Editing Freightliner Group (section)

===Freightliner Ltd (1968)===
Beeching's original concept envisioned Freightliner servicing a domestic freight market, which by 1968 had resulted in British Railways developing 17 purpose-built depots. However, Freightliner's most profitable routes were those servicing Britain's major ports, specifically traffic to/from continental Europe and Ireland, as well as import/export traffic to the rest of the world. This pattern of profitability was recognised in the [[Transport Act 1968]], whereby Freightliner became a separate listed commercial company wholly owned by the UK Government, but which leased its UK domestic rail transport from British Railways.<ref name=RailArch50/>

By the end of the 1960s, Freightliner operated 28 terminals and 56 routes, however, the company's shift in focus from the original domestic freight market to the international market serviced via ports continued for the next 30{{nbsp}}years, with many of the original domestic depots which did not service port traffic either never opening or eventually closing (i.e.: Kings Cross, Sheffield, Swansea, Swindon), whilst investment in seaport depots - specifically [[Port of Southampton|Southampton]], [[Port of Harwich|Harwich]], and the [[Port of Felixstowe]] where Beeching's plan had never envisaged a depot - continued at an increasing pace.<ref name=RailArch50/> Part of the consolidation of rail depots was enabled by a greater focus on Freighliner's own HGV network of dedicated lorries, which expanded the servicing footprint of each rail depot, and hence allowed increased efficiency through creating longer and better utilised train routes.<ref name=RailArch50/>

[[Dudley Freightliner Terminal]], {{convert|10|mi|km}} from [[Birmingham]], on the site of the [[Dudley railway station|old railway station]] was opened in October 1967. This initially proved to be one of the most profitable such terminals in the country, while the Birmingham terminal was ultimately one of the least financially viable. In 1981, due to a lack of international traffic, Freightliner was planning to close Dudley and transfer its function to Birmingham. Given a reprieve in 1983, it finally closed during 1986.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.railaroundbirmingham.co.uk/Stations/dudley.php |title = Dudley Station |website = Rail Around Birmingham |first = Andrew |last = Doherty}}</ref>

Increasing Irish traffic resulted in a depot being opened at the [[Port of Holyhead]], as well as Freightliner having dedicated operations in both [[Belfast]] and [[Dublin]].<ref name=RailArch50/> This also resulted in UK Government granting Freightliner funds to create a dedicated multimodal terminal at the [[Port of Liverpool]] to replace its previously lost rail freight traffic, and then further investment in second multimodal terminals at both Felixstowe and the [[Port of Tilbury]].<ref name=RailArch50/>