The company ran its first haulage train on the 15th November 1965, at that time Freighliner was an operating company of British Rail. In 1968 the company became a standalone company. In 1976 Freightliner was transferred to the British Rail Board, from NFC, by the 1976 Transport Act and on 4 August 1978 the control of Freightliner Ltd transferred entirely to British Rail Board. Finally in 1988 Freightliner was incorporated into Railfreight Distribution. In 1996 through a management buyout it became part of the operating company Freightliner Limited, which is now the intermodal business.