Hanson + Hall Rail Services Solutions Ltd

What Hanson + Hall Rail Services Solutions Ltd does

H&H is a UK private limited company headquartered in Derby that provides specialised rolling stock logistics services to the UK rail industry. Founded by Jason Hall, a Chartered member of the Institute of Logistics and Transport who spent 15 years as Logistics Manager and Head of Rail Services at a ROSCO, the company operates under its own Office of Rail and Road (ORR) operating licence and ORR passenger licence with full £155m Public Liability insurance. The company serves Rolling Stock Companies (ROSCOs), Train Operating Companies (TOCs), Freight Operating Companies (FOCs), Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), and rail engineering suppliers, with named clients including Arriva Rail London and Harsco Rail. In April 2025, founder Jason Hall transitioned to Founder & Operations Director and Paul Willerton was appointed Managing Director, an explicit signal of a planned next growth phase. The firm is ISO 9001 certified and Rail Safe Friendly accredited, and operates with a lean core team of approximately 8 employees supported by an approved supplier network.

The service portfolio spans eight integrated lines: rolling stock fleet logistics (delivery, testing, maintenance, modification, refurbishment, and cascade/displacement programmes); storage and asset management (cold, tepid, and warm regimes with condition monitoring); end-of-life disposals (claiming 99% recyclability of end-of-life vehicles); traincrew hire and route conducting; rail charter operations using a MK3 PRM-compliant passenger fleet; bespoke consulting and advisory; specialised engineering support (Fitness to Run inspections, gauge clearances, Statements of Compatibility); and support to film and TV productions requiring live rail environments. The underlying "technology" is operational rather than software-based: it is the bundle of regulatory licences, £155m PL insurance, qualified traincrew, ISO/Rail Safe credentials, and managerial experience that enables end-to-end execution of regulated rail movements under H&H's own account.

The revenue model is predominantly B2B professional services sold direct to enterprise rail clients, complemented by a small direct-to-consumer charter operation where fares range from £50–£199 per passenger. Distribution is direct sales-led, with a single senior contact point per client, supplemented by event-driven charter bookings sold through partner platforms (Retro Railtours, Branch Line Society). The company is entirely founder-controlled, with no disclosed institutional investment, parent company, or M&A activity. Geographic reach is the United Kingdom with one confirmed international movement (UK to Sweden for Harsco Rail).

Name

Hanson + Hall Rail Services Solutions Ltd

Legal name

Hanson & Hall Rail Services Solutions Ltd

Website

https://hansonhallrail.co.uk

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

H&H is a UK-licensed rail logistics services provider to ROSCOs, TOCs, FOCs, and OEMs, offering rolling stock fleet movements, storage, disposal, traincrew hire, and charter operations from its Derby base.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Derby

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Rolling Stock Fleet Logistics Services: Revenue from managing train movements for delivery, testing, maintenance, modification, refurbishment, and fleet cascade programmes for ROSCOs, TOCs, and FOCs.
2. Rolling Stock Storage and Asset Management: Fees for storage regimes including cold, tepid, and warm storage solutions with condition monitoring for asset owners.
3. Rolling Stock Disposals: Comprehensive rail vehicle disposal service recovering/reusing critical components; claims to recycle 99% of end-of-life rail vehicles.
4. Traincrew Hire: Supply of competent traincrew for rail services, route conducting, passenger charters and other safety critical duties.
5. Rail Charter Operations: Revenue from operating rail charters under own passenger licence, including rolling stock hire and full operational service provision. Fares range from £50-£199 per passenger.
6. Consulting and Advisory Services: Bespoke solutions including new fleet delivery, fleet cascade strategy, gauging clearances and approvals, and operational efficiency studies. Free consultation offered.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

H&H delivers end-to-end rolling stock logistics and asset management services to the UK rail industry. The company manages train movements for delivery, testing, maintenance, modification, refurbishment, and fleet cascade programmes, and provides specialist storage regimes (cold, tepid, warm) along with end-of-life disposal that recovers 99% of components. Additional offerings include traincrew hire, route conducting, passenger rail charters under its own ORR passenger licence, and bespoke consulting/engineering support services.

