the economy on track to reach net zero by 2050.”

GBRf sign new contract with A.P. Moller – Maersk

Posted on by sam.batey@gbrailfreight.com

GBRf sign new contract with A.P. Moller – Maersk

Photo taken by Joada Allen

GB Railfreight (GBRf) is today announcing a new two-year deal with the global provider of end-to-end logistics services, the Danish company A.P. Moller -Maersk. The first rail collaboration between the two companies.

The service will operate from Felixstowe to Newell & Wright in Tinsley and will consist of daily trains, five times a week. The new built facility at Tinsley will bring new exciting opportunities to the market.

This new agreement sees GBRf operating from a new terminal, in Tinsley, but is a continuation of a longstanding relationship with Newell & Wright, whom GBRf have long worked with.

Today’s announcement also allows for the already strong relationship between GBRf and Maersk to flourish over the coming years. Maersk, a global integrator of container logistics company, active in ocean and inland freight transportation and associated services, such as supply chain management and port operation, has been the largest container shipping line and vessel operator in the world since 1996 and is a leading player in the logistics space. This new service will incorporate five new eco-fret 2 wagons which we have recently procured from VTG.

John Smith, Managing Director at GB Railfreight, said:

“I am delighted we have agreed this contract with Maersk, one of the world’s most renowned logistics and shipping companies. We are a growing organisation, always looking for the next opportunity and working with Maersk was an excellent opportunity. We hope this is the beginning of a great relationship.”

“We are also thrilled to be able to continue to build on our relationship with Newell & Wright, and to be operating from another of their terminals. We look forward to strengthening our ties over the course of the next two years.”

Jeremy Haycock at Maersk said:

“Maersk´s ultimate aim is offering our customers reliable options that streamline their supply chains. As a provider of logistic services, rail is key for us to increase supply chain flexibility for our customers. We will continue to strength our reliability in the UK and for that matter, the relationship with GBRf and Newell & Wright has proven to be of paramount importance.”

GBRf works with Biffa to turn derelict land into emission reducing transport hub

Posted on by sam.batey@gbrailfreight.com

GBRf works with Biffa to turn derelict land into emission reducing transport hub

Previously unused land in East London has been transformed into a transport hub, linking key waste sites with leading waste manager Biffa’s facilities by rail. The Renwick Road site opens today in partnership with GB Railfreight (GBRf) and will be able to transport 250,000 tonnes of waste from London by rail.

Transporting waste by rail is a key strategic aim for Biffa which is working towards transporting 50% of all its waste by rail by 2025. Since it launched its strategic partnership with GBRf in 2018, over a million tonnes of waste have been transported by rail, saving more than one million tonnes of CO2 equivalent emissions from reaching the atmosphere.

Mick Davis, Chief Operating Officer for Resources and Energy Division at Biffa said:

“The opening of our new rail hub marks the next step in our strategic partnership with GBRf to increase our capacity for transportation by rail. It will help us reduce dependence on vehicles on the road and reduce the emissions we produce. The site was totally derelict when we took it on and amongst the rubbish and debris we cleared, we actually found some interesting items, including one and a half tonnes of World War Two bullets.”

John Smith, Managing Director at GBRf commented:

“We are delighted to be working with Biffa on this project and our collaboration will see us move thousands of tonnes of waste in a sustainable way. This is the way forward if we are to reach the net zero carbon emission target by 2050 and we look forward to continuing our partnership with Biffa in the months and years to come to ensure more waste can be removed by rail.”

Biffa has spent £4.2 million developing the site, removing 14,000 tonnes of previously fly-tipped waste and debris. Renwick Road has always been a railway yard, with its earliest record dating back to 1864. It fell out of use in 1991 and has remained unused until now. Operating five trains a week, Renwick Road will transport waste from North and East London to sites at Roxby, Scunthorpe, Leeds and Manchester.

Benefits of transporting waste by rail:

  1. It helps manage waste more sustainably, taking vehicles off the road
  2. Transporting waste by rail reduces the number of emissions produced by vehicles – through its rail transportation Biffa has reduced its emissions by 75%
  3. Local communities can benefit as there is less traffic on the road

History

Biffa and GBRf have been working together since 2018 when they announced the partnership to transport more waste by rail. It came after the opening of a transfer station in Manchester in 2017 and one in Leeds in 2018.

