---
title: "Provision of friction material for the brake blocks used across the London Underground fleet"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-0552c3"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-0552c3"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0552c3.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0552c3.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Planning"
buyer: "TRANSPORT FOR LONDON"
published: "2025-06-24"
---

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

Buyer: TRANSPORT FOR LONDON  
Current stage: Planning  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-0552c3

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## Summary

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.

## Notice

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

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/034801-2025 |
| 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 |
| All stages | Planning |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 24 Jun 2025 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | 11 Aug 2025 |
| Award date | Not specified |
| Contract period | 4 Oct 2026 - 3 Oct 2031 |
| 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 | Planning |
| Lots status | Planning |
| 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

### Codes

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

## Release History

- 24 Jun 2025 at 14:29 - Planning - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/034801-2025

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/034801-2025
  24th June 2025 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender

## Notice URLs

- https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents

## 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-0552c3. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0552c3.json.