GB Railfreight (GBRf) has opened a new maintenance facility in Tonbridge to help increase efficiency in maintaining locomotives.
This new facility represents an investment of around 2.5 million GBP. It was built by Cairn Cross and will be operated by various partners including EMD, Wabtec and St. Leonard’s Railway Engineering.
The site, which is larger than nine double-decker buses, will provide a purpose-built hub to maintain GBRf’s Class 73, 69 and 66 fleets.
“Our new facility at Tonbridge demonstrates our commitment to continued investment and innovation in the rail network. The Tonbridge site will lead to increased efficiency for our locomotive fleet, which will benefit our customers, and operation of rail head treatment services will improve passenger experiences and safety across the region.”
The new maintenance facility will complement GBRf’s existing sites in Doncaster and Peterborough. This expansion aims to significantly improve the operational efficiency of GBRf’s locomotive fleet in the south east of England.
What’s more, its operation will result in significant carbon savings due to the reduced journey lengths required for maintenance.
The new site was formally opened by GBRf’s Chief Executive Officer, John Smith and Director General of the Rail Freight Group, Maggie Simpson OBE.
“The rail freight sector is committed to growth – it’s fantastic to see private freight operators like GB Railfreight investing in facilities such as the new maintenance hub at Tonbridge. These facilities will provide additional capacity, reliability and resilience for rail freight customers across the country.”
Tonbridge was selected as a strategically important site for GBRf. The location also provides rail head treatment services for Network Rail to ensure the smooth running of the passenger trains by cleaning the tracks of fallen leaves, snow and ice.
“Tonbridge is a key location for Network Rail’s autumn and winter services, helping the Southern Region battle against poor adhesion due to leaf-fall and the effects of frost on the running lines. GB Railfreight’s new Maintenance Hub will provide a greater level of resilience and reliability for the seasonal fleet, right where we need it.”
