Replacement (Existing) Rolling Stock for Chiltern Railways

On 22 December 2023 the contracting authority issued a contract notice - utilities with Notice reference 2023/S 000-037814 for the replacement of existing rolling stock. Beacon Rail Finance (Europe) Limited was the only supplier that could offer rolling stock units that meet the contracting authority's technical requirements of having units able to be utilised in fixed formations of 5 passenger vehicles to enter into passenger service from 31 March 2026 on a turnkey basis. Under the agreed contract terms, the supplier will be responsible for procuring preventative and corrective maintenance for the units on an interim basis for a period between contract award and 6 December 2026. This will cover services in respect of 4 units to be provided for the purposes of driver training and 3 units to enable passenger service commencement on 1 April 2026. The contracting authority will be responsible for certain train preparation, cleaning, fuelling and minor defect rectification services (as agreed from time to time between the contracting authority and the supplier's maintenance providers) during this interim period and will be a party to the interim service agreement in order to reduce interface risk with its self-delivered services and facilitate the performance and reliability of the units.

The contracting authority intends to carry out a separate procurement for the long-term provision of preventative and corrective maintenance over the remainder of the 144 month period.