The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has given GB Railfreight’s Class 99 fleet Authorisation for placing into service.

This means that the new bimodal fleet meets all the safety, accessibility and environmental standards, as well as meeting technical compatibility.

The Class 99s were part of a £150 million investment, and they were developed with Beacon Rail and Stadler.

These new trains are able to operate on routes which have been electrified and those which have yet to be electrified, meaning that they have quite a range while also being more environmentally friendly.

This will also be a huge step in decarbonisation within the industry, as they also run on renewable fuels such as HVO (Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil), while also creating a more resilient network.

The Class 99s first left for a test track in January, with the first one arriving in the UK just a few months later.

This authorisation is just the next step in the process now that they have been put through their paces to prove they meet standards.

In early 2026, the first revenue-generating service will run with the Class 99s, followed by them operating Britannic Explorer services from 2027.

“Receiving ORR authorisation is another huge step forward for the Class 99, and we’ve been deeply encouraged by the numbers the 99001 and 99002 have been posting in testing over the past few weeks. The Class 99 will set a new benchmark for sustainability, performance and safety. And we cannot wait to get them out on the network for our customers early next year.”

Liam Day, Asset Director of GB Railfreight