Rail freight UK

GB Railfreight (GBRf), one of the UK’s largest transporters of consumer and business goods, has opened a new maintenance facility in Tonbridge. The new site will bolster the efficiency of its locomotive maintenance regime was formally opened by GBRf’s Chief Executive Officer, John Smith and Director General of the Rail Freight Group, Maggie Simpson OBE.

The facility, which cost around £2.5m and is larger than nine double-decker buses, was built by Cairn Cross and will provide a purpose-built hub to maintain GBRf’s Class 73, 69 and 66 fleets. The building will be operated by various partners including EMD, Wabtec and St. Leonard’s Railway Engineering.

The new maintenance facility will complement existing sites in Doncaster and Peterborough, significantly improving the operational efficiency of GBRf’s locomotive fleet in the south east of England. Significant carbon savings will result from reduced journey length required for maintenance.

The increased capacity in GBRf’s locomotive maintenance programme will build on the business’s industry-leading reliability for customers, driving jobs, growth and investment across the UK.

Tonbridge is a strategically important site for GBRf, which provides rail head treatment services for Network Rail from the site. These services, which ensure the smooth running of the passenger trains by cleaning the tracks of fallen leaves, snow and ice mean that commuters will benefit from safer, more reliable passenger rail services across the south east.

John Smith, Chief Executive Officer at GB Railfreight, said: “Our new facility at Tonbridge demonstrates our commitment to continued investment and innovation in the rail network. The Tonbridge site will lead to increased efficiency for our locomotive fleet, which will benefit our customers, and operation of rail head treatment services will improve passenger experiences and safety across the region.”

Adam Southern, Delivery Director Track Treatment at Network Rail, said: “Tonbridge is a key location for Network Rail’s autumn and winter services, helping the Southern Region battle against poor adhesion due to leaf-fall and the effects of frost on the running lines. GB Railfreight’s new Maintenance Hub will provide a greater level of resilience and reliability for the seasonal fleet, right where we need it.”

Maggie Simpson OBE, Director General at the Rail Freight Group, said: “The rail freight sector is committed to growth – it’s fantastic to see private freight operators like GB Railfreight investing in facilities such as the new maintenance hub at Tonbridge. These facilities will provide additional capacity, reliability and resilience for rail freight customers across the country.”