{"id":483685,"date":"2026-07-21T02:15:00","date_gmt":"2026-07-20T16:15:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/railuk.com\/?p=196569"},"modified":"2026-07-21T02:15:00","modified_gmt":"2026-07-20T16:15:00","slug":"gb-railfreight-becomes-uks-largest-rail-freight-operator-25-years-after-first-service","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/?p=483685","title":{"rendered":"GB Railfreight becomes UK\u2019s largest rail freight operator 25 years after first service"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

New figures published by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) show that GB Railfreight (GBRf) now accounts for the largest share of freight train kilometres in Great Britain at 31.4%, as well as the largest share of freight vehicle kilometres at 33.3%, cementing its position as the nation\u2019s leading rail freight business.<\/p>\n

Since launching operations in 2001, GBRf\u2019s growth has helped create thousands of skilled, secure and long-term jobs across the railway industry, many of them in communities beyond London and the South East.<\/p>\n

GBRf\u2019s success has been supported by long-term investment in its people, locomotives, rolling stock and operational facilities, enabling the business to increase capacity while continuing to meet growing customer demand. Over recent years GBRf has invested heavily in modern locomotives like the Class 99s, expanded and enhanced its wagon fleet, improved its operational facilities across its network and continued to strengthen welfare, training and safety standards for colleagues.<\/p>\n

The milestone comes shortly after GBRf marked the 25th anniversary of operating its first train, capping a period of sustained growth that has seen the business expand from a new entrant into the UK\u2019s largest rail freight operator. It now moves goods across the country to locations including Fowey, Fort William, Penmaenmawr and the Isle of Grain.<\/p>\n

Today, GBRf transports a wide range of freight, including containers, construction materials, biomass, consumer goods and infrastructure supplies, helping to keep businesses supplied and supporting major construction and infrastructure projects nationwide.<\/p>\n

The company has built a workforce rooted in the communities it serves, with many colleagues spending entire careers in the industry and, increasingly, multiple generations of the same family choosing to build their futures at GBRf.<\/p>\n

Rail freight contributes \u00a32.5 billion to the UK economy each year while helping reduce congestion and carbon emissions by removing thousands of HGV journeys from Britain\u2019s roads. As demand for more sustainable freight transport continues to grow, GBRf\u2019s milestone reflects the increasingly important role rail freight plays in supporting the UK\u2019s prosperity and environmental ambitions.<\/p>\n

John Smith OBE, Chief Executive Officer of GB Railfreight, said:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cIf someone had told us 25 years ago, when we were preparing to run our first train, that we would one day become the UK\u2019s largest rail freight operator, I\u2019m not sure many of us would have believed them.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a fantastic achievement and one that makes me incredibly proud. What makes it even more special is that it comes in the same year that we celebrate our 25th anniversary. This milestone belongs to the thousands of colleagues, past and present, whose hard work, commitment and belief in the business have helped build GBRf into what it is today.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve come a long way, but we\u2019re certainly not standing still. Rail freight has a vital role to play in supporting economic growth, strengthening supply chains and helping businesses move goods more sustainably. We\u2019re excited about the future and remain committed to investing in our people, our customers and the railway.\u201d<\/p>\n

Image credit: GBRf<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>New figures published by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) show that GB Railfreight (GBRf) now accounts for the largest share of freight train kilometres in Great Britain at 31.4%, as well as the largest share of freight vehicle kilometres at 33.3%, cementing its position as the nation\u2019s leading rail freight business. Since launching [\u2026]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[16013,16017,78,47,85],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-483685","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-general-interest","category-industry-news","category-rail-freight","category-rail-news","category-uk"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t