news

Freightliner secures two five-year contracts to expand heavy haul rail services for Breedon

Posted: 1 July 2025 | | No comments yet

Freightliner renews cement transport and launches new aggregates contract with Breedon, investing in locomotives, wagons, and facilities to boost efficiency and sustainability.

Freightliner

Credit: Freightline

Freightliner has announced two new five-year Heavy Haul rail contracts with Breedon Group plc. The first is a renewal of an existing cement transport contract, while the second is a new agreement to move aggregates from multiple quarries to various delivery points across the UK.

On 28 June, Freightliner ran the first aggregate service under the new contract, transporting materials from Dowlow and Shap Quarries to Breedon’s sites at Ashbury and Walsall, as well as to third-party locations nationwide. To support this, Freightliner has deployed Class 70 locomotives, enabling longer, heavier trains that boost output, efficiency, and sustainability.

In partnership with WH Davis, a leading wagon design and manufacture company, and Porterbrook, a British rolling stock company, Freightliner is repurposing a residual coal fleet into aggregate box wagons. These conversions, carried out at the WH Davis factory in Mansfield, will enhance the UK supply chain and promote sustainable innovation by revitalising redundant wagons.

Freightliner has also invested in a new maintenance and fuelling facility at Dowlow Quarry to improve operational efficiency. Tony Power, Procurement Category Manager at Breedon, said: “Our two new five-year agreements with Freightliner are a major step forward in our drive for safety, sustainability and efficiency improvements across our rail portfolio. Freightliner’s can-do attitude in delivering excellent service and performance have been key to satisfying the requirements of all stakeholders across the Breedon business.”

The longstanding cement contract, active for over 25 years, covers the transport of cement from Hope Cement Works to UK distribution sites including Dagenham, Theale, Dewsbury and Walsall. The renewed contract also includes the movement of Alternative Raw Materials (ARM) from Llandudno and Drax Power Station to the cement works. To support the increased traffic at Hope Cement Works, Freightliner has invested in upgrades at Earles Sidings to ensure smooth operations.

Dave Penney, Managing Director, Heavy Haul and Rail Services at Freightliner, added: “We are delighted to be extending our partnership with Breedon continuing to operate the cement contract and commencing the movement of aggregates across the UK. Our long-standing partnership is a testament to the great service reliability that the Freightliner team deliver day in, day out for Breedon.”