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GB Railfreight is the most successful of the new freight companies created since privatisation. It currently operates a fleet of well over 100 locomotives from a variety of classes including Class 47, 57, 66 and 69 diesels, Class 73 electro-diesels, Class 92 electrics and now the latest Class 99 electro-diesels.
GB Railways was set up to bid for rail franchises at privatisation in the late 1990s and won the Anglia contract. It later set up a freight arm, GB Railfreight and an open access operator, Hull Trains. First Group bought GB Railways in 2003 and ran GB Railfreight as a subsidiary until 2010, when it sold the business to Europorte, a joint venture of Eurotunnel and the port of Dunkirk. It was then sold to a Swedish investment company, EQT Partners, in 2016 and to Infracapital, part of M&G in 2019.
GBRF started running trains in 2002 with a fleet of 7 Class 66 locos and continued to obtain more from EMD until 2016, many on lease but some of the later ones owned by the company. In addition to the 59 locos obtained new, 9 were acquired from DRS in 2009 and another 5 in 2022, 4 from Freightliner in 2011 and 10 from EWS in 2017. Another 27 have been imported from Europe and modified to meet British requirements, bringing the Class 66 fleet to 116.
In addition to the Class 66s, GBRF has examples of Classes 08, 47, 56, 57, 59, 60, 69, 73, 92 and 99 on its books.
Only one Class 56 is operational and usually found at Old Dalby with another 16 having been converted to Class 69 between 2021 and 2025. These rebuilds use the same engine as the Class 66, producing a machine with similar capabilities.
Ten Class 60s were acquired by Colas from DB in 2014. In 2018, after Colas had received additional class 70s, its Class 60s transferred to GBRf, which put them to work on biomass trains to Drax. In late 2025 the Class 60s were taken out of service with the exception of two, one hired to DCR and the second as a spare.
GBRf acquired 24 class 73 electro-diesels from various sources and had 11 rebuilt with 1600hp diesels replacing the original 600hp engines. The rebuilt machines were reclassified as class 73/9, with 5 being dedicated to use on Network Rail test trains and 6 to work Caledonian Sleeper services north of Edinburgh. The remaining locos don't seem to do a lot. some are in store while others make occasional trips from their base at Tonbridge. They see more use during the RHTT and di-icing seasons.
During the Europorte years GBRf acquired 16 Class 92 electric locos, designed for use through the Channel Tunnel. The 92s continue to work through to Frethun on freight but most of their work is on Caledonian Sleeper services, which they work between Euston and Glasgow or Edinburgh. Again, the class is underutilised with a number in store.
There are only small numbers of the other classes. The 47s and 57s can sometimes be seen on stock moves, taking units to and from works, delivering new units or taking withdrawn units for storage or scrap. The Class 59 tended to be used around Eastleigh and Westbury on departmental duties but was stored at the end of 2025. Two Class 67s were acquired from Colas in 2022 but returned in 2023.
GBRF started running trains in 2002 with a fleet of 7 Class 66 locos and continued to obtain more from EMD until 2016, many on lease but some of the later ones owned by the company. In addition to the 59 locos obtained new, 9 were acquired from DRS in 2009 and another 5 in 2022, 4 from Freightliner in 2011 and 10 from EWS in 2017. Another 27 have been imported from Europe and modified to meet British requirements, bringing the Class 66 fleet to 116.
In addition to the Class 66s, GBRF has examples of Classes 08, 47, 56, 57, 59, 60, 69, 73, 92 and 99 on its books.
Only one Class 56 is operational and usually found at Old Dalby with another 16 having been converted to Class 69 between 2021 and 2025. These rebuilds use the same engine as the Class 66, producing a machine with similar capabilities.
Ten Class 60s were acquired by Colas from DB in 2014. In 2018, after Colas had received additional class 70s, its Class 60s transferred to GBRf, which put them to work on biomass trains to Drax. In late 2025 the Class 60s were taken out of service with the exception of two, one hired to DCR and the second as a spare.
GBRf acquired 24 class 73 electro-diesels from various sources and had 11 rebuilt with 1600hp diesels replacing the original 600hp engines. The rebuilt machines were reclassified as class 73/9, with 5 being dedicated to use on Network Rail test trains and 6 to work Caledonian Sleeper services north of Edinburgh. The remaining locos don't seem to do a lot. some are in store while others make occasional trips from their base at Tonbridge. They see more use during the RHTT and di-icing seasons.
During the Europorte years GBRf acquired 16 Class 92 electric locos, designed for use through the Channel Tunnel. The 92s continue to work through to Frethun on freight but most of their work is on Caledonian Sleeper services, which they work between Euston and Glasgow or Edinburgh. Again, the class is underutilised with a number in store.
There are only small numbers of the other classes. The 47s and 57s can sometimes be seen on stock moves, taking units to and from works, delivering new units or taking withdrawn units for storage or scrap. The Class 59 tended to be used around Eastleigh and Westbury on departmental duties but was stored at the end of 2025. Two Class 67s were acquired from Colas in 2022 but returned in 2023.
