Historical Railways Estate - Examinations Contracts

National Highways Limited

Published: May 19, 2026

Updated: May 20, 2026

Source: uk_fts

About This Opportunity

This is a services contract in the architecture and engineering and construction and civil works sectors, with a focus on Bridges and Rehabilitation. Located in United Kingdom, Europe, this opportunity is open to firms and consortiums, with an estimated budget of GBP 25.0 million.

Published through UK FTS - Find a Tender Service, a national government procurement portal. Public procurement tenders follow the country's national bidding regulations and may have specific eligibility and documentation requirements for services in the architecture and engineering sector. Service contracts are typically evaluated on both technical quality and price, and may require bidders to demonstrate relevant experience and qualified personnel. This is an advance notice — the formal tender is expected to be published shortly. Interested parties can use this time to prepare documentation and identify potential partners.

Description

Replacement contracts for the existing Historical Railways Estate Examinations contracts which expire in March 2028.
The Historical Railways Estate (HRE) is a collection of over 3,100 structures and assets which were once part of Britain's rail network, with many structures that are over 100 years old. These structures reside within England, Scotland & Wales.
Once managed by BRB (Residuary) Limited, which was dissolved in 2013, National Highways has been responsible for looking after these structures on behalf of the Department for Transport (DfT) since September 2013.
The Estate is made up of a wide variety of structures and other assets that National Highways is required to maintain and make safe, so the work generally involves repairs, strengthening, restoration and cyclical maintenance/surveys/inspections.
National Highways cannot provide these services in-house and therefore is required to outsource these activities to compliant suppliers.
Further Details relating to HRE is available on the National Highways website: https://nationalhighways.co.uk/our-work/historical-railways-estate/about-the-hre/
Scope requirements:
Visual & Detailed examinations of structures.
Compliance with Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2010
Emergency Callouts for incidences such as:
- Bridge strikes
- Parapet damage
- Trespass fence repair
- Reports from Local Authority of potentially unsafe structures
- Bridge markings
- Monitoring of defects

Data provenance

This notice is sourced from UK FTS - Find a Tender Service and was originally published on May 19, 2026. Last refreshed today. Reference: 045810-2026. BidsFactory mirrors official procurement notices and links back to the source for full legal text.

About National Highways Limited

National Highways Limited has issued 393 procurement notices on BidsFactory, including 12 currently open and 375 awarded contracts. Activity concentrates in Transport & Logistics, Construction & Civil Works, and Information & Communication Technology. All notices are published for United Kingdom. Notices are distributed via UK Contracts Finder and UK FTS - Find a Tender Service. Most recent publication: May 19, 2026.

Frequently asked questions about this tender

What is the estimated budget?

The estimated contract value is £25,000,000 - £25,000,000. Bidders should ensure their proposals are consistent with this range and account for any local taxes and contract execution costs.

Where will the contract be performed?

The contract is for delivery in United Kingdom. Foreign bidders should review local registration, taxation, and any in-country presence requirements before submitting.

How can I submit a bid?

Visit UK FTS - Find a Tender Service to access the full notice, required documents, and submission instructions. Quote reference 045810-2026 when communicating with the contracting authority.

Who is the contracting authority?

This notice was issued by National Highways Limited in United Kingdom. The authority is responsible for evaluating bids, awarding the contract, and managing performance.

What type of contract is this?

This is a Services contract in the Architecture & Engineering Services sector. The classification helps bidders match the opportunity to their qualifications and registered scope of supply.