Playing a big role in Europe’s largest infrastructure project, the famous ‘Green Progressor’ locomotive has been immortalised in miniature form for the first time, marking a key milestone in the HS2 project.
The 00 gauge class 66 (66796) miniature locomotive – rebranded in 2021 by GB Railfreight (GBRf) with an HS2-inspired design – has recently been made available thanks to a partnership with the famous British model train company Hornby.
The model train, which is 76 times smaller than the real thing, promotes the environmental benefits of delivering construction materials by rail instead of road. In recognition of the recent carbon-cutting milestone, ‘The Green Progressor’ has now joined a select group of other classic Hornby model locomotives including ‘Flying Scotsman’, ‘Mallard’ and ‘Rocket’.
Simon Kohler, Marketing and Development Director for Hornby, said:
“Hornby has always tried to be relevant when it comes to trains and locomotives and when I saw that HS2 was producing a train with GB Railfreight it was really a no-brainer.
“When HS2 first takes its Hitachi-Alstom train in a few years’ time we will be there with our model that will – again – be 76 times that little bit smaller”.
Mike Higgins, Head of Business Development, GB Railfreight, said:
“GB Railfreight is extremely honoured and proud to be working in partnership with Hornby and HS2 and making history. Our loco is going to be immortalised by the famous Hornby and loved by model makers and collectors for years to come.”
Working strategically with joint venture partners, Network Rail, freight operators and building materials companies, HS2 has already transported over 10 million tonnes of materials by rail in just over two years. It is expected that HS2 will move 20 million tonnes of aggregate across the Phase One programme between the West Midlands and London across a fleet of freight locomotives, removing three million HGVs from the UK’s road network.
First introduced in 1920, Hornby has become the brand leader of 00 gauge model railways in Britain. Representatives from HS2 Ltd, GBRf and Hornby, along with HS2 superfan Jermaine, who named ‘The Green Progressor’, recently came together at the Hornby Hobbies Visitor Centre to celebrate the model’s release.
All HS2 main works contractors receive materials by rail, supported by the hard work of mutliple suppliers. This includes transport solutions companies Fishbone, Rail Stone Solutions (RSS), Legge infrastructure and Mendip Rail. HS2 also works in partnership with four freight operators – DB Cargo UK, DC Rail (part of the Cappagh Group of Companies), Freightliner and GBRf – as well as aggregate suppliers Tarmac, Aggregate Industries, CEMEX UK and Hanson UK.
Along with freight operators and aggregate companies, there are now over 28,500 jobs supported by Europe’s largest infrastructure project and over 3,000 British-based businesses have delivered work on HS2 so far.
