EXCLUSIVE: £125,000 target to beat as GBRf 2018 itinerary announced

An electric-hauled arrival at London Paddington, another at Blackpool North, and a Class 56 hauling a rake of 12 Mk 1s to Fort William are among the highlights planned for this year’s GB Railfreight four-day charity charter.

‘GBRf 2018 - Out of the Ordinary’ plans to use extensive examples of the company’s fleet, along with some hired traction, to visit various destinations across the UK - including ’08’ haulage at Cardiff Celsa Works and Class 73/1s across the Forth Bridge.

Class 08s, ‘20s’, ‘47s’, ‘66s’, ‘73/1s’, ‘73/9s’ and various AC locomotives from the freight company’s fleet will all feature, while there are plans for a Colas Railfreight Class 56, a pair of ‘50s’ and two Freightliner ‘86/6s’ to also be used on various legs of the tour.

GBRf General Manager Paul Taylor said: “Following the success of GBRf15, we wanted to keep the successful format of that tour, but do something even more interesting and unusual. We hope that the planned highlights of AC locomotives to Paddington and Blackpool North, Class 73s over the Forth Bridge and a Class 56 to Fort William, plus a few unusual yard visits, will provide something for everyone.”

GBRf Contract Manager Dale Williams said: “We have looked to capitalise on help from our industry colleagues and acknowledge the offers of assistance from Colas, Freightliner and the Fifty Fund in providing locomotives to make this massive tour a success.”

GBRf Contract Manager Ian Grey said: “The aim is to beat the £125,000 we were able to donate to charity from running GBRf15, which is a challenge in itself.  This tour will be driven, guarded, stewarded and managed by a whole army of volunteer staff from GBRf, giving their time for free.”

Funds raised from the train will be donated to GBRf’s chosen charities Headway and Macmillan Cancer Support, which were selected by staff and confirmed on January 27.

The charter will leave London Victoria at 0943 on September 20 behind a Class 66/7, which is expected to be one of the ten bought from DB Cargo at the end of 2017. 

• For FULL details of the charter, read RAIL 846, published on February 14, and available NOW digitally.