A partnership of Arup Group, Ernst & Young and SNC-Lavalin Rail & Transit were appointed temporarily to support them in that function.

In September 2012, with the potential that the Department for Transport would not be able to enter into a contract with its preferred bidder for the InterCity West Coast franchise (FirstGroup) as a result of Virgin Rail Group seeking a judicial review, it was suggested that subsidiary West Coast Main Line Company[7] would take over running of the franchise from December 2012 pending a resolution.

The Secretary of State for Transport announced that an investigation would be conducted, with the running of the West Coast line likely to be passed into the hands of West Coast Main Line Company to ensure that train services continued uninterrupted.

[9][10] Directly Operated Railways confirmed that it had been asked in mid-September 2012 to prepare to mobilise for temporary transfer of the InterCity West Coast franchise in December.

[11] In November 2015, the Department for Transport took the operator of last resort function back in-house, and appointed a partnership of Arup Group, Ernst & Young and SNC-Lavalin Rail & Transit on a two-year contract, extendable to three years, to support them to deliver that.