Award

Newton Heath RSS Feasibility

NORTHERN TRAINS LIMITED

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

Award

07 Feb 2026 at 23:20

Tender

24 Oct 2025 at 13:05

Summary of the contracting process

The public procurement process for the "Newton Heath RSS Feasibility" project initiated by Northern Trains Limited, aimed at improving the capacity and capabilities of Newton Heath Depot, has reached its award stage as of 6 February 2026. Based in York, Northern Trains Ltd, operating under the central government category, conducted this procurement via an open procedure specifically for railway engineering services, falling within the broader industry category of feasibility studies. The contract, valued at £344,978.95 gross, is managed under a JCT Consultancy Agreement and designates Sable Leigh Consultancy Limited as the awarded supplier. The project's contract period is scheduled to commence on 3 March 2026 and conclude on 3 September 2026, with the possibility of an additional three-month extension. Key contributions include survey strategies and comprehensive feasibility assessments, pivotal for setting the design and construction groundwork for Northern England's rail infrastructure.

This feasibility and option selection project provides a substantial opportunity for businesses involved in railway engineering and consultancy, particularly those capable of addressing significant infrastructure constraints. Companies specialising in multidisciplinary design, safety, and assurance compliance are especially well-positioned to benefit from future contracts stemming from the outcomes of this feasibility study. The project is particularly suited for SMEs due to the open procurement approach and the possibility of novation in the railway sector, allowing for strategic collaborations and partnerships. Additionally, this contract strengthens the railway sector's supply chain, creating growth potential for businesses that can align with Northern Trains Ltd's infrastructural ambitions, as highlighted by their strategic focus on enhancing train services in the region through targeted optimisation projects.

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Notice Title

Newton Heath RSS Feasibility

Notice Description

Assessments of Newton Heath's current capacity and capabilities show significant constraints that would prevent the planned timetable for new trains being achieved. 5 key issues have been identified and this project is proposed to evaluate the feasibility and define the optimum option to resolve these issues. This lays the foundation for future design and construction projects to be established upon completion of this feasibility and option selection project. In order to identify the optimum solution to address the issues identified at Newton Heath above, a feasibility and option selection project is required. An external supplier will be procured to produce the following deliverables: Survey strategy and reports from specific surveys. Risks, issues, assumptions, and dependencies log. Compliance with safety and design assurance requirements. Overall feasibility report including constructability assessment and concept design. Options identification report containing appraisal of possible options. Single option agreement in principle - define the preferred single option for each scheme and obtain agreement in principle with stakeholders. Preliminary design - multidisciplinary design of the selected single option. Design specification of requirements for inclusion in the ITT pack for design stage. Northern Trains Ltd, is a Train Operating Company (TOC) that operates passenger rail services in the north of England. Northern Trains Ltd is publishing this notice to establish a contract with a single supplier to carry out a feasibility study on Newton Heath Depot. The nature of the arrangement is that services will be supplied under a JCT Consultancy Agreement. Where used throughout this notice, the meaning of Train Operating Companies includes all and any of those train operating companies who, currently or in the future, provide services for the carriage of passengers by railway: under a franchise agreement with the Secretary of State within the meaning of section 23(3) of the Railways Act 1993 or under, or secured under, the Secretary of State's duty in section 30(1) of the Railways Act 1993; or in accordance with legislation which supersedes or amends the powers referred to in a) and b), including where such powers are transferred from the Secretary of State to another body. The list of current providers of services for the carriage of passengers by railway under these provisions can be found at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/public-register-of-rail-passenger-contracts. Novation or Assignment The contract may be novated or assigned by Northern Trains Ltd to Train Operating Companies, or to DFT Operator Limited (company number: 07141122) or any successor parent company to a Train Operating Company, following a corporate restructuring or similar circumstance. Other Information Northern Trains Limited expressly reserves the right: not to award any suppliers the contract referred to in this notice; and in no circumstances will the customer be liable for any costs incurred by the suppliers.

Lot Information

Lot 1

Renewal: Can be extended for a further 3 months if needed for an overall maximum potential period of 9 months.

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-05d375
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/011197-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Tender, Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Open procedure
Tender Suitability
SME
Awardee Scale
SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

71 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services

79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security


CPV Codes

71241000 - Feasibility study, advisory service, analysis

71311230 - Railway engineering services

79314000 - Feasibility study

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£408,000 £100K-£500K
Lots Value
£408,000 £100K-£500K
Awards Value
£287,481 £100K-£500K
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
7 Feb 20262 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
24 Nov 2025Expired
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
6 Feb 20262 weeks ago
Contract Period
3 Mar 2026 - 3 Sep 2026 6-12 months
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Complete
Awards Status
Pending
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
NORTHERN TRAINS LIMITED
Additional Buyers

NORTHERN TRAINS LTD

Contact Name
Amber Darby-Lunn
Contact Email
amber.darby-lunn@northernrailway.co.uk, procurement@northernrailway.co.uk
Contact Phone
07703676861

Buyer Location

Locality
YORK
Postcode
YO1 6JT
Post Town
York
Country
England

Major Region (ITL 1)
TLE Yorkshire and The Humber
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLE2 North Yorkshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLE21 York
Delivery Location
TLD3 Greater Manchester

Local Authority
York
Electoral Ward
Micklegate
Westminster Constituency
York Central

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

SABLE LEIGH CONSULTANCY

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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