 In March 1903, Kitson & Co., the Leeds locomotive builders, were asked to quote for three 0-8-0 tender locomotives; at the time, they were building the first three of the Class 8A 0-8-0s for the GCR.This order was cancelled in April 1903 because the Grimsby line was unsuitable for such locomotives.The LD&ECR Locomotive Superintendent, Robert A. Thom, therefore prepared a design for a tank locomotive larger than Class A, and as with all previous LD&ECR locomotives, they were built by Kitson & Co.