NEX26/48 Ballast Tamper Maintenance

Tyne & Wear Passenger Transport Executive (Nexus) owns and operates a Plasser 08-275 Ballast Tamper (known locally as MA60 and referenced as so from this point onwards). MA60 is an eight-axle, diesel hydraulic, self-propelled S&C Ballast Tamper.

The machine was delivered to Nexus in 2014 and has since completed 706862 Tamping cycles and has recorded 8938.4 working engine hours, and 6909.9 main engine hours (Information accurate as of October 2026). Nexus will be tendering for a supplier to undertake the required servicing, maintenance and repair of MA60 in accordance with the Vehicle Maintenance Manual.

It is expected that all maintenance schedules with the exception of the daily and weekly checks, derogated activities and parts overhaul will be performed by the successful tenderer. This tender opportunity is for a 3-year fixed cost contract for all planned maintenances, as well as a fixed cost for corrective maintenances, emergency repairs and technical back-up, with the option to extend for up to a further 12 months at Nexus’ discretion.

MA60 shall be maintained in accordance with its Maintenance Manual NX 08-275-MA60 unless where specified by Nexus. Activities will be grouped by frequency which will be outlined in the tender documents upon release.

Additionally, the contractor may be required to: • Undertake specific inspections or investigations outside of the Maintenance Schedule(s), e.g. a condition report for certain machine parts. • Respond to ‘machine stopped’ failures within 24 hours of the initial report. • Provide ‘out of hours’ fitter cover. The cover shall provide a timely response and resolution any emerging ‘reasonably forecastable’ machine faults that occur during that shift.