Constructed by Sharp Stewart & Co to order 440, this 0-4-0 tender locomotive was one of a batch of eight locomotives constructed for the Furness Railway. 

In 1870 the first six of the class, F.R. Nos. 17, 18, 19, 20, 25 and 26 were sold to the Barrow Haematite Steel Co. at Barrow. No. 25 continued in traffic until 1960 when diesel locomotives were introduced, it completed 90 years' service at the steelworks. 

BHSC 17 stood in the grounds of the Stone Cross Special School at Ulverston until the school closed around 1980. At some stage it was bought privately and moved to Steamtown at Carnforth.

In May 2018 it was reported that the locomotive had been donated to the Furness Railway Trust who already owned Furness Railway locomotive No 20. The locomotive was moved from the West Coast Railway base at Carnforth to the Ribble Steam Railway headquarters at Preston in November 2018. The locomotive will be restored as a saddle tank classmate (Furness Railway No 20) has been restored as a 0-4-0 tender engine.