{"id":496950,"date":"2026-08-03T19:00:53","date_gmt":"2026-08-03T09:00:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.railfreight.com\/?p=73184"},"modified":"2026-08-03T19:00:53","modified_gmt":"2026-08-03T09:00:53","slug":"heavy-haul-rail-inks-uk-armed-forces-covenant","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/?p=496950","title":{"rendered":"Heavy Haul Rail inks UK Armed Forces Covenant"},"content":{"rendered":"

Heavy Haul Rail has become a signatory to the Armed Forces Covenant, a recognised agreement between the industry and the UK Ministry of Defence. The Covenant is a voluntary commitment by organisations and public bodies to ensure that members of the UK’s armed forces community are treated fairly and are not disadvantaged because of their service.<\/strong>
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Other signatory rail freight operators include GB Railfreight, Colas Rail and Freightliner, which was a signatory before Heavy Haul Rail was spun out from the company<\/a>. It was then that Chris Little, a former Royal Air Force engineer with twelve years\u2019 service, moved to the railways, and found his opportunity to carry his skills back into civilian life. \u201cWhen I left the military about sixteen years ago, we never really had much support,\u201d he said. \u201cBack then, Freightliner gave me the opportunity to prove that my engineering skills and work ethic are just as valuable in the rail industry as they were in the military.<\/p>\n

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Chris Little went from front line military maintenance to main line railway operations with the help of the Armed Forces Covenant. Image: LinkedIn \u00a9 Heavy Haul Rail<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

HHR, which signed the Covenant last month, said that signing the Covenant reflected what it is as a business: \u201cPurpose-driven, responsible, and committed to doing the right thing,\u201d said the company statement. \u201cThe values shared by the rail freight sector and the Armed Forces: discipline, teamwork, reliability, resilience and accountability, are central to how we operate.\u201d<\/p>\n

Benefit employers like HHR<\/h2>\n

Through this pledge, Heavy Haul Rail<\/a> has committed to supporting veterans, reservists, cadet force adult volunteers (CFAVs), service spouses, partners and military families. It says it will recognise their skills, experience and perspectives, and help them bring to the workplace. \u201cOur commitments include promoting Armed Forces-friendly employment, supporting Reservists and CFAVs with special leave, engaging with the Career Transition Partnership, and championing Armed Forces events and charities,\u201d said the company.<\/p>\n

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Front line of freight operations. Image: \u00a9 Heavy Haul Rail<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Defence Relationship Management (DRM) is the branch of the Ministry of Defence (MoD) that interfaces with all UK employers, building working relationships which benefit employers like HHR and the people of the armed forces. \u201cSigning the Armed Forces Covenant is more than a symbolic gesture,\u201d said Neil \u201cJacko\u201d Jackson, the director of the service. \u201cIt is a public statement and commitment recognising the value that serving personnel bring to our Nation, local communities and all of our workplaces.\u201d<\/p>\n

Heavy Haul Rail benefits from the unique skills, experience, and perspectives that members of the Armed Forces community offer. Within the highly regulated environment of freight operations, the discipline and training afforded by former military personnel is a commercial asset. \u201cProud to see we have gotten this important document signed,\u201d said Richard Mannion, the Head of Solution Design at Heavy Haul Rail. \u201c[This is] further deepening our commitment to supporting both our current and future workforce as well as formalising the bond between our military and the railway.\u201d<\/p>\n