The Midland & Great Northern Joint Railway, which opened in 1893, initially used different types of locomotives, either from the Midland or the Great Northern. The class C was introduced in 1894 by Samuel Waite Johnson of the Midland to reinforce these locomotives for use with express trains. It was similar to the Midland Railway Class 1808, but had a smaller tender and a front sandbox for reversing on branch lines.

Sharp, Stewart & Co. delivered 26 machines in 1894 and seven more in 1896. Another seven came in 1899 from Beyer, Peacock & Co. and ten almost identical were introduced in 1900 as Class 2581 on the Midland Railway. The locomotives had a driver diameter of six feet and six and a half inches (1,994 mm) and a boiler with a diameter of four feet and four inches.

In later years, many machines received new boilers. On some this was a boiler with a Belpaire firebox, not significantly larger than the original one. These locomotives were later designated C/2s to distinguish them, while the original ones became C/1s. In 1908 two locomotives were fitted with the standard Midland Railway Type H boiler, which was significantly larger and had a round-topped firebox. A larger number received the standard G7 boiler between 1909 and 1916, which had a Belpaire firebox and was four feet and nine inches in diameter. These were later referred to as C/3.

No. 44 as built

Locomotive Magazine, July 1896

Other upgrades, which varied from engine to engine, included different chimneys, lengthened smokeboxes, a change from vacuum to Westinghouse brakes, and cabs with better weather protection. In the new LNER designation scheme of 1942, the sub classes C/1, C/2 and C/3 became the D52, D53 and D54. Due to progressive decommissioning, however, all had disappeared in 1946, when the locomotives were actually to be renumbered. Today there is only a single boiler, for which there are plans to build a complete locomotive as a standing model.