Deutsche Bahn (DB), the German rail operator, has made inroads into the UK passenger rail market with the acquisition of Laing Rail, owner of Chiltern Railways, from Henderson Global Investors.
Although the financials were not disclosed, FT Deutschland, sister publication to the Financial Times, reported the company was preparing to pay €170 million (£127 million).
Laing, also joint owner of London Overground Rail Operations and Wrexham, Shropshire and Marylebone Railway, will join Europe’s largest passenger operator. Chiltern Railways will comprise part of DB Regio, the regional and local services division of DB, with Laing Rail becoming its largest regional rail operation outside Germany.
London Overground Rail Operations currently runs services on lines previously serviced by Silverlink Metro and is set to run the refurbished and extended East London Line from 2010.
Wrexham, Shropshire and Marylebone Railway is scheduled to introduce regular services from Wrexham and Shropshire to London Marylebone this spring, providing North Wales and Shropshire with a direct link to the Capital.
This transaction is subject to approval from the Department for Transport, Transport for London and the Office of Rail Regulation.
