British Government Renews Agreement with Electronics Manufacturing Company EMDL

GB Railfreight (GBRf) has extended its partnership with Progress Rail, a Caterpillar Company, and Electro-Motive Diesel Limited (EMDL), securing a long-term future for both companies in the UK's rail freight market. This move comes as GBRf prepares for the introduction of its next-generation analytics platform, designed to prompt preventative maintenance, continuously improve reliability, and enhance performance.

The extended contract will increase the size of the GBRf fleet supported by Progress Rail. This expansion will be accompanied by an increase in the number of field service engineers joining the GBRf team. This added capacity will help in the maintenance and digitalisation of the fleet, with the contract including the fitment of PR UptimeTM across the Class 66 and 69 fleets.

Hitachi Rail is the company offering the innovative PR UptimeTM digital prognostic equipment for Class 66 vehicles of GB Railfreight. This cutting-edge technology brings the most advanced analytics technology available, aiming to improve the efficiency and reliability of GBRf's operations.

The first of the newly re-engineered Class 69 locomotives was on trial at Severn Valley Railway, hinting at the exciting developments to come. The contract extension also provides extra field service and engineering capacity for GBRf, ensuring the smooth operation of its growing fleet.

Repair capacity at both the Doncaster and Peterborough depots has been expanded under the new contract, further enhancing GBRf's ability to maintain its fleet and deliver reliable services. The contract extension solidifies a successful relationship between the two companies, with Jon Caen, Sales Director of EMDL, expressing his delight at working with GB Railfreight.

This deal underscores GBRf's faith in Progress Rail's technical capability and excellent service standards. The contract supports fleet maintenance digitalisation, positioning GBRf at the forefront of rail freight technology. The extension aims to enable GBRf to expand its operations, promising a promising future for both the company and the UK's rail freight industry.