---
title: "Class 156 Rolling Stock Lease"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-060810"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-060810"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-060810.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-060810.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "SCOTRAIL TRAINS LIMITED"
published: "2026-05-22"
---

# Class 156 Rolling Stock Lease

Buyer: SCOTRAIL TRAINS LIMITED  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-060810

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## Summary

The procurement process involves ScotRail Trains Limited, based in Glasgow, contracting Angel Trains Limited for the lease of Class 156 rolling stock, a type of diesel train designed to support rural train services in Scotland. Categorised under railway and tramway locomotives (CPV code 34600000), the contract primarily covers the good delivery sector. The procurement method utilised was a limited procedure without prior publication of a call for competition, which facilitated the direct award of the contract without an open tender. The key dates revolve around the contract extension signed on 16 January 2026, extending the lease until 31 December 2027, with an option for a further yearly extension, aimed at ensuring continued operation while new technologies in train fleets are pursued.

This tender presents significant opportunities for businesses specialising in railway technology, maintenance, and component production. Given the requirement for diesel trains with specific technical attributes compatible with Scotland’s challenging rail routes, companies that offer maintenance services, engineering solutions, and innovative railway technologies are particularly suited to compete. Opportunities exist for subcontracting, with Wabtec UK Limited and Gemini Rail Services UK Limited already engaged in supplying and overhauling components, such as engines and gearboxes, demonstrating potential for further supply chain partnerships to support the evolving needs of ScotRail's service operations.

## Notice

This notice concerns a modification to an existing lease (the Lease) procured whilst ScotRail was under the Abellio franchise ownership, between ScotRail Trains Limited (SRT) and Angel Trains Limited (Angel) for 76 Class 156 vehicles (the Fleet). The Lease is currently scheduled to expire on 31 March 2027 with the option to extend until 31 December 2027. A 5-year extension has been agreed to the Lease for the same scope of supplies, with an additional option to extend for up to a further 1 year. The value of that extension (inclusive of options) is GBP 77,000,000 excluding VAT. This extension is necessary to ensure SRT is able to discharge its obligations and continue to deliver vital services while the rural new fleet procurement is progressed and is therefore an interim solution until the new fleet can be procured, built and commissioned for passenger service. There is a Continued Service Operation (CSO) workstream in progress to restore the condition of the fleet due to their age which will ensure it can continue to operate for passenger service for the duration of the extension.

### Lot Information

Lot 1

The Lease is being modified in accordance with regulation 86(1)(b) of the Utilities Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2016 as additional supplies not included within the original procurement have become necessary, and a change of contractor cannot be made for economic or technical reasons and would cause significant inconvenience or substantial duplication of cost for SRT, because: 1. The modification has become necessary: there is a need to secure the ongoing operation of the Lease, which includes lifeline services in rural areas, while SRT carries out a full procurement for an enduring rolling stock solution using emerging technologies (including batteries and network electrification). Diesel trains are the only feasible option for this interim period. 2. A change of contractor cannot be made for economic or technical reasons: this is because: a. the Fleet has specific characteristics and technical features that are designed to interoperate with the rail infrastructure and SRT's other fleets and are required for operation on the West Highland and Stranraer Lines, as well as Glasgow suburban routes. For example: i. the Fleet is the only available DMU passenger stock which is fully accepted for operation on the West Highland and Stranraer lines and is able to make use of differential speed limits in order to meet the journey times of the timetable; ii. any alternative Fleet would require an extensive programme of train crew and engineering staff training, which would create significant additional (and disproportionate) training workload at a time when SRT is already engaged in an intensive programme of recruitment for future fleet cascades and new trains; iii. a Section 54 agreement has been agreed in relation to the Fleet. b. SRT's analysis has confirmed that there are no alternative available fleets that contain the necessary technical features and could meet these requirements. 3. In the event that an alternative existing fleet with suitable performance and technical characteristics was available (which in SRT's view is not the case), and that fleet could be adapted to accommodate the necessary technical features, this would result in substantial duplication of cost, significant inconvenience and extra time out of service, which would be disproportionate in the context of an interim solution

Options: As per Section II.1.4, there is an option to extend for up to a further 1 year

### Procurement Information

Please refer to II.2.4 for the Description of the procurement

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/047833-2026 |
| Notice type | Award Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Goods |
| Procurement method | Limited |
| Procurement method details | Award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | Large |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 22 May 2026 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 16 Jan 2026 |
| Contract period | 31 Mar 2022 - 31 Dec 2027 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | £215,200,000 |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Not specified |
| Awards status | Active |
| Contracts status | Active |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | SCOTRAIL TRAINS LIMITED |
| Locality | GLASGOW |
| Post town | Glasgow |
| Postcode | G2 6HQ |
| Country | Scotland |
| ITL 1 | TLM Scotland |
| ITL 2 | TLM3 West Central Scotland |
| ITL 3 | TLM32 Glasgow City |
| Local authority | Glasgow City |
| Electoral ward | Anderston/City/Yorkhill |
| Westminster constituency | Glasgow North |
| Delivery location | TLM Scotland |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | ANGEL TRAINS |

## 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

- 22 May 2026 at 12:00 - AwardUpdate - Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/047833-2026
- 16 Jan 2026 at 16:40 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/004079-2026

## Notice URLs

- https://api.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/v1/Notice?id=ocds-r6ebe6-0000820094
- https://api.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/v1/Notice?id=ocds-r6ebe6-0000828399
- https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA30589
- https://www.scotrail.co.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-060810. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-060810.json.