It was designed by Wilson Worsdell and five locomotives were built between 1900 and 1901 at Gateshead works.

The S1 was similar to the NER Class S but had larger driving wheels and a higher boiler pressure.

[1] Schmidt superheaters and longer smokeboxes were fitted between 1913 and 1917.

When built, the S1s hauled heavy passenger expresses between York, Newcastle, and Edinburgh.

This article relating to steam locomotives operated in England is a stub.