Freightliner extends Breedon Group deal with five-year contract

Freightliner has announced two new five-year heavy haul rail contracts with Breedon Group. The agreements include a renewal of an existing cement transport contract and the launch of a new aggregates contract covering sites across the UK.

The new aggregates service officially commenced on June 28 with Freightliner operating the first train under the new deal from Dowlow Quarry in Derbyshire to Ely.

Over the next five years, the new contract though will broadly involve materials being moved from Dowlow and Shap quarries to Breedon’s sites at Ashbury and Walsall, as well as other locations across the country.

To support the increased load on the new flows, Freightliner will be using its fleet of 18 Class 70 diesel locomotives, due to its capability of hauling longer and heavier trains.

The company announced in December that it was working in conjunction with WH Davis and Porterbrook in converting a redundant fleet of coal wagons into new aggregate wagons, which Freightliner hopes will support its new contract with Breedon Group.

The wagons are being converted at WH Davis’ site in Mansfield.

Alongside its project with WH Davis, it is also investing in a new maintenance and fuelling facility at Dowlow Quarry, which it hopes will further support its contract with Breedon.

Freightliner has invested in upgrades at Earles Sidings to manage the increased traffic in and out of Hope Cement Works.

Dave Penney, Managing Director of Heavy Haul at Freightliner, added, “These contracts reflect the strength of our partnership with Breedon and our commitment to delivering reliable and sustainable rail freight services.”

The renewed cement contract continues Freightliner’s decades-long relationship with Breedon. It currently also runs flows from Hope Cement Works in Derbyshire, to various sites including Dagenham, Theale, Dewsbury and Walsall.

However, as part of that contract, new flows carrying materials transported from Hope Cement Works to distribution hubs in Dagenham, Theale, Dewsbury and Walsall. The contract also includes the movement of Alternative Raw Materials from Llandudno and Drax into the cement works.

Tony Power, Procurement Category Manager at Breedon, said, “These new agreements with Freightliner are a major step forward in improving safety, sustainability and efficiency across our rail operations.”