 These locomotives reflected contemporary British locomotive practice (as did the VR's fleet of 0-6-0 goods locomotives), in no small part due to the Victorian Government having appointed, in 1884, a Midland Railway manager, Richard Speight, as its first Chief Railways Commissioner.The Commissioners then asked British locomotive engineer Edward Jeffreys to design five standard types of locos, in partnership with the British locomotive manufacturer (Kitson & Co. of Leeds).At the turn of the century, in what marked a major shift in policy, the recently-appointed VR Commissioner, John Mathieson, set up a Locomotive Design Section for in-house development of future motive power.