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NEX26/48 Ballast Tamper Maintenance

Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport Executive

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

02 Nov 2026 at 11:52

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport Executive (Nexus) intends to procure servicing, maintenance and repair of its Plasser 08-275 Ballast Tamper, known as MA60. This is an eight-axle, diesel-hydraulic, self-propelled machine used for tamping track switches and crossings. The work covers planned maintenance in line with the machine’s maintenance manual, plus corrective maintenance, emergency repairs and technical support. The successful supplier is expected to carry out the maintenance schedules other than daily and weekly checks, derogated activities and parts overhaul. Additional work may include inspections or investigations of machine components. The equipment is associated with Nexus’s rail operations in Tyne and Wear; the maintenance facility is in Newcastle upon Tyne.

This procurement is at the planning stage: Nexus has stated its intention to run a tender, but has not yet issued an invitation to tender. It expects a three-year fixed-cost contract for planned maintenance, with fixed costs also covering corrective maintenance, emergency repairs and technical support. Nexus may extend the contract by up to 12 months at its discretion. The stated contract period runs from 7 February 2027 to 6 February 2030, with a maximum end date of 6 February 2031. Nexus plans preliminary supplier engagement: expressions of interest are expected by 13 November 2026, questionnaires are due to be issued on 16 November and returned by 20 November, and individual online meetings are expected during the week commencing 30 November. Supplier visits to the Newcastle maintenance facility may follow.

The work is likely to suit a specialist rail plant maintenance provider with the engineering capability to service and repair a Plasser 08-275 ballast tamper, and to work to its maintenance manual and Nexus’s requirements. Suppliers should be prepared to deliver both planned servicing and unplanned corrective work, including emergency repairs and technical back-up. The buyer says the contractor may need to investigate specific machine conditions, respond to a machine-stopped failure within 24 hours of the initial report, and provide out-of-hours fitter cover to address reasonably forecastable faults during a shift. This calls for access to suitably skilled fitters, responsive technical support and the capacity to cover urgent work as well as scheduled maintenance. The buyer’s planned supplier discussions offer an early opportunity to understand the requirements and inform the eventual tender.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

NEX26/48 Ballast Tamper Maintenance

Notice Description

Tyne & Wear Passenger Transport Executive (Nexus) owns and operates a Plasser 08-275 Ballast Tamper (known locally as MA60 and referenced as so from this point onwards). MA60 is an eight-axle, diesel hydraulic, self-propelled S&C Ballast Tamper. The machine was delivered to Nexus in 2014 and has since completed 706862 Tamping cycles and has recorded 8938.4 working engine hours, and 6909.9 main engine hours (Information accurate as of October 2026). Nexus will be tendering for a supplier to undertake the required servicing, maintenance and repair of MA60 in accordance with the Vehicle Maintenance Manual. It is expected that all maintenance schedules with the exception of the daily and weekly checks, derogated activities and parts overhaul will be performed by the successful tenderer. This tender opportunity is for a 3-year fixed cost contract for all planned maintenances, as well as a fixed cost for corrective maintenances, emergency repairs and technical back-up, with the option to extend for up to a further 12 months at Nexus' discretion. MA60 shall be maintained in accordance with its Maintenance Manual NX 08-275-MA60 unless where specified by Nexus. Activities will be grouped by frequency which will be outlined in the tender documents upon release. Additionally, the contractor may be required to: * Undertake specific inspections or investigations outside of the Maintenance Schedule(s), e.g. a condition report for certain machine parts. * Respond to 'machine stopped' failures within 24 hours of the initial report. * Provide 'out of hours' fitter cover. The cover shall provide a timely response and resolution any emerging 'reasonably forecastable' machine faults that occur during that shift.

Planning Information

Potential suppliers for this opportunity are invited to express their interest via email to tenders@nexus.org.uk referencing NEX26/48 Ballast Tamper Maintenance in the email subject. The deadline for submission of emailed expressions of interest is 13 November 2026. Upon receipt of the email above and following the submission deadline suppliers will be invited to complete a short questionnaire ahead of an individual Teams meeting at which responses will be discussed in further detail. Questionnaires will be issued on 16 November 2026 with a return date of 20 November 2026. It is expected the Teams meetings will take place during week commencing 30 November 2026. Dependent on the outcome of the above it may be that suppliers are invited to view the vehicle at Nexus' maintenance facility in Newcastle Upon Tyne prior to any tender exercise though time restraints may permit this until during the tender process.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-07956d
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/103667-2026
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
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

50 - Repair and maintenance services

71 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services

CPV Codes

34000000 - Transport equipment and auxiliary products to transportation

50100000 - Repair, maintenance and associated services of vehicles and related equipment

71300000 - Engineering services

Notice Value(s)

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

Notice Dates

Publication Date
2 Nov 2026Today
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
7 Feb 2027 - 6 Feb 2030 3-4 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
Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport Executive
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE
Postcode
NE4 5DE
Postcode Area
Newcastle upon Tyne
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLC North East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLC4 Northumberland, Durham and Tyne & Wear
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLC43 Tyneside
Delivery Location
TLC North East (England)
Local Authority
Newcastle upon Tyne
Electoral Ward
Arthur's Hill
Westminster Constituency
Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West

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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