GB Railfreight has been awarded the contract to haul Caledonian Sleeper trains between Scotland and London for the next 15 years.
Worth around £100 million to GB Railfreight (GBRf) over the course of the contract, the company will be responsible for supplying the drivers and traction for the new Serco-operated service which launches on April 1, 2015.
GBRf will support six night-time services in both directions each week on both the Lowland Sleeper route and Highland Sleeper route.
Four refurbished Class 92s will be used on the electrified routes and hired Class 47s elsewhere. In October, six Class 73/9s, which are currently undergoing work at Wabtec’s site in Loughborough, will replace the Class 47s.
John Smith, managing director of GB Railfreight, said: “We’ve been working closely with the company in putting together a strategy that would work best for them on these given routes, and have invested in the appropriate rolling stock and training to make this strategy effective.
“We hope to build on this relationship over the next 15 years and ensure that passengers receive the optimum service.”
