UK operator Freightliner has commenced two new five-year haulage contracts with construction materials supplier Breedon Group plc. Freightliner and Breedon already have a long-standing relationship. The new aggregates deal takes the relationship into new commercial territory.
The first contract sees the continuation of Freightliner’s role in moving cement from Breedon’s Hope Cement Works in Derbyshire to destinations across Great Britain, including Dagenham (East London), Theale (west of Reading in South East England), Dewsbury (Yorkshire), and Walsall in the English Midlands. The agreement extends a commercial partnership that has spanned over 25 years.
Repurposed wagons, Class 70s and new depot investment
Also announced today, Freightliner has launched a new service for Breedon. The operator will move aggregates from Dowlow Quarry in Derbyshire and Shap Quarry in the Lake District to Breedon’s distribution points in Ashbury (Greater Manchester) and Walsall, as well as third-party sites nationwide. The first service under the aggregates contract ran on Saturday, 28 June. “To support the new flows, Freightliner is deploying Class 70 locomotives capable of hauling longer and heavier trains,” said a spokesperson for the operator. “[This will help with] improving operational efficiency and reducing the environmental footprint of the operation.”
Freightliner’s 2,750 kW (approximately 3,700 horsepower) Class 70 locomotives have the grunt for heavy haul aggregates traffic. Image: © Freightliner
To service the account, a residual coal wagon fleet is being repurposed into box wagons for aggregates. The conversions are taking place at the WH Davis facility in Mansfield, the only independent rolling stock manufacturer in the UK. The project is being undertaken in collaboration with rolling stock lessor Porterbrook. Freightliner says the move supports wider innovation in wagon re-use and strengthens UK supply chain resilience. The operator has also invested in a new fuelling and maintenance depot at Dowlow Quarry, aimed at supporting reliability and minimising turnaround times.
Expanded cement flows and ARM Traffic
Alongside the cement flows, the extended contract includes the transport of Alternative Raw Materials (ARM) into the Hope site from Llandudno in North Wales and Drax Power Station in Yorkshire. Freightliner says it has made additional infrastructure investments at Hope Valley Earles Sidings to handle the uplift in volume and ensure the smooth running of increased services. The Hope Valley line has been the subject of an extensive upgrade project by the national infrastructure agency, Network Rail, specifically to increase capacity on the route.
Hope Valley Project. The Bamford Loop has been a critical upgrade for freight Image: © Volker
“Our two new five-year agreements with Freightliner are a major step forward in our drive for safety, sustainability and efficiency improvements across our rail portfolio,” said Tony Power, Procurement Category Manager at Breedon. He welcomed the renewed and expanded partnership. “Freightliner’s can-do attitude in delivering excellent service and performance has been key to satisfying the requirements of all stakeholders across the Breedon business,” he said.
The contract is a major win for Freightliner. “We are delighted to be extending our partnership with Breedon,” said Dave Penney, Managing Director for Heavy Haul and Rail Services. “[We’re] continuing to operate the cement contract and commencing the movement of aggregates across the UK. Our long-standing relationship is a testament to the reliability and value our teams deliver every day.”