Product overview

H&H provides a comprehensive suite of rail logistics services focused on rolling stock fleet management. The core offering spans rolling stock fleet logistics (movements, maintenance, modification, refurbishment, and cascade programmes), storage and asset management (with cold, tepid, and warm storage solutions), and end-of-life disposal services. Additional services include traincrew hire and route conducting, rail charter operations using their own MK3 PRM compliant passenger fleet, consulting and advisory services for bespoke rail projects, specialised engineering support including Fitness to Run inspections and gauge clearances, and support services for film and TV productions. The company operates under its own operating licence granted by the ORR with £155m PL insurances.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Rolling Stock Fleet Logistics Specialist train movements relating to rolling stock logistics such as delivery, testing, maintenance, modification, refurbishment and major fleet cascade or displacement programmes for ROSCOs, TOCs and FOCs. Undertaken with H&H's own ORR operating licence and £155m PL insurance.
• Rolling Stock Storage and Asset Management Specialist storage regimes for new build, off-lease and redundant rolling stock, including cold storage, tepid storage and warm storage with full visibility and condition monitoring for asset owners.
• Rolling Stock Disposals Comprehensive rail vehicle disposal service that recycles 99% of end-of-life rail vehicles in compliance with environmental regulations, recovering and reusing critical components and arranging onward road logistics for export or movement.
• Traincrew Hire & Route Conducting Supply of competent traincrew for rail services, route conducting, passenger charters and other safety critical duties such as shunting, train preparation and yellow plant operations.
• Rail Charters Passenger rail charter services operated under H&H's own ORR passenger licence using a MK3 PRM compliant fleet of air-conditioned passenger vehicles, including rolling stock hire and full operational service provision.
• Rolling Stock Consulting & Advisory Bespoke consulting for new fleet delivery from Europe, major fleet cascade strategy, gauging clearances and approvals, and operational efficiency / feasibility studies, with a free consultation offered to prospective clients.
• Specialised Engineering Support Services Arranges Fitness to Run inspections, maintenance examinations and supporting engineering and infrastructure compliance activities such as gauge clearances and statements of compatibility for approval to operate over Network Rail infrastructure.
• Support to Film & TV Crews Supply of trains and railway environments in a closed and sterile setting to film crews seeking to recreate live rail scenes with maximum flexibility and control.

Quantifiable outcome

• 99% of end-of-life rail vehicles can be recycled in compliance with environmental regulations
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Retro RailtourscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Retro Railtours for operating rail charters including the Retro Cestrian Bard (2026) and Retro High Speed Scot. H&H operates locomotive-hauled charter services while Retro Railtours handles marketing and booking.
• Branch Line SocietycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBranch Line Society organises rail tours and books H&H operated charter services. H&H provides the locomotive, rolling stock, and operational crew for fixtures.
• 71A Locomotive GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides locomotive 33012 for top 'n tail operations with H&H's Class 50 50008 on charter services.
• FreightlinerminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvided access to Southampton and Millbrook Freightliner terminals for charity charter operations.
• Keighley and Worth Valley RailwayminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHeritage railway partner for special charter events including the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway Diesel Gala, providing main line connection to the heritage railway.

Scale indicators3 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Direct Rail Services: UK rail freight and rolling stock logistics operator that handles fleet movements, storage, and maintenance support for ROSCOs and TOCs. Closely comparable as a third-party provider of rolling stock handling services under its own ORR licence.
• Locomotive Services Group: UK charter rail operator and rolling stock hire provider operating top-link and locomotive-hauled tours. Comparable to H&H's charter operations and rolling stock hire service within the UK enthusiast railtour market.
• West Coast Railways: UK charter and heritage rail operator running passenger railtours under its own ORR passenger licence. Closely comparable to H&H's charter service line and parallel business model of monetising heritage/MK3 rolling stock.

Others

• Network Rail: Owns and operates the UK rail infrastructure. Indirectly comparable as the infrastructure counterparty H&H interacts with on gauge clearances, statements of compatibility, and approvals for rolling stock movements.

Broad incumbents

• GB Railfreight: UK rail freight operator handling bulk commodities, intermodal, and infrastructure trains. Comparable in providing UK-wide rail logistics services and holding ORR operating rights for freight and rolling stock movements.
• Colas Rail: UK subsidiary of Colas Group providing rail freight, infrastructure, and rolling stock services including On-Track Machines (yellow plant). Comparable to H&H's yellow plant movement and crew hire offerings, especially given Harsco Rail case study.
• Freightliner: UK rail freight operator with intermodal and heavy-haul capabilities, operating its own terminals and fleet. Comparable as a scaled freight operator with overlapping customer base across FOCs and logistics intermediaries.
• DB Cargo UK: Largest UK rail freight operator providing haulage, intermodal, and rolling stock logistics across the national network. Comparable as a major holder of ORR operating rights serving similar freight and rolling stock customers.
• Alstom UK: UK rolling stock manufacturer and maintainer. Comparable as a major supplier-side counterparty whose new fleet deliveries and cascades create demand for the logistics and storage services H&H provides.

Emerging players

• Loram UK: UK presence of Loram Technologies providing rail maintenance, grinding, and inspection services. Comparable in delivering specialised engineering and yellow-plant support adjacent to H&H's engineering services line.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/retrorailtours
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hanson-hall-rail

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hanson + Hall Rail Services Solutions Ltd