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Paxman is a major British brand of diesel engines. Ownership has varied greatly since the company's formation in 1865, the brand is now owned by MAN AG, as part of MAN B&W Diesel. At its peak, the Paxman works covered 23 acres (93,000 m²) and employed over 2,000 people. Engine production is still primarily based at Paxman's Colchester works.

Examples where Paxman diesels are in use include the Type 22 Frigate (Paxman Valenta) Type 23 frigate (Paxman Valenta), Type 42 Destroyer (Paxman Ventura), Invincible class aircraft carriers (Paxman Valenta) the Upholder class Submarine and the InterCity 125 High Speed Train.

Paxman was founded as Davey, Paxman & Davey, Engineers in 1865, later Davey, Paxman & Co. which became a limited company in 1898. In 1920 the company became a member of the Agricultural & General Engineers Ltd (AGE) combine. In 1932 AGE collapsed and Paxman emerged as Davey Paxman & Co (Colchester) Ltd.

Davey, Paxman and Davey conducted business as general engineers and ironworkers. The company manufactured steam engines, boilers, agricultural machinery, and mill gearing. By the early 1870s the company was supplying machinery to the Kimberley diamond mines in South Africa.

In 1940 Ruston & Hornsby Ltd purchased a controlling interest in the company; this co-operation led to the formation of Ruston-Paxman Group.

In 1954 the engine controls business of Paxman was reformed as a subsidiary, Ardleigh Engineering Ltd. In 1962 Paxman acquired the engine controls division of the Curtiss-Wright Corporation and merged the two businesses under the Regulateurs Europa name.

In 1966 the Ruston-Paxman Group was acquired by English Electric. The diesel engine businesses were merged into English Electric Diesel Engines Ltd (later English Electric Diesels Ltd). Paxman became the "Paxman Engine Division" of English Electric. In 1968 English Electric was itself acquired by GEC. In 1972 GEC renamed the engines division GEC Diesels Limited. In 1975 a reorganisation saw the creation of Paxman Diesels Limited as a subsidiary.

In 1988 GEC merged its Paxman, Ruston and Mirrlees Blackstone diesels businesses with the Alsthom division of Compagnie Générale d'Electricité's (CGE) to form GEC-Alsthom. Paxman became GEC ALSTHOM Paxman Diesels Ltd. In December 1997 GEC Alsthom had its initial public offering as Alstom. The diesel engine businesses became Alstom Engines Ltd (AEL).

In 2000 Alstom Engines Ltd. was acquired by MAN B&W Diesel AG (a subsidiary of MAN AG) to become MAN B&W Diesel Ltd. In 2005 MAN sold the Regulateurs Europa controls business to Heinzmann GmbH.

• History of Paxman's Ownership and Corporate Identity

• Paxman and Diesel Rail Traction