TfL tender for 29 Battery locos April 2026

[Snow1964]

Transport for London has issued a tender prior info notice for 29 battery locos to replace existing life expired fleet with increased haulage capacity.

1 buyer​

• Transport for London London

Description​

Transport for London (TfL) plans to procure 29 bespoke battery locomotives to replace its life expired fleet. The new locomotives will: · Operate across the entire TfL network. · Support four signalling systems. · Deliver increased haulage capacity from 400 to 600 tonnes per vehicle pair. This programme is critical to TfL's infrastructure works, ensuring improved reliability, zero-emission technology, and operational efficiency. Early engagement will help shape technical requirements and delivery timelines.

CPV Codes​

• 34611000 - Locomotives
• 34621200 - Railway maintenance or service vehicles

Other Information​

** PREVIEW NOTICE, please check Find a Tender for full details. **

Reference​

• ocds-h6vhtk-051b57
• FTS 033226-2026

Domains​

• legislation.gov.uk
• find-tender.service.gov.uk
• tfl.gov.uk

Status​

This notice describes a possible future purchase.
There is no specified closing date.

History​

• 13 Apr 2026 - Prior Information Notice

Categories​

• specialist transport vehicles

https://bidstats.uk/tenders/2026/W16/868417852

 

[Central]

Hope they work out better than the early 90s ones.

 

[Recessio]

Hope they work out better than the early 90s ones.

What was wrong with them?

 

[leonie13]

I wonder if the tender will include a requirement that the new battery locos must have compatible equipment for each of the differing signalling systems on the various LU lines?

 

[Snow1964]

I wonder if the tender will include a requirement that the new battery locos must have compatible equipment for each of the differing signalling systems on the various LU lines?

The summary does say they will need to be fitted to be compatible with 4 signalling systems (but beyond my knowledge to list them, and where each applies)

 

[Dstock7080]

(but beyond my knowledge to list them, and where each applies)

Conventional tripcock - Bakerloo, District west, Piccadilly
Central ATP
Jubilee/Northern TBTC
Sub-surface CBTC
Victoria DTG
(future Piccadilly- unknown)

 

[Central]

90s locos had trouble with long rail trains,only lasted a couple of years Then left to rust at the back of Ruislip Depot before being scrapped.

 

[GFE]

If the problem was with unloading the long rails, Will be interesting how they spec the "pulling power" of a single loco. wonder if they will consider slave driving of 2nd loco .

 

[zwk500]

Conventional tripcock - Bakerloo, District west, Piccadilly
Central ATP
Jubilee/Northern TBTC
Sub-surface CBTC
Victoria DTG
(future Piccadilly- unknown)

That's 5, with a potential 6th. The tender calls for 4, so is one of them excluded or is the tender counting differently? (Question is mostly rhetorical, for clarity).

 

[Mojo]

That's 5, with a potential 6th. The tender calls for 4, so is one of them excluded or is the tender counting differently? (Question is mostly rhetorical, for clarity).

As it stands, engineering trains are currently incompatible with the signalling system on the Victoria line and thus operate in accordance with an incompatible train movements plan. It wouldn’t surprise me if therefore the cost of making any future trains compatible is not deemed to be worth it.

 

[zwk500]

As it stands, engineering trains are currently incompatible with the signalling system on the Victoria line and thus operate in accordance with an incompatible train movements plan. It wouldn’t surprise me if therefore the cost of making any future trains compatible is not deemed to be worth it.

Thanks, that makes sense.

 

[Mojo]

Thanks, that makes sense.

I ought to add, I don’t know that is the plan for what is proposed, all I’m saying is how things work at the moment!

 

[Central]

The only time I ever knew of engineering trains using inter car jumpers was on the Victoria Line.

 

[GFE]

I believe the tech is available these days for high integrity wireless control between locos

 

[DelW]

I believe the tech is available these days for high integrity wireless control between locos

US freight haulers use radio systems to control multiple locos at mid-train or on the rear of trains up to three miles long, including those running through long tunnels. So I'd expect that using a similar system on an LU engineering train would be easily feasible.

 

[Skimpot flyer]

How do these battery locos gain access to the Victoria Line? Via the connecting tracks between the Piccadilly and Vic lines at Finsbury Park?
Would be interesting to see how they gain access to other lines such as the Bakerloo etc

 

[Surreytraveller]

How do these battery locos gain access to the Victoria Line? Via the connecting tracks between the Piccadilly and Vic lines at Finsbury Park?
Would be interesting to see how they gain access to other lines such as the Bakerloo etc

The only line which is not connected to any other is the Waterloo & City

 

[Benjwri]

How do these battery locos gain access to the Victoria Line? Via the connecting tracks between the Piccadilly and Vic lines at Finsbury Park?
Would be interesting to see how they gain access to other lines such as the Bakerloo etc

Yes, and the Bakerloo is via a link to the Jubilee line at Baker Street. All the lines are interconnected except the Waterloo and City.

 

[birchesgreen]

This map shows the actual lines of the underground, including sidings and interconnections.

Detailled London transport map (track, depot, ...)

cartometro.com