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The entry of EE into industrial locomotives came mainly through the aquisition of both RSH (Robert Stephenson & Hawthorn) and W G Bagnall . Quite how much of each manufacturer went into the resultant EE "Stephenson" range is not clear - the cast desk arrangement clearly came from RSH but whereas they had developed shunters using the oddball Crossley reversible engines, Bagnall had built several quite modern-looking DHs using first mechanical, then Twin Disc transmissions. From Sentinel however came the tale that one of their 0-6-0DHs, on delivery run to customer, was stopped at a Stafford yard within sight of Bagnall's works, and the entire drawing office staff piled out with notebooks and tape measures and beseiged the loco. The Sentinel driver reputedly locked himself in the cab to forbid their entry. This event, asserted staff loyal to Sentinel, resulted in the "Stephenson" being a "copy" of Sentinel but while the 'centre cab' layout is there, the "Stephenson" is completely different inside. The welded frame structure is superior to the Sentinel (whose frame was still rivetted and incorporating cast iron ballast), drove on the rear axle using the heavy duty version of the RF11 gearbox and had a control system that was also unique.
The standard Stephenson used Dorman engines (as had Bagnall), since they were by then part of EE, and the 0-6-0 design (two versions, the 45-48ton with the 6QT and a 56tonner with the 8QT) are by far the most common, but there were originally 0-4-0 versions and even a solitary chain drive 25ton 4wDH. Production started at Darlington (RSH works) but was later transferred to Newton-le-Willows. The 65 and 75 ton 6wDEs built for BSC and NCB in the late 1970s were beset with wheelset problems and reputedly took what was by then the GEC Industrial Locomotive Division out of the market, finishing with 3 Gardner engined 0-4-0DHs for the Shotton "High line".
 
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