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Operating Lease of Class 720 Rolling Stock Units

GA TRAINS LIMITED

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

Award

02 Oct 2026 at 11:34

UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Award

23 Jun 2026 at 17:18

UK5 - Transparency Notice
Summary of the contracting process

GA Trains Limited is leasing a fleet of Class 720 passenger trains for its rail passenger services. The fleet comprises 133 five-car units, with associated spare parts, specialist tools and two simulators included in the arrangement. The supplier provides the trains, while GA Trains is responsible for their maintenance. Delivery covers locations across Greater London and the East of England, including Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire. This is a large-scale rolling-stock lease rather than a train maintenance contract, so it is most relevant to rolling-stock owners and lessors able to supply a substantial fleet of Class 720 units and the associated equipment.

The procurement is complete and the lease was awarded to Angel Trains Rolling Stock Limited. The award date was 2 October 2026. The contract period runs from 18 October 2026 to 17 October 2041. The award value is £1,045,131,120 excluding VAT (£1,254,157,344 including VAT). The process used a direct award on the grounds that no alternative fleet could meet GA Trains’ operational, performance, quality and capacity requirements; the buyer cited technical reasons and an absence of competition. There was one lot. The contract also allows modifications to the fleet, including mandatory changes required by legal or industry standards.

For suppliers assessing comparable future demand from GA Trains, this award shows a requirement for a very large, operationally suitable passenger rolling-stock fleet, supplied with related spares, specialist tools and simulators. The buyer’s stated rationale makes compatibility central: unit configuration, systems integration and reliability must meet operational and performance needs, while fleet capacity must support passenger rail obligations. A credible competitor would therefore need access to the specified train type or demonstrably suitable rolling stock, the ability to provide the complete supporting package, and capacity to sustain a long-term lease. The arrangement places maintenance responsibility with GA Trains, so a supplier’s strength here is fleet ownership or leasing and equipment provision, rather than a maintenance service offer.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Operating Lease of Class 720 Rolling Stock Units

Notice Description

Provision of Operating Lease of Class 720 Rolling Stock. The fleet is comprised of 133nr 5-car units, and the contract includes but is not limited to the lease arrangement as well as related spares, specialist tools and 2x simulators. The lease of the rolling stock is on the basis that the contracting authority (rather than the supplier) is responsible for all maintenance of the rolling stock.

Procurement Information

No available fleet is able to meet the operational, performance, quality and capacity requirements that the contracting authority needs from this rolling stock for the necessary contract duration to meet its public passenger rail transport obligations. No alternatives were identified that wouldn't create serious operational constraints due a combination of unit configuration, systems integration, reliability, and fleet size. There are therefore no reasonable alternatives to the Class 720 rolling stock. There is therefore an absence of competition for technical reasons.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06bb87
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/093239-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Goods
Procurement Method
Direct
Procurement Method Details
Direct award
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Large

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
£1,045,131,120 £1B-£10B
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
2 Oct 20263 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
2 Oct 20263 weeks ago
Contract Period
18 Oct 2026 - 18 Oct 2041 Over 5 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
GA TRAINS LIMITED
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
LONDON
Postcode
E20 1EJ
Postcode Area
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

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

Angel Trains Rolling Stock Limited

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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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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