GB Railfreight ushers in a new era of Sustainable Freight Transport by unveiling its Hybrid Class 99 Locomotive

GB Railfreight (GBRf), one of the UK’s largest transporters of consumer and business goods, will be unveiling its new hybrid Class 99 locomotive at InnoTrans in Berlin on Wednesday 25 September, signalling a significant leap forward in decarbonising the UK’s rail freight industry. The new Class 99s are expected to reduce emissions by up to 58% per journey compared to the industry norm (the Class 66s) and are being offered exclusively to GBRf customers as a new solution for the sustainable movement of goods across the UK. These hybrid trains are the first heavy-haul freight locomotives capable of moving significant volume at mainline speeds on electrified and non-electrified sections of the rail network.

The new trains will shorten journey times and drive efficiencies for customers across the UK’s transport infrastructure. The UK moves c.GBP30bn worth of goods by rail each year. GBRf’s investment in the Class 99s aligns with the Government’s mission to become a clean energy superpower and will help reduce the environmental impact of transporting goods.

This will empower businesses and consumers to make greener purchasing decisions. John Smith, Chief Executive Officer of GB Railfreight, said: “Rail freight has long been the cleanest, safest and most efficient way of transporting goods and the Class 99s are a game-changing moment for the UK rail freight industry.

These locomotives offer our customers the chance to run faster, wholly sustainable, heavy-haul services across length and breadth of the country.” The Class 99 has been designed in collaboration with Beacon Rail and Stadler, who are manufacturing them at their Valencia factory.  The first locomotive is expected to arrive in the UK in Spring 2025 and the full fleet is due to be operational by the end of 2026. Inigo Parra, CEO of Stadler Valencia, said:

“Along with our clients, GB Railfreight and Beacon Rail, we are delighted to be presenting this fantastic locomotive, which is testament to Stadler’s commitment to green technology. Set to be a game changer in UK rail freight, this environmentally-friendly, efficient and powerful vehicle will encourage modal shift from road to rail, helping the UK decarbonise the railway and supporting net zero targets.” Adam Cunliffe, Chief Executive Officer of Beacon Rail, said:

“Beacon is proud to introduce the Class 99 to the market; this is the result of a collaborative approach with our long-standing customer GB Railfreight and manufacturer Stadler.

The Class 99 order underlines Beacon’s drive to support the UK’s journey towards a greener and more efficient rail network.”