The Stafford locomotive construction company started in 1875 when William Gordon Bagnall took over the millwright business of Massey and Hill.  The first railway locomotive was built the following year. The majority of their products were small four and six-coupled steam locomotives for industrial use.  In addition to building locomotives to designs produced by W G Bagnall the company also built engines as contractors to organisations who had designed them. This included designs produced by the GWR and the LMS.