They were a development of the Jubilee class, with a slightly larger boiler.

Bowen Cooke started the same process with the Benbows in 1913, and these too were added to the Renown class.

Benbow 1974 Howe was superheated in 1921; the only member of the class modified as such.

By the grouping of 1 January 1923, when the LNWR passed into London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) ownership, 25 had been rebuilt to Renowns, leaving fourteen Benbows.

The remainder four Benbows (1944/55/66/79) were withdrawn and scrapped between 1923 and 1927, with 1974 Howe going in 1928; none of these last five received their allocated LMS numbers.