This week, GB Railfreight (GBRf), one of the UK’s leading transporters of consumer and business goods announced that its latest locomotive, the Class 99, will operate solely on electricity or renewable fuels such as HVO (Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil). The Class 99s are set to enter service in late 2025, marking a major milestone in sustainable rail freight transport.
The Class 99 will be the first heavy-haul freight locomotive capable of transporting significant volumes at mainline speeds on both electrified and non-electrified sections of the UK rail network. Rail freight is already the least carbon intensive solution for UK supply chains. The new locomotives will significantly reduce emissions by at least 58%. Exclusively available to GBRf customers, the Class 99 offers an innovative solution for sustainable freight movement across the UK.
John Smith, Chief Executive Officer at GB Railfreight, said: “With the Class 99s running exclusively on HVO on non-electrified lines, we can now provide our customers with a fully decarbonised solution for freight transport. This breakthrough is pivotal to our decarbonisation strategy and will help reduce the emissions associated with delivering goods to homes and businesses across the country. This marks the next step on our journey to lead the rail freight sector towards a greener future.”
