---
title: "Testing and Operational Delivery of the S&DR Anniversary Journey"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-05d7c3"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-05d7c3"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05d7c3.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05d7c3.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "DARLINGTON BOROUGH COUNCIL"
published: "2025-10-31"
---

# Testing and Operational Delivery of the S&DR Anniversary Journey

Buyer: DARLINGTON BOROUGH COUNCIL  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-05d7c3

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## Summary

Darlington Borough Council has successfully completed the procurement process for the "Testing and Operational Delivery of the Stockton and Darlington Railway Anniversary Journey." This contract, awarded to West Coast Railways, falls under the services category with a focus on technical inspection and testing services (CPV code 71630000), situated in the UKC13 region, which includes Darlington. This direct procurement, achieved below the threshold without competition, moved swiftly from inception to its award date on 31st March 2025, which also marked the commencement of the contract, ending on 30th September 2025. The total contract value was £60,000. The process was straightforward, with the award and contract now active.

This procurement presents a unique opportunity for businesses specialising in technical services, particularly those adept in rail inspection and testing. The choice of West Coast Railways, a large-scale supplier, indicates the project's requirements for firms with significant operational capacity and technical expertise in rail services. Companies that can offer innovative solutions and maintain compliance with UK legislation such as 2023/54 might find similar direct procurement processes suitable avenues for growth, especially in collaboration with local authorities keen on heritage projects. Such contracts can bolster a firm's business profile by demonstrating their capability to operate effectively within stringent timeframes and specified technical requirements.

## Notice

Testing and Operational Delivery of the Stockton and Darlington Railway Anniversary Journey

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/070010-2025 |
| Notice type | UK7 - Contract Details Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Direct |
| Procurement method details | Below threshold - without competition |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | Large |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 31 Oct 2025 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 30 Mar 2025 |
| Contract period | 30 Mar 2025 - 30 Sep 2025 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | £60,000 |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Complete |
| Awards status | Active |
| Contracts status | Active |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | DARLINGTON BOROUGH COUNCIL |
| Locality | DARLINGTON |
| Post town | Darlington |
| Postcode | DL1 5QT |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLC North East (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLC3 Tees Valley |
| ITL 3 | TLC33 Darlington |
| Local authority | Darlington |
| Electoral ward | Park East |
| Westminster constituency | Darlington |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | WEST COAST RAILWAYS |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 71 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services

### Codes

- 71630000 - Technical inspection and testing services

## Release History

- 31 Oct 2025 at 11:02 - Award - UK7 - Contract Details Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/070010-2025

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/070010-2025
  31st October 2025 - Contract details 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-05d7c3. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05d7c3.json.