In January 2012, Direct Rail Services announced that it had ordered a total of 15 new diesel locomotives from Vossloh España (now Stadler Rail). These locomotives, which entered service in the UK as Class 68, were part of Vossloh's Eurolight family, redesigned to fit the smaller UK loading gauge.

In September 2013, DRS announced that it was procuring a further ten locomotives. Unlike the Class 68s, these new units would be electro-diesel locomotives, capable of operating either from the overhead line, or by using an onboard diesel engine. However, the new locomotives would feature the same bodyshell, cab, brakes, bogies, traction equipment and control software as the Class 68. The new locomotives were announced as being Class 88.

The first locomotive, no. 88 002, was delivered to the UK via the Port of Southampton and was transferred by road to Carlisle in January 2017. They entered service in July 2017.