Northern Trains Limited is procuring a multi-supplier framework for planned station painting and platform lining across its network of stations, train care centres and other operational property. The estimated value is £18 million excluding VAT, or £21.6 million including VAT, with an initial three-year term and an optional three-year extension.
This is a specialist rail-maintenance opportunity rather than a broad building-construction contract. It is most relevant to contractors that can evidence high-quality painting, protective coatings, platform markings and safe delivery in live operational environments. If you are deciding whether to bid, contact Thornton & Lowe for an initial assessment of the opportunity and your likely fit.
How the framework is structured
The framework is divided into two lots:
- Lot 1: Station Painting, covering the preparation, treatment and painting of internal and external station assets, including buildings, canopies, shelters, footbridges, railings, fencing and platform furniture.
- Lot 2: Platform Lining, covering the survey, renewal, reinstatement, installation and maintenance of safety lines and platform markings.
Up to four suppliers may be appointed to each lot. Businesses can therefore focus on the discipline that best matches their delivery model rather than presenting themselves as a general construction provider. Northern Trains is the contracting authority at publication, while the notice also allows for other train operating companies to access the framework where the required approvals are completed.
Who should consider bidding?
Strong candidates are likely to be established painting contractors, rail asset-maintenance providers and specialist road or platform-marking businesses with the systems needed to work safely around passengers, railway operations and restricted access windows.
Relevant experience outside rail may still be useful, but bidders will need to translate it carefully. A case study from an airport, hospital or major public estate could demonstrate controlled access, public-interface management and consistent finish quality. It will be less persuasive if it does not explain how those controls will be adapted to the railway environment.
What the buyer is likely to test
- Safety and compliance: competence, supervision, permits, briefings and safe systems of work for operational sites.
- Quality control: surface preparation, product selection, inspection, snagging and assurance across multiple locations.
- Responsive capacity: the ability to mobilise teams across Northern’s geographic footprint and work within constrained access periods.
- Passenger and operational impact: practical measures to keep stations safe, clean and usable while works are underway.
- Commercial control: clear rates, transparent assumptions and a credible approach to managing variable call-off volumes.
Build compliance into the bid plan from the start. Thornton & Lowe’s guide to bid writing errors that cost marks highlights why missing instructions, attachments or parts of a question can weaken an otherwise credible submission.
Key dates and next steps
The notice gives a tender submission deadline of 24 August 2026 at 5:00pm and an estimated award decision date of 30 September 2026. Suppliers should still review the official Find a Tender notice and the procurement documents before committing resources, as portal instructions and clarifications take precedence over any summary.
A well-qualified bidder should use the remaining preparation period to confirm lot selection, develop a railway-specific mobilisation plan, select evidence from comparable operational sites and allocate clear owners for every quality response.
If you need expert support, Thornton & Lowe can support with bid qualification, response planning, writing and final review. Speak to our bid writing team about the framework and the level of support you need.
