Can diesel go further? GB Railfreight launches large-scale fuel additive trial

British rail freight operator GB Railfreight (GBRf) has launched a two-week programme of fuel additive trials in partnership with Fuelcare and Treyarnon Consulting. The initiative is designed to test chemical enhancements to diesel, assessing whether advanced additives can improve locomotive engine efficiency and operational reliability. The trial is one of the largest undertaken by a UK freight operator and will provide insight into real-world fuel performance in heavy-duty locomotives.

The programme will also examine environmental benefits, including reductions in particulate and gaseous emissions. The partners seek to determine whether the additive can extend distances locomotives travel between refuelling, potentially improving fleet utilisation and operational efficiency across GBRf’s operations. Results could support the development of more sustainable fuel practices within the UK rail freight sector.

Biocide technology to safeguard fuel systems

From its base in Shrewsbury, England, Fuelcare provides industrial fuel management solutions to rail, marine, aviation, and offshore sectors. Its products include biocides, additives, and monitoring systems that prevent microbial contamination, maintain fuel integrity, and optimise hydrocarbon performance. Fuelcare also delivers laboratory testing, fuel sampling, and additive injection systems, enabling operators to assess and maintain fuel quality consistently under operational conditions.

Biocides are chemical agents that inhibit microbial growth within diesel fuel, preventing sludge accumulation, corrosion, and filter blockages. In locomotives, microbial contamination can degrade engine performance and reliability. The current trial evaluates the additive’s effectiveness in a working freight environment, measuring both mechanical performance and fuel condition over extended operational cycles. Running until 22 March, the initiative represents a significant technical evaluation for UK rail fuel management.

GBRf’s progressive approach to traction

GB Railfreight, headquartered in Peterborough, England, is one of the UK’s leading independent rail freight operators. They run intermodal, bulk, and infrastructure trains across Great Britain. The company has a long-standing commitment to adopting innovative traction and fuel technologies, combining operational efficiency with sustainability targets. GBRf has actively invested in modern locomotives, advanced monitoring systems, and operational trials to reduce emissions and optimise fleet performance.

A key element of this strategy is the significant leasing of a fleet of groundbreaking bi-mode Class 99 locomotives, capable of operating on electric or diesel power, with almost equal alacrity. This flexibility allows GBRf to run across electrified and non-electrified routes efficiently, while reducing carbon emissions. These advanced fuel additive trials are aimed at the older diesel units in the fleet. Nevertheless, GBRf is aiming to be at the forefront of greener, technically innovative freight operations in the UK rail freight sector.