GB Railfreight has won a contract to supply locomotives and drivers for use on the Caledonian Sleeper service that will generate around £100 million revenues for the business.
Under the 15 year deal with Serco, French-owned GB Railfreight will provide drivers and traction engines for six night services southbound and six night haulage services northbound per week, from Sunday to Friday. The services will operate on the Lowland Sleeper route, between Euston and Edinburgh and Glasgow, and the Highland Sleeper route between Euston and Fort William, Aberdeen and Inverness. The contract will commence in April. Serco, which is led by chief executive Rupert Soames, won the franchise to run the Caledonian Sleeper service last year, in a deal reportedly worth up to £800m. The current Caledonian Sleeper trains are operated by First Scotrail with Germany's DB Schenker providing the locomotives. First Group lost the Scotrail franchise to Abellio of Holland in October.
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