Planning

Provision of friction material for the brake blocks used across the London Underground fleet

TRANSPORT FOR LONDON

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

24 Jun 2025 at 14:29

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

This procurement process, initiated by Transport for London, is currently in the planning stage for the provision of friction material for the brake blocks used across the London Underground fleet. The procurement title is included under the industry category of railway and tramway locomotives, rolling stock, and associated parts. It encompasses several lines such as the Bakerloo, Central, Northern, Jubilee, Victoria, District, Hammersmith & City, Circle, and Metropolitan Lines. The process is categorized mainly as a goods procurement and operates above the threshold. The key milestone in this stage is the completion of the EME document, due by 11th August 2025. The contract period is expected to commence on 5th October 2026 and conclude by 3rd October 2031, with the primary focus on planning at this stage.

This tender offers significant opportunities for businesses specializing in innovative materials and engineering solutions to contribute to the enhancement of the London Underground's braking system. Companies with expertise in developing environmentally-friendly materials that reduce emissions, and those experienced in meeting high engineering standards in the rail industry, are well positioned to compete. By engaging in this procurement process, businesses can expand their portfolio and strengthen their standing in the transport sector, potentially leading to longer-term contracts and collaboration opportunities with Transport for London and other public authorities.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Provision of friction material for the brake blocks used across the London Underground fleet

Notice Description

All London Underground (LU) passenger rolling stock utilises a tread-brake actuator that applies a friction brake directly to the wheel tread via a brake block to solely provide both emergency and parking brake functions. The service brake function is predominantly fulfilled by the electrodynamic (ED) brake however the implementation and effectiveness of ED braking varies significantly across fleets due to differing braking architectures. In addition, some fleets have a Wheel Slide Protection system that will inhibit the ED to provide braking control via friction only. The current brake block was originally developed in the 1980s and is used on all current LU fleets. This material is not optimised for newer fleets that feature high-capacity ED braking. In LU's modern rolling stock, the ED brake typically handles all the service braking effort above 15 kmph across all axles, below the ED blend out speed the friction brake takes over to bring the train to a stand. Some other trains include "trailer axles" where service braking is achieved solely through friction. Older trains feature lower-capacity ED braking systems, requiring frequent supplementation with friction braking. Recent particulate monitoring studies conducted on the LU network have identified brake block dust as a contributor to airborne particle levels, in particular the PM2.5 particles. There is interest in developing an alternative brake block material that reduces airborne dust emissions. Additionally, brake squeal has been observed in newer stocks, and there is ongoing investigation into the degradation of the brake block coefficient of friction due to glazing and contamination. A new friction material should aim to mitigate these issues. Given the significant engineering effort, high cost and certification requirements associated with altering the friction characteristics of the brake system, Transport for London (TfL) prefers any new brake block material to match the functional characteristics of the current standard material. For reference, the existing brake block material is the "697" material from KBRS Transport for London is looking for the service provider to provide brake blocks for the LU passenger fleets. This includes: 1. 72TS used on the Bakerloo Line 2. 92TS used on the Central and Waterloo & City Line 3. 95TS used on the Northern Line 4. 96TS used on the Jubilee Line 5. 09TS used on the Victoria Line 6. S Stock used on the District, Hammersmith & City, Circle, and Metropolitan Lines

Planning Information

All relevant information will be contained tin the EME document To request please contact the Procurement Lead Amir Shahzad :AmirShahzad@tfl.gov.uk The completed EME return date is 29th July 2025 12.00 Noon GMT

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-0552c3
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/034801-2025
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Goods
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Not specified
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

34 - Transport equipment and auxiliary products to transportation

CPV Codes

34600000 - Railway and tramway locomotives and rolling stock and associated parts

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
24 Jun 20258 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
11 Aug 2025Expired
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
4 Oct 2026 - 3 Oct 2031 4-5 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planning
Lots Status
Planning
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
TRANSPORT FOR LONDON
Contact Name
Not specified
Contact Email
bsfaribaadministration@tfl.gov.uk
Contact Phone
Not specified

Buyer Location

Locality
LONDON
Postcode
E20 1JN
Post Town
East London
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLI London
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLI4 Inner London - East
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLI41 Hackney and Newham
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Newham
Electoral Ward
Stratford Olympic Park
Westminster Constituency
Stratford and Bow

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

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The Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) is a framework designed to increase transparency and access to public procurement data in the public sector. It is widely used by governments and organisations worldwide to report on procurement processes and contracts. 

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