GBRf name new locomotive as King’s Cross project reaches final stage

Posted on by sam.batey@gbrailfreight.com

GBRf name new locomotive as King’s Cross project reaches final stage

L-R: Gary Ruff, Infrastructure Maintenance Engineer for Network Rail, Paul Rutter, Route Director for Network Rail’s East Coast Route, John Smith, GBRf Managing Director

To celebrate the final closure of the Kings Cross signal box, GB Railfreight, one of the UK’s leading transport companies, named a Class 66 locomotive at the station on 23 April.

The GBRf team has provided engineering trains and supported a project to renew the signalling system and overhead line equipment in the Kings Cross area, as well as simplifying the track layout at London King’s Cross.

As a result, the King’s Cross Power Signal Box has been closed, and the signalling has been recontroled to a state-of-the-art Rail Operating Centre in York. GBRf decided to mark the occasion by renaming the last train which was signalled into the station by the box in its honour.

The King’s Cross Power Signal Box opened in September 1971, after the original signal box built by the LNER in 1932 was closed. All signalling operations moved overnight to the new Kings Cross Power Signal Box situated on the site of the old York Road Station buildings. The original LNER signal-box remained in-situ for another five years before being demolished as part of the electrification scheme and rationalisation of the station track-work.

The new locomotive was named ‘King’s Cross PSB 1971-2021’ to mark this historic day.

John Smith, Managing Director at GB Railfreight, said:

“After 50 years King’s Cross PSB closed its doors with this 66767 being the last loco signalled by the box into King’s Cross station. Quite an honour when you consider all the other famous trains that have come and gone from the place!

“I’d like to thank all those who worked on this project, especially our colleagues at Network Rail who we worked so closely with during these last few months.”

GB Railfreight open new Peterborough office to kickstart next chapter

Posted on by sam.batey@gbrailfreight.com

GB Railfreight open new Peterborough office to kickstart next chapter

GB Railfreight officially opened their new office this week, in a move marking the next phase for the ever-growing transport company.

The official opening marks a new chapter in the story of GBRf. Founded in 1999, the 22-year-old company has been going from strength to strength in recent years, even during the pandemic. GBRf had a strong 2020 and is looking to build on last year’s results. The new headquarters sees the company continue to be a leader in the sector through innovation, training and a particular focus on its workforce, an area for which it was recently recognised at the Rail Business Awards earlier this year.

The works on the building, led by Lindum, are now complete, finishing on time and within budget – an achievement that has been praised given the last year has seen disruption from both Brexit and the COVID-19 pandemic. After an informal opening on 8 April, teams have officially moved in and are getting used to their new surroundings. The building will house central functions, training and the Operations departments, as well as the fleet, and the GBRf 24-hour control centre.

The new office is based next door to the state-of-the-art simulators owned by GBRf. Having already pioneered this cutting-edge equipment, GBRf will look to become the leading training provider for train drivers and managers across the rail sector. The new office will play host to three shiny new classrooms which will be used by prospective train managers together with the simulators.

The building also reinforced GBRf’s green credentials, with solar panels having been installed on the roof and a number of electric vehicle charging points and bike racks having been installed. The company has also made staff wellbeing central to its plans for the new headquarters, with new furniture and amenities having been installed, as well as making sure the building and car park are completely accessible to all members of staff.

John Smith, Managing Director of GB Railfreight said:

“I am over the moon to be able to officially open our new offices in Peterborough today. Having seen a huge increase in the demand for our services, we made the call to expand our operations here by investing in new offices and training facilities. Today that has become a reality.

“On behalf of GBRf, I would like to thank the construction company Lindum for completing an outstanding job. The success of the project relies on the practical, hands-on approach taken from concept to completion, and the company is delighted with the result of this partnership.

“Our partnership with Lindum has seen the works happen on time and within budget – no mean feat considering what a challenging year 2020 was for the UK and the whole world. Now we look to put that disruption behind us, and kickstart a new phase for the business, which continues to go from strength to strength.”

Darren King, Managing Director of Lindum, added:

“This has been a fantastic project to be involved in. The building is just a few miles from our Peterborough office, so we are particularly happy to see the site being regenerated in this way. “Work began just before the Covid outbreak so we had to introduce strict hygiene rules and extra safety measures on site to ensure the impact of the virus was kept to a minimum.

“It is great to see a company like GB Railfreight reaffirming its commitment to Peterborough and we’ve enjoyed working with such a forward-thinking and ambitious client.”

GB Railfreight receives new wagons from VTG as it looks to expand its intermodal business

Posted on by sam.batey@gbrailfreight.com

GB Railfreight receives new wagons from VTG as it looks to expand its intermodal business

GB Railfreight officially received the delivery of its first operational Ecofret2® triple-container flat wagon sets from VTG Rail, which will be used to support GBRf’s growing demand for intermodal services.

The wagons arrived at GBRf’s new headquarters in Peterborough following successful prototype testing and approvals. The Ecofret2® is the latest innovation in maritime container transport and a revolutionary addition to VTG Rail’s fleet. These state-of-the-art wagons remove empty spaces that are often present in other wagons, but which are inefficient and cause turbulence during the journey, thus reducing fleet efficiency.

Today’s announcement is another remarkable achievement in GBRf’s intermodal journey. The company already has 21 intermodal services running across the country, and the new Ecofret2® wagons will only help the business remain at the cutting edge of the industry in this field.

The investment, worth £50m, also shows GBRf’s resilience in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic and its willingness to stride forward as restrictions are eased.

In addition, with climate change at the forefront of the political agenda, GBRf is delighted to be contributing to the reduction of carbon emissions by expanding its intermodal fleet: an intermodal train only emits 5.4 pounds of carbon emissions per every 100-ton miles. Therefore, not only will GBRf increase the amount of goods and materials transported by rail, the business will ensure that their carbon output remains low in the process.

Julie Garn, Head of Intermodal at GB Railfreight said:

“I am delighted to be receiving this shipment of Ecofret2® wagons from VTG Rail. Growing the intermodal side of our business will be crucial to us to ensure we bounce back from COVID-19. In addition, there are huge benefits to moving more freight by rail including carbon emissions, which will be vital if we are to reach net zero emissions by 2050.”

David Golding, Asset Director at GB Railfreight, added:

“I couldn’t be more pleased to see the Ecofret2® wagons arrive and join our service. They are at the forefront of innovation in the intermodal sector and will make GBRf more and more competitive as we look to grow our business in the months and years to come”.

GB Railfreight announce new contract with Celsa

Posted on by sam.batey@gbrailfreight.com

GB Railfreight (GBRf) are very pleased to announce the commencement of a new twelve-year contract with Celsa Steel UK, the largest manufacturer of steel reinforcement in the UK and one of the largest producers of other long steel products.

Building upon an existing relationship of ten years, GBRf will provide internal shunting services including a supply of remote-control shunt locomotives, train crews and ancillary services. There will also be a dedicated team of shunt crews operating shunt movements on a permanent basis to ensure the smooth-running of the service.

As part of the contract, all internal rail movements will be undertaken by GBRf, including the transportation of inbound scrap metal for steel production, hot billets for processing into finished goods, and outbound movements of finished products. Furthermore, GBRf will assist Celsa with managing internal track and wagon maintenance assessments that are vital in keeping the service operational.

This is further evidence of the resilience and flexibility of what GBRf can offer to a variety of industries within the UK. The contract also marks a commitment from GBRf and Celsa to assess more environmentally friendly alternatives for locomotive supply to be explored as part of the contract, demonstrating a clear commitment to continue work towards a decarbonised transport system.

John Smith, Managing Director of GB Railfreight, said:

“I am delighted to announce that we are expanding on our relationship with Celsa. We have a strong relationship going back many years and we are delighted to continue it until 2033. This service will be a vital part of the UK’s steel industry, which we are incredibly proud to be supporting.

“In addition, the shift to rail freight is a vital part of decarbonising our transport system. Our partnership with Celsa shows our commitment to using innovative solutions to reach the ambitious target of net zero emissions by 2050 and we hope to build on this going forward.”

Luis Sanz, CEO and Managing Director of CELSA said:

“CELSA Steel has been part of the Cardiff industrial landscape for the last two decades and intends to build on our strong business foundations for many years to come, providing vital low carbon steel products for numerous construction projects throughout the UK. Our success is guaranteed through strong partnerships with those who want to come on our exciting journey and this long term contract with GBRf represents another step on our path to sustainability.

We can be proud of our heritage and we look forward to overcoming challenges together as we work to enhance our business and eliminate our carbon footprint.”

GBRf extend contract with EMDL

Posted on by sam.batey@gbrailfreight.com

GB Railfreight (GBRf) and Electro-Motive Diesel Limited (EMDL), a legal entity of Progress Rail, a Caterpillar Company, have signed a contract extension to the full-service provision arrangements between businesses, which have been in place since 2012.

The new contract extends the size of the GBRf fleet supported by Progress Rail. It also expands repair capacity at both the Doncaster and Peterborough depots and increases the number of field service engineers joining the team.

Representing a significant strengthening of the long-standing relationship between the two companies, this contract supports the GBRf Class 66 locomotive fleet and prepares the ground for the newly re-engineered Class 69 locomotives, the first of which was on trial at Severn Valley Railway. Additionally, Progress Rail will be fitting the innovative PR UptimeTM digital prognostic equipment to the Class 66 fleet, which serves as the next-generation analytics platform, prompting preventative maintenance and continuously improving reliability and performance.

Cementing further years of support, this contract demonstrates GBRf’s faith in Progress Rail’s technical capability and excellent service standards, which have delivered industry-leading asset utilisation to date. This deal secures a long-term future for both businesses in the ever-growing rail freight market in the United Kingdom.

GBRf Asset Director David Golding said:

“We are pleased to announce this contract extension with EMDL, a well-established and reliable partner for our business. This is a significant enhancement, which will enable GBRf to expand its operations, whilst also providing extra field service and engineering capacity the business needs.”

EMDL Sales Director Jon Caen added:

“We are delighted to be working with GB Railfreight on this exciting project. This contract extension solidifies a successful relationship and provides both companies with a long-term future. Supporting fleet maintenance digitalisation, the fitment of PR UptimeTM across the Class 66 and 69 fleets brings the most advanced analytics technology available.”

GBRf partners with Porterbrook to build 100 new wagons

Posted on by sam.batey@gbrailfreight.com

Following an extended commercial exercise, GB Railfreight (GBRf) has chosen to partner with British rolling stock company, Porterbrook, for the build of 100 Greenbrier 60’ intermodal twins.

This partnership will manage the production of wagons by Greenbrier, a renowned railcar manufacturer, which will see the first batch rolling off the production line in August 2022. The manufacturing process is scheduled to supply ten intermodal twin wagons per month, meaning that the total of 100 vehicles are expected to be operational in the UK by summer 2023.

The contract will initially operate on ten-year dry lease and marks another step towards promotion of sustainable and low-carbon freight transport.

John Smith, Managing Director at GB Railfreight, said:

“I am delighted to be partnering again with Porterbrook, a company at the heart of the UK’s rail network, on this exciting project. At GBRf, we always look to work with leading companies in the transport sphere and we couldn’t ask for a better partner than Porterbrook. By working together we are proving that our sector continues to combine innovation and resilience which will be vital as we move towards more sustainable modes of transport.”

“We are also thrilled to be able to work with an innovative manufacturer such as Greenbrier, and see this as a continuation of an excellent long-standing relationship”.

Mary Grant, Porterbrook CEO, said:

“We are very pleased that GBRf have chosen Porterbrook to support their ambitious intermodal expansion plans. This builds on our 15 year relationship with a truly innovative company.

“Today’s announcement also signifies a renewed commitment by Porterbrook to investing in rail-freight, which has a key role to play in reducing long distance lorry movements and supporting the Green Recovery.”

GBRf secures contract with Network Rail for Rail Innovation & Development Centre at Melton

Posted on by sam.batey@gbrailfreight.com

GB Railfreight (GBRf), one of the largest rail freight operators in the UK, has struck an agreement with Network Rail for the operation of its Rail Innovation & Development Centre (RIDC) Melton at its facility in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire.

The contract, signed this week by GBRf Managing Director John Smith  will run from 1 April 2021 and last for four years.

RIDC Melton offers a dedicated test facility to provide safe and reliable testing environments for new and modified technology within the rail industry. This is a unique high speed test facility for the UK rail industry: it provides a safe specialised non-mainline facility for the testing, validation and commissioning of new and modified rolling stock, plant, on track machines, infrastructure, equipment and technology, away from the constraints of the mainline network.

RIDC Melton  has been purpose-built to support both high and low speed testing.  The facility provides two separate test tracks: a high-speed 13 mile test track between Melton Junction and Edwalton up to 125mph – 11 miles of this with 25kV overhead line equipment (OLE);  and a slower-speed 4 mile test track from Old Dalby to Stanton Tunnel up to 60mph with 25kV OLE and DC 4th rail capability.

Tim Hartley, Business Development Director at GB Railfreight, said:

“Winning this contract not only expands GB Railfreight’s offering to Network Rail but also to the stakeholders of RIDC Melton.  This is another diversification to our traditional business model of running freight trains but positions us really well to offer a more efficient end-to end service to all RIDC stakeholders. Innovation is at the heart of our business model, so running the operations at RIDC Melton is very exciting for us.”