From the New Civil Engineer magazine:
Network Rail has alerted suppliers that it will be looking for construction and engineering partners to join its £1.4bn Midlands Rail Hub Alliance.
A prior information notice (PIN) released by the rail infrastructure operator says there is a £1.05bn opportunity is for non-signalling disciplines, which includes construction, civil engineering and geotechnical engineering services.
The Midlands Rail Hub is a £1.5bn plan to upgrade a series of rail lines and stations around Birmingham and nearby towns and cities. Sub-national transport body Midlands Connect launched its outline business case for the plan last December, in which it says it will make space for 100 additional trains on the network every day and improve connections in the Midlands and beyond to places including Bromsgrove, Nuneaton, Worcester, Hereford, Great Malvern, Bristol, Gloucester, Cardiff, Cheltenham and Leicester.
The work will involve a series of infrastructure upgrades and interventions, which is where Network Rail’s Midlands Rail Hub Alliance comes into play.
The Alliance will include Network Rail as client, non-signalling partners and a signalling partner.
The PIN says that the scope of work for the Alliance includes, but is not limited to:
Design and build of new platforms and sidings
Design and build of two new chords at Birmingham Moor Street
Widening of an existing viaduct
Power supply upgrades
New freight loops
New overhead line equipment
Various signalling works including the re-modelling of existing layouts
Network Rail is looking to invite firms interested in being a non-signalling partner to sign up for further procurement updates and take part in a market briefing session in January.
Overview of the Midlands Rail Hub
Network Rail believes the multidisciplinary infrastructure interventions will be split across three section described as West, Central and East. The scope is currently divided into eight interventions that will be split across these three sections, although this number is subject to further funding decisions and design developments.
Network Rail’s PIN goes on to say: “The West and Central interventions (excluding Worcester-Hereford) are in the process of securing RNEP Decision to Design Funding and are intended to form the core scope of this procurement event.
“East interventions form part of a separate Outline Business Case (OBC) which is in an earlier stage of design development and it is envisaged that this will be considered as uncommitted Alliance scope, which may be instructed to the Alliance, subject to future funding decisions.
“It is also envisaged that the West intervention of Worcester-Hereford will be uncommitted scope as this is not intended to be included in the first tranche of funding for MRH and is dependent upon as yet uncommitted renewals in the Worcester area.”
Network Rail estimates that the total expenditure on the Alliance will be £1.3bn to £1.4bn. This includes: £1bn for the West and Central and £400M for the uncommitted East section. £1.05bn will be for non-signalling disciplines and £350M for signalling.
These figures are indicative only.
Network Rail said: “It will be a matter for economic operators as to the form in which they may wish to participate in Network Rail’s forthcoming procurement event whether as a single entity or group of economic operators seeking to deliver all required Alliance disciplines except for the signalling scope.”
It expects to publish the contract notice in mid-February.
Network Rail has alerted suppliers that it will be looking for construction and engineering partners to join its £1.4bn Midlands Rail Hub Alliance.
A prior information notice (PIN) released by the rail infrastructure operator says there is a £1.05bn opportunity is for non-signalling disciplines, which includes construction, civil engineering and geotechnical engineering services.
The Midlands Rail Hub is a £1.5bn plan to upgrade a series of rail lines and stations around Birmingham and nearby towns and cities. Sub-national transport body Midlands Connect launched its outline business case for the plan last December, in which it says it will make space for 100 additional trains on the network every day and improve connections in the Midlands and beyond to places including Bromsgrove, Nuneaton, Worcester, Hereford, Great Malvern, Bristol, Gloucester, Cardiff, Cheltenham and Leicester.
The work will involve a series of infrastructure upgrades and interventions, which is where Network Rail’s Midlands Rail Hub Alliance comes into play.
The Alliance will include Network Rail as client, non-signalling partners and a signalling partner.
The PIN says that the scope of work for the Alliance includes, but is not limited to:
Design and build of new platforms and sidings
Design and build of two new chords at Birmingham Moor Street
Widening of an existing viaduct
Power supply upgrades
New freight loops
New overhead line equipment
Various signalling works including the re-modelling of existing layouts
Network Rail is looking to invite firms interested in being a non-signalling partner to sign up for further procurement updates and take part in a market briefing session in January.
Overview of the Midlands Rail Hub
Network Rail believes the multidisciplinary infrastructure interventions will be split across three section described as West, Central and East. The scope is currently divided into eight interventions that will be split across these three sections, although this number is subject to further funding decisions and design developments.
Network Rail’s PIN goes on to say: “The West and Central interventions (excluding Worcester-Hereford) are in the process of securing RNEP Decision to Design Funding and are intended to form the core scope of this procurement event.
“East interventions form part of a separate Outline Business Case (OBC) which is in an earlier stage of design development and it is envisaged that this will be considered as uncommitted Alliance scope, which may be instructed to the Alliance, subject to future funding decisions.
“It is also envisaged that the West intervention of Worcester-Hereford will be uncommitted scope as this is not intended to be included in the first tranche of funding for MRH and is dependent upon as yet uncommitted renewals in the Worcester area.”
Network Rail estimates that the total expenditure on the Alliance will be £1.3bn to £1.4bn. This includes: £1bn for the West and Central and £400M for the uncommitted East section. £1.05bn will be for non-signalling disciplines and £350M for signalling.
These figures are indicative only.
Network Rail said: “It will be a matter for economic operators as to the form in which they may wish to participate in Network Rail’s forthcoming procurement event whether as a single entity or group of economic operators seeking to deliver all required Alliance disciplines except for the signalling scope.”
It expects to publish the contract notice in mid-February.
