2859 was built at Swindon in May 1918, to a design of George Jackson Churchward's dating from 1903. The engine cost £4,992 when new and £956 for the tender; in the year 2000 £6000 will just about buy two large connecting rods! Engines of the type were produced in batches from 1905 onwards, and on 25th February 1906, an engine of the class hauled 2,010 tons on a test train.

2859, like the rest of her class, hauled heavy freight trains, mainly from coalfields and steel works right across the old GWR system. 2859 worked on occasions from the old Brymbo Steel works (near to Wrexham), particularly in the 1940s. Occasionally the 28xx hauled passenger trains in emergencies and examples were seen sometimes with express headcodes, for example from Shrewsbury.

2859 was officially withdrawn December 1964. From the period between April 1964 and December 1964, 2859 worked from Cardiff East Dock and finally Southall. There are reports that it was brought back into service for a few days in January 1965 at Southall. 2859 was one of the last 3 Churchward 28xx class engines to be withdrawn. Our engine travelled 1,345,561 miles before official withdrawal. She may have also hauled trains a few hundred miles in January 1965 before she travelled 130 miles to Woodham's scrapyard at Barry.