3i Infrastructure said it is capitalising on increased activity in the sector as it reported a 59% rise in pretax profit and a surge in investments for the six months to September 30.

Last week, the 3i Group subsidiary was part of the winning consortium to buy HSBC's train rolling stock in a deal valued at £2.1bn and competed as part of another consortium for the high-speed rail link connecting London with the Channel Tunnel being auctioned by the UK government. (Two Canadian pension systems won that deal.)