On the 15th November 1965 our first train ran from London to Scotland launching Freightliner as a contender in the intermodal haulage market. At that time Freightliner was an operating company of British Rail. From 1964 to 1969 British Rail invested £25m in the business which included the purchase of air-braked locomotives and terminal handling equipment.
Freightliner Limited became a stand alone company in 1968 as part of the 1968 Transport Act with a 51% shareholding vested in the National Freight Corporation. Rapid growth in network terminals in major UK cities and ports and continual business development cumulated in the millionth container being transported in May 1972, less than ten years later Freightliner celebrated carrying its ten millionth container.
In 1976 Freightliner was transferred to the British Rail Board from NFC by the 1976 Transport Act and on 4 August 1978 the control of Freightliner Ltd transferred entirely to BRB. Finally in 1988 Freightliner was incorporated into Railfreight Distribution.
Privatisation came in 1996 through a management buyout and became part of the operating company Freightliner Limited, which is now the intermodal business.
1999 saw Freightliner Limited expanding the services it offered into bulk rail freight and the Freightliner Heavy Haul division was formed. Two years later, in April 2001, the Intermodal and Heavy Haul businesses became separate operating companies - Freightliner Limited and Freightliner Heavy Haul Limited, which together formed the Freightliner Group.
In 2005 Freightliner Group Limited recognised an opportunity to expand its operations in the European market. Freightliner PL was set up to investigate the viability of a number of potential markets for Freightliner's services and, in August 2006, track access agreements with PKP were signed. This granted the company access to all standard gauge public access railway routes. Having ordered seven class 66 locomotives and over 430 specialist wagons, FPL ran its first train on September 1 2007.
In April 2006 Freightliner Group set up Freightliner Maintenance Limited, operating as a separate entity dedicated to the repair and maintenance of traction and rolling stock.
Today, the Freightliner Group Limited is a successful, independent organisation, leading the development of railfreight services in the UK.