A new rail freight operator emerged last week and already it has an eight-year contract to help Railtrack maintain and renew the track.

GB Railfreight is a wholly owned subsidiary of GB Railways Group which includes Anglia Railways and Hull Trains.

The Railtrack contract involves hauling trains to infrastructure sites throughourt eastern England.

To fulfil this contract GB Railfreight leased seven new locomotives from HSBC Rail (UK) Ltd.

GB Railfreight's locomotives will be based and maintaned at Willesden
Depot in north London and were on show for the official launch at Willesden on Tuesday 27 March 2001.

Following a welcome from GB Railfreight managing director John Smith and messages of support from Railtrack and West Coast Traincare, the first of GB Railfreight's locomotives was named "Railtrack National Logistics".

Railfuture guests included chairman Peter Lawrence, East Anglia branch secretary Nick Dibben, freight committee secretary Eric Layfield and freight committee member Ken Cropley.


Information from Peter Lawrence