Stirling's first locomotives for the Great Northern were the 20 2-4-0s of class 280, built in 1867 and 1868. Despite the large drivers measuring 6 feet 7 inches or 2,007 mm in diameter, they were used for passenger and mail trains, while express trains were reserved for Singles. One feature was that the driving axles were mounted in the inside frame and the leading axle in the outside frame.
From 1874 onwards, 117 more followed, which were known as class 86 and had some changes. Many of these were rebuilt to class E1 from 1897, when Ivatt succeeded Stirling. They received a larger boiler, while those that were not rebuilt were now referred to as class E3. In the 20th century they only served light trains on branch lines. 34 came to the LNER, but they were retired by 1927.