They're struggling with demand and also with the age of their fleet of trains. A roundup from Chiltern on this link.

Mark

https://www.chilternrailways.co.uk/capacity-challenges-2025

 
According to the Oxford Clarion https://bsky.app/profile/oxfordclarion.bsky.social/post/3lnuhiadpd22q Chiltern have signed a deal to run 10 locomotive hauled Mk5a sets to replace 4 locomotive hauled Mk3 sets.

They were previously used by Trans Pennine Express (TPE). TPE had 13 5 cars sets made up of 4 standard class and 1 first class coach. It is unclear to me whether TPE actual used all the sets as the most number of sets they had running at the same time was 4 and they also suffered from cracks similar to IET.

I assume that as well as replacing the Mk3's they will either replace some existing Class 165/168 services or even some additional services will be added.
Will we see a return of the Oxford Flyers?

 

Chiltern Railways

F O U R  years to not get to a decision yet.  And, although I know this should require incredulity, I guess it's actually unsurprising

Are we entiltled to ask what we are paying civil servants in the DfT to do with their time?

 
Painfully slow negotiations again on what should be something fairly easy to solve.  The fleet is not being used elsewhere.  There is a clear need for the extra capacity.

Look at the fuss and nonsense just to get a few redundant Class 175s to GWR.

 
I would expect all these to be used on their MainLine (Birmingham/Oxford), allowing the 168s to strengthen the turbo services, so all trains get to be at least 5 coaches (many platforms are only that length)

 

Six months into the negotiations, an image from that time has surfaced, showing proceedings from the point of view of the applicant.

Mark

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Appears an award had happened with Chiltern taking all the mk5s and associated class 68 locos

Contract is recorded as worth £300m and for 144 months

Description
The contracting authority will enter into contracts with the supplier for the supply of existing rolling stock for use on the Chiltern Railways routes.  These contracts will be for the leasing by the supplier to the contracting authority of the supplier's full fleet of Mark5A coaches and Class 68 locomotives, for operation by the contracting authority, with associated maintenance.

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.

https://bidstats.uk/tenders/2025/W30/850985284

 
I don't think this has yet been signed off

 

Publishing the award notice this week on a public tenders site if hadn't signed off doesn't make any sense, why publish the award now if not agreed.   Maybe it was done in wrap up before Parliament summer recess.

But if you know it hasn't been signed I accept your superior knowledge.

 

 
Here you go


https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/041655-2025

 
Thanks for that detailed update, ChrisB. 

 

There is typically a standstill period after an award has been announced. I believe this is a requirement of public procurement law, but I am not an expert on this.  It gives a chance for an aggrieved supplier who feels the award is not fair, to lodge a legal challenge before the contract is signed.