Passenger Operator Moves into Freight - Brief Article

International Railway Journal, May, 2000

PASSENGER rail operator, GB Railways, is expanding into the railfreight business in Britain. Its new subsidiary, GB Rajifreight, has won its first contract. This is an eight-year deal with Railtrack to transport infrastructure materials to work sites.

The contract is worth at least [pounds]4.8 million a year and will start on March 31 2001. GB Railways has signed a [pounds]13 million eight-year lease with HSBC Rail for seven class 66 diesel-electric locomotives to be supplied by General Motors, Canada. Railtrack will supply the wagons.

GB Railfreight is also part of a consortium that has been shortlisted under a competition launched by the shadow Strategic Rail Authority to develop innovative freight services. The GB consortium has proposed a mini container service between London and Scotland.