---
title: "Railhead Adhesion"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-0489e0"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-0489e0"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0489e0.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0489e0.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Tender"
buyer: "TRANSPORT FOR LONDON"
published: "2024-10-03"
---

# Railhead Adhesion

Buyer: TRANSPORT FOR LONDON  
Current stage: Tender  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-0489e0

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## Summary

Transport for London (TfL) is currently in the tender stage for a procurement titled "Railhead Adhesion" under the industry category of "Railway transport services" (CPV code: 60200000). This project aims to address railhead contamination issues that impact safe, reliable, and high-frequency railway services. The initiative spans across various infrastructure elements of TfL's network, including above-ground and underground stations, diverse rolling stock, signalling systems, and varying service intervals. The most recent amendment was made on 4th October 2024. Interested parties must submit their proposals by 23rd September 2024, with potential procurement activities expected following a feedback session with the market innovators.

This tender represents a significant opportunity for businesses specialising in innovative railway transport solutions, particularly those capable of managing railhead adhesion effectively. Companies offering advanced friction management systems, operational efficiency technologies, or asset health solutions would find this tender ideal. The broad scope of the project, including diverse infrastructure and operational conditions, offers ample space for creative and resourceful solutions aimed at enhancing the safety and reliability of TfL’s rail services, potentially leading to substantial business growth.

## Notice

Transport for London's Open Innovation Team works with market innovators of all sizes to help solve some of the challenges that TfL faces where there is a need for more innovative solutions. Rather than prescribing solutions, we instead look to the market for creative, resourceful and novel approaches to problem solving to create new value for TfL by doing things better, quicker or cheaper. Transport for London (TfL) relies on adhesion management to maintain a safe, reliable, and high-frequency railway system while preserving asset health. Both high and low friction levels at the wheel-rail interface can cause safety issues like delays, derailments, and asset damage. To address these, TfL uses various operational, procedural, and technical solutions. During autumnal months, outdoor sections of the network (55% of the London Underground) face low adhesion due to fallen leaves mixing with iron oxides on rails. This can lead to delays, cancellations, wheel flats, and even collisions or derailments. TfL's current solutions include vegetation management, rail adhesion trains, Traction Gel Applicators, seasonal timetables, and reduced brake rates. Any new solution must consider the diverse infrastructure of TfL's network, which includes a mix of above-ground and underground stations with varying platform dimensions and designs. The network also features different rolling stock and signalling systems, some automated and others manually driven. Service intervals range from 22 to 36 trains per hour. Any proposed solution should ensure safety across these varied conditions without compromising service frequency or asset longevity. Problem statement: How might we target railhead contamination such that we retain optimal (or as near as feasible) levels of friction on the railhead; allowing us to run a high-frequency service year-round regardless of the weather?

### Lot Information

Lot 1

TfL wishes to engage the market to seek feedback on emerging approaches and solutions for rail adhesion management. Interested respondents are required to email msqinnovation@tfl.gov.uk to request the Rail Adhesion - Market Sounding Questionnaire (MSQ) for completion by 12:00 (midday) on Monday 23 September 2024 in order to receive the MSQ. This is a pre-procurement activity and does not imply any commitment to any future procurement process. The purpose is to seek feedback on TfL's approach, appetite from industry and information on alternative solutions that are being developed in the marketplace for similar schemes. Participation in the PIN and subsequent MSQ is not a prerequisite to, and will not prejudice, participation in any future competitive process. The information contained in this PIN or in any communication made between TfL and any supplier in connection with this should not be relied upon as constituting a contract, agreement, or representation that any contract will be offered as a result of this PIN and MSQ. If TfL decides to progress with any procurement exercise , TfL will publish a separate contract notice. Additional information: This is a pre-procurement activity and does not imply any commitment to any future procurement process. The purpose is to seek feedback on TfL's approach, appetite from industry and information on alternative solutions that are being developed in the marketplace for similar schemes. Participation in the PIN and subsequent MSQ is not a prerequisite to, and will not prejudice, participation in any future competitive process. The information contained in this PIN or in any communication made between TfL and any supplier in connection with this should not be relied upon as constituting a contract, agreement, or representation that any contract will be offered as a result of this PIN and MSQ. If TfL decides to progress with any procurement exercise , TfL will publish a separate contract notice.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/031644-2024 |
| Notice type | Planning Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Not Specified |
| Procurement method details | Not specified |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | Not specified |
| All stages | Planning, Tender |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 3 Oct 2024 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | 11 Aug 2025 |
| Award date | Not specified |
| Contract period | Not specified |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Planned |
| Lots status | Planned |
| Awards status | Not specified |
| Contracts status | Not specified |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | TRANSPORT FOR LONDON |
| Locality | LONDON |
| Post town | East London |
| Postcode | E20 1JN |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLI London |
| ITL 2 | TLI4 Inner London - East |
| ITL 3 | TLI41 Hackney and Newham |
| Local authority | Newham |
| Electoral ward | Stratford Olympic Park |
| Westminster constituency | Stratford and Bow |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 34 - Transport equipment and auxiliary products to transportation
- 60 - Transport services (excl. Waste transport)

### Codes

- 34600000 - Railway and tramway locomotives and rolling stock and associated parts
- 34900000 - Miscellaneous transport equipment and spare parts
- 60000000 - Transport services (excl. Waste transport)
- 60200000 - Railway transport services

## Release History

- 3 Oct 2024 at 09:21 - TenderUpdate - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/031644-2024
- 18 Sep 2024 at 12:05 - TenderUpdate - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/029826-2024
- 12 Aug 2024 at 12:26 - Planning - Planning Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/025420-2024

## Notice URLs

- https://tfl.gov.uk/

## Provenance

This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-0489e0. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0489e0.json.