Award

Class 150 & 156 Automatic Sanding Modification Upgrade

  • NORTHERN TRAINS LIMITED

UK5: Transparency notice - Procurement Act 2023 - view information about notice types

Notice identifier: 2025/S 000-012165

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-04fb19 (view related notices)

Published 1 April 2025, 10:45am



Scope

Description

Following the publication of the RAIB report 12/2023 into the Salisbury Tunnel Junction collision of October 2021 and subsequent conclusions, there is direct recommendation to install automatic sanding equipment on all fleets. As such Northern is looking to develop automatic sanding modification on Northern's Cl.150 and Cl.156 fleets.

NTL have assessed our fleet and this notice is to direct award an agreement which will see a modification to the already installed WSP system to permit automatic sanding on cl.150 and cl.156 units (qty 288 vehicles all DMS/DMSL).

With the exception of Northern's Cl.150 & CL.156 fleets, all fleets are installed with automatic sanding systems that deposit sand onto the railhead under the third axle at a fixed rate, triggered immediately when a unit encounters low adhesion. Where as the 15x fleets are fitted with Single Fixed Rate Sanding systems which further inadequacies of standard SFRS systems were highlighted after the Salisbury collision.

The project scope is to:

● Modify already fitted SFRS system as to enable automatic sanding across the Class 150s & 156s

o Which will improve and standardise sanding response time once a unit has encountered low adhesion conditions and remove the human element.

● The modification is planned to have as many units completed before leaf fall 2025 on all Northern Cl.150 and Cl.156 units as to mitigate the risk of further incidents moving forward.


Contract 1

Supplier

Contract value

  • £973,000 excluding VAT
  • £1,167,600 including VAT

Above the relevant threshold

Earliest date the contract will be signed

14 April 2025

Contract dates (estimated)

  • 15 April 2025 to 31 October 2026
  • 1 year, 6 months, 16 days

Main procurement category

Goods

CPV classifications

  • 34621200 - Railway maintenance or service vehicles

Contract locations

  • UKC - North East (England)
  • UKD - North West (England)
  • UKE - Yorkshire and the Humber

Other information

Conflicts assessment prepared/revised

Yes


Procedure

Procedure type

Direct award

Special regime

Utilities

Direct award justification

Single supplier - intellectual property or exclusive rights

The need for a direct award is because this modification is to hardware and interlinking software of equipment that is already fitted for the Wheel Slip Protection system across NTL's 150 & 156s fleets. The reason why AtkinsRealis (previously SNC Lavelin) own the IPR for the solution installed is because the equipment in question was previously fitted across May - Sep 2020, following funding from NWR to improve the safety of these units.

The solution being sourced via this notice is a further modification to the system that was originally fitted and as such only AtkinsRealis are in a position to carry out the modification.


Supplier

AtkinsRéalis Rail & Transit Limited

  • Companies House: 3062722
  • Public Procurement Organisation Number: PMCD-5874-TJCP

Woodcote Grove, Ashley Road, Epsom

Surrey

KT18 5BW

United Kingdom

Region: UKJ26 - East Surrey

Small or medium-sized enterprise (SME): No

Voluntary, community or social enterprise (VCSE): No

Contract 1


Contracting authority

NORTHERN TRAINS LIMITED

  • Companies House: 03076444
  • Public Procurement Organisation Number: PZCJ-2164-HJQZ

George Stephenson House

York

YO1 6JT

United Kingdom

Region: UKE21 - York

Organisation type: Public authority - central government