New Rolling Stock for Northern Ireland

Andrew Walker and Interfleet Technology Ltd recently assisted
Northern Ireland Railways (NIR) in the acquisition of new trains.
This included the pre-qualification of potential suppliers, the
development and issue of all tender documentation, the evaluation
of tenders and subsequent negotiations – all in accordance with
European Procurement legislation. This culminated in contracts
being awarded for the supply of 23 x 3 Car Diesel Multiple Units,
together with a 15 year maintenance contract with CAF in Spain.

Andrew and Interfleet Technology were retained by NIR to assist
them in the contract management of the design, production
and testing of the units, which were built in Zaragoza, Spain.
All the trains have now been delivered and are operating on
NIR’s infrastructure. Since service introduction, NIR has seen
a dramatic increase in passenger growth for all lines where
the new trains operate. Within NIR and the Department for
Regional Development (the Government body which over sees
transport in Northern Ireland) all recognise that the project
has been a major success. Not least in terms that it was managed
professionally by all those involved, and delivered within budget,
but, and most importantly, that the public of Northern Ireland also
see it as a success and are demonstrating this by the substantial
increase in passenger numbers.