In April 1994, Porterbrook Leasing Company Limited (Porterbrook) took over one third of British Rail's rolling stock with leases in place with the newly created passenger train operators.

Following an MEBO (Management Employee Buy Out) in January of 1996, Porterbrook was sold to Stagecoach in August of the same year and subsequently bought by Abbey National Treasury Services plc (ANTS) in April 2000.

Porterbrook was an early deal maker - financing in August 1996 the first order for new passenger trains following privatisation (Class 168 for Chiltern Railways).

Porterbrook was also the first ROSCO to add freight equipment to its portfolio through a sale and lease-back arrangement with Freightliner in May 1996.

Porterbrook's Investment to date in the UK rail market totals over £1.5 billion in new trains and over £200m on existing fleet refurbishment.

It now has leases with 17 out of the 24 passenger Train Operating Companies as well as the principal Freight Operating Companies.