First GB Railfreight Class 99 leaves Valencia for testing

GB Railfreight’s first Class 99 loco has left Spain for testing at the Velim test centre in the Czech Republic.

The first member of the class, 99001, was loaded into a lorry at Stadler’s Valencia factory, this week and is expected to arrive in the UK in early summer.

The bi-mode locomotives are designed to reduce emissions by up to 58% per journey compared to traditional diesels and have top speeds of 100mph and 75mph for passenger and freight operations respectively.

99002 was first unveiled at Innotrans in Germany in September 2024. It is due to join 99001 at Velim in late February.

In December, GBRf said the first members of the 30-strong class are expected to enter service in late 2025. The freight operator also confirmed the locos will use renewable fuels when operating on non-electrified parts of the UK rail network.