NETWORK RAIL has resold a major supplier of heavy plant and equipment for rail maintenance which it bought from administrators a year ago.

Network Rail (NDS-Plant) Ltd was formed as a subsidiary of Network Rail in November 2011 following the purchase of the rail division of Hydrex Equipment (UK) Ltd.

Network Rail said the deal had 'ended an extended period of uncertainty for Hydrex’s employees, customers and suppliers, while providing continuity of business'.

Network Rail received consent from the Office for Rail Regulation to be involved in the ownership of road-rail vehicles for use by third parties, but the company said the transaction was always intended to be a temporary solution.

NR said in February that it intended to resell NDS-Plant through an open tender process, and the sale sees the transfer of all associated assets, as well as securing 377 jobs.

Martin Elwood, director of Network Rail’s National Delivery Service, said: “The successful sale of the NDS-Plant business will enable Network Rail Infrastructure Ltd to safeguard hundreds of jobs and will allow essential rail maintenance, enhancement and renewal programmes across the rail network to continue without disruption.”