These new locomotives were designed by Harry Wainwright, the new Chief Mechanical Engineer of the railway, and formed the first of the C class.

[2] The locomotives were used on freight services and occasional passenger excursion trains (such as hop-picking specials), throughout the SER between Reading railway station and the Kent Coast.

The last twelve locomotives were fitted with steam carriage heating equipment to enable them to be used to haul and prepare empty stock for express trains.

685 was converted into an S class 0-6-0ST for use as a heavy-duty shunter at Richborough port which was then being used to ship locomotives and armoured equipment to the Western Front.

[8] In common with other freight locomotives in Southern England, the class was very heavily used during the Second World War and repairs and maintenance deferred.

[12] Bachmann announced on 8 January 2017 that a British N gauge C Class would form part of their 2017 Graham Farish catalogue range.