The British bank ABBEY NATIONAL (pre-tax profits of 2.9 bn euro in 1999) has taken over the railway leasing company STAGECOACH PORTERBROOK from the British transport group STAGECOACH for £773 million (including repayment of £478 million internal debt). With a pre-tax profit of £109.5 million or 98/99, STAGECOACH PORTERBROOK has assets estimated at £1.4 bn and employs some 90 people.