In 1887, Matthew Holmes, Locomotive Superintendent of the North British Railway, decided to stop building goods locomotives with 17” cylinders and replace them with a larger class than the previous Drummonds. Utilising the same wheelbase and firebox as the Drummond 17” but with a new standard boiler, the first six NBR Class C locomotives were introduced in 1888 and such was their success that by 1900, 168 locomotives had been built.
65311 Haig was built at Cowlairs in March 1899 and was rebuilt by the North British Railway in April 1921 using the new standard boiler. Numbered as 753 by the NBR this locomotive was not part of the ROD contingent, but with the withdrawal of the original Haig, No.650 in April 1951 753 (now numbered as 65311) was unofficially named Haig in its place whilst at Craigentinny, during the summer of 1953.