This model represents one of the four engines built by Fenton, Murray and Wood in 1812-13 to work on the rack railway patented by John Blenkinsop in 1811. This railway covered the 3.5 miles between Leeds and the Middleton Colliery and was the first enterprise in which the steam locomotive was used with financially successful results; the engines remained in working order for roughly 20 years, until the boiler of one of them exploded.

The arrangement of the engines was based on those built by Trevithick, although the design was apparently adapted over time and took multiple redesigns before arriving at its final arrangement.