Press Release from RIBI

LOCOMOTIVE 86615 REDEDICATED ROTARY INTERNATIONAL

Freshly painted locomotive 86615 has been rededicated to Rotary International at a ceremony at Ipswich train station today (25 February).

86615 Rotary International has been repainted from its old Freightliner grey to the new green and yellow Freightliner livery. At the same time as the locomotive was repainted the nameplates were refurbished and reapplied to it.

In the short ceremony at Ipswich train station the President of Rotary International in Great Britain and Ireland, David Liddiatt, said: ‘Freightliner’s agreement to keep 86615 as Rotary International is a symbol of the company’s commitment to improving relationships with business and customers and to Government’s stated aim of getting more freight on to rail.’

Freightliner’s director of strategy, Robert Goundry, stated: ‘The rededication of the newly refurbished nameplates to the freshly painted locomotive is an acknowledgement of the continuing relationship between rail freight and industry at large as well as the good work undertaken by Rotary members to raise money for charities at local, national and international levels.’

‘By asking for its name to be kept on a freight locomotive, Rotary International is demonstrating its commitment to increasing the amount of freight going by rail and the environmental and congestion benefits which go hand in hand with this,’ said Alan Peats, chairman of the Rail Freight Group and president of the Rotary Club Felixstowe and Landguard.

A select number of Rotarians and Freightliner staff witnessed the rededication from platform 1.

Ends

Notes to editors:

Locomotive 86615
86615 was originally named Rotary International in June 1984 by the then world president of Rotary International Carlos Canseco. The ceremony marked the twinning of British Rail to Rotary International.

Class 86s are 3600hp electric locomotives and were introduced to the UK railway network in the 1960s. They have a maximum running speed of 75 mph in Freightliner service and weigh 80 tonnes. When working in pairs they are able to haul 1800 tonne trailing weights.

Rotary International
Rotary is the world’s largest service organisation. It has a membership base of over one million comprising business and professional men and women from 163 countries worldwide. It works to help those in need and is striving to achieve world understanding and peace. Additionally, Rotary runs the Rotary Foundation - the largest non-governmental charity – which relies on the generosity of its members to donate their time and money.

In Great Britain and Ireland there are nearly 60,000 Rotarians in 1,816 clubs.

Further information about Rotary International can be found by visiting www.rotary-ribi.org , or contact Judith Diment at Judith@hblmedia.com

Freightliner
The Freightliner group transports freight cargo in Britain using rail and road. It has two business activities – Freightliner Ltd (Intermodal) and Freightliner Heavy Haul (bulk freight).

Freightliner Limited, to which locomotive 86615 Rotary International belongs, is Britain’s biggest Intermodal freight transport operator. The company operates over 100 daily trains supported by a road fleet to provide Intermodal transport.

Further information about Freightliner group, including Freightliner Ltd, is available from www.freightliner.co.uk or by contacting Vikki Askew on 020 7214 9319, email askewv@freightliner.co.uk