The consortium comprises Alberta Investment Management Corporation, Allianz Capital Partners, EDF Invest, and Hastings Funds Management.

Porterbrook's managing director, Mr Paul Francis, says the long-term approach and capital resources of the new investors should place Porterbrook in a good position to lead the next phase of growth in the rail industry.

Porterbrook has changed hands several times. After a management and employee buyout in January 1996, it was sold to Stagecoach in August that year. In 2000 it was bought by Abbey National Treasury Services and in December 2008 Porterbrook was sold to a consortium of Antin Infrastructure, Deutsche Bank, OP Trust and Lloyds TSB, although Lloyds TSB left the consortium in October 2010.

Porterbrook owns around 5900 passenger and freight vehicles which are leased to British operators, and since 1996 has invested £2bn in 4000 passenger and freight vehicles and spent more than £300m on fleet refurbishment.