The GCR had considered several options for banking these heavy trains, including one based on a design by Kitson and Company for a locomotive carrying out similar duties in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka).

[1] This idea had been discarded due to the restricted loading gauge, and thought had turned to an articulated Garratt locomotive based on two GCR 8K 2-8-0s (LNER Class O4) with a specially designed large boiler.

Beyer, Peacock and Company of Manchester tendered £21,000 for the construction of two such locomotives, although the order was subsequently amended to just a single loco[2] which was delivered in summer 1925 at a cost of £14,895.

[2] After this the loco itself settled down to working its regular beat up and down Worsborough Bank, despite continued steaming problems and a definite susceptibility to poor quality coal.

Initially it worked chimney-first, but after difficulty in buffering up to passenger trains, it was turned to run cab-first up the bank and an electric headlight was fitted.

It stayed at Gorton for three years while several different attempts were made to convert it to oil burning[1] and an improved electric headlight was also fitted.

It was officially withdrawn on 23 December 1955,[2] and was subsequently taken to Doncaster Works and cut up during early 1956, having travelled around 425,000 miles (684,000 km) during its 30 years.