Diesel Trains is a company set up by the Department for Transport

Department for Transport

In the United Kingdom, the Department for Transport is the government department responsible for the English transport network and a limited number of transport matters in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland which are not devolved...

 with the intention of funding and managing the procurement of up to 200 diesel multiple unit

Diesel multiple unit

A diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages powered by one or more on-board diesel engines. They may also be referred to as a railcar or railmotor, depending on country.-Design:...

 vehicles as part of the British Government's planned purchase of as many as 1300 new rail vehicles.

Role

The company was incorporated in February 2009 following the announcement of the first 200 vehicles in late 2008 as part of the Pre-Budget Report

Pre-Budget Report

In the United Kingdom, the Autumn Statement, at times the Summer Statement and the Pre-Budget Report , is one of the two statements HM Treasury makes each year to Parliament upon publication of economic forecasts, the other being the annual Budget...

 - the speed of this announcement (the final contract to be signed in April 2009) led the government to take the lead in financing the procurement, through a public company. However, the DfT have stated that it does not intend to serve in the long-term as a lessor of rolling stock. As a consequence, once the procurement process is completed, the DfT will sell Diesel Trains Ltd, either as a whole, or by selling its assets and contracts.

Diesel Trains will have responsibility for the purchase and distribution of 202 DMU vehicles to three TOCs

Train operating company

The term train operating company is used in the United Kingdom to describe the various businesses operating passenger trains on the railway system of Great Britain under the collective National Rail brand...

 - First Great Western

First Great Western

First Great Western is the operating name of First Greater Western Ltd, a British train operating company owned by FirstGroup that serves Greater London, the South East, South West and West Midlands regions of England, and South Wales....

, First TransPennine Express

First TransPennine Express

First TransPennine Express is a British train operating company. It is a joint operation between First Group and Keolis . It operates regular passenger services in northern England, including services linking the west and east coasts across the Pennines...

 and Northern Rail

Northern Rail

Northern Rail is a British train operating company that has operated local passenger services in Northern England since 2004. Northern Rail's owner, Serco-Abellio, is a consortium formed of Abellio and Serco, an international operator of public transport systems...

. The order itself will encompass a total of 61 trains, with 19 four-car and 42 three-car.