They were officially designated Curved Link 6-ft 6-in Passenger due to the use of a curved link between the fore and back eccentric rods of their Stephenson valve gear and the use of 6-foot-6-inch (1.981 m) diameter wheel centres, which, together with 1+1⁄2-inch (38 mm) thick tyres gave a driving wheel diameter of 6 ft 9 in (2.057 m).

The more powerful Barton Wright 4-4-0s took over on the more demanding sections to Yorkshire though the Ramsbottom engines were considered faster on light loads.

731 had been used as the Chief Mechanical Engineer's (CME) locomotive since 1886, based at Horwich and attached to a combined bogied tender-saloon vehicle.

It passed back to the LNWR when the L&YR amalgamation of 1922 and into the London Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) in 1923 at the grouping.

5031, withdrawn 1932) currently sitting at National Railway Museum Shildon[8] still display nameplates indicating 1873 as the year of build.