GB Railfreight (GBRf), founded in 1999 and headquartered in London, United Kingdom, is one of the UK's leading rail freight operators. The company offers a comprehensive range of rail transport services, including intermodal, energy generation, infrastructure, construction, and waste material transportation. GBRf operates over 2,000 trainloads a week, moving 22% of Britain's rail freight with a 99% reliability rate since 2009. Committed to sustainability, GBRf's rail services significantly reduce carbon emissions compared to road transport. With a team of over 1,400 employees, a fleet of 170 locomotives, and 1,800 wagons, GBRf serves a diverse clientele, including Aggregate Industries, Drax, Hitachi, HS2, MSC UK, Network Rail, and Tarmac.
Throughout 2025, GBRf will operate its rail freight services from The Port of Liverpool and The Port of Tyne to Drax Power Station in Selby, Yorkshire, exclusively on HVO.
The shunters, which are owned by Porterbrook, are expected to reduce emissions by 40% and will be used to move steel billets from an electric arc furnace to CELSA’s rolling mills.
The Class 99, powered by electricity or renewable fuels like HVO, is the UK’s first heavy-haul freight locomotive capable of mainline speeds and high volumes.
This IoT (Internet of Things) technology can help to create a safer and more efficient rail network by reducing the number of incidents relating to wheel and brake faults.
GB Railfreight (GBRf) is proud to announce a new 10-year locomotive leasing deal with Akiem, a leading European rolling stock leasing company. The agreement will see £25 million invested to increase the number of locomotives across GBRf’s operations. This investment has been made possible by GBRf’s recent wins in the intermodal sector and continuing growth across a number of key markets.
The Decarbonisation & Electrification of Freight Terminals (DEFT) project, funded by the Department for Transport and Innovate UK, has seen project partners Furrer+Frey GB, Tarmac and GB Railfreight demonstrate a new way of decarbonising rail and lessen freight’s impact on passenger journeys.
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.