The RailStaff Awards 2024

Nominations for Rail Engineer of the Year

Christopher Cleveland

Said the following about Nick Schofield:

“Nick has been instrumental in driving forward and managing a series of engineering sustainability projects in supporting setting up our approach to reducing our carbon emissions across Freightliner.

Nick built relationships with external suppliers and customers to understand their needs, how these opportunities could be realised within Freightliner, both from a commercial proposition to our customers, support the reduction in our carbon emissions and embed sustainable business practices within Freightliner.

Examples include, alternative fuels, engineering improvements to our locos and technology advancements. The external stakeholder engagement enabled tests and trials to be completed which, backed up with robust datasets and findings, enables Freightliner to be able to offer our customers alternative fuels, which is drop-in fuel that can be used without any alteration to locomotive engines, offers reduction in CO₂ equivalent emissions and provides Freightliner with the opportunity to use a transitional fuel on the path to net zero.

Nick was instrumental in seeking external opportunities and funding to support these, always ready to roll-up his sleeves and get involved to enable Freightliner to have reporting tools for Scope 3 emissions for our customer and the adapting of existing software to create the Rail Energy and Emissions Calculator (REEC) Tool which can generate accurate carbon emissions data for any train configuration on any rail route in the UK.

Nick’s drive and passion has enabled the business to be in a strong position to demonstrate our commitment to net zero with a programme of works, opportunities for our customers and the ability to continue the innovation, research and development.“