GB Railfreight
GB Railfreight is a UK rail freight operator moving 22% of Britain's rail freight via 170 locomotives and 1,800+ wagons, serving enterprise customers across intermodal, construction, energy, steel, and waste sectors with multi-year contracts.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2003
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What GB Railfreight does
GB Railfreight (GBRf) is one of the UK's largest rail freight operators, founded in the early 2000s and headquartered in Peterborough with offices in London, Doncaster, and Felixstowe. The company moves 22% of Britain's rail freight with a stated 99% reliability rating since 2009, operating a fleet of 170 locomotives and over 1,800 wagons across 2,000+ trainloads per week with a team of 1,400+ people. Its service portfolio spans intermodal container transport (Felixstowe, London Gateway), construction materials (including HS2), energy generation (Drax biomass), steel (Alvance, Celsa), waste (Biffa), infrastructure services for Network Rail, and luxury passenger charter operations (Belmond Britannic Explorer, Caledonian Sleeper).
The company's technology stack centres on rail haulage using diesel, electric, and hybrid locomotives, including the new Class 99 hybrid fleet built by Stadler and trialed Class 18 hybrid+ battery shunting locomotives. Operational technology includes the 3Squared RailSmart platform with Remote Condition Monitoring for real-time locomotive telemetry, and the JigSpace/Apple Vision Pro spatial computing training system for immersive crew preparation. Decarbonisation R&D includes the Project Phoenix hydrogen-capable retrofit with HyOrc Corporation and DEFT overhead conductor trials for terminal electrification with Furrer+Frey and Tarmac.
GBRf generates revenue on a transaction-fee basis through negotiated multi-year enterprise contracts with industrial customers across multiple verticals. The go-to-market is direct enterprise field sales with no intermediaries. Customer diversification spans seven verticals with anchor relationships including MSC UK (5-year intermodal), Drax (biomass), Network Rail (infrastructure), HS2 (construction), Biffa (waste, since 2018), Maritime Transport, and DP World (London Gateway). Recent strategic priorities include fleet modernisation, hydrogen propulsion development, ESG positioning (GRESB), and a leadership transition announced March 2026 with Ian Langton appointed Interim Managing Director alongside CEO John Smith.
GB Railfreight firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- GB Railfreight
- Legal name
- GB Railfreight Limited
- Website
- https://gbrailfreight.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2003
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- GB Railfreight is a UK rail freight operator moving 22% of Britain's rail freight via 170 locomotives and 1,800+ wagons, serving enterprise customers across intermodal, construction, energy, steel, and waste sectors with multi-year contracts.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
GB Railfreight industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Rail Freight Transportation Services
- NAICS
- Line-Haul Railroads (482111), Support Activities for Rail Transportation (4882)
- SIC
- Railroads, Line-Haul Operating (4011), Railroad Switching & Terminal Establishments (4013)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Industrial & Terminal Railroads (Plant/Port Switching) (TLADACAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Rail-Truck Transload Terminals (Inland) (TLALAFAJ), Domestic Rail Freight Forwarding (TLACADAA)
Keywords
Where GB Railfreight is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices4 records
Markets served
GB Railfreight business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Rail Freight Haulage Services: GB Railfreight generates revenue through providing rail freight haulage services, operating a fleet of locomotives and wagons to transport goods for customers across various sectors including intermodal, construction materials, energy, and steel.
- Passenger and Charter Operations: The company also undertakes passenger and charter operations, including services for Caledonian Sleeper and luxury train operations like the Belmond Britannic Explorer.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
GB Railfreight product offering
Product offeringCore offering
GB Railfreight provides rail freight haulage services across the United Kingdom, operating a fleet of 170 locomotives and over 1,800 wagons to transport intermodal containers, construction aggregates, biomass for power generation, steel, waste materials, and infrastructure components for enterprise customers and government clients. In addition to freight haulage, the company operates passenger and charter services (including Caledonian Sleeper haulage and luxury trains such as the Belmond Britannic Explorer), manages terminals and a £5.75 million Peterborough Maintenance Hub, and delivers infrastructure services including Network Rail depot upgrades and railhead development.
Product overview
GB Railfreight operates as a comprehensive rail freight logistics provider offering rail haulage services across the UK, transporting intermodal containers, construction materials, energy (biomass), steel, and waste materials. The core offering is rail freight haulage supported by a fleet of 170 locomotives and 1,800+ wagons. The company is modernising its fleet with Class 99 hybrid locomotives from Stadler and Class 18 hybrid+ shunting locomotives, while deploying digital platforms including the 3Squared RailSmart suite for Remote Condition Monitoring and employee development. Training innovation is delivered through a spatial computing programme with JigSpace and Apple Vision Pro. The company also operates infrastructure assets including its £5.75m Peterborough Maintenance Hub and the Rail Innovation & Development Centre at Melton.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Rail Freight Haulage Services End-to-end rail freight haulage across the UK using a fleet of 170 locomotives and over 1,800 wagons, moving intermodal containers, biomass, construction aggregates, steel, waste materials, and infrastructure components for enterprise customers and government clients.
- Intermodal Container Transport Container transport services connecting major UK ports (Felixstowe, London Gateway, Port of Tilbury) to inland terminals using FEA-G intermodal wagons and JNA-X box wagons, including five-year deals such as MSC UK and the Maritime Transport multi-year contract.
- Construction Materials Transport Rail haulage of aggregates, cement, and construction materials for major projects including HS2, supplied to Aggregate Industries and Tarmac.
- Energy Generation Haulage Rail transport of biomass and fuel for power generation customers including Drax, with services extended to 2025.
- Steel and Metals Transport Movement of steel coils and products for manufacturers and infrastructure customers including Alvance (five-year extension) and Celsa (with new low-emission shunters), plus minerals haulage such as Imerys Cornish China Clay under a two-year contract.
- Waste Materials Transport Rail transport of waste materials in partnership with Biffa since 2018, including development of Renwick Road transport hub and over 1 million tonnes of waste moved by rail.
- Infrastructure Services Rail infrastructure services for Network Rail including haulage, depot upgrades such as the £1.5 million Eastleigh and Bescot LDC upgrades, innovative modular wagon deployment via Wascosa, and train delivery and testing for Hitachi.
- Terminal Management Operation and management of rail freight terminals including the £5.75 million Peterborough Maintenance Hub (operational since September 2023), depots at Doncaster, Felixstowe, and Tonbridge, plus the Rail Innovation & Development Centre (RIDC) at Melton.
- Passenger and Charter Operations Passenger and charter train haulage including services for the Caledonian Sleeper and luxury train operations such as the Belmond Britannic Explorer and Royal Scotsman.
Quantifiable outcome
- 99% reliability rating since 2009
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use GB Railfreight
Customer profileNamed customers13 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles6 records
GB Railfreight technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Feature3 records
GB Railfreight partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
19 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- HyOrc CorporationcoreStrategic cooperation with HyOrc Corporation to advance hydrogen and alternative-fuel locomotive retrofits for heavy transport decarbonization. Includes Project Phoenix, a 3MW rail decarbonisation pilot to retrofit legacy diesel locomotives with zero-emission-ready propulsion technology, initially using Natural Gas/LPG before transitioning to 100% Hydrogen.
- Maritime TransportcoreMulti-year rail freight contract for intermodal services operating from Felixstowe to various destinations including London Gateway and Port of Tilbury.
- JigSpacecoreThree-year partnership to implement spatial computing technology using Apple Vision Pro for immersive training of train crew on Class 99 locomotives. System allows trainees to explore fully interactive 360-degree cab environment before entering real locomotives.
- Connected Places Catapult AcceleratorminorFunding exploration through Connected Places Catapult Accelerator for Project Phoenix hydrogen-capable locomotive retrofits.
- ImerysminorTwo-year contract to transport Cornish China Clay from Fowey Docks to Cliffe Vale.
- StadlercoreManufacturing partner for Class 99 locomotives, with service and maintenance contract for new fleet.
- WabteccoreLargest maintenance deal signed in Peterborough for ongoing locomotive maintenance services.
- PorterbrookcoreLong-standing partnership for wagon leasing and new rolling stock, including 100 new JNA-X box wagons and FEA-G intermodal wagons.
- GreenbriercoreManufacturing partner for new wagons including JNA-X box wagons and FEA-G intermodal wagons.
- Akiemcore10-year locomotive leasing deal with Akiem for additional rolling stock.
- VTG RailminorWagon leasing partnership including Ecofret2 triple-container flat wagon sets for intermodal expansion.
- 3SquaredcorePartnership for RailSmart software platform including Employee Development System (EDS) and Remote Condition Monitoring (RCM) for real-time locomotive telemetry.
- Hitachi RailcorePartnership for Class 803 high-speed electric train delivery and testing for Lumo, with ongoing collaboration for new train commissioning.
- BiffacoreStrategic partnership since 2018 for waste transport by rail, including development of Renwick Road transport hub, having transported over 1 million tonnes of waste by rail.
- WascosacorePartnership for innovative modular wagons for Network Rail infrastructure services, including 570 wagons with superstructures.
- MSC UKcoreFive-year intermodal rail deal for container transport from Felixstowe and London Gateway to Midlands and Yorkshire.
- DP WorldcoreContract extension at London Gateway for container handling and rail services.
- Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's CharityminorCharitable partnership supporting Great Ormond Street Hospital.
- Prostate Cancer UKminorCharitable partnership with multiple fundraising initiatives including locomotive namings and charity railtours raising over £200,000.
Scale indicators12 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights5 records
GB Railfreight competitors and assessment
Company assessmentOthers
- Akiem: Akiem is a European locomotive leasing company and a 10-year strategic partner of GB Railfreight for rolling stock. An ecosystem enabler rather than direct competitor, but central to GB Railfreight's fleet capacity model.
- Beacon Rail Leasing: Beacon Rail Leasing is a European rolling stock lessor that partnered with GB Railfreight on Class 18 hybrid+ shunter trials. A supplier/ecosystem enabler rather than a direct freight competitor.
Direct peers
- Direct Rail Services: Direct Rail Services (DRS) is a UK rail freight operator running intermodal, nuclear, and infrastructure trains on the same network as GB Railfreight. Competes for similar intermodal, bulk, and Network Rail infrastructure contracts.
- DB Cargo UK: DB Cargo UK is the UK's largest rail freight operator, offering intermodal, bulk, and automotive freight across the same Network Rail infrastructure. Directly comparable to GB Railfreight in customers (energy, construction, steel), fleet renewal programs, and decarbonization strategy.
- Mendip Rail: Mendip Rail is a UK aggregates-focused rail freight operator (Hanson/DB Cargo JV) hauling stone from Mendip quarries — directly comparable to GB Railfreight's aggregates and construction-materials business (Aggregate Industries, Tarmac, Imerys).
- Colas Rail UK: Colas Rail UK operates freight and infrastructure services, including bulk haulage and engineering trains. Competes with GB Railfreight for Network Rail infrastructure services and bulk/aggregates flows.
- Maritime Transport: Maritime Transport is a UK intermodal road-rail logistics operator running container flows from Felixstowe and other ports — both a key GB Railfreight customer and a direct competitor for intermodal freight contracts.
- Freightliner Group: Freightliner is one of the UK's largest intermodal rail freight operators and a major bulk haulier, competing head-to-head with GB Railfreight for port-rail container flows and bulk commodities contracts across the UK network.
Broad incumbents
- Network Rail: Network Rail is the UK's rail infrastructure manager and a major GB Railfreight customer (infrastructure services and RIDC Melton). Operates in the same ecosystem as a regulator/partner and a counterparty for haulage contracts.
- DB Schenker: DB Schenker is a global logistics incumbent offering rail, road, air, and sea freight. Overlaps with GB Railfreight in intermodal and contract logistics for industrial shippers in the UK and Europe, but operates a much wider portfolio.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks1 record
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
GB Railfreight social profiles
Digital presenceGB Railfreight financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
GB Railfreight leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
GB Railfreight funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
GB Railfreight M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about GB Railfreight
What does GB Railfreight do?
GB Railfreight provides rail freight haulage services across the United Kingdom, operating a fleet of 170 locomotives and over 1,800 wagons to transport intermodal containers, construction aggregates, biomass for power generation, steel, waste materials, and infrastructure components for enterprise customers and government clients. In addition to freight haulage, the company operates passenger and charter services (including Caledonian Sleeper haulage and luxury trains such as the Belmond Britannic Explorer), manages terminals and a £5.75 million Peterborough Maintenance Hub, and delivers infrastructure services including Network Rail depot upgrades and railhead development.
Is GB Railfreight a public or private company?
GB Railfreight is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was GB Railfreight founded?
GB Railfreight was founded in 2003. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is GB Railfreight based?
GB Railfreight is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does GB Railfreight make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Rail Freight Haulage Services are the primary driver. The others are passenger and Charter Operations.
Who are GB Railfreight's main competitors?
Others on record are Akiem and Beacon Rail Leasing. Direct peers are Direct Rail Services, DB Cargo UK, Mendip Rail, Colas Rail UK, Maritime Transport and Freightliner Group. Broad incumbents are Network Rail and DB Schenker.
Does GB Railfreight have an API?
No public API is recorded for GB Railfreight.
What industry is GB Railfreight in?
GB Railfreight's product category is Rail Freight Transportation Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is TLADACAJ, Industrial & Terminal Railroads (Plant/Port Switching), with a secondary code of TLALAFAJ, Rail-Truck Transload Terminals (Inland). Its NAICS code is 482111 and its SIC code is 4011.