GB Railfreight (GBRf) has paid tribute to Matt Howells-Chivers, its former Traction Asset Manager, who sadly and unexpectedly passed away last year.

GBRf agreed with UK Rail Leasing (UKRL) that its new maintenance facility at Leicester should be named ‘The Matt Howells-Chivers Building’, as a tribute to the lasting impact he made on the railway industry. Matt was instrumental in delivering Rail Head Treatment Trains (RHTT) during last year’s leaf fall season.

Among train operators that will take advantage of UKRL’s Leicester facility is DCRail, where its their fleet of Class 60 locomotives will be serviced.

“As someone who played a key role in our business, it is only fitting that we name this building, where the Class 99s will be maintained, after Matt. His legacy will always live on here at GB Railfreight.”

John Smith OBE, Chief Executive of GB Railfreight

Everyone in GBRf deeply misses him, especially his colleagues in the Asset Team and anyone privileged to have worked with him, and they all valued his expertise, dedication, and passion for engineering.

The tribute was marked by a plaque on the Matt Howells-Chivers Building, which was unveiled by his wife, Aly Howells-Chivers, who shared a moving tribute with guests.

“Standing here looking at this facility, it is really hard to put into words what it means to us all, as many of you know, Matt didn’t just work in the rail industry, he lived it. And as I look around, I am reminded of how much Matt loved the shop floor. To many, this is just a maintenance facility, but to Matt, it would have been an absolute playground. I joked with him that he managed to find a career where he played with trains for real, and laughed back and told me, “That it was far more technical than that!

Matt’s relationship with GBRf, UKRL and Brush Traction was something he took immense pride in. He valued the precision, the teamwork and the challenge of keeping the country moving. He was a respected engineer, a loyal colleague and a clear friend to many of you. To us, he was everything, and we miss him every single day, but seeing his name here ensures his hard work, his expertise and his spirit aren’t gone; they are now a permanent part of the track.

We’re incredibly grateful to GBRf and UKRL for facilitating this incredible memorial. Thank you so much for honouring Matt’s legacy and for remembering your colleague and friend in such a significant, lasting way. The void that he has left us is huge, but our pride in him is even larger and seeing his name here in this building ensures that his legacy towards engineering excellence lives on. It’s an absolute honour to name this building in honour of Matt; he would be so proud, but probably a bit modest about having his own permanent part of the track.”

Aly Howells-Chivers