This series contains 7 volumes which record information relating to orders received by the company for machine tools. Details recorded include the stock number, a description of the machine tools ordered and how many have been ordered; who has ordered the tools, and lists of drawings used in the construction of the tools.

The early volumes in the series of order books (Ref: 0001/ 3/ 276-382) include all orders whether they are for locomotives or machine tools etc. It is likely that the first volume of this series of machine tool orders and drawings prepared (Ref: 0001/ 3/ 578) was originally part of the main run of order books (an order book for machine tools and chucks appears later in this run (Ref: 0001/ 3/ 316)). At some point it has been separated from this main run and added to the separate run of order books specifically for machine tools.