The five locomotives of the class L^A were originally built between 1887 and 1892 for the New Zealand Midland Railway Company. As they were the first locomotives of this company, they had to haul all kinds of trains. They were tank locomotives with a 4-4-0T wheel arrangement and drivers of 42.5 inches. The cylinders measured twelve inches in diameter and 18 inches in stroke.

In 1900, the New Zealand Government Railways bought the Midland Railway and all their locomotives. There they received their class name L^A, that was also applied to the 4-4-0T rebuilds of the L, although these had smaller drivers. The ex Midland locomotives were withdrawn between 1920 and 1928. Numbers 2 and 5, now 311 and 314, were sold to industrial operators and stayed in service until 1934 and 1950. Today 312 is in storage for a possible restoration.