Of the approximately 324 British-built Hunslet Austerity 0-6-0ST saddle tank locomotives, many were used by the British War Department during their fight against the German army in mainland Western Europe.

They had been built by the Hunslet Engine Company (12), WG Bagnall (3), Robert Stephenson & Hawthorns (RSH) (6), and Hudswell Clarke (6).

In the years between 1953, and 1957 six engines were sold, five to the Laura and Julia coal mine (8811 and 8826 in 1953, 8812 in 1954, 8807 and 8815 in 1957) and one to the United Cooperative Sugar Factories in Roosendaal (8817 in 1955).

[1] Sold in 1975 to metal dealer Van Raak in Tilburg, who leased the locomotive to the SSTT as parts supplier for the 8826.

This restoration used many parts from the last stocks of the NCB's 'Walkden Yard' workshops, which was commemorated by naming it Walkden afterwards.