The increased traffic on the Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway required new freight locomotives around the turn of the century. There was the opportunity to use some of 25 machines ordered by the Great Northern with a 0-6-0 wheel arrangement. It was Ivatt's standard design, which was built by Dübs. Twelve of these were taken over, given the usual yellow livery of the MGNJ and given the numbers 81 to 92